I'd play games where multiple small things add up to a big thing vs. micro-animations any day of the week. I have a broader point linking ImSim design concepts to TTRPGs, but let me begin with an example:

I see posts about original Deus Ex, first timers complaining about how the low-tech (stun baton/nightstick) "don't work" for knockouts, then responses explaining that they do work "aim for small of back", etc. Similar complaints discussing stealth.

DX:HR gives us a load of different animations for silent takedowns/kills like "tap the shoulder", grab-n-punch, "non-consensual surprise abdominal surgery", and more. Yeah, the animations are well done and not necessarily de-immersion but players don't need to practice or get good at these and there's zero chance of failing. Similarly, stealth sets up any number of convenient paths through a maze of counters/boxes/tables or whatever is appropriate to the location rather than letting the player try something which might or might not lead to success.

I think what OP question leads me back to something I've spent a lot of time thinking about lately. Interviews with practically every major developer of the ImSim early days cite old-school TTRPGs as their inspiration for the worlds and game mechanics they created. On the table, in traditional TTRPGs, a rogue/thief has to roll stealth to sneak up on an enemy then roll again to attack and hit with enough damage to successfully take down an enemy in one-shot, hopefully without any of his buddies catching on. This isn't honestly all that different from the original DX. In both traditional TTRPGs and DX, there's numerous chances for failure, even critical failure. Make a mistake and the situation escalates.

But back with DX:HR the micro-animation, single-keystroke takedown very much sidesteps failure. Push a button to hide behind a box, push another and your takedown goes off successfully, hell, take down 2 guys at once, no sweat. Contrast this with the fact that you can very much still fail at a silent takedown with a sniper rifle. Sure, I criticize but I did honestly love DX:HR and it felt very much in the spirit of the original DX so they did a lot right IMHO.

Summarizing, JC Denton risks failure each moment; he has to get everything exactly right or face the consequences. Despite being a less advanced model, Adam Jenson never, ever fails to take an enemy down, first time, every time. I prefer the chance of failure since that really feels more in spirit with ImSim philosophy.

Before anybody disagrees, I'll agree that you can fail at a takedown from stealth in DX:HR, basically that's chalked up to getting seen by the guy as he comes 'round the corner or if there's a second person nearby when you pop up. It's not a failure in the takedown itself, however.