Progression in No Return was praised for unlocks, challenges, and longer-term rewards that kept runs moving.
Pros: content variety, narrative quality
Cons: pacing
Best 2024 Video Games for progression system
Friendships, social statistics, and new abilities make advancement more personal than a conventional experience grind. Gating useful features behind specific relationships can feel restrictive.
Pros: puzzle design, social features
Cons: enemy variety, polish
Badge progression and team growth remain satisfying, but leveling is slower and more manual than in newer entries, with HMs and delayed conveniences adding friction.
Pros: fun factor, faithfulness to franchise
Cons: remake/remaster quality, value for money
Progression systems are mixed: some enjoy RPG-like leveling, but others find stat bonuses, skills, or resource choices underused or costly.
Pros: combat system, accessibility options
Cons: narrative quality, matchmaking quality
Folios and related progression systems are considered useful and flexible by several reviewers, though at least one found character leveling and skill growth confusing.
Pros: combat system, content variety
Cons: pacing, movement feel
The Experts-based progression is widely liked for tying new abilities to exploration and challenges instead of conventional XP grinding.
Pros: fun factor, originality
Cons: stealth mechanics, combat system
Finding Rarities and building their abilities can make progression rewarding. Mandatory searches and repeat missions can also interrupt that sense of growth.
Pros: gameplay mechanics, originality
Cons: overall quality, combat system