RPG set in the ghetto

[DEAD34345]

The closest to what you're looking for I've ever experienced is Liberal Crime Squad, I think. I remember in one of my earlier playthroughs I ended up with an army of immigrants , and I'm pretty sure I'd recruited a number of prostitutes too. We were all based out of an abandoned factory, and I made new members spray tons of graffiti around the crack-houses to get them more experience. I'd also periodically send small groups of them equipped with crowbars to go loot stuff. In the end most of my gang got deported, a few got shot, and my leader was killed in a nasty raid on our base.

It's not entirely accurate, because I was doing all this with the eventual goal of overthrowing the arch-conservative regime, but it's an approximate representation I guess. I don't think there's anything stopping you from just staying like that without doing any political activism at all.

 

[Furioso]

That's a horrible idea!

Perhaps the closest a true RPG has come to this concept is Persona 3. Modern day japan, extra hour at night where the shadows try to kill you. Oh yeah, and your best friend is a moron who always relies on you to give him the right answers to questions asked at school. And there is a shady cop in the mall who sells you weapons.

Of course, what you are probably hoping for is a first person shooter with rpg-like elements. Something more akin to Dead Island than Earthbound.

I'm sure EA would be happy to back a six hour long 'ghetto-RPG', with a minimal story and multiplayer option.

Although I am a fan, I don't think P3 comes anywhere close to ghetto territory, maybe that one spot where Shinjiro hangs out, but other than that you live in a pretty swanky dorm and are funded by what is presumably a multi-billion dollar company (Mitsuru's family business)

 

[twistedheat15]

I spent the whole time thinking "teh fck? Phoenix arizona is considered hood?" Oh lordy lord, whats become of the world.

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

hmm what about the first part of final fantasy 7 in midgar since you pretty much lived in the slums most the game fighting a giant corporation by committing terrorist acts. That's actually the only rpg I can think of that takes place in the ghetto/slums etc.

 

[chuckman1]

So being an rpg fan and someone who's lived in the ghetto before (South Phoenix Arizona's hood) I've always wondered why there aren't any rpgs set in the ghetto it seems like a good setting.
You could start out in your mom's house and have to move your way up, different factions are different gangs (including police), you could buy guns, buy cocaine and baking soda and cook it up and sell it, learn to cook meth, all sorts of things in the ghetto you learn a lot of things.
Do you know of any rpgs in the ghetto and would you get one?
Maybe I should make one.

It's an intriguing idea, but you'd need to give me a little more to work with. What kind of tone are you going for? Is this a story of trying to escape the ghetto? Run it? Outlive a rival? Is this like The Sopranos or more like Scarface? What themes do you want to tackle? There's a lot of ways you can approach this and I want to know what specifically you have in mind.

I would give players a choice on what to do.
You could stay in the ghetto and keep selling on the streets or you could try and get out.
There'd probably be some revenge plots in there to considering how many people get killed in the ghetto.
You could move up and get street fame or you could leave it and work a mcdonalds although the work at mcdonalds option probably wouldn't be too popular.
I'd also have a system in place for what the clothes you wear convey to people.
Blue rag hanging out the back of your pocket with dickies, blue chucks, a white t, and a blue LA hat would be seen by everyone as a crip. This could be the reason someone decides not to mug you or the reason you're shot by some random bloods on the corner depending on which street you walk down. Also wearing obvious gang stuff would raise police "interest" since the obviously expect you to be selling among other things they could put you behind bars for.
Also if you were arrested the game would continue in jail, but you could be killed in jail.
It would be pretty open ended with choices but I'd try and make all paths as good as possible.

 

[The Great Purtabo]

So being an rpg fan and someone who's lived in the ghetto before (South Phoenix Arizona's hood) I've always wondered why there aren't any rpgs set in the ghetto it seems like a good setting.
You could start out in your mom's house and have to move your way up, different factions are different gangs (including police), you could buy guns, buy cocaine and baking soda and cook it up and sell it, learn to cook meth, all sorts of things in the ghetto you learn a lot of things.
Do you know of any rpgs in the ghetto and would you get one?
Maybe I should make one.

Seriously? Brainstorm it up with a bunch of people, AND KICKSTARTER IT! I know people may be a little tired of it, but this idea is seriously gold. If someone had a dedicated team behind it, I would support the hell otta them

 

[thiosk]

I don't want to go near a ghetto in real life, I don't want to watch TV programs about it, or quite frankly listen to music recorded there.

Also, its sorta been done, right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drugwars

 

[Dags90]

I don't want to go near a ghetto in real life, I don't want to watch TV programs about it, or quite frankly listen to music recorded there.

Also, its sorta been done, right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drugwars

That was the shit on my TI-83 back in high school, that and Snake.

I'm sure any sort of "Ghetto RPG" will be handled tastefully and respectfully. Framing the difficulties of living in poverty, the reality of racism, and the interplay of identity and economic status. I mean, how could you possibly mess that up?

 

[GiantRaven]

Great, all we need in this culture is another piece of crap glamorizing thug culture and glorifying hood life. GREAT. Lets all be wiggas and ballas and hood rats and ghetto hoes. That's exactly what I want to lead.

We play games to ESCAPE our normal lives. Who would honestly WANT to live in, or pretend to live in, a ghetto? Anyone who say's they do has never lived in a ghetto.

