Jabba89 said:
These games definitely are RPGs, I think the problem is that when someone used to say RPG it was taken to mean JRPG. Given that the RPG genre has evolved and has a lot of subgenres it may have been better to be a little more specific so we were comparing apples with apples. I don't find much value in comparing The Witcher 3 with Final Fantasy VII with Fallout 3. |
Not sure when it used to mean JRPG by default...I grew up as predominently computer gamer, started playing pen&paper DnD and DnD inspired RPGs on C64 and Amiga in 80s...not the best system in existence (never was, by a long shot), but it's by far the most influential and widespread system that set way back in 70s what RPGs are (with 5th edition it's probably currently on peak of its mass market popularity, due to mainstream media exposure and YT shows like Critical Role).
And, no, Horizon and AC:O are definitely not RPGs, they are action-adventures with few RPG alike mechanisms - thus pseudo (or quasi) RPGs. Nothing wrong with that, actually some 20 years ago, during 1st renaissance of CRPGs, I was advocating for such hybrid genre - it is more accessible to maisntream audience, and there's reason why AAA are quickly adopting it. Alas, if only more proper action-RPGs were made along them...