What Defines an RPG?

The thought had been on my mind ever since a friend had told me he got an older RPG at the store. That game was Evergrace. Knowing the game I thought, Evergrace, that’s not an RPG. He told me the guy at the store said it was. Then it popped into my head, what makes an RPG an RPG. What differentiates an RPG from an Action/Adventure game? What comes to mind when you hear RPG? For most it would be a game similar looking to a Final Fantasy or a Suikoden game. And an Action/Adventure game would be the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Both have similar aspects to them and one is an RPG and the other an Action/Adventure. The differences between a Final Fantasy and The Two Towers has clear differences such as the fighting style. Final Fantasy is a traditional RPG battle system in which the battle takes place in a boundary restricting area and each character takes a turn after a command is inputted for that character. And in the Two Towers the battle takes place on the screen in which exploration takes place and there is more of a hack and slash aspect to it. The difference there is enough to differentiate between the two. But here is the problem, Kingdom Hearts is considered an RPG and the Two Towers is not yet aren’t they the same thing battle wise?

Both Kingdom Hearts and the Two Towers are pretty much the same battle system wise. You have a character whose battles take place on the screen you explore on and you hack and slash during battle using a skill, which is often dictated by a different button than the average attack. Such as hitting X for a normal attack and hitting O for a special attack. So how can Kingdom Hearts be an RPG and the Two Towers be an Action/Adventure. It has to lie deeper than just the battle system. Experience and how it is obtained is a big part in distinguishing an RPG from other titles. You kill enemies and you get experience for killing then enemies. That is what differentiates an RPG from say a fighting game like Mortal Kombat but that still does not represent a difference between Kingdom Hearts the RPG and the Two Towers, the Action/Adventure. So if it is not the battle system or the obtaining of experience what else could define what an RPG is? The big difference between Kingdom Hearts and the Two Towers is the amount of people in the party. In Kingdom Hearts you use Goofy and Donald as accompaniments in battle with Sora, his supporting characters. But in the Two Towers you have one person who is fighting the battles whether it be Legolas or Aragorn there is only one person who is doing the fighting at a given time. But can the definition of an RPG be so superficial that the quantity of people in the battles determines it? I wont be so bold as to say that.

So then what defines an RPG, if all the differences between an RPG and an Action Adventure game have loopholes that intertwine them together. While not being a large factor in it, I think they story may play a role in it slightly. An RPG usually has an epic story surrounding the characters while an Action/Adventure may have a more superficial story to it. But if that is what defines it then it is possible to classify an RPG with a poor storyline as an Action/Adventure. There has to be more.

I think in order to be a true RPG it needs to meet all of the criteria. The criteria being experience, when you kill enemies you gain experience, which in turn levels you up. Then the battle system has to be either on a different screen than the one you explore on or consist of more than one character. And lastly it needs a storyline which covers all characters involved in the game hence a Role Play Game, you’re playing the role of the person. If a game does not fit this criteria it cannot be considered a true RPG, it could be an Action RPG or an Action/Adventure but not a true RPG.

((Acknowledgements to the topic at the News and Gaming Talk forum))

Don't forget that Parasite Eve or Quest 64 only has one person.

Well, Traditional RPG games are the turn-base type. That is usually what helps define an RPG in the beginning but nowadays people have taken RPG elements into non-RPG games and turning it into a hybrid. What helps me define an RPG games is that the game has some kind of leveling system. The character(s) start off as weak characters but you build them up as you advance through the story by "training" them and not by collecting items. One RPG element that has been used quite often in other games is the HP (hit points). Characters usually has some kind of life bar with numbers repesenting their life. Another element is the interaction between NPCs in the game. Almost all RPG games has people you can talk to. The battle system also plays a role but I won't go into that because what I'm about to say about the battle system has already been said. Besides all of that, there is also story involved in RPG games. Some may question whether that Poke'mon Stadium is an RPG game but I say it kinda is and kinda isn't. The thing with Stadium is that the game only has the turn-base battle system and nothing else except the many mini-games like Mario Party.

