Gran Turismo 5: One of 2010's Top RPGs?

[Credge]

Racing games might want to appeal to racing fans instead of collectors, how about that?

Play Forza. GT5 isn't a racing game, it's a driving game.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Man the Jrpg market has to be hurting...

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

One real huge problem.

RPG= ROLE playing Game.

What ROLE are you actually playing? Because you seem to be suggesting you're playing the car?

RPG and Role playing is a misnomer , A RPG game involves experience points, leveling, stats,items and equipment, attributes, money to buy items and equipment.

So FF13,X-2,FFX are considered RPGs as much as Baluders gate, FF4 and FF6.

Now if you have near constant action like DMC or Zelda its an action RPG.

 

[Firetaffer]

One real huge problem.

RPG= ROLE playing Game.

What ROLE are you actually playing? Because you seem to be suggesting you're playing the car?

An awesome racing dude.

But the bits you're upgrading is the car. That's like saying that you're an awesome fighter who just keeps getting a more awesome sword.

After a point, you're just roleplaying the equipment. Because all the "awesome racing dude" does is move it. He's got no role to play.

A Car Playing Game I could go with, but there's nothing to your "Awesome Racing Dude". Just a blank slate that stays blank.

If we're talking that way, then every game is a RPG. Which has been argued many times before.

Is Half Life an RPG, by the same standard? Is Sonic?

I would have to argue that half-life is a role-playing game, I mean you are not some random person, you are indeed a scientist in black mesa, and when I play it I put my shoes into Freeman's. RPGs are not about choices which affect the future of the game, it's being someone apart from yourself.

 

[IzisviAziria]

I bought this game and was roundly disappointed. Where are the Hmong kids for me to tutor and gang-members to intimidate? To say nothing of the fact that my avatar looks nothing like Clint Eastwood. All it is is driving around! When do I make with the crazy threatening? I know tie-in games have a history of taking liberties with the source material but this has to be the worst one ever.

cute

 

[StriderShinryu]

Yeah, as others have said the major problem in the statement is not that GT5 is an RPG as, if you stretch the definition enough it could be, the problem is where it's stated as being near the top of any genre.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

just because you level up does not a game an RPG, games like fallout 3 are on the verge of being an RPG but have now received their own category of RPS (role playing shooters), but there is no role in GT5, its just a racing sim with a feature of levels.

Fallout 3 is actually considered to be in that vague genre of Action RPG or ARPG never heard of RPS before ever. Well at least that is all I have ever heard it called until now anyway.

Also pointless jab at Final Fantasy is pointless. I really do not like these ridiculous jabs at the series because it is easy and probably gets laugh an to an extent encourages anti JRPG attitudes on this site. People are free to their opinion but there is no need to mention Final Fantasy in articles like this in the frequency it appears. Always pops up in anything to do with RPGs every now and then and nothing ever positive is even hinted at. It always made out to be a complete joke.

OT: No I do not think GTA 5 is a RPG. There is no true definition for RPGs in Video games today. While they may have evolved from Table top RPGs and such where on actually had a role. Having a role can apply to any game so that doesn't make an RPG. Neither does stats and leveling as everything from CoD to Mario has some form of stats and pointless leveling. What I personally think makes a RPG is some sort of combination between a Story, Character Development(skills and attribute wise), a leveling system. Even then it is hard to define. I think we need a concrete criteria to be an overaching definition for RPG. As even looking the RPG genre there are stark contrasts between JRPGs, WRPGs and ARPGs. For example I know JRPGs are light on the personal role play but heavy on the stats and leveling, while with WRPGs it is the opposite. While an ARPG can be anything from Fallout 3 to Fable or Mass Effect.

 

[cerebus23]

I dislike the level system rather intently especially since after level 30+, you are required to leave your ps3 runs for days or weeks straight.

Old gts you did have to work your way up, lack of special events and open licenses in old gt games, meant i was more limited in the cars i could buy and race. Player races were limited in what tires you could run, so i could not slap soft racing slicks on my beater car and obliterate the field.

