To be engaged with your tabletop role-playing game means different things to different people. For me personally, I value believably. This is why I generally prefer a low fantasy setting, low magic and a "gritty" style game. Systems and settings that give me this feel just seem more real, more believable, more immersive, and therefore are more fun.
Death and dying is one aspect of a gritty game. Character death is more common in old school games and is one of the things which can set them apart from many modern games. How healing and character death are handled can greatly affect the feel of the game and how much, or little, players enjoy the system.
It often comes down to expectations. As a player do you expect your character to bounce back after being knocked down to zero hit points? Or would you prefer to roll up a new character? It's often not as simple as that, but hit points, damage or wounds and healing are some of the most controversial and often house ruled elements in role-playing.
A new 25 page "supplement" by Runehammer Games titled 5e Hardcore Mode seems directed at players who want a bit more deadly game challenge. In Hardcore Mode characters get one save against death, not three.
Other aspects of Hardcore Mode is aimed at streamlining rules and speeding up play so that more adventure, more action can occur at the expense of checking character sheets and tracking details. Less bookkeeping, more fun stuff. By shrinking all the numbers, character levels are compressed so that everyone tops out at level 10. All die roll situational and ability modifications are reduced to having advantage or disadvantage. Nothing to memorize, look-up or calculate. Fast, simple, fun!
There's more in 5e Hardcore Mode and I could continue, but by now your interest is piqued or it isn't. If you want the challenge of rolling 3d6 in order, playing what luck gives you and living a character life of grit and danger, maybe Hardcore Mode will be your compromise between the OSR and 5e.
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