Editing Role-playing video game (section)

== Subgenres ==
===Action RPGs===
{{main|Action role-playing game}}
{{see also|Looter shooter|Soulslike}}
[[File:Freedroidrpg basic gameplay.ogv|thumb|right|Video showing typical gameplay of an isometric point-and-click action RPG]]

Typically action RPGs feature each player directly controlling a single character in real-time, and feature a strong focus on combat and action with plot and character interaction kept to a minimum. Early action RPGs tended to follow the template set by 1980s [[Nihon Falcom]] titles such as the ''[[Dragon Slayer (series)|Dragon Slayer]]'' and ''[[Ys (series)|Ys]]'' series, which feature [[hack and slash]] combat where the [[player character]]'s movements and actions are controlled directly, using a [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] or [[game controller]], rather than using menus.<ref name="kat_hackandslash">{{cite web|last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=Hack and Slash: What Makes a Good Action RPG? |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=1UP.com |date=May 18, 2010 |url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9030743 |access-date=July 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110629035402/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9030743 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 }}</ref> This formula was refined by the [[action-adventure game]], ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' (1986), which set the template used by many subsequent action RPGs, including innovations such as an [[open world]], [[nonlinear gameplay]], battery backup [[Saved game|saving]],<ref>{{cite web |title=15 Most Influential Games of All Time: The Legend of Zelda |website=GameSpot |publisher=CNET Networks, Inc. |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential/p9_01.html |access-date=January 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010511222143/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential/p9_01.html |archive-date=May 11, 2001}}</ref> and an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen.<ref name=Dragon-Slayer>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragonslayer/dragonslayer.htm |title=Hardcore Gaming 101: Dragon Slayer |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723142515/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragonslayer/dragonslayer.htm |archive-date=July 23, 2011 }}</ref><ref name=Hydlide>{{cite web |title=Hydlide |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hydlide/hydlide.htm |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |last2=Greene |first2=Robert}}</ref> The game was largely responsible for the surge of action-oriented RPGs released since the late 1980s, both in Japan and North America.<ref name=Barton>{{Cite book |first=Matt |last=Barton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMXu61GbTqMC |title=Dungeons & Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games |publisher=[[A K Peters, Ltd.]] |year=2008 |access-date=2010-09-08 |isbn = 978-1-56881-411-7 | pages=182 & 212}}</ref> [[The Legend of Zelda|''The Legend of Zelda'' series]] would continue to exert an influence on the transition of both console and computer RPGs from stat-heavy, turn-based combat towards real-time action combat in the following decades.<ref>{{citation |title=Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time |first1=Bill |last1=Loguidice |first2=Matt |last2=Barton |publisher=[[Focal Press]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-240-81146-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_bFdsP9L7oC |page=317}}</ref>

A different variation of the action RPG formula was popularized by ''[[Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' (1996), where the majority of commands—such as moving and attacking—are executed using [[Point and click|mouse clicks]] rather than via menus, though learned spells can also be assigned to hotkeys. In many action RPGs, [[non-player character]]s serve only one purpose, be it to buy or sell items or upgrade the player's abilities, or issue them with combat-centric quests. Problems players face also often have an action-based solution, such as breaking a wooden door open with an axe rather than finding the key needed to unlock it, though some games place greater emphasis on character attributes such as a "lockpicking" skill and puzzle-solving.{{citation needed|date=October 2010}}

One common challenge in developing action RPGs is including content beyond that of killing enemies. With the sheer number of items, locations and monsters found in many such games, it can be difficult to create the needed depth to offer players a unique experience tailored to his or her beliefs, choices or actions.<ref name="kat_hackandslash"/> This is doubly true if a game makes use of randomization, as is common. One notable example of a game which went beyond this is ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'' (2000) which offered multiple solutions to problems using intricately layered story options and individually constructed environments.<ref name="kat_hackandslash"/> Instead of simply bashing their way through levels, players were challenged to act in character by choosing dialog options appropriately, and by using the surrounding environment intelligently. This produced an experience that was unique and tailored to each situation as opposed to one that repeated itself endlessly.<ref name="kat_hackandslash"/>

