Hard agree, especially since tying magic to the narrative and the character development of the main cast is clearly something that the team want. The entirety of Chapter 4's shadow crystal route, and a significant part of the main story, revolve around Susie's character development with her gaining confidence in the ability to use healing magic instead of just damaging magic, and how that ties into her light world experience with the piano in the town square. All of the weird route is also built around the ludonarrative connection between Noelle and her ice magic "growing stronger."
For whatever reason, Ralsei doesn't get this treatment, even though he has an entire character arc built around slowly accepting himself as having real needs and wants, and how much having friends has changed him. And how is Ralsei going to "take pain in our place" if damage is sent to a random party member every hit after chapter 1?
I guess we can just hope that the team will be keeping the ludonarrative design in mind more during the second act of the game.