[SpaceManNabs]

Minmaxing in RPGs is kinda expected and pretty fun.

I am thinking:

1. most bioware games

2. most fromsoft games

3. RTS games

4. tower defense games

5. bethesda games since morrowind

Minmaxing there is a natural outcome and often makes the game funner (because otherwise the difficulty is a lot).

[thowaway91234]

Don't you just level up as high as possible in bioware or bethesda games? Not what I would consider "minmaxing". Skyrim is fun because I can get everything to 100 at whatever pace I choose but there is no "min" involved there for the most part. I haven't played one in a while but there really isn't an incentive to keep your level low in those games. There's only "maxing" with no "min".

Souls games have the community agreed level cap of ~125 for PvP matchmaking, so minmaxing makes sense here - but there barely ever any RNG involved in making a Dark Souls build and you just level up and beeline for the things you want while playing the game "normally" (beating levels and bosses, sunbro'ing to get additional XP along the way, etc..). That said, there's an argument to be made that when ignoring the multiplayer aspect that getting to level 300+ to beat NG+7 is way more fun than minmaxing a 125 build and trying to beat NG+7 that way (my preference, of course).

If there was additional RNG involved with weapon stats or anything like the EV/IV system in a souls game I would never play it, for sure. It's simplicity is what makes it amazing. It's why I hate the bloodgem and chalice dungeons in bloodborne, despite it otherwise being my favorite souls game.

RTS and Tower Defense games I'll give you, since the meta strategy is efficient resource management and maximizing damage to obliterate your opponents with as little resources used as quickly as possible.