Tactical, Exploration, Reward, and Hope
I want to give the player a moment to pause, think and analysis and choose an action to let him/her get out and solve the current predicament.
I want to encourage the player to move out from his/her comfort zone without imposing too much stress on failing, the player needs that his/her time is respected.
he/she complete a quest or beat a strong enemy, the result should also leave a mark in the world, positively or negatively. the player needs to feel that his/her action have an effect his/her avatar and the companion.
no matter how dark the road seem to be, there is always a light at end of the end to the tunnel.