| staticneuron said: I have always thought of games like zelda and shadow of the colossus "Epic" games. It' is obvious that RPG's do not just define games in which you play a role. I have started to think of it as a game which focuses on numbers and level progressions. The sheer fact that you can find weapons or increase life doesn't really seperate a title from an action game. I would like to say the most defining aspect is the weight the story of most RPG's has on your characters and progression. Not only just to serve as emotional burdens but to also affect the gameplay. I choose to see these games, Such as the final fantasies, elder scrolls and WoW's, to have an inescable link to strong number system and storyline. To excel at these games all it really takes is an understanding of numbers and math, which will always keep you on the winning edge. |
Yeah, I have to agree with this. I've discussed this topic with my friends before and the common link of what you can classify as an "RPG" is leveling, an emphasis on the story element, and an emphasis on exploration and communication. "Traditional" RPGs generally required less physical skill to play. New action-RPGs such as Diablo still include grathering items, leveling, a great story (and nice cinematics...I love Blizzard...heh), but have more of a physical skill involved and more thinking on your feet.
Technically most games can be considered "playing a role" so what I'm always curious about is how that term came about. I think it may be that RPGs were made to more mimic real life or better mimic an actual story that you would read in a book or see in a movie. Obviously that already means there's a story element, and the leveling stands for progressing through life and improving by practicing what you do. Gaining "experience" in life enables you to do things better, and that's what RPGs mimic. This also explains the traveling from town to town and actually talking to people to find out what you should do next, rather than a game like Contra where you just go from level to level and kill things. RPGs are closer to real life (even if in a fantasy setting or whatever).
Games can have RPG elements but I think a true RPG now is games that focus on those aspects more. God of War, for example, has a great story and skill levels with weapons, but there is a major emphasis on action. A lot of games have borrowed elements from RPGs, but I want to point out that God of War doesn't have traveling from town to town and talking to people to find out what to do. RPGs generally have more exploration elements to them outside of fighting areas.
RPGs also borrow elements from other genres (Kingdom hearts, zelda, etc), but like I said, they emphasize progression, story, and exploration.
