[😊Participating in the Nexon PEAK Post Challenge]

If I were asked which genre I prefer between growth-focused RPGs and sports games, I would probably choose RPG games.

That does not mean I dislike sports games, of course. I actually spent quite a bit of time enjoying FC온라인 (formerly 피파온라인). But when I look back on it, what I liked most in FC온라인 was not the matches themselves, but the process of managing a club, recruiting players, and developing the team. I enjoyed thinking over which players to sign, putting together the squad, and gradually building a stronger team. In a way, that was also its own kind of growth content.

The game I played for the longest time was Nexon’s RPG Mabinogi. What appealed to me about Mabinogi was that it was not simply a combat-focused game, but one where each player could set personal goals and grow in many different areas.

For example, I raised the Magic Craft skill to the highest rank and made weapons for my own use. Rather than simply buying strong gear, the sense of accomplishment that came from gathering the materials myself, going through the crafting process, and completing the final item felt especially rewarding.

Another example was the Cooking skill. I enjoyed raising its rank, making food myself, and seeing the dishes I made actually help in combat.

Of course, combat content matters too. There is a particular kind of satisfaction unique to RPGs in steadily developing your character, refining your equipment, and finally entering and clearing higher-level dungeons that once felt out of reach.

Even in FC온라인, what drew me in was the pleasure of building up a team, and in Mabinogi, I enjoyed growing through many different paths such as crafting, life skills, and combat. So I think I am simply better suited to a growth-focused RPG—the kind of game where you set long-term goals and reach them one by one—than to the brief thrill of a single match.