Of course it was, but it was problematic too. I won’t go with you where this purge was problematic, you already know.
Now however, again, you have a new mechanic, from scratch. By calling the old purge you’ll get nothing. We cannot name how many things that was fun are long gone and never return. The only option we have is to make this new purge better than the old one. It already give you more options, who told you that it’s going to stay as safe as it is now? We both know it won’t.
So instead of asking the broken mechanism back, give ideas and feedback how to make the new one better.
Yet…
Be careful what you wish for 
.