At one time, action RPGs were much more common on consoles than on computers.<ref name="barton_43"/> Though there had been attempts at creating action-oriented computer RPGs during the late 1980s and early 1990s, often in the vein of ''[[The Legend of Zelda|Zelda]]'', very few saw any success, with the 1992 game ''[[Ultima VII]]'' being one of the more successful exceptions in North America.<ref name="barton_43">{{citation |title=Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time |first1=Bill |last1=Loguidice |first2=Matt |last2=Barton |publisher=[[Focal Press]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-240-81146-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_bFdsP9L7oC |page=43}}</ref> On the PC, ''Diablo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s effect on the market was significant: it had many imitators and its style of combat went on to be used by many games that came after. For many years afterwards, games that closely mimicked the ''Diablo'' formula were referred to as "''Diablo'' clones".<ref name="barton_1571_08diablo">{{Harvnb|Barton|2007c|p=8|Ref=barton_1571}}</ref> Three of the four titles in the series were still sold together as part of the ''Diablo Battle Chest'' over a decade after ''Diablo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s release. Other examples of action RPGs for the PC include ''[[Dungeon Siege]]'', ''[[Sacred (video game)|Sacred]]'', ''[[Torchlight]]'' and ''[[Hellgate: London]]''—the last of which was developed by a team headed by former Blizzard employees, some of whom had participated in the creation of the ''Diablo'' series.<ref name="barton_1571_08diablo" /><ref name="blues_flagshippress">{{cite web |date=November 22, 2003 |title=Flagship Studios Opens with a Splash |url=http://www.bluesnews.com/a/686 |access-date=July 16, 2008 |publisher=Flagship Studios |publication-place=[[San Francisco]]}}</ref> Like ''Diablo'' and ''Rogue'' before it, ''Torchlight'' and ''Hellgate: London'' made use of [[procedural generation]] to generate game levels.<ref>{{cite web |last=Donlan |first=Christian |title=Torchlight PC Hands On |publisher=Gamer Network |website=Eurogamer |date=September 14, 2009 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/torchlight-hands-on |access-date=January 12, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Andy |title=By the Numbers: The Lost Art of Procedural Generation |website=TheGameReviews.com |date=December 29, 2009 |url=http://www.thegamereviews.com/article-1642-by-the-numbers-the-lost-art-of-procedural-generation.html |access-date=December 19, 2015}}</ref>

Also included within this subgenre are role-playing shooters—games that incorporate elements of role-playing games and [[shooter game]]s (including [[First-person shooter|first-person]] and [[Third-person shooter|third-person]]). Recent examples include the ''[[Mass Effect]]'' series,<ref name="kat_hackandslash"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Remo |first=Chris |title=Analysis: Mass Effect 2's Surprising Genre Experiment |publisher=UBM Tech |website=Gamasutra |date=January 29, 2010 |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26955/Analysis_Mass_Effect_2s_Surprising_Genre_Experiment.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131015713/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26955/Analysis_Mass_Effect_2s_Surprising_Genre_Experiment.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2010 |access-date=July 11, 2011}}</ref> ''[[Fallout: New Vegas]]'', ''[[Borderlands (video game)|Borderlands 2]]'' and ''[[The 3rd Birthday]]''.

===Dungeon crawlers===
{{see|Dungeon crawl}}
[[File:DOTGv0.31screenshot.png|thumb|right|Screenshot of ''Damnation of Gods'', a ''Dungeon Master'' clone. All four members of the players' party move around the game world as a single unit, or "blob", in first-person perspective.]]

This subgenre consists of RPGs where the player leads a party of adventurers in [[First-person (video games)|first-person perspective]], typically through a dungeon or labyrinth in a grid-based environment.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} Examples include the aforementioned ''Wizardry'', ''Might and Magic'' and ''Bard's Tale'' series; as well as the ''[[Etrian Odyssey (series)|Etrian Odyssey]]'' and ''[[Elminage]]'' series. Games of this type are sometimes called "blobbers", since the player moves the entire party around the playing field as a single unit, or "blob".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/12/05/the-rpgs-of-2017/ |title=The RPGs of 2017 |last=Cobbett |first=Richard |date=December 5, 2016 |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |access-date=2017-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/crpg-history-abridged---21-rpgs-that-brought-something-new-to-the-table |title=CRPG History Abridged – 21 RPGs that brought something new to the table |last=Pepe |first=Felipe |date=June 25, 2015 |website=Gamasutra |publisher=UBM |access-date=2017-05-22}}</ref>

Most "blobbers" are turn-based, but some titles such as the ''Dungeon Master'', ''[[Legend of Grimrock]]'' and ''[[Eye of the Beholder (video game)|Eye of the Beholder]]'' series are played in real-time. Early games in this genre lacked an [[automap]] feature, forcing players to draw their own maps in order to keep track of their progress.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} Environmental and spatial puzzles are common, meaning players may need to, for instance, move a stone in one part of the level in order to open a gate in another part of the level.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===MMORPGs===
{{Main|Massively multiplayer online role-playing game}}
{{further|Multi-user dungeon|History of massively multiplayer online games}}
Though many of the original RPGs for the PLATO mainframe system in the late 1970s also supported multiple, simultaneous players,<ref name="barton_ddesktops_b">{{Harvnb |Barton |2008 |pp=37–38 |Ref=barton_ddesktops}}</ref> the popularity of [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] modes in mainstream RPGs did not begin to rise sharply until the early to mid-1990s.<ref name=":0" /> For instance, ''[[Secret of Mana]]'' (1993), an early [[action role-playing game]] by [[Square (video game company)|Square]], was one of the first commercial RPGs to feature [[Cooperative video game|cooperative multiplayer]] gameplay, offering two-player and three-player action once the main character had acquired his party members.<ref name="gspy_somana">{{cite web |title=Secret of Mana |first=Justin |last=Lee |date=February 15, 2004 |website=GameSpy |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/halloffame/february04/secretofmana/index.shtml |access-date=January 24, 2010  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050125221832/http://archive.gamespy.com/halloffame/february04/secretofmana/index.shtml |archive-date=January 25, 2005}}</ref><ref name="ign_somana">{{cite web |title=Secret of Mana Review |first=Lucas M. |last=Thomas |website=IGN |date=October 13, 2008 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/14/secret-of-mana-review |access-date=January 24, 2010}}</ref> Later, ''[[Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' (1997) would combine CRPG and [[action game]] elements with an [[Internet]] multiplayer mode that allowed up to four players to enter the same world and fight monsters, trade items, or fight against each other.

