DarkhoIlow said:
Oh look...a top 25 list about RPG's that with titles that aren't even RPG's..gee I wonder how this thread will go.
Mass Efect 2 over Witcher 2 are you freaking serious? No..just no. Mass Effect is not even an RPG in my eyes..it's a third person shooter with RPG elements.
So many RPG's on that list that should be higher and some that shouldn't even be on such a list (DA2), but since it's the OP's opinion. I can understand it I guess, but some of those titles placing them in the list above others (like I mentioned above) is just too much for me not to talk about it.
List should be(in my eyes): Dragon Age Origins, Witcher 2, Divinity Original Sin, Deus Ex, Fallout NV etc.
The thing is that "RPG" is such a broad genre. Extra Credits actually did a pretty good series of episodes on wRPG vs JRPG and how the fact that we distinguish between the two kinds of RPGs is a sort of acknowledgement that there are differences in the RPG genre - in my opinion, there are several sub genres under the umbrella of "RPG".
The reality is simply that RPG is a genre which can easily complement other genres.
For example, you say Deus Ex is an RPG while saying ME is not an RPG.. Why?
Deus Ex is, technically, an FPS with RPG elements. It offers different ways to approach many situations. More significantly, though, it introduces what I like to call "Dialogue bosses" which feels much more RPG - but be under no illusion, a "dialogue boss" is not much different to any other memory - your dialogue choices are doing "damage" for the boss to be defeated.
Mass Effect 2/3 offer similar, it has a strong third person shooter mechanic, but it shares some ground with Deus Ex - in particular the dialogue options. Unfortunately, ME simplifies it with the Charm/Intimidate options or Paragon/Renegade interrupts, but it is still there.
Let me just go through some similarities:
Branching leveling paths. You can choose how to develop your character(s) through leveling up. Augmentations on Deus Ex, power upgrades on ME.
Heavy dialogue segments - Deus Ex with its "Dialogue bosses", Mass Effect with the implications of the choices of your dialogue.
Weapon upgrade systems - Both games you can enhance the weapons you use. Deus Ex through weapon modifications, ME2 through research projects, ME3 through a combination of weapon mods and leveling up weapons.
Choice - Deus Ex has choice through the methods you can approach the areas you are in. Mass Effect's environments tend to be more linear, but offer choices that have an impact later in the game.
That's without getting into the story delivery of both games.
I'm honestly of the opinion that our "genres" are rarely sufficient these days; is portal an FPS, or is it a platformer? Technically, it is both, but it is very different to, say, Call Of Duty and any Mario game of your choice.
For me, all of the games on this list (Or most- I have not played all of them) fit into the genre "RPG" in some way, and almost all of them have mechanics which fit into another Genre and have a heavy impact in how the game is delivered.
Note: Not singling the quoted out, as I know others have voiced similar opinions.