Not EVERY talent tier is an even choice, or even a compellign one, but most of them are. To be completely frank, if you can't find uses for your other talents you're probably not that great at your class or don't understand what the talents are doing for you in the first place. Yes, that probably sounds a bit insulting, but it's true. The old system was literally "You do more damage" as a talent choice, that is so very rarely the case now. AT WORST the current system is 'you do more damage in situation A B or C' and A is much more common than B or C, but B and C still have a place.
Tbh current warlock talents are... lacking, so he's not wrong about those. Still better than the old system tho.