I have one that is smart, and you are spot on. It was nice to use in the beginning to get an idea of what pressure is recommended and time spent on each section. But I have uninstalled and been running app free for several years now - with zero issues.
I found it to be tense and interesting while playing. But looking back, I can’t really put my finger on what made it that way. I swam around and gathered resources to build boats, make food and fresh water - I can’t really ser what the big drive was. But I certainly loved it enough to finish it, which is rare for me regarding most games.