- Amethyst
- 20 May, 2025
RPGs have long been praised by the gaming community for their compelling storytelling and character development. The part of every RPG that splits lovers of this genre is the thing called “level grinding”.
These are repetitive battles to level up and strengthen your characters.
Some players get satisfaction out of the process of working hard and intensifying their experience with the game, while others view it as an element of the game that is outdated.
In this article, examples will be mentioned where grinding is optional, and others where it is mandatory to clear the spikes in difficulty level throughout the game.
“Level Grinding – Is It A Story Enhancer or Time Waste?”
Heavy Grinding: RPGs That Demand Investment!
RPGs can have difficulty spikes as you progress through the game. This can result in tough boss battles or game mechanics that only unlock past a certain level.
An example is Suikoden IV, where contrary to many games, characters not in the party will not gain experience and level up. This means regularly switching up your party to prevent allies that don’t have the level to withstand a boss battle where three different parties can be useful. Investing time in levelling up other characters to be able to handle bosses, will not only be useful, but is a must in this one.
In Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch has an evolutionary system for your familiars (sidekick monsters). When you evolve the familiar, it goes back to level 1, making the progression feel like hard work. Evolution is needed to get newer and stronger moves, but doing multiple evolutions at the same time can set you back in being able to handle stronger area’s of the game.
The Shin Megami Tensei series does it a bit differently. You need to grind to get the best demon fusion results, resulting in stronger demons to use. Bravely Default rewards the players that invest time to master various job classes with enhanced abilities. The mechanics can be rewarding, but can also disrupt the flow of the story. The progression then feels more like a chore and a distraction of the adventure you try to immerse yourself in.
Medium & Easy Grinding: Optional or Rewarding Grinds!
The design of some RPG’s is to optimize the flow of the game and thus minimize grinding. Chrono Trigger is a good example of that with a balanced set of battle mechanics. It allows players to progress through the story without the need for levelling up ahead of time. Strategic use of abilities like magic and tech and the right party formation, are enough to overcome the spikes in difficulty and new boss battles.
Final Fantasy XII offers the well-known systems called the Gambit System and the License Board. It enables players to customize the behaviour and skills of characters. Due to this mix of game mechanics, flexibility is gained and the dependence on grinding is reduced.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon also has a job class systems with their own levels, next to the main levels of the game. With the right classes and abilities and an extensive roster of characters to mix up your party, the levelling system is diverse and engaging.
Persona 5 also offers experience bonuses through Social Links to level up more efficiently. Xenoblade Chronicles has side quests that grant significant rewards for exploration and reducing the need for the same battles over and over again.
Question: Has Grinding Become an Outdated Concept?
RPGs evolve and modern games have used many forms of game mechanics. The use of mandatory grinding has been minimized or even fully eliminated. Past mechanics like level scaling in Final Fantasy VIII, reduce the need for excessive grinding. The enemy strength is adjusted to the level that characters have and corresponding abilities.
The use of various difficulty settings is a common factor in modern day gaming. For example, Persona 5 offers this as option to experience the story without the use of lengthy grinding sessions.
The advancement in game play mechanics goes on, but the appeal of grinding to certain players is still there. There is a sense of accomplishment and gratitude towards the games creators’ of mastering the designed mechanics. Paired with well-designed combat systems, it can also serve as an activity that equals a form of meditation.
Games that force you to grind without offering more gameplay, or progression that is meaningful, are at risk of feeling outdated. Modern titles that use character development more fluently into the experience of the game, are better received and reviewed than those that lean more on playtime through repetitive side quests and grinds.
The Ordeal: Balancing the Amount of Grinding in RPGs
Grinding is not a definitive negative in RPGs. The design and implementation of gameplay mechanics is what impacts the judgement of grinding. When well-designed, the rewards of achievements and growing into the story of the game, make grinding positively received. On the other hand, when it’s used as system to extend the hours of gameplay or introduce a difficulty spike, it can become a source of frustration and disappointment.
Intelligent design minimizes the need for grinding, as displayed in Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy XII. Contrary, titles like Suikoden IV and Ni No Kuni 1, display how the need for grinding can hinder the player experience of the game. Due to the natural evolution of games, various options of progression are offered. The method of optional grinding is more apparent in RPGs, but still as option to those who appreciate a challenge.
What is your opinion on grinding in RPGs? Let us know your examples of hard grinds!
