So I took a quick peek at the "Cheat Guide" and saw it was more of a way to avoid setting off anti cheat flags. So is there a way to grind in this game? Like what if I wanted to spend eternity to accumulate levels and whatever "Sx" is?
No actual conventional "grind", but you will "grind" studying the game if you want the best experience of the path you want to follow (though i suggest trying out your 1st blind play if you are willing to see how far you can go with it), Enemies are limited some of them are actually easter eggs
and Sx is one of the currencies that as far as i experienced we do not hunger for (in my blind play-through i didn't buy anything with Sx except some quest pertinent investments).
Pron the other currency you will use is also limited like exp and as far as I'm aware the game also checks out if you are above those conventional legit max values and punishes you (haven't checked it out but did read about it can't recall if it was in the wiki or elsewhere).
*sigh*
What is up with new and casual players nowadays? Back in the days RPG games were way harder than this. Have you ever played the earlier Dragon Quest series (I-III) where the spawn rate was fucking ridiculous so you had to fight through enemies at every step of the way? Ever played
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where you need to manage various timelines that branch left and right, with the plot sometimes going backwards and sometimes forward, in a convoluted maze?
Any RPG worth your salt will need a guide. It ain't an RPG if you don't need a guide, and it ain't an rpg if you don't need to make an excel spreadsheet to manage all your datas/variables/equipment/in-game-budget for the most optimal route.
Just be happy that this game is relatively easy for an RPG, as Sierra Lee made it so that there aren't any random encounters, and you can win every boss battle with optimal planning. Most RPG games back in the day were made so that you had to try the same strategy 2-3 times (even with optimal build) to clinch a win...
(Coming from the experience of a gamer who enjoys plot and the JRPG genre)
I can tell you i have played all those titles and did enjoy them,
i don't have issues with grind or exploration so not having to constantly fight my way through isn't a blessing and this game doesn't ask for "grind" just reading a wiki if you want the most plot possible for your preferred path, post x stage battle is not satisfyingly challenging to the point battle became boring, imo without the plot i would ignore this game without a second thought since for a management game there are better options.
I don't know how you consider those old-school RPG games way harder when most give the chance for players to grind and hint on how to do better with some obvious tells ( my early days of playing RPGs i played them completely blind since back then i couldn't understand the languages they were available in, yeah English accessible to all, meaning mostly a do everything possible kind of a approach, which meant on nothing close to optimal path and still met the The End instead of Game Over screen).
Though i fail to understand on why such defense would justify not polishing this game or excuse it's flaws, the game isn't hard just not yet well made in certain aspects that prevent players to actually do what they are suppose to do, it's not beyond the devs capacity neither unjustifiable.
Though i could see it being unfair asking that when all Fall Outs still present bugs to this day.
PS: LoL for real Radiant Historia? Loved it, though i did the best ending in my blind play the battle system was refreshing and easy so yeah that ain't a good example of a hard RPG...
Though your post made me think more along the lines of Divine Divinity and Chrono Trigger as references to old RPGs or even Pokemon the 1st Red and Blue versions though for difficulty setting with no text and wikis since that was how they were released and experienced by my generation back in the day most were stuck in the 1st cave let alone thinking to buy a Lemonade for the guard or find the place in Safari Zone (time limited section, well step limited section) to get surf.