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twesterm on 04 November 2010
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twesterm said:
Jumpin said:

The term "RPG" is used FAR too loosely nowadays. The defining characteristic of an RPG is a turn based battle system, it is really the only thing that separates it from adventure titles.

For the most part, the first time I ever heard of an RPG being anything else other than that were Nintendo fans on the N64 saying Zelda: Ocarina of Time was an RPG, in the face of high criticism about the N64 having no RPGs.


What?  You really couldn't be more wrong.

RPG's are about characters, story, and how the characters change.  Turn based has nothing to do with it.

I'm curious, what do you think RPG stands for because if you actually knew what it meant that would be your first clue why you're way off the mark.

And to clarify a bit-- I get what you're saying that since every game has those RPG qualities (character, story) that the only defining quality RPG's really have left are things like turn based battle system but that simply means other games are getting better and evolving.

In 1995 you couldn't have your everyday platformer have the same rich narrative and characters as, say, Final Fantasy IV but today, you have things like Uncharted that has its strong roots in platformers and action games while also outdoing games like Final Fantasy XIII with it's story and characters.

The defining quality of RPG's have just become kind of generic since now any game can have those defining qualities while still excelling and being another type of typical game.

Now the real sad part is that while your typical action can easily integrate the defining qualities of a good RPG, the characters and story, RPG's have stubbornly stuck to their bad gameplay.  That's why RPG's have been on the backburner the last 10 years.