RPGs With The Best Equipment Leveling

Many role-playing games (RPGs) offer unique progression systems beyond simply defeating enemies to gain experience and level up. Great examples include the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy 10 and any game in the SaGa series, which both meticulously record everything a player does during combat.

Many RPGs feature fantastic, though sometimes complex, character leveling systems. However, progression isn’t just about characters – some of the best games also let your gear improve and evolve as you play. Let’s explore some creative leveling systems for armor and weapons. While not strictly an RPG, the Ratchet & Clank series deserves a mention, as their weapons gain new abilities by earning experience points.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Syncing Characters And Weapons

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, every weapon can be improved and generally has an elemental type. You’ll need materials to upgrade them, and they can be leveled up to a maximum of tier 20. Reaching these higher tiers unlocks new passive abilities that can significantly boost your power.

To succeed in the game’s turn-based battles, players need to consider a weapon’s elemental type, choose the best Picto enhancements, and utilize each character’s unique abilities. For instance, giving Maelle a weapon that boosts her fire skills will make her much more effective.

Dark Cloud 2

Evolving With The Times

Dark Cloud 2, along with its earlier game and spiritual successor Rogue Galaxy, all stand out for their unique and engaging weapon upgrade systems, a result of Level-5’s creative design. In Dark Cloud 2, the character Max can use wrenches and guns to improve his abilities, and Monica can equip swords and bracelets.

Defeating enemies rewards players with gems that boost the experience points earned by their weapons. As weapons gain experience, they level up and can eventually transform into more powerful versions. Many weapons offer different upgrade options, letting players customize their gear and make choices about how they want it to perform, which adds depth and excitement to the equipment system.

Disgaea: Hour Of Darkness

Dungeon Diving

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is packed with unique features, and its equipment system is particularly interesting. Every item – from swords to potions to hats – has its own dungeon to explore. Players can enter these mini-dungeons, battle through turn-based fights, and improve the item’s power with each victory.

With enough effort, players can upgrade their initial weapons to be as powerful as the best gear in the game. While upgrading gets harder at higher levels, it’s still possible for dedicated players who want to take on the challenge.

Raidou Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army

Swords, Spears, And Axes, Oh My!

In Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, players can customize Raidou’s weapons. He begins with a sword, but by collecting materials, you can craft other weapon types like spears and axes, giving you choices in how you approach combat.

I’m really excited about how weapons work in this game! They can actually learn skills to use in battle, just like my demon partners do with spells. It’s not a totally new system, but it’s definitely one of the most customizable I’ve seen in a Shin Megami Tensei game, and that’s a big plus for this remaster. It feels like they’re moving things in a great direction!

Monster Hunter Wilds

So Many Choices

Monster Hunter Wilds offers a huge variety of weapons, which suits the game’s name perfectly. Players begin by choosing from fourteen different weapon types, including the Bow, Switch Axe, and Insect Glaive. As they progress, defeating monsters and collecting materials unlocks numerous upgrade options and branching paths for each weapon, allowing for extensive customization.

Having a variety of weapons is key, as different monsters have different weaknesses – some might be vulnerable to fire, while others resist it. A new feature lets players carry two weapons on each hunt, letting you switch things up during battle and adapt your strategy on the fly.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Beyond Materia

In the original Final Fantasy 7, weapons were often temporary – used for a quick power boost or to hold more Materia. However, Final Fantasy 7 Remake changed this by making your starting weapons useful throughout the entire game, depending on how you play. Each weapon also has a unique skill that you can learn permanently by using it in battle.

Players can customize their weapons with a skill tree, using points to improve stats, add more Materia slots, or unlock other helpful bonuses. While the combat in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is improved, the original game’s weapon upgrade system is simpler to understand and offers more freedom in how you build your weapons.

Moonlighter

Shopkeeper, Shopkeeper, Make Me A Match

Okay, so I’m really into this game called Moonlighter. Basically, you play as a shopkeeper during the day – you sell all the loot you find. But at night, you’re a dungeon crawler, going out to get that loot! It’s a cool mix. You can use the stuff you sell or keep it to upgrade your gear, and honestly, there’s a ton of different weapons you can find and customize, way more than armor options. It’s a really fun loop of shopkeeping and dungeon diving.

Choosing to fight with a sword and shield, or with bare fists, unlocks different ways to improve your character and gain unique advantages. Because the game doesn’t have a huge number of weapons or upgrade options, players often find themselves wanting to try out every piece of equipment and character build. This encourages continued play, making it easy to see why this is one of the most enjoyable and approachable roguelike games of the last ten years.

The World Ends With You

Pin Collecting

Instead of traditional weapons, The World Ends With You uses a unique system of collectible Pins. Players equip these Pins to the main character, Neku, and each one gives him different attacks. These attacks are performed using the Nintendo DS touchscreen – sometimes with a simple tap, and other times with a quick swipe – and can range from elemental blasts like fireballs and lightning, depending on the Pin equipped.

The Switch version lets you play using either touch or motion controls, depending on how you connect the system. Battling and using these controls helps your Pins gain experience and even evolve into stronger forms. Also, the clothes Neku wears in different areas matter, as current fashion trends can boost his abilities during fights.

Parasite Eve

Bonding With Gun Experts

Parasite Eve is a surprisingly excellent RPG developed by Squaresoft. What makes it stand out is its unique mix of real-time action and turn-based strategy in battles. You play as Aya Brea, a detective in New York City, and you can collect and improve a diverse arsenal of firearms.

Rather than scattering shops throughout the city, all weapon upgrades were handled at the police station’s basement by two specialists. This created a more personal experience for players when improving their weapons. Players could modify their guns in various ways—increasing damage, expanding magazine capacity, and more—with a simple and intuitive system.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Three Blades Are Better Than One

In Muramasa: The Demon Blade, players experience two separate storylines: one as Kisuke, a ninja, and another as Momohime, a princess inhabited by a demon. Both characters fight with swords – katanas or nodachi – and can equip up to three at a time. Switching between weapons during battles unlocks unique abilities for each blade.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade offers a huge variety of ways to play, with many different paths for each character. This makes it a bit overwhelming, but also incredibly engaging as you discover new options. Whether you played it on Wii or the upgraded PS Vita version, it remains one of Vanillaware’s best 2D action RPGs.

2026-02-03 22:14