While theRPGmarket can feel a tad oversaturated with similar XP methods to keep fans engaged and progressing, there are some RPGs with amore cinematic and dynamicfeel to make players feel immersed in their progress. Coupled with some ahead-of-its-time classics, these games innovate the progression system for superior effects.
Genre mashups have been the easiest way to make progression feel dynamic and player-driven. Trying to develop such progression systems is a tall order, but these games should be lauded for making a valiant effort that was largely successful.
Slay the Spireis one of the most revolutionary indie games ever made, kickstarting the trend of deckbuilding roguelikes that has remained prevalent ever since. Players control one of four characters as they ascend the Spire in the search for an answer to this looping adventure.
Death can be a royal pain, butSlay the Spiremakes up for this with permanent upgradesthat let players add more powerful cards to their deck in successive runs. This meta-progression does a great job of rewarding player agency, with their natural skills improving over time as they finally understand how to build a good deck in each run to power through each floor of the Spire.
Level scaling is something that people groan about nowadays, but there was a time whenSkyrimfelt magical for implementing the same feature.Oblivionmade several errors when implementing this system, causing the game to get harder the stronger players got, which beat the whole point of leveling up.
This is not the case inSkyrim, where enemies get stronger without making the Dragonborn’s progress feel cheap. This, coupled with the steady acquisition of powerful loot, helps players look and feel stronger as theyexplore this beautiful Nordic world.
A lot ofSkyrim’s systems were essentially plastered ontoFallout 4, but to call it an imitation of what worked before would be a disservice. Despite the faults of the Perk system, fans can’t deny that it lets players enjoy a host of unique abilities without being restricted.
This casual approachdivided fans at release, but fans have warmed to the dynamic progression systems ofFallout 4. Players could find bobbleheads to enjoy permanent upgrades to their SPECIAL stats, essentially making exploration critical to unlock more perks for the Sole Survivor to mess around with.
Progression was rigid in the base version ofCyberpunk 2077, with scaled weapons and static levels feeling rather outdated, but the changes to Update 2.0, along with the customisable andcomplex Cyberware, really made this title stand out for its mechanics.
Unique weapons didn’t suffer from scaling, meaning that players were incentivized to mix-and-match weapons to see what suited their fancy. Level scaling was also introduced to the game without punishing players for getting stronger, with cyberware being another area of the game that was overhauled to make progression more natural instead of letting players become overpowered in no time.
Persona 5was the first game in the series to introduce passive abilities that were associated with various Confidants. Characters could enjoy discounts in medical stores, unlock more strategic options in combat, and make their party members more useful as they deepened their bonds.
Unlocking these passives was a must for players who wanted to efficiently explore later Palaces in the games.Persona 5is far from the most difficult game in theShin Megami Tenseiseries, but players who fail to capitalize on their relationships will pay in tough boss battles where their options are more limited.
Deus Exis one of the most revolutionary video games ever made, with this title single-handedly turning Warren Spector into one of the most legendary figures in the industry. There aren’t enough words to talk about the many, many things thatDeus Exgot right, but one area relevant to the topic at hand was its handling of RPG elements.
The term action RPG is thrown around rather loosely nowadays, butDeus Extruly personifies this moniker. If JC is untrained in a particular skill, then it’s downright unusable unless players invest some skill points. The difference in game feel when the protagonist becomes a master of a certain skill is palpable and makes it clear whyDeus Ex’s progression systems were truly ahead of their time.
Gothiccan be a hard game to get into nowadays, given its dated nature, but fans of immersive RPGs should definitely give this game a shot. The Nameless Hero starts out as a lowly prisoner who barely knows how to swing a sword and can’t handle more than two enemies without being ganked to death.
As frustrating as this may be,Gothicrewards players foradjusting to the brutality of the world and using hit-and-run tacticsto gather some experience. Once they reach a camp, the Nameless Hero can contact experts and invest their experience points to learn combat moves, improve their stats, and become a competent adventurer who is rewarded for their perseverance with a satisfying sense of progression.
Sometimes, it’s the simplest touches that can make progression feel amazing in a video game.Fablecould’ve been a traditional action RPGwith a by-the-numbers leveling system, but it’s the little touches that enhance this experience considerably.
From seeing the protagonist get older as he gains levels to wielding abilities that are the very definition of a power fantasy,Fable’s dynamic progression is as satisfying as it comes. Hopefully, the remake will capture what made the original title so special in the eyes of many, to the point where Peter Molyneux’s false promises didn’t detract from the overall experience.
