The provinces give verisimilitude, but even then the game would probably be boring without the intricate scoring system. Also "(Top) > Key > Hu/Cu Cards" is absolutely vital and the game would have been unplayable if it hadn't existed (It IS unplayable if you don't find it, say by playing the "demo" (really a tutorial) and then noticing that "Key" is THE (only) unexplained clickable, or by reading a review ;)).
I wish the game were larger.