There's no denying that one of the best parts about replaying an RPG is getting stronger. Maybe this is also because it sort of mimics real life. There's nothing quite like completing a task that used to take you hours in just 30 minutes after you've dedicated enough time to practicing. It's also a good reminder that all those hours spent grinding weren't all for nothing.

Unfortunately, not all RPGs are built around this philosophy. Some of them prefer to boost the enemies' strength so much that players quickly start regretting having leveled up so fast. Although many players may find this funny, I'd say it's a cruel joke from the developers, and it can actually be a source of great frustration.

Although not lacking in other departments, these ARPGs have such fantastic combat that they are worth playing solely for their gameplay.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is one of those open-world RPGs with a progression system that makes ordinary encounters surprisingly punishing. The problem comes mainly from the relationship between character levels and enemy scaling, because once you gain a level, most of the enemies become stronger as well. However, your combat effectiveness doesn’t necessarily improve at the same rate, so there’s often a misalignment.

To make it clearer, imagine creating a character with skills such as Athletics and Speechcraft. By regularly running and persuading NPCs, you can make significant progress towards leveling up without actually improving your ability to survive in combat. I like to call that improving without improvement, which essentially means that the game will punish players who progress inefficiently.

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