More of the same thing may not be a bad thing.
One great feature here that could have been introduced in the previous two games would be the additional functions of set artifacts and the "carrying over" ability. Perhaps the developers thought of it before, but held it back as a trump card. The Memory Mentor is also another cool feature that solved the occasionally insensitive and rigid level up options and also enable you to get that special racial ability much faster.
Even though it turned out to be surprisingly fun and noteworthy, Tribes of the East may not be worth your bucks as a stand-alone. By now, the compilation should be worth getting with the bargain price.
KingLim