Donkey Kong Country didn't have good level design, Banjo Kazooie didn't have good level design, Goldeneye and Perfect Dark didn't have good level design (well Perfect Dark ranged from "interesting levels" to "convoluted as fuck").
I agree in many ways. However there is a certain something to having a level design that is not completely streamlined for those with a 3 second boredom threshold/what are effectively rail shooters but with a tiny bit more control about where you sit during the set pieces.
That said the modern operation flashpoints seem to have taken up that philosophy so I am not without choice.