It’s fascinating to seethe trajectory that Western RPGs have takenever since the golden age of computer role-playing games. The isometric perspective used by these games got the job done, but it was clear that the genre needed to evolve to capture a new audience. This was done by shifting perspective and opting for action-focused gameplay where players put themselves in the main character’s shoes and played an active role in combat.
These Western action RPGs are a joy to play through, with the real-time combat making things rather breakneck and tense as players try to take out the enemies standing in their way while surviving at all costs. In such games, it may seem like levels matter to ensure that tougher enemies don’t wipe the floor with them, but the best games in this genre know how to help players get stronger without mandating the need to grind and gain levels in the most boring manner possible.
Fallout: New Vegasis hailed by many asone of the greatest role-playing games ever made, and understandably so. Players mold the Courier in their image and embark on a journey of revenge, only to be embroiled in a grand plot where multiple parties vouch for control of New Vegas. It’s an amazing story made even better by brilliant world design that subtly nudges players down the intended path, to the point where players don’t even realize that they’re doing exactly what the game wants from them.
Taking the short road to New Vegas from Goodsprings will lead to a player’s death in no time, with the nightmarish Cazadors stabbing and infecting players until they die a swift, brutal death. Instead, players must take the longer route that helps them encounter the residents of the Mojave Wasteland and slowly get stronger until they enter the town of New Vegas and are at a decent level to tackle most of the challenges in the game without feeling the need to grind and gain levels in a cheap and grating manner.
The first half ofVampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlinesis one of the greatest western action RPGs ever made. Troika Games had something special on their hands, and it’s a shame that they never got the chance to fulfill their vision. Regardless, players should make it a point to play this amazing RPG and check out the deep role-playing mechanics at play here.Every vampiric race plays differentlyand helps players immerse themselves in a world that is dark, brooding, mysterious, and inviting in a twisted way.
What makes this game so masterful is how it rewards players with experience. It may seem stingy, but the XP in this game is only given after completing certain quests and lets players either invest in stats or unlock certain abilities and powers. There’s no scope for players to grind here, meaning that their roleplaying abilities and skills are the only way to get past the numerous challenges standing in their way.
Geralt’s final adventure in the realm of video games is one full of emotions, with the witcher striving to locate Ciri and save her from the clutches of the Wild Hunt. However, players can still distract themselves with a wealth of side quests with recommended levels that govern the experience Geralt gets. This essentially negates any form of grind, especially given the XP system present in this game.
The full experience is only given to the player if they’re around the recommended level. If Geralt is too strong for a certain quest, then he’ll be rewarded with a paltry amount of experience to prevent the witcher from becoming too strong. Players who think that they can still gain extra levels by killing monsters will be in for a rude awakening when they see the barebones experience achieved with each kill, regardless of the monster’s level. It’s impossible to grindinThe Witcher 3, and this is for the best.
Mass Effect 2is arguablythe greatest RPG BioWare has ever madeafter shifting its focus to try and target mainstream audiences. The game starts on an action-packed note with the Normandy being blasted to smithereens, only for the Illusive Man to recover Shepard’s corpse and bring him back from the dead. From the get-go,Mass Effect 2is a gem of a game where players form a squad and try to stop the Collectors and Reapers from wreaking havoc all over the galaxy.
Every mission inMass Effect 2is expertly crafted and feels doable regardless of what Shepard’s level is. Most recruitment missions can be started in any order and the main story itself feels as fluid as they come without making players think that they’re under-leveled for any given scenario. If anything, levels mainly exist to let players dump points in stats and slowly unlock powers throughout the game’s run, ensuring that combat remains fresh and engaging by the end of this game’s runtime.
Hogwarts Legacyis one of the most successful action RPGs of the modern era, making it clear that theHarry PotterIP is a goldmine of content. Players love the idea of stepping into the shoes of a Hogwarts student, even if the role-playing aspect of the game is rather shallow. Thankfully,the excellent combat and spell synergyensures that players will never get tired of taking out the many magical creatures and evil wizards that stand in their way.
Hogwarts Legacyhas a unique way to gain experience where players must complete Field Guide Challenges, giving players XP rewards after achieving certain tiers of every challenge. While some quests have a level requirement, players who are diligent about exploring Hogwarts and the Scottish Highlands will find their levels rising in no time. The only time the player may be required to grind is for the post-game quest, The House Cup, which isn’t worth it since the only reward players get is an additional cutscene of their chosen house winning the House Cup for their outstanding accomplishments. Even then, most people will easily reach Level 34 in the game as long as they don’t outright ignore the Field Guide Challenges.