Yes I agree, those are the classic traits of a traditional RPG. Sweet Editorial Novaz.
Although we must be aware that games now try to break away from the typical conventions of an RPG, exploring new areas, adding new features, creating new personalties for characters, somtimes they are succesful but not very often. That's why Square are deemed king of RPG's years of experience and market research have proved useful in many generations.

Yep, its about converging generes, although EA' s Lord of the Rings game isn't the most obvious example I would've used. It's a scrolling beat em up really, allbeit a very nice looking/playing one.

Now if you were to compare Kingdom Hearts to say...Onimusha 2, where you have a similiar combat system and the collecting of currency, then I would say that mixing elements of action adventure into an RPG will only improve the game.

Great read NovaZ, keep up the good work.

- MoBy.

Very interesting subject NovaZ.

I guess what defines an RPG for me is three things.

1. (and most important) a deep and interactive story. Many games have a story, but and RPG's story should be on par with a book. You should be able to take the entire game and make it into a book, if it makes a decent book, then it's my kinda RPG story.

2. Character advancement. The characters become stronger as the story progresses. Yet there are many action/adventures that do this as well "System Shock2" for example.

3. An emphasis on planning your attacks and figuring out puzzles, rather than action. An RPG should not be a test of reflexes. This is why we have the label "Traditional RPGs", of which Kingdom Hearts is not. One of the reason I've never been a big fan of mini games, sure it's a nice distraction, but it's not Role Play. For example that darn chocobo race in FFX, it had nothing to do with your characters skills or level.

These three criteria define an RPG for me.

So my question to you NovaZ, is what type of RPG are you trying to define? (Traditional, Real time, ect.) or are you trying to put them all under one umbrella?

and again good article.

Good question. I guess I dont really have a solid answer. I want to say I was trying to put them all into one category and now that I think about that, it really isnt possible because all genres can be broken down into sub-genres. But my intent was to identify a broad term for a traditional RPG in sorts. By defining the characterisitics of the game. Yeah if that made any sense. My intent was to see what can make an RPG an RPG and where it falls in the sub genres of RPGs. Yeah that make sense heh.

My definition of an rpg is an entertaining story, where you can relate to the characters, it should be obsessive, decent graphics, and everything ff7 was.

This is a very well though out question, I am very imprest with the though you have put into it. Pesonaly I find gendering a lazzy invention of mags but that is me. A strong story is what a rpg needs or at least trys to get. Why do I dislike gendering? As many good games cna swap genders like MGS its story is better than many rpgs come up with but it is not given comparison to games like ff7 dew to trust of the action. An rpg is hard to define as they are no set bounderys and never will be.

No, it is not a battle or experience system that defines an RPG. Neither does character development or the kind story a games has make it an RPG. An RPG is what it is, a role playing game. It's were you play the role of a character and the player is the one who makes the character who or what he/she is. Sure, Final Fantasy games and many other games like it, and even a game like Two Towers, have RPG elements. But they are so linear and the options of the character might take and how he/she might impact events in the game are all to limited that there is little or no control the player has in what he/she plays in. And the more of these limits there are the less role-playing there is, and many times to the point, as I would say in the case of all Final Fantasy games, that the game is not an RPG.

The genre of a game depends on the emphasis put in the game. If the game is a cool game because of the action in the game, it would be platform, action, or adventure or any things related to that. I mean that game usually would work even without the story, experience or whatever else but never without the action.

Same goes for RPGs, if the emphasis is on playing a role whether it's that of the main hero or several characters, then it's RPG. It doesn't matter whether you get experience, a turn-based battle system or if it's linear or not. Nowadays of course games are done for commercial purposes so even if the main theme is role playing, most successful RPGs are full of other elements. Also even if a game is not linear, it still is limited to the programmers' decisions. So what if there are 100 alternate endings, it's still what the author had in mind when he made the game. You are just playing the roles he created.

So its about the story, the battle system and amount of characters you play as in the battles. Did we ever think of Zelda? That is an RPG right? I mean in Zelda you dont gain experience or levels. You dont have characters fighting side by side with you. And you dont fight in a different battle screen. If you think about it if Zelda is and RPG then Mario 64 is an RPG. There basically the same.

