I was looking at 4E again today. There are some things I like. For example, take the Wizard. I like the use of implements and how they were added to the rules. It was a nice touch.
But, I hate the whole idea of "healing surges." It sounds like a video game mechanic, not something one would find in a story. Imagine if Conan decided to active a "healing surge" in one of Howard's stories. For me, that throws away verisimilitude.
As a nit pick, but drawing on Thormagni's comment above on how distant the rules leave him: Compare the artwork of the wizard on page 156 to the artwork on page 42 of the 1E Player's Handbook. Probably a less capable artist drew the latter, but it is SO evocative of story and atmosphere - something the 4E painting completely lacks. Perhaps it is technically more competent, but it really lacks any soul, atmosphere, or story. Sure the book is glowing (yawn), and the quill is floating (yawn again), and his hair is flowing as though wind is surging out of the book, but... somehow the bald guy with weird ears clawing at a non-glowing ancient tome with a quasit on his shoulder captures me.