I'd guess a lot of people never play it because it seems too simple/boring. Those that do stick with it thinking it IS a simple game might get overwhelmed with resource management and optimizing their character and upgrades based on class and starting conditions. You have to rely on the wiki or a lot of trial and error and that can make people quit.
Not too far off from being able to use all that gear too. I find it's generally worth it to just use the higher tier armor if you're within a few strength points with pots/upgrades, even with the penalty , especially on the first few floors.
Definitely, I got both of those haste rings pre depth 10 IIRC and I happened to loot a scale armor with swiftness soon after (which got erased from upgrade and later replaced with the affection glyph). I kept thinking this whole run, this has got to be the luckiest b**ch I've ever played. Picked up the rose immediately after clearing the ghost quest in an adjacent uncleared room.
Late game is easy when you turn half the mobs to your side, dead or alive.
Had another base ring of haste, I was zippin', a second ring of accuracy +3 which was completely unnecessary, and an insane amount of food during the run.