Some of the best RPGs of all time are held back a bit by grinding for EXP to level up or to upgrade other aspects of a character, like classes or equipment. IN Final Fantasy 7for example, players can level up their characters and also learn magic through Materia, and it takes some extra time to reach the peak of perfection.
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Final Fantasy 16 and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door are two good examples of RPGs that don't ask players to invest so much time in extra content just to reach a certain story threshold. Let's find some other RPGs from across the spectrum that are also good at not asking players to gate.
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Final Fantasy 16
A straight forward RPG
Final Fantasy 16 is surprisingly light on RPG elements despite being part of one of the greatest RPG franchises of all time. Clive is the only playable character, and there are areas to explore to fight monsters and level up, but there's really no need.
Equipment upgrades are more worthwhile, while quests and the basic journey should help players level up naturally enough that there's no need to grind. The lack of a party and a deep progression system can make some hardcore Final Fantasy fans away, but for others this is the perfect entrance.
Undertale
Undermining expectations
Undertale is an RPG that subverts the genre on almost every level. Players can encounter enemies randomly in dungeons, but if they talk their way through the same monsters multiple times, they will no longer appear.
Even if players decide to play Undertale more like a traditional RPG and they fight monsters in dungeons, then they will eventually disappear too, preventing grinding. Anyone who hasn't played this game but loves weird RPGs definitely needs to come along Undertale exercise as soon as possible.
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
Linear, yet compelling
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade is the Japanese name of the first game in the series that West got, which was just called Fire emblem. Like most classics Fire emblem post, this game was completely linear. Players moved from map to map, entering grid-based tactical matches where every move mattered.
If a character died, that was it for them, and there was no additional way to level up outside of story matches. Fire emblem is extremely challenging, but also deeply rewarding for those who go with the flow and accept death as they march toward the final goal.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
An open cyberpunk
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is an open-ended first-person RPG set in a cyberpunk future. Players can equip their character with cybernetics, allowing them to approach missions in a variety of ways, from front-door operations to back-door stealth operations.
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This open nature makes for a more exciting and customizable experience, and there's no real way to grind in areas against bad guys. Instead, they can explore the semi-open world and look for side quests; the main campaign should be effective enough.
Chrono Trigger
A forward-thinking SNES masterpiece
Chrono Trigger is a classic turn-based RPG from the SNES era that is still relevant today thanks to its forward thinking ideas. Monsters appeared in dungeons and could be avoided if players were careful, but also, if players just fought these battles, they would usually be high enough for whatever the boss fight had to throw at them in that particular dungeon.
Even if players decided to grind, it never took that long, as the leveling process was usually quick, unlike contemporaries at the time, including both Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest game. Even better, Chrono Trigger had no random encounters on the world map.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Designed not to grind
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and most of it Paper Mario game prevents players from grinding. In new areas, combat will reward players with decent EXP for leveling up quickly. If players keep trying to level up, they will be met with a slow gate as EXP almost dries up.
This is the game that tells the players that they are at the right level, they should be for this area, and that there is no need to level up. It's a smart approach to game design because combat is more about timing hits and defense anyway, rather than raw power.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
A narrative-focused RPG
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is light on the RPG elements as it is more about telling a compelling story through the ages. Players will follow a group of teenagers through different scenarios and time periods, all connected to some future incident involving mech battles.
Sometimes there will be strategic matches to engage in, but they are a small part of the game, meaning players don't need to grind to progress the story. For anyone looking for an incredibly gripping story and gorgeous 2D art, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is the perfect game to check out.
Disco Elysium
Murder he wrote
Disco Elysium is another narrative-driven RPG, but this one has more RPG elements in play. There is no combat, but when players talk to NPCs and make dialogue choices, there will be dice rolls to see how well they do.
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Players can improve their skills over time to make them better in different areas of conversation, and it's up to them to decide what kind of detective they want to be. Set in a dystopian society, it follows a detective who investigates a murder, Disco Elysium is a sour but captivating mystery.
Crimson casing
An immersive table experience
Crimson casing
- Released
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November 28, 2012
- ESRB
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Teenager // Suggestive themes, violence, blood
- Developer
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Level-5, NEX Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Crimson casing was released digitally for the 3DS in North America, and it was a fake tabletop experience. Players could control three characters exploring a huge dungeon in a linear progression, and between them and the monsters, everyone was depicted as game pieces. Physical dice rolls were also used to determine exploration and combat outcomes.
Visually, it's one of the most unique games on the 3DS, and it's a hidden gem among Level-5 RPGs. Crimson casing is a game almost lost to time, thanks to the 3DS eShop being gone, but anyone who reads Japanese can buy a physical copy in Japan.
Half-minute hero
Bite-Sized World Saving
Half-minute hero
- Released
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28 May 2009
- ESRB
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all e10+
Half-minute hero technically has a lot of grinding, but this PSP RPG is a bit more complex. There is a curse on players early on that requires them to only have thirty seconds to defeat the evil lord in each chapter before the end of the world.
Players will go outside, attack monsters and then go back to their safe zone to spend money to reverse time and repeat the process. The goal is to level up enough so that players are strong enough to defeat the evil lord within thirty seconds. So while it's grinding, it's incredibly fast, with each chapter taking maybe five to ten minutes to blast through.
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