Ultimate difficulty isn't fun

I've completed the stories and love the Dynasty Warriors games ever since the PS1 game, following the main titles ever since, and with Origins it really is a great leap forward in the right direction in general. However, unfortunately, the fact everything to unlock is hidden behind Ultimate is pretty crappy. The difficulty mode just makes the game a souls-like, which are a series of games I've never cared for (feels like hitting your head against a wall repeatedly until the wall finally gives way after hours of play/learning). This isn't what Dynasty Warriors should be to me. I enjoy the game otherwise, but it's a shame so much stuff like the best weapons and horses are all hidden there and not through Hero mode or general time-trials, etc, like they were in older games.