Brightis on PS1. It started off cool, but it just stays the exact same thing for the entire runtime.
>Your pool of core abilities doesn't expand (you can optionally learn a huge amount of new sword techniques, but the game is extremely stingy with the skill points you need to buy them compared to their costs, the inputs on better techs are too clunky to be useful, the wonky hit detection on some works against your favor, and combat isn't deep or hard enough to warrant learning more than maybe a couple new techs)
>you don't get items with new functions either; your only sense of character progress is going back to town after every dungeon to buy a new sword/shield/armor with slightly higher values)
>progression is linear and purely based on story progress due to the lack of new abilities/items as outlined above
>the dungeon design drops off massively after the first two, with the final dungeon being the worst dungeon I've ever encountered in an action RPG/adventure (I will never complain about a Zelda dungeon ever again)
>the one gimmick the game has going for it is a brightness mechanic in the dungeons; dungeons are pitch black until you find at least one key crystal in them, but the amount of light you have drains rather fast, only being recharged by standing near another light source or dealing/receiving damage
>the game is underbaked; the needlessly complex swordplay options I mentioned are a big example, but there's other stuff too (e.g. there's a ring to boost defense against water-based damage, which doesn't exist in the game)
>the story and setting are completely by-the-book with no twists or surprises whatsoever, which is disappointing when the devs of this game (Quintet) made games like Terranigma and Actraiser
The game started at like an 8.5/10 for me, but ended around a 5/10. It's not bad, but it's tedious. What you see in the intro dungeon is what you get all throughout.