Early gts my license level determined what cars i could but and what race leagues i could enter, no silly level system, once i got my s-class license i could but just about any car i wanted to actually drive, pick the handful of tracks that payed the best and grind cash and the rest of the game could bugger off while i tuned and ran cars on tracks i liked. Never did any b-sec in gt4, never came close to finishing the game, but i got weeks and months out of just buying cars and running nurburgring.

I did not have to earn track doing races in bleeping buses, with ai that could not care less where i am on the track and just ram me off the road if i did not afford them enough space, try to get into a good drift position well that guy behind you you better darn well make sure you are well and truly beyond his ram into you zone.

No gt5 is not an rpg, the level system is utter crap period. I mean i love the game i barely played anything else since the game came out. level 31 a-spec level 33 b-spec, bronzed the vettel challenge and working n silver/gold.

But you damage kiddies need to get a life period. There is way too much OMG i r level 1 and i cannot trash my car by driving it into guardrails crap. Driving into anything should be the last thing you want to do in a racing game.....granted GT5 and whole series total lack of any decent AI makes that hard when racing the AI. But level the hell up if you want to play smash up derby, and stay the fuck off line, cause most of us do not apprectiate idiots that will be trying to smash up cars rather than race. And your soon likely to find yourself booted out of the game for being childish.

 

[Rayansaki]

I have over 120 hours into it, already surpassing New Vegas, and yes, it's the best CaRPG ever made!

It's my personal favorite RPG and favorite racing game of 2010 simultaneously.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Half-Life and Sonic don't have any notable character progression, so not in my mind. Why is an awesome racing dude not a role? He's constantly building himself up, completing new challenges, and becoming a better racer. Is that blank?

See, this doesn't make sense to me. Sonic and Gordon Freeman are constantly building themselves up, completing new challenges and becoming better hedgehogs, freedom fighters.

What point does Gran Turismo driver (not car, not track) change in a way that Gordon/Sonic don't?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

One real huge problem.

RPG= ROLE playing Game.

What ROLE are you actually playing? Because you seem to be suggesting you're playing the car?

you are playing the role of the stig

No-one plays the Stig. He plays you. And you secretly like it.

A RPG game

A what now? What does the G stand for?

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

start talking about whether or not Final Fantasy 13 might actually be an RTS with really nice world-building....

Yes it is a JRPG. Video game RPGs have evolved into something completely different then pen and paper RPGs. Which is why a new defintion needs to be made for video game RPGs. Final Fantasy anything is not an RTS by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[linkvegeta]

just because you level up does not a game an RPG, games like fallout 3 are on the verge of being an RPG but have now received their own category of RPS (role playing shooters), but there is no role in GT5, its just a racing sim with a feature of levels.

Fallout 3 is actually considered to be in that vague genre of Action RPG or ARPG never heard of RPS before ever. Well at least that is all I have ever heard it called until now anyway.

Also pointless jab at Final Fantasy is pointless. I really do not like these ridiculous jabs at the series because it is easy and probably gets laugh an to an extent encourages anti JRPG attitudes on this site. People are free to their opinion but there is no need to mention Final Fantasy in articles like this in the frequency it appears. Always pops up in anything to do with RPGs every now and then and nothing ever positive is even hinted at. It always made out to be a complete joke.

OT: No I do not think GTA 5 is a RPG. There is no true definition for RPGs in Video games today. While they may have evolved from Table top RPGs and such where on actually had a role. Having a role can apply to any game so that doesn't make an RPG. Neither does stats and leveling as everything from CoD to Mario has some form of stats and pointless leveling. What I personally think makes a RPG is some sort of combination between a Story, Character Development(skills and attribute wise), a leveling system. Even then it is hard to define. I think we need a concrete criteria to be an overaching definition for RPG. As even looking the RPG genre there are stark contrasts between JRPGs, WRPGs and ARPGs. For example I know JRPGs are light on the personal role play but heavy on the stats and leveling, while with WRPGs it is the opposite. While an ARPG can be anything from Fallout 3 to Fable or Mass Effect.

RPS is a new term witch is why it hasn't been used. so many people have not heard of it or haven't hear of it much.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

just because you level up does not a game an RPG, games like fallout 3 are on the verge of being an RPG but have now received their own category of RPS (role playing shooters), but there is no role in GT5, its just a racing sim with a feature of levels.

