Level up - It's an RPG World Book 2

I’ll admit, I approached *Level Up: Progression* skeptical of yet another ‘trapped in an RPG’ story—but Zerf won me over by making the *game* feel like a character itself. The system isn’t just window dressing; it’s a cruel, capricious force that forces Leo to adapt or die. Take the early dungeon crawl: what starts as a standard ‘clear the monsters’ quest spirals into a desperate puzzle where Leo’s *lack* of traditional combat skills becomes his greatest asset. It’s refreshing to see a protagonist who’s flawed in ways that aren’t just ‘humblebrag’ weaknesses. That said, the romance subplot feels tacked on, like Zerf wasn’t sure whether to lean into the adventure or the soap opera. It’s the one note that rings false in an otherwise tightly plotted story. Roman Howell’s performance is the audiobook’s secret weapon. His voice for Leo—equal parts exhausted and snarky—sells the character’s growth without resorting to dramatic voice cracks or overacting. The real standout? His handling of the non-human characters, particularly the goblins, who sound like actual creatures with distinct cadences, not just humans with a filter. My only gripe is the occasional overuse of ‘game interface’ sound effects (the *ding* for level-ups gets old fast), but they’re sparse enough not to derail the experience. The production quality is otherwise flawless: no volume spikes, no awkward pauses. At this runtime, it’s a rare LitRPG that doesn’t overstay its welcome—just pure, adrenalized fun with enough emotional hooks to make you care when the hits start landing.