I dont consider Zelda an RPG mainly because killing monsters doesnt get you experience other things do. And an RPG needs to have experience recieved for killing monsters not getting an item.

I feel the line between an RPG and an action/adventure falls in the fighting styles, specifically with the use of a boundry to fight in. When you lose that boundry and battles are essentionally an action style with no bounds it falls into the action/adventure catagory. For instance Kingdom Hearts, Zelda and even .hack fall into the action/adventure catagory for me personally.

As you look around the web though you will see that the 2 catagory's are indeed starting to merge. While doing a search on Kingdom Hearts I noticed that the reviews were split on calling it an action/adventure or an RPG. The question I have now, with no clear cut definition between the two, is the genre of adventure games going to be lost?

Hello every one who is bored enough to read this, and remember this is only my opinion.

I fell that it's hard to say what an RPG is, so (in my opinion) i will say what it isn't

One thing any shoot-up game (i really hate this games, but that's being bias isn't) they are not rpgs no matter what you say, (my opinion)
Next any game that relies on your ability to move to point 'A' to point 'B' like having to jump on one platform to another, is just not an rpg, (it might have some elements of this, and i belive that ok) a good example of this is Zelda, since it's not an RPG, a good game to counter this is Golden Sun (very cool game)
any sports game that are some how turned into rpgs or just stupid, and shouldn't be look at, fighting games like mortal combat are not,
strategies and Rpgs are always mixed up, and they seem to go together so good (will makes me think a bit) a very good idea of this is FFT or Ogre Battle, there great games and have both the element of strategies and rpg
but the easiest one to say are the final fantasy, no matter what you say they are rpgs,
so to put this together and get to my real point, since i really can't explain it good, i think that some games or rpgs to some people, but are not to others, and some could say that all games that have any thing special where you can upgrade you stuff is an rpg, and some will say that all it needs is a good story, i say that it really depends on the game, and the person,

Well when you say relies doesnt that mean you cant progress in the game without doing it? And in Xenogears which is nothing other than an RPG you have to use a jump and long jump to get over and onto things. So that may be too linear to use and something defining.

I think an RPG is about a story of 1 or more people that lead a life that takes them around the world to stop something bad happens, and they also have to buy stuff to help them, such as weapons. But also in this is a freedom of exploration, such as Chrono Trigger - clater on, you are able to travel to all time zones, and all over the world. In games such as The Two Towers for the GBA, this has the right characters, you have to buy and sell stuff to help you, but you simply go by level by level. The same sort of applies to Sonic Adventure (has only me played it?) that you can play as a character, and that you can move freely throughout the game, but you don't actually get anything new very often. The last two I wouldn't class as an RPG, because they have things missing that would define them.

Oh yeah, RPG's do not have to be turn based. Actually, the best RPG I have ever played was a Real-Time RPG, Phantasy Star Online. Kingdom Hearts was ok, but really, the only reason I liked that was because Donald and Goofy kept shouting gibberish to each other and dieing... and that Sora looked like a frog when he jumped. But thats an RPG all the same, *sigh* I wish it weren't.

Okay... I definately think it's the battle that makes it an RPG, but it also tells a story. You get to know characters and how they react to things... Now i havent played any of the Lord of the Rings games yet, but I'm sure they all tell a story too. But another thing, is the special abilities, or even equipment you can use. I've heard tons of people call Diablo and Diablo II RPGs, even though I don't like to agree with them. But it does seem to fit the crieteria. And another thing, look at a game like Neverwinter Nights? Is that an RPG? or an action/adventure? I used to think that RPGs could only be one person, becuase it's how one person interprets it.... but after finding out that Final Fantasy XI will be online, and Neverwinter Nights is online, and Baldur's Gate for XBOX is online, I have a very different outlook. The difference is, I don't think there is one. I think action/adventure are the same as RPG... Now when I say action/adventure i mean games like Lord of the Rings, not first person shooters like HALO. But there are thin lines between what defines an RPG and an action/adventure. If any of you have played Wild ARMs 3, you don't really equip any equipment, and you only get to upgrade weapons, a lot like Final Fantasy VIII. But I bet magic spells and things like that play into it a lot. Maybe status abnormalities (Poison, confuse, petrify) can probably play into that too.

