I thought it was great fun. When you're a random peasant who barely knows how to wield a sword, of course you avoid combat. But then you engage in it safely (like in the training grounds) often enough and you start to get good at it. And you save up some money and buy some good armor. And then, well, would you look at that, suddenly you're not afraid of combat anymore. You can handle any one opponent no problem, and even in groups, so what if you get bopped on the head once or twice? You're a metal man, it ain't gonna hurt ya.

The game simulates incredibly well the feeling of satisfaction that comes from genuinely overcoming challenges. Yes, it's "unfun" to be a weak peasant nobody who has to run away from anyone with a pointy bit of metal, but if you never experienced that, it wouldn't be satisfying to become a combat god who fears nothing. It is that sense of growth which is put into perspective so well by Kingdom Come which makes RPGs what they are.