I'm with Kanisatha when it comes to combat and level progression in most rpgs. Combat is rarely made interesting by the rules, it's always going to be up to how the DM designs it, including breaking the rules to make it more interesting. That isn't as easy in a crpg, as someone who's played their fair share of JRPGs, they're the quintessential example of how combat that operates solely on its rules becomes repetitive and boring, the "grind". I kind of felt this way towards the end of WotR, but it could be levelled at most of the rpgs I've played, even Baldur's Gate II, I don't think I'd replay that game without being a some kind of caster (though I do love being a mage-slayer fighter in that game, talking about breaking rules to make combat fun)
Computer rpgs, for me are at their most interesting when they're about social puzzles, the interplay of your character and those around them, and how the story changes based on your choices.
Third edition was where I started with D&D but I'm not sure I would go all on board with it being the most satisfying level up experience, mostly because things got so out of hand after a certain point. That isn't really a 3e problem though, it's a D&D problem, and for most people it's not even a problem it's a feature.
I think that's why I like classless systems the best, all of your progress is decentralized towards your skills, which develop at the same time your character does.
