Combat shrines were/are fine, but could use some improvements. They do serve a purpose to teach you some fighting strats/methods that will serve you well during the rest of the game. They also serve to supply you with guardian weapons and shields.
What I don't like about them is the same thing I don't like about the rest of the game's enemies. That is, early game they are (relatively speaking) hard and properly scaled. You have to work to beat them - both in terms of learning HOW to fight them, and also knowing that you need at least some decent weapons to beat them (which is something you have to work get one way or another, either finding them via exploring, or fighting your way up enemy chains to get better weapon drops). But, as with most things in this game, once you start scaling your own skill at playing the game ... your armor ... your weapons ... well, this game basically doesn't require you to use all those tactics you were forced to use early on. Sure, you CAN use them... but once you're fairly well leveled up, you can just "brute force" you way through most enemies, including guardians and lynels.
So it comes down to a "flaw" in the entire game really ... In my opinion, as you progress and "level up" in ANY game, the game should get harder, more challenging, etc to keep things interesting for you. This game, however, just gets easier, and easier, and easier, and easier ... so by the time you get all your cool weapons, armors, upgrades, etc ... you can literally cheese your way through anything. I didn't enjoy that about this game ... and the combat shrines are just part of the equation.
