On Leveling in Multiplayer Titles

Forcing players to grind for experience points to unlock things is one of the most overused of system mechanics right now, and it's driving me nuts. After spending about a month away from The Last of Us, I went into Factions mode, and found myself completely outclassed; less so in player skill, than in weapon and character skill availability. Call of Duty, while popular, is, in my opinion, the biggest offender here.