It does take a bit of time to get to that point, and the game is a little frustrating for a while. Which, it sounds weird to say but it's true: is kind of intentional and parallels the story. I get why people might not like that.
Quick tip if you do play: the game doesn't really tell you how OP the "press both triggers to steady yourself" move is if you start tipping over left or right. The screen might tell you to hit RT if you start leaning left, but sometimes it's easier to just hold down both triggers for a second. You can do it while moving too (at least in DS2, been years since I played 1).
Also, play the Definitive Edition if you can.
I honestly loved the game. The asynchronous online stuff hit my dopamine receptors in just the right way. Still haven't finished the second one though.
That's kind of part of the point. That's how the game starts out, but as you build up infrastructure (literally with the help of other human players that you'll never actually interact with, thank god), traveling gets faster and easier. Until you're driving delivery trucks down massive highways, and traveling over mountains on zip-line networks.
And that progress parallels the story in some ways.
He's definitely cool with it. All one needs to do is read the Old Testament.