While the RPG market can feel a tad oversaturated with similar XP methods to keep fans engaged and progressing, there are some RPGs with a more cinematic and dynamic feel 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.
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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.
8 Slay The Spire
Starting From Scratch And Slowly Getting Stronger As The Spire Gets More Challenging Feels Great Every Single Time
Slay the Spire
- Released
- January 23, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Tobacco Reference
- Developer(s)
- Mega Crit
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, Deckbuilding
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Slay the Spire is 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, but Slay the Spire makes up for this with permanent upgrades that 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.
7 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Level Scaling And Steady Loot Improvements Ensures That Players Will Feel A Palpable Sense Of Progression
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Level scaling is something that people groan about nowadays, but there was a time when Skyrim felt magical for implementing the same feature. Oblivion made 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 in Skyrim, 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 they explore this beautiful Nordic world.
6 Fallout 4
As The Sole Survivor Acquires Better Equipment, Surviving In The Commonwealth Becomes Manageable
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
A lot of Skyrim's systems were essentially plastered onto Fallout 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.
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This casual approach divided fans at release, but fans have warmed to the dynamic progression systems of Fallout 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.
5 Cyberpunk 2077
Update 2.0 Adds Level Scaling To Keep Things Challenging For Players Without Losing A Sense Of Progression
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Progression was rigid in the base version of Cyberpunk 2077, with scaled weapons and static levels feeling rather outdated, but the changes to Update 2.0, along with the customisable and complex 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.
4 Persona 5 Royal
Confidants Give Joker Special Abilities To Help Him Tackle Tougher Palaces
Persona 5 Royal
- Released
- March 31, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Atlus, P-Studio
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Persona 5 was 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 5 is far from the most difficult game in the Shin Megami Tensei series, but players who fail to capitalize on their relationships will pay in tough boss battles where their options are more limited.
3 Deus Ex
An Immersive Sim That Does Justice To Its Dynamic RPG Elements
Deus Ex
- Released
- June 23, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ion Storm
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, FPS, Stealth
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, PC
Deus Ex is 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 that Deus Ex got right, but one area relevant to the topic at hand was its handling of RPG elements.
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The term action RPG is thrown around rather loosely nowadays, but Deus Ex truly 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 why Deus Ex's progression systems were truly ahead of their time.
2 Gothic
Players Must Learn From The Best And Acquire Skills Organically To Deal With The Sandbox's Intimidating Enemies
Gothic
- Released
- November 23, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
Gothic can 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, Gothic rewards players for adjusting to the brutality of the world and using hit-and-run tactics to 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.
1 Fable
Seeing The Hero Age As They Improve Their Skills Is Quite Cathartic
Fable
- Released
- September 14, 2004
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Content, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Big Blue Box Studios, Lionhead Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox (Original), Xbox 360
Sometimes, it's the simplest touches that can make progression feel amazing in a video game. Fable could've been a traditional action RPG with 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.
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