Like so many modern Computer and video games Part IV is unfortunately a bit over balanced. In Part III it was fairly easy to get stronger than most monsters at some point, but the spells, abilities and items are all weaker than in part 3 while the monsters got stronger at the same time. This does not provide a challenge, but instead causes frustration and the feeling that it is pointless to play the game, knowing that its over balanced and your efforts are wasted.
You might unfortunately have to wait a bit for the balance to settle. The game is only approximately 10-20% complete and has another 3 years of development ahead of it. Balance tends to go all over the place over the course of development as things are added, removed, changed etc. Its only really at the very end or prior to major release milestones that I try to actually hammer the balance into place.
Heh trust me, I'm impatient as well with it sometimes. Generally with game dev, it tends to be a bit of a waste of time to try to keep everything 100% balanced while developing simply because everything you do tends to swing it wildly one way or the other. The ultimate goal is for the base game to either be the same difficulty as RFIII or even a bit easier since I'm planning a whole ranked system of increasing difficulties for those who want it.
I am actually concerned with the vision for 4. I know that it's a rogue game and hence you need to know how to manage your resources/health and tactically decide which battles to take, however already I found 3 very challenging (especially the end dungeon) even when fully leveled up so if the aim is to make it even harder not sure how much fun it will be at t end.
On another note I do appreciate the idea of using more abilities more frequently as that would add a bit more strategic/tactical thinking to some of the gameplay
I guess wait and see :)
P.S. unclear on what's the upside of the Mummy: previously it was a way to heal without being limited by food - now it seems that the gains are not offset at all by the lack of ability to consume potions/mushrooms
