Does Shadoes *really* Need Leveling?

I'm maybe 15-20 hours into Shadows, and I find that I'm liking it. a lot! Maybe my favorite game in the series since Black Flag, even!

One thing that seems just a little odd to me, though, is the enemy leveling. Is it really needed?

Like, I don't mind RPG mechanics like character customization, skills (when they're more tasteful, like this), heck the romances and dialogue choices don't even bother me that much. But the RPG-style leveling just feels kinda outdated and vestigial now... like it's there because the game is an RPG, but for no other reason.

Personally, I'd rather just see a skill tree, and not have base stats baked into a traditional leveling system. Or even better, have skills unlock more organically, through the story.