Fallout 3 is actually considered to be in that vague genre of Action RPG or ARPG never heard of RPS before ever. Well at least that is all I have ever heard it called until now anyway.

Also pointless jab at Final Fantasy is pointless. I really do not like these ridiculous jabs at the series because it is easy and probably gets laugh an to an extent encourages anti JRPG attitudes on this site. People are free to their opinion but there is no need to mention Final Fantasy in articles like this in the frequency it appears. Always pops up in anything to do with RPGs every now and then and nothing ever positive is even hinted at. It always made out to be a complete joke.

OT: No I do not think GTA 5 is a RPG. There is no true definition for RPGs in Video games today. While they may have evolved from Table top RPGs and such where on actually had a role. Having a role can apply to any game so that doesn't make an RPG. Neither does stats and leveling as everything from CoD to Mario has some form of stats and pointless leveling. What I personally think makes a RPG is some sort of combination between a Story, Character Development(skills and attribute wise), a leveling system. Even then it is hard to define. I think we need a concrete criteria to be an overaching definition for RPG. As even looking the RPG genre there are stark contrasts between JRPGs, WRPGs and ARPGs. For example I know JRPGs are light on the personal role play but heavy on the stats and leveling, while with WRPGs it is the opposite. While an ARPG can be anything from Fallout 3 to Fable or Mass Effect.

RPS is a new term witch is why it hasn't been used. so many people have not heard of it or haven't hear of it much.

Well until it does stick I shall stick to t he extremly vague and ill defined genre of the ARPG.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Very interesting. I've never thought about Forza or GT that way before.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Final word on this.(for tonight at least)

If Gran Turismo is an RPG, why can't the driver just go home? or have a sausage sandwich?

Because if there's no side-quests, character interaction, backstory, plot, story or anything else to this "awesome driver", then it's winning no awards for being an RPG.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Meh... unless the primary focus of the game is the actually levels part then its not really an rpg, it just has RPGs elements. Those are becoming quiet common. I believe Extra credit's Skinner box episode explained that. The game is obviously a racing game since the focus is on "cars vrooom" but it might have enough rpg elements to be some sort of racing RPG the way Borderlands is a shooting RPG. There odd but interesting fusions. Oh and for everyone who doesn't know, rpgs have nothing to do with playing roles, that a misnomer all games have you play some role, rpgs are defined by the numbers not the role. *looking at you root!*

 

[m72_ar]

Mmmmm, No

Everything has upgrade system these days.
Don't even get me started on XP system. Even shooters have them these days.

And looking for a car, every racing game does that implicitly at least.

In a year of New Vegas and Mass Effect 2. RPG wise it's not even close

 

[linkvegeta]

just because you level up does not a game an RPG, games like fallout 3 are on the verge of being an RPG but have now received their own category of RPS (role playing shooters), but there is no role in GT5, its just a racing sim with a feature of levels.

Fallout 3 is actually considered to be in that vague genre of Action RPG or ARPG never heard of RPS before ever. Well at least that is all I have ever heard it called until now anyway.

Also pointless jab at Final Fantasy is pointless. I really do not like these ridiculous jabs at the series because it is easy and probably gets laugh an to an extent encourages anti JRPG attitudes on this site. People are free to their opinion but there is no need to mention Final Fantasy in articles like this in the frequency it appears. Always pops up in anything to do with RPGs every now and then and nothing ever positive is even hinted at. It always made out to be a complete joke.

OT: No I do not think GTA 5 is a RPG. There is no true definition for RPGs in Video games today. While they may have evolved from Table top RPGs and such where on actually had a role. Having a role can apply to any game so that doesn't make an RPG. Neither does stats and leveling as everything from CoD to Mario has some form of stats and pointless leveling. What I personally think makes a RPG is some sort of combination between a Story, Character Development(skills and attribute wise), a leveling system. Even then it is hard to define. I think we need a concrete criteria to be an overaching definition for RPG. As even looking the RPG genre there are stark contrasts between JRPGs, WRPGs and ARPGs. For example I know JRPGs are light on the personal role play but heavy on the stats and leveling, while with WRPGs it is the opposite. While an ARPG can be anything from Fallout 3 to Fable or Mass Effect.

