As someone once said, computer (or console) based RPGs do not match with what is typically thought of to be the original definition of a 'Role Playing Game'. That is, a person playing a Pen and Paper RPG taking upon a 'role' and and playing a 'game'.

That said, the early RPGs did try to follow the formulas set by Pen and Paper RPGs, but emulating it in a style that would be playable in a video format. These early games, such as Ultima and Wizardry, had to make changes that would make the game both playable and fun to a medium that was very different from the Pen and Paper setting. But in hindsight, it was a logical transition, as Pen and Paper RPGs were built based on using your imagination due to a lack of a video medium to express things like battle animation and character stats.

The transition of RPGs that followed loosely built on the ideas of these early video based RPGs, such as Ultima and Wizardry, but later such games as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. And later, other RPGs came out trying to further innovate away from those games. Much of the RPGs you see in todays market are not so much games trying to 'return to the ways of original RPGs', but moreso just RPGs trying to further differentiate themselves from the 'big name' RPGs of the past like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and Ultima.

Sounds like GTA: San Andreas

How is Mass Effect 2 not an RPG? There's no inventory system, but there's still levelling up and upgrades. Also, it's a common misconception that RPGs should absolutely have those elements anyway. RPGs should be about playing or taking on the role of a character in the world, and Mass Effect 2 probably does that better than any game I can recollect.

I've thought about that a lot as well.

I've come to the conclusion that as no video game ever can emulate Pen and Paper RPGs, none of them can be considered true RPGs.

Besides, genres have been merging so maybe in a while we'll just stop categorizing stuff and say that a game just has different gameplay aspects.

I would not ask about quantum physics on a electrical engineering forum. Simply because electrical engineers only know about the elements of physics related to the area they need. As such the question of what is an RPG or what makes an RPG is not best answered in a forum that is far from the source of RPG themselves. Your best bet is www.rpg.net

I will however attempt to clear up what makes an RPG what it is.

Avatar/Character, Choice and Consequence
In essence the Role you play defines your experience(I don't mean XP point) path as a player. Characters who are social can talk through a situation a fighter will have to fight through.

An example. Dixon(A weapons engineer) is being held hostage by his ex mistress who is pissed off at him. She is going to kill him. As a fighter type it is a near zero chance to talk her down. In the attempt to save him Dixon dies. Consequence is that you can't get any weapons Dixon provides down the road. Your games experience has changed based on what you can and can't do.

On the other hand a socialist might be able to talk her out of it. Not only that a particularly persuasive person of the opposing gender may be able to talk the lady into being a contact.

Consequence to success or failure.

If your game play is the same regardless of the choices you make or lack of choices. Then it's not an RPG. Failure even in combat need to lead to a consequence and allow the path of the story to change. If failure does not allow your path to change then that part of the game does not assist in the RPG element of the game.

It's an action dungeon crawler style RPG. You get to create your character, pick from classes and have lots of skills to level. It's definitely an RPG, just not a real story focused one.

If you can't take off your pants its not an RPG. Tim believes it so it must be true.

There it is, folks.

And yes, this means that Heavy Rain, with its choices and consequences, has more claim to the RPG mantle than any Final Fantasy game ever made.

RPG Elements is a buzz word (or words I guess), not much else.

It's something publishers put on the back of boxes to lure more people into the game so I wouldn't put too much thought into it.

videogames = RPG

so the question has to be delimited to :
the RPG type videogames ?
or the Role Playing Game in general ?