First thing first

Trying to figure out what your problem is, but I can't make sense of your phrase... whats the problem with the current hitpoint bars? I really like to see them all the time, I turn on that feature in all the games I play if available.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

I have three responses for the OP:

1. This can at best be classified as a minor annoyance and definately not the "One specific game detail lets the whole game down"

2. Most people find no problem with it as is (see reply by Kongdej)

3. At the very least, if the developers spend any time and resources on this, they should make it an option to turn healthbars on or off...

Best, BDW

I agree this is a fairly minor thing which people can differ on. One very minor issue I have with the health bar, which OP alluded to is the fact that the health bar changes as soon  as I click on an attack prior to the attack animation running and damage points showing up. More of a polish issue than anything else.

It may be minor to you folks, but for the OP, it must represent a big enough annoyance to warrant him bringing it up here. The purpose of the Beta is to test the mechanics and functionality of the game and to garner feedback. While this issue may not relate to your playing the game, the OP makes his point and it is something, that he/she feels needs to be addressed.

Giving input to his/her request is good, as long as you don't knock it into the dirt, thus, we'll have people, such as myself, that refuse to make comments about what we feel is right and/or wrong with the game, because someone else fails to see it from that perspective and dismisses it with criticizing remarks. Sorry to say folks, but no matter how good or bad you think his criticism is toward this point of the game, it's a VALID point in his eyes, and the feedback is warranted on his behalf. Let him have his say, agree or disagree if you choose, but don't knock it because you don't see it in the same perspective he/she does. 

This game has a ton of good points and it has some very heavy bad ones in my opinion, but they will not get voiced here or even in private because of the peanut gallery. What I think is a critical issue, is critical to me, a selling point for me in most respects. While I have the game pre-ordered and I own the original as well, the fact is.. the Original should have been worked on more, and cleaned up.. not make another game with some of the same issues the first one had and were never addressed.

Personally, I don't mind the health bar. I even like it!

What bothers me from all the "Let's play" videos I saw so far, is the timing of it's update. I think, there was already a post, mentioning this.

Right now, it works like this: Start an attack, see the result immediately (due to health bar change), wait for the animation and "health-reduction-numbers". To be honest, this is not very tantalizing!

It should be quite the other way round: animation + numbers, then the health bar update (if the enemy is not dead). As you have to wait until the end of the fighting animation anyway, you would at least be held in suspension until the last possible moment.

The number dispaly and health bar update should happen at the same time. I feel like there is some kind of lag when they display seperately. Its very jarring to me. So we all have different opinions and we all think we are right.

Of course, only i really am.

Glowing_Ember, you are right!

The issue I descirbed above was under the impression of those "Let's play" videos, as I did write.

Now, as I had the opportunity to see it in "real life" (Yes, I joined "the team"...! ), I think that everything is allright! Maybe, it was due to an earlier build, maybe because of the tester's game settings or their computer. Anyway, in my first games, the numbers and the bar changings come so fast on afer the other, that it is no real issue for me anymore. Yes, the best way to implement both feed-backs is definitely simultaniously!

If anything is to be changed im with this, but I see it as a minor one tho ...

Anyways, I was trying to get clarification of what the original poster wanted, in which people misunderstood seemingly.

I am in no way against giving people the option, my point is I just rarely look to the left to know peoples HP since knowing what units have turns where is a pain anyways unless you hover over stuff, so using the turn bar to know what units have which amounts of HP left from the turn bar is a pain too...

Sincerely
~ Kongdej