What defines an good rpg is
1. Great gameplay
2. Good storyline
3. cool characters
4. Good abilities and or magics
5. A very cool and unique battle system

Ther's more, but I can't think of any more right now. c-ya!

You can barley define RPG's now a days Kingdom Hearts is barly and I mean barly an RPG but it is labled as an RPG. Now I just have a few rules that makes an RPG.

1. Storyline. It has to have a deep story line, now you can't create a Final Fantasy game with a megaman or mario storyline that is a giant peice of crap. If Square Enix (Square Enix... I'll never get use to that!) ever makes an RPG with a Maroi storyline (rolling eyes) I will NEVER buy a squaresoft/square Enix game again!

2. Battle system. There has to be some type of wording durring battle. for example the Final Fantasy games battle system I'll even settle with Kingdom Hearts and Parisite Eve battle systems.

I think thats all, we'll at least in this century of games....If I think of anything else I'll make sure to let you all know. K

When I think of the RPG genre I think of a story that will stun you and toy with your emotions, I think of character's that have story's that could be in a movie, I think of music that nothing out of the RPG genre can rival, I think of a world where you can move around in any direction with about sixteen towns and at least fourteen NPC's in every town, I think of a turn-based battle system that you wont find in any other genre.

I could go on like that forever but I think it would be best if I put five points and explain why I think they make a RPG different from the rest.

1 : Story - In most games you will get quite a short story and allot of action, in RPG's you get all the drama and script that could be in a movie. It's all done so well that you forget you are playing a video game and start to think you are reading a book that has pictures, they have great gameplay to but the story is the main part of any RPG, you need a good story to enjoy the game. Chatacter's story's play a huge part in RPG's, you need to get into there back story to enjoy playing as the character's or fighting the character's you will in the RPG you are playing, in most other genre's you don't get allot of back story but it plays a vital role in any RPG.

2 : Gameplay - You need good gameplay in any game to enjoy it but RPG's gameplay has something that other genre's miss, you never get bored of a good RPG for some reason, if the story is good you never feel like skiping it to get to the next part, if you have to level up by fighting monsters for hours you will not get bored either if you are really into it. Other Genre's like action/adventure can soon get boring and dull after a while even if you are really into it, the depth of some RPG's is amazing, they can keep you playing forever like no other genre can.

3 : Freedom - The biggest difference between adventure and RPG is this, you get the chance to go and do what you like instead of being restricted to a story where you have to go from place to place without doing anything else like in adventure games. In most RPG's there is a huge world map where you can do what you want when you want, there is still the story but you can take a break and do something else instead of having to complete a RPG in under twenty hours like you would have to in most genre's.

4 : Length - There is no genre that can give length like the RPG genre, I have never heard of a genre other then RPG's that has over one hundread hours of things to do. The size of RPG's was stunning to me when I first started them, I was used to games lasting twelve or twenty hours so playing a game that was so huge makes me remember the genre just for that dosen't it? when you think RPG you think length in most case's.

5 : Battle System - RPG's have one like no other, in no other genre do you take turns in battle. This can put action fans of the genre but for stragety fans it makes RPG's stand out more, all you are doing in action games is bashing a button to attack but in RPG's you are thinking of your enemy's weakness and taking your time to think what to do next, it can be more fun to bash buttons but it's far more rewarding to use your head don't you think?

I could go on all night about music, towns and all but I think I will leave it at the five things that define a RPG most for me.

About a Square game that has a Mario story... It's already been done. You should look up Super Mario RPG on SNES.

I think most people have to remember that all console RPGs have a history. That history being the first of it's kind, games like Ultima and Dragon Warrior which were doing their best with what technology the NES could offer in order to emulate a complicated gamming style. That being Table top role playing games, or rather Dungeons and Dragons in general.

