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[DonkeyPunchJr]

IMO it’s a game where there’s character advancement, and where combat outcome is determined in large part by your character stats/abilities/build/class etc and not just your skills as a gamer. Also I think being able to see your character’s stats and damage #s is a big part of it.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

For sure, one thing that is ANTI-rpg imo, is level scaling.
I know some FF games have level scaling, but that is why i never play ff8.

If leveling and progression of the character matters, then what takes it away is a world that levels with you.
Level scaling is just used by game developers that didn't want leveling at all, and put leveling in the game as a trap to pretend to be an rpg.

 

[Jeeves]

The proliferation of RPG elements in numerous other genres makes it very hard to distill exactly what makes RPGs their own distinct genre. Muddying that water even more is the rather different approaches taken by the WRPG and JRPG subgenres, whereas the former is often more about literally playing the role of your character while navigating and maybe even influencing an open-ended world, and the latter tends to feature a more linearly focused scenario, a party system and other traditional trappings traced from the likes of Dragon Quest/Final Fantasy.

RPGs mean different things to different people, honestly. To me, one of the hallmarks of the genre is that it strongly encourages the player to think about and plan for future combat even during downtime.

 

[Denton]

For me a videogame which has:

- nonlinear story with choices and consequences, high degree of player agency, nonlinear dialogue
- character progression
- focus on exploration and immersion

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Gone]

A genre that sucks and I refuse to play.

 

[Plantoid]

For me RPG is where you're free, having the option to kill almost any npc, even important ones, like in Skyrim

Having meaningful dialogue responses and choices like dragon age or outer worlds

Edit: I forgot the most important part, in a rpg you play as a unknown character, if you're playing as someone that already has a name before you start the game, then it's not an rpg

 

[amigastar]

For me RPG is where you're free, having the option to kill almost any npc, even important ones, like in Skyrim

Having meaningful dialogue responses and choices like dragon age or outer worlds

Edit: I forgot the most important part, in a rpg you play as a unknown character, if you're playing as someone that already has a name before you start the game, then it's not an rpg

In Elex (which is an RPG) you start as a character named Jax, but he's lost all his abilities so that makes him someone unknown in a sense.

To me an Rpg is something where you improve your stats or abilities, level up, have freedom in Dialogue choices and get Missions you can solve in different ways.

 

[bitbydeath]

For sure, one thing that is ANTI-rpg imo, is level scaling.
I know some FF games have level scaling, but that is why i never play ff8.

If leveling and progression of the character matters, then what takes it away is a world that levels with you.
Level scaling is just used by game developers that didn't want leveling at all, and put leveling in the game as a trap to pretend to be an rpg.

Elder Scrolls Oblivion has level scaling too, was easily the worst in the series because of that.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Its simple. Theres classic rpg's and modern rpgs. Classic rpg's are the ones with the most freedom as well as a huge story focus like say Divinity Original Sin 2, Underrail, Baldurs Gate or whatever else is similar. Modern rpg's lack at least one big aspect whether its dialogue choices and story focus like say Dark Souls games or have a predefined main character like Horizon Forbidden West or Witcher 3. These are most of the time called action rpg's. Sadly most ppl just call rpg whatever they feel like it. Hell some would even call Far Cry an rpg. Having rpgs elements does not make it an rpg.

 

[Craig of War]

That must mean Sims is an RPG.

You know exactly what i mean don't try and be cute by name dropping random games

 

[bitbydeath]

You know exactly what i mean don't try and be cute by name dropping random games

It just goes to show how messed up the requirements to be classified as an RPG is.

I think it’s an outdated term, even it’s non-acronym form means to simply play as a character who isn’t you, ie. every game in existence.

 

[Decontamination Silo]

Leveling up a character. Fighting stuff with bad controls. Lots and lots of story.

 

[Craig of War]

It just goes to show how messed up the requirements to be classified as an RPG is.

I think it’s an outdated term, even it’s non-acronym form means to simply play as a character who isn’t you, ie. every game in existence.

 

[bitbydeath]

Disagree.
Sims fits your literal definition of an RPG.
We could even take it a step further and denounce games that don’t let you build, being not real RPG’s, ruling out Skyrim and Fallout because they don’t have that same level of role-play that Sims has.

 

[Craig of War]

Disagree.
Sims fits your literal definition of an RPG.
We could even take it a step further and denounce games that don’t let you build, being not real RPG’s, ruling out Skyrim and Fallout because they don’t have that same level of role-play that Sims has.

 

[samoilaaa]

since rpg was invented one of the most defining aspects of the genre was choice and consequence , that is what role playing is all about , if my actions dont have any consequences then my role playing doesnt have any meaning , my choices should affect the world around me , the way other npcs percieve me or behave to me , lets say my actions upset a merchant in a town , that npc will refuse to sell me his goods , the last true rpg game that ive played was wasteland 3 , that game had so much role play , its one of the best

 

[bitbydeath]

I’m just pointing out how ridiculous the term RPG is.

 

[Sid Of Bee]

Role Playing Game...
In the past, games were much easier to categorize into genres, like music in the past, but... Like music... The industry has evolved and games can incorporate many different aspects of genres and be harder to easily define.

At first, there were (and still are) subsets of genres, like "Action RPG", "Turn Based RPG, JRPG, Open world, blah blah blah...

Games can have RPG elements and still not be a full fledged RPG. Those elements being...

- Taking the role of a character set on an adventure
- Character Progression (Levels, abilities)
- An epic story
- Interaction with NPCs
- Various locales to explore (dungeons, towns, etc.)
- Menu based management of characters, items, maps, etc.

And more...

Edit:. I agree with the poster who stated the fact that the term came from tabletop role playing games that had a lot of these elements in analog form.

 

[saintjules]

 

[Captain Toad]

Well, since we take the term JRPG literally to mean the game HAS to be made in Japan to be in that genre, we should do the same with RPG.

An RPG is a game where you play the role of a certain character. Classic RPGs include Pac-Man, Sonic the Hedgehog and Shaq-fu.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

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