Why do you assume that such a game would glorify gang culture and the like? There's much more depth to be had if you play the game and come out with the understanding that all the drug dealing and rampant violence is a bad thing.

Oh wait, this is the videogame industry. Nevermind.

 

[217not237]

I don't think it could work, but then again, someone did make THIS: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2179150900926491833

 

[Freechoice]

I immediately thought of this one scene from South Park.


Seeing the OP's avatar convinced me to post it.

OT:I'd much rather see a game that deals with an occupying force in a war torn city and watching said force be cruel to the inhabitants. And you're the occupying force. If you want to convey the tragedy of ghetto-like conditions in game form, it'd probably be much more dramatic to give the players control over an authority instead of a victim because it becomes very simple to demonize the occupying force to the point of puppy-stomping, children-eating Nazis.

 

[Spitfire]

I don't think we need additional stuff to reinforce the idiotic gangster image that has already gained so much popularity with the kids. It seems like a cash-in on people who live in the lower-end of the socio-economic strata.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

Having said that, I think that a "ghetto" RPG would be absolutely hilarious if it would be done as a parody. I can see having to use my "Haul Ass" ability in order to evade the overpowered "Po-po's". Let's not even get into what the conversation options would be. The possibilities are endless.

Isn't that basically Saints Row?

Not exactly. Sure, games like Saints Row or GTA: San Andreas have that same kind of premise, and they're both hilarious, but neither one is an RPG, and I think that taking a genre that's usually concerned with epic fantasy adventures, and taking it to the polar extreme, by setting it in "da hood", would be hilarious in and of itself.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I had a similar idea about an RPG. But my idea is based around Italian mafia in NYC in the 70's.

First you'd have to make your character of course. And then before you join one of 5 mafia families you'd occasionally do some jobs for each one. Each family is specialized in something different (gambling, prostitution, drugs, guns etc.) Some of the missions would require screwing over one of the other families. At some point in the story, based on your choices and reputation with those families you'd be able to join one of them. And that's where the game would be completely different based on which family you choose to join.

Every family would have their own plot, characters and internal struggles, as well as their own problems with one or more of the other NYC families. And joining one family over another would mean that within the family you chose and choices you made you could die in the end, become the don, exterminate other families and become the don, exterminate other families and stay just a loyal member of the family, go in the witness protection program, help a fellow family member rise to the top by killing your own don for whatever reason, etc. Then based on your reputation and relationship with important members of your family you'd have different goals in missions. Sometimes you'd have to kill another member of the family, or to betray one to save the other etc. If your reputation with one of the characters is low he'd eventually try to kill you or something like that. And these choices can't all exist within one family. You'd have to play the game at least 5 times to get one ending for one family. Let's say there's 3 endings per family and at least 6 major choices per family regarding their internal and external conflicts.

 

[if_then_else]

Well, it's not an RPG, but a brazilian studio will release a new game set in a brazilian favela (kind of a gheto, but poorer, I think) for PSN, called Papo & Yo ("Papo and me").

I'm not sure if it's what you want, but it might worth check it out.

 

[chuckman1]

Stick RPG is a flash game I played once, it was kind of like this.
I'd prefer a general modern day RPG with other settings as well.

I went and tried it ran coke to la for a little bit till I was caught by cops.
After that I started Stick RPG 2 I'm liking it I just wish it was more open ended.
Also the game I'd make would be more serious.

 

[zombieshark6666]

I'd play it if I had the option to not wear my pants like a retard.

Yeah, the falling over would be hilarious. Euphoria engine please!

I'd play a game like that. Some kind of gloomy Bully/RdR kind of game. It could have funny moments, but I think the darker tone would suit it better overall. No glorifying thugs, though.

 

[DustyDrB]

Why aren't there RPG's set in the "ghetto"?

Because that's a fucking stupid idea. Considering the fact that there hasn't been a good book, tv show, or film set there, I doubt games could pull it off.

Excuse me? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_wire]
I'm just gonna pretend you didn't really mean that...

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

So being an rpg fan and someone who's lived in the ghetto before (South Phoenix Arizona's hood) I've always wondered why there aren't any rpgs set in the ghetto it seems like a good setting.
You could start out in your mom's house and have to move your way up, different factions are different gangs (including police), you could buy guns, buy cocaine and baking soda and cook it up and sell it, learn to cook meth, all sorts of things in the ghetto you learn a lot of things.
Do you know of any rpgs in the ghetto and would you get one?
Maybe I should make one.

I hate to be that guy, but a poor American neighborhood isn't the Ghetto. You want to see a Ghetto? Go visit certain parts of Eastern Europe [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reuRU5Qr2vQ][footnote]its from a comedy movie but you get my point[/footnote]. Better yet, take a look right here [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVh0qCc_AR0].

As for proposal, look at Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas

 

[theheroofaction]

It would be a good game, but nobody would make it because releasing it without a media shitstorm would be like walking through a minefield made of other, smaller minefields, blindfolded and barefoot during a thunderstorm.

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

Not really interested in gangs from the ghetto since they tend to be unorganized and really just seem like the bottom of the gangster barrel when compared to Yakuza or the Italian Mafia. Perhaps if there was something supernatural involved as well.