All RPGs made today have evolved from those first electronic RPGs. And as with all evolutionary process the changes weren't quick and dramtic, but rather slow and gradual. For example you start off with Dragon Warrior, a game that has first person battles, dungeon splunking, experience points and whole world of geographical terrain to explore. Now take that game and change medieval setting to something futuristic? Now what do you have? Phantasy Star, that's an RPG right? Ok now lets keep the medival setting but change battle system to a side view menu base, now what we have now? Final Fantasy. That's definately an RPG. Now what happens when we take away the exerience points and change the battle system to a simple press of a button. Now you simple run into a creature and run him through with your sword, but everything else stays the same. We have Ys that's an RPG right...? Or maybe you press a button instead and your hero swings his sword... did it just stop being an RPG? Course not... But hey we just described most Zelda games. Now lets that that game and make it side scrolling. Anyone recognize Popfulmail? Hell we have RPGs where you don't fight at all (Harvest Moon). So what is an RPG anyway?

Well I think the problem of the definition lies within the fact that none of them are true RPGs. Hold on.. what? I mean to say an RPG is a game that gives you the ability to control am imaginary person anyway you want to. You decided how he talks, acts, thinks, reacts, sleeps, farts, eats etc... and there isn't any console or computer RPG made today that gives you that absolute freedom. No matter how pretty the graphics are, how many mini games you can play, how many side quests you can explore there is no way that any programmer can prepare himself for the infinate possibles actions your imagination can think up for any given situation in a video game.

Hey look Sephiroth just killed Aeris. What happens in a console RPG? You watch her die. What can happen in a table top RPG? You could run up and push her out of the way, or whip out vincent's gun and shoot the ##### in the head. Hell you could be so over come with grief that you stab yourself right there and then. Or maybe you're a little smarter and give her a few healing herbs when it's all over.

So how does that answer the question? I guess it doesn't, but it should teach us to be a little less anal about labeling video games. No RPG can be a true RPG, but it can have enough in common with an RPG to be labeled one. Whether those simularities be with experience, storyline, geographical freedom, or battle system the game should have enough of those elements to resemble an RPG and not fit into any other classification. So what if a Castlevania should suddely have experience points? It doesn't magically make it an RPG. Why? Because nothing changed about the gameplay but the experience system and every other Castlevania is an obvious platformer.

So basically I don't think an RPG has to meet all the above criteria, contrary to what NovaX says, however it should meet most of them. As I've already mentioned even Harvest Moon is considered an RPG and you never fight a single battle, but besides that the gameply is almost identical to every other SNES topdown rpg. I also think an RPG can utilize any battle system (or, again, have none at all) and still be an RPG as long as it has a overall storyline that ties the game together and gives you some freedom to do more then drift between battle to battle. Most games call this freedom, town roaming. And truthfully I think that's the only element that vagualy resembles the freedom you enjoy in Table top rpgs.
So basically it's about freedom, when you feel you're in control of another person's "life" that's when you're playing an RPG.

- Oh my God what a load of rubbish I have read in this thread. Well, let's go back to the basics. The initials "RPG" are wildly misused in the world of video gaming. Many many many games are labelled RPG when they have nothing to do whatsoever with Role Playing. Indeed, the initials "RPG" stand for Role Playing Game, which means playing the role of one specific character. Playing the role means you control him freely, you take decisions in his stead, you fight, you discuss with other characters, etc. You basically control pretty much every move of that character. It has nothing whatsoever to do with experience, leveling up, etc. Many pen & paper RPGs use that sort of rule system indeed, but it's not the reason why they are RPGs.

- "RPG" means control of one specific character and freedom to do whatever you want. Talk to anyone you want, attack anyone you want, steal from anyone you want, set fire to anything you want, etc. Such freedom can never be attained in a video game, but some games certainly try to give you a lot of freedom, and as such they can be labeled RPG. These are mainly found on PC : I can think of Fallout, Planescape - Torment, Deux Ex, Morrowind, Baldur's Gate. All these are "classic" RPGs with exp, fighting, statistics, etc. Other games, like the good old point & click Blade Runner give you a lot of freedom and choices to make that result in many different possible endings, and as such they can also be labelled RPG.

