Your second story reminder me of a situation in "The Last Story" that annoyed me. To upgrade a particular weapon you get 2/3 through the game, you have to get a specific item. This item can only be found at the start of the first level, on your first play through. You have to turn around at the first spawn (ignoring your teammate who races on ahead and immediately encounters enemies), follow back along the tunnel to a wall, kick down the wall, and open the chest. Grrrrr...