Interesting article, very true, except for the point about the prequels. I dont really see a huge problem with that. Prequels are prequels, and if a series is so successful then let them milk it for all its worth.

As for the cover, if the game's combat is cover based then it should take a page out of Spec Ops: the line and make it so cover is destructible with enough firepower against it, as I recall.