- Games like Final Fantasy & the like are not even remotely RPGs, they are tactical figthing games. Doesn't mean they are bad, I love most of them myself, but they aren't RPGs at all, because you just don't have enough freedom nor influence over the storyline. You follow the storyline that was written for you, there is no way you can change the ending, nor anything in the game for all that matters. That a game like FF7 be labelled an RPG is utterly laughable when the only thing your choices affect in the story is who you will date at the Gold Saucer :x

- Conclusion : What defines a real video-game "RPG" is how much freedom of action you are given, and how much your choices throughout the course of the game will affect the plot, its development & its outcome. Whether there is fighting or not & whether there is a exp system does not relate to the meaning of "RPG" in the slightest. Where do you draw the line as to how much freedom of action defines a proper RPG? Well, a video game can be labelled an RPG from the moment the player feels he can do "pretty much whatever he wants".

I belive that many factors effect an rpg's quality...

1. Music- First off i think that the Music has to be good. Music is a KEY ELEMENT in any rpg. Come on people what would f7 or kingdom hearts be withought ANY music..AT ALL!
Also the music has to be good...even memerable if you may. Many of us still remeber the music to FF3 or Crono trigger( even though many people are playing Crono trigger now thanks to cronicals) even though we played it years ago. Thats cause the music was so good. Making music a role in any great rpg.

2.Charcter Development- Charcters from rpgs have always set a point of lasting remberence in aour hearts. Cloud from ff7 is rembered by all who have played the game, weather theyve liked it or not. Same things goes for Tifa, Barret, Red XIII, etc. The reason for this is for the great Charcter Develompent by square/ other companines if you refer to other games besides Final Fantasy's. Charcters have to memeorable, and for that The Charter devolepment must be good. AGAIN..what would FF7 be withought TIFA!??!?!! OR what would Legend of the dragoon be withought LAVITIZ!?!?!!? I could go on forever naming great rpg's that would be nothing withought certain charcters but i think you get the point..so lets move on...

STORY!!!!!!!!- Ahhhhhh..the story. Easily being the most important elemnt in an RPG, story defines all. It sets the mood for the music, it revoles intriginlly around the charcters, and its sets you in to the agme. Making you feel what the makers of an rpg game want you to experince.....what if this was true?>>>>wich revloves around the true meaning of an rpg----Playing the role of a Charcter. Withought story there is no concept, without story there is no meaning to the game, without story.......................there is nothing. So this(story) is clearlly the most improtant aspect of an RPG.

hehehe i kinda made this post into an essay. Oh well..

Well, if you break it down-

R=Role-A character or characters' part in a story

P=Play-To play through this part/s in a story

G=Game-A game with a story

Now I know it's more complex than that, but that's really all it means. According to this, it means that any game with a story where you play the role of a character would be considered an RPG. Some people think it has to be a turn based battle system to be an RPG, and anything like Zelda doesn't count as one. The truth is, you really can't specificly define RPGs in general. You have to break them down into categories and sub-categories. The battle system doesn't have to be turn based for it to be an RPG. The story is really what defines it. I believe that for it to be a true RPG, the kind of game I think about when I hear "RPG", it has to have a story where the characters interact with each other in every part of the game and it's filled with unexpected twists that make you want to keep playing. FF 10 did great with that. It should also have a fun battle system. It doesn't have to be turn based or hack and slash, just fun. Because the game-play is what makes any game. I guess really, it's just a matter of opinion.

I define an RPG by the story line. That might sound a little pathetic, but how i see it the story line of a true RPG is just plain better then your action/adventure type game. The story line of an RPG pulls you in from the start, you feel like you have a part in the story and have connections with the characters. Im not going to go on because most of this has already been said, but really- The story is the game.

Character design and development are essential to make any RPG good. You can have an awesome story and an incredible soundtrack....and your characters could be incredibly shallow and have no depth or personality and the game would suck.

Also, the way the characters are designed. They have to look like they fit their personalities. They also might use magic or weapons that reflect what kind of person they are. A good example being Magus from Chrono Trigger.

All in all, characters are what make and break RPG's.