Yeah I’ve read the 3-body-problem books, didn’t enjoy them, but I’m well aware of the mechanic you’re speaking of.
I liked it but after the first 50 pages of book one I realized "Oh, this is anime". I think that having consumed a lot of anime in my teenage years I have more tolerance for story arcs that overstay their welcome, but make up for it with epic twists/payoff. I think that these expectations make it more palatable.