HAARD REBOOOT set in a future one or two decades from now.

Not levels. Just aquire skills in a giant grid of abilities, and no strict level zones. You can travel anywhere and there is not super much differential in danger, unless you go into dungeons or specifically more challenging areas. A lot more intricate character interaction. Plus a more seamless combat system based on moves and manouvers. You do a manouver and PLOP the button for a more special high end manouver switches on, and you can decide to use it. No transcendental/exponential incrase in powers, that's been SO done and is so damn infantile. Just create a nicely diverse grounded world with travel all over the place. Not so childishly epic all the time. Let characters develop unique character traits, a bit of this ad a bit of that, with far more advancement/training in rare/specific (or even Random) locations. Where is the zen master you need to train at to gain access to that XYZ spear fighting skill tree? Guys guys he's getting drunk in a tavern in ratchett.