RPS is a new term witch is why it hasn't been used. so many people have not heard of it or haven't hear of it much.

Well until it does stick I shall stick to t he extremly vague and ill defined genre of the ARPG.

Don't worry im not trying to get you to change how you say it, just as long as its in it own category.

 

[JJMUG]

One real huge problem.

RPG= ROLE playing Game.

What ROLE are you actually playing? Because you seem to be suggesting you're playing the car?

Completely agree. Apparently, somehow the attributes of a RPG have left out the most important aspect of a RPG. THE ROLE PLAYING. Allow me to refute this ridiculous claim point by point.

A. Playing as the car is not role playing. Role playing involves putting yourself into the shoes of a character and making choices in game that affect the story. I'll get to there being no story later, but what choices do you make in game that define your character and make them any different than any other character in the game? None.

B. Driving races are not the same as quests. I like the line that it's not smashing goblins or disarming traps. I like it because smashing goblins and disarming traps is NOT what a quest is. A quest is a search or expedition made in order to find or obtain something. Saving a damsel in distress is the quest, smashing goblins and disarming traps is the means in which that quest is fulfilled. Saying the race itself is the quest is equally moronic because there is no distinction between your character and the other characters.

C. There is no story. I mean the line says it all, "The story is what you make it" which means "there is no story unless you create one". Yea, if you make up a story in your mind about who you are and who the other drivers are, then you can create a made up story for yourself. You can also do that for any game ever, that does not make them all RPGs. Another important aspect of an RPG in my mind is that the main character has to have an active and influential impact on the story, which does not happen.

D. "it also has to have a form of character progression". Changing your helmet in Dragon Age is not 'character progression'. In fact, your character's equipment is independent of their character. Please take any sort of story telling classes before making such stretched comparisons.

This piece of garbage is probably the worst article I have ever read on the escapist if not in general. Does GT5 have RPG aspects incorporated into it? Sure. But to make the argument that it IS an RPG and is actually one of the best RPGs of the year is so inane that I don't see how this article could even get the go ahead to be written.

Wow, I'm going to assume you didn't play the game. Let me help you:

A. Racing, is a real life activity. The role you are playing is a Race Car Driver, more specifically, some one that is trying to be a professional race car driver. There IS no character. You pick a representation for yourself. Because it's YOU they are talking to. Not some elf, not some made up human. They specifically refer to YOU.

B. Your quest, is to gain pro status, as that is the main objective given to you. Many RPGs have singular "quests". Pokemon is a good example, you must "Become the best, and catch them all". There are several challenges given to you to complete. Very specific tasks. Your quest is fulfilled by completing the challenge given to you at hand by several different professional racers throughout the game. Yes there are races, but there are also specific challenges where you ARE COMPARED to other drivers and ranked accordingly. I don't mean NPCs either, also live statistics. The distinction is skill. Again, you're a race car driver.

C. There are a series of short non-fiction stories. The history of each track, car, challenge, and even tutorials teach you about driving. Its a REAL concept, NOT made out of fiction.

D. Because there is no character, only YOU, its YOUR progression. Suck at driving? You cannot make it very far, and you'll be stuck doing the challenges until you learn it. You are the progression. Racing is a finesse and a straight forward concept. You tweak your car, finances, and skills until you get it right. Its not just about the car, but about progressing yourself. They point this out in the game several times.

Where do you get off attacking the article and the company that wrote it without playing the game, or at least opening your mind to why it was written this way. Does the concept of a non-fiction RPG really seem so far fetched? You're an aspiring race car driver, you drive in races to get better, there are several challenges to help you get there, and you can compete with other people and tons of statistics are tracked to SHOW your progression. It may be a stretch or light on the concept, but its really there if you play it.

so by your definition Madden 11 and NHL 11 are rpgs.

a. Football and Hockey are real.

b. Your quest is to win the Stanley cup and the Vince Lombardi trophy.

c. there are 16/82 short non-fiction stories, the history of each stadium, team, challenge, and tutorials, even training camps.

d. even if you do not use the be a pro in NHL 11 you are progressing learning how ti call plays, set up plays, and draft players to build a better team.