[[File:Daimonin Stoneglow beta4.png|thumb|left|Multiple people chat and play online in the MMORPG ''Daimonin''.]]

Also during this time period, the [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]] genre that had been spawned by [[MUD1]] in 1978 was undergoing a tremendous expansion phase due to the release and spread of [[LPMud]] (1989) and [[DikuMUD]] (1991).  Soon, driven by the mainstream adoption of the Internet, these parallel trends merged in the popularization of [[graphical MUD]]s, which would soon become known as [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]]s or MMORPGs,<ref name="synthworlds">{{Cite book |last=Castronva |first=Edward |author-link=Edward Castronova |title=Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games |publisher=University Of Chicago Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-226-09627-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/syntheticworlds00edwa/page/10 10, 291] |quote=[pp. 10] The ancestors of MMORPGS were text-based multiuser domains (MUDs) [...] [pp. 291] Indeed, MUDs generate perhaps the one historical connection between game-based VR and the traditional program [...] |url=https://archive.org/details/syntheticworlds00edwa/page/10 }}</ref><ref name="berkshire_encyc">{{Cite book |last=Bainbridge |first=William Sims |author-link=William Sims Bainbridge |title=Berkshire Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction |publisher=Berkshire Publishing Group |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-9743091-2-5 |volume=3 |page=474 |quote=Developers had long considered writing a graphical MUD. [...] the last major 2D virtual environment in the West marked the true beginning of the fifth age of MUDs: Origin Systems' 1997 Ultima Online (UO).}}</ref> beginning with games like ''[[Meridian 59]]'' (1995), ''[[Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds]]'' (1996), ''[[Ultima Online]]'' (1997), ''[[Lineage (video game)|Lineage]]'' (1998), and ''[[EverQuest]]'' (1999), and leading to more modern phenomena such as ''[[RuneScape]]'' (2001), [[Ragnarok Online]](2002), ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'' (2003), ''[[Eve Online]]'' (2003) ''Disney's [[Toontown Online]]'' (2003) and ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' (2004).

Although superficially similar to single-player RPGs, MMORPGs lend their appeal more to the socializing influences of being online with hundreds or even thousands of other players at a time, and trace their origins more from MUDs than from CRPGs like ''Ultima'' and ''Wizardry''. Rather than focusing on the "old school" considerations of memorizing huge numbers of stats and esoterica and battling it out in complex, tactical environments, players instead spend much of their time forming and maintaining guilds and [[Clan (video gaming)|clans]]. The distinction between CRPGs and MMORPGs and MUDs can as a result be very sharp, likenable to the difference between "attending a [[renaissance fair]] and reading a good fantasy novel".<ref name="barton_1571_12h"/>

{{quote box|width=30%|align=right|quote=Single-player games are great, and I love them. They have a great feature. Your life is very special. You are ''the'' hero and you get to save the ''whole'' world. (...) [''Tabula Rasa''] is like [[Walt Disney World|Disney World]]... You can go to shops and get food, but when you get on the boat for the pirate ride, you're in your own version of reality. Once the ride starts, you are blissfully unaware of the boats in front of you and behind you.|source=—[[Richard Garriott]], regarding the use of [[instance dungeon|instancing]] in ''[[Tabula Rasa (video game)|Tabula Rasa]]'' (2007)<ref name="borlanddd_d" />|}}

Further, MMORPGs have been criticized for diluting the "epic" feeling of single-player RPGs and related media among thousands of concurrent adventurers. Stated simply: every player wants to be "The Hero", slay "The Monster", rescue "The Princess", or obtain "The Magic Sword". But when there are thousands of players all playing the same game, clearly not everyone can be ''the'' hero.<ref name="borlanddd_d">{{Harvnb |King |Borland |2003 |pp=255–257 |Ref=borlanddd}} "Thousands of players have gathered online in massively multiplayer worlds, but that meant that thousands of people might be vying for the status of hero. Too many heroes mean that nobody, or only the few, can be special. Fighting even the most dangerous of monsters gives less of an epic thrill when it is clear that it will simply regenerate after you have killed it, and when 13 parties of adventurers are waiting behind you in line for their turn. There is only one Frodo in the ''Lord of the Rings'', one Avatar in the land of Brittania."</ref> This problem became obvious to some in the game ''EverQuest'', where groups of players would compete and sometimes harass each other in order to get monsters in the same dungeon to drop valuable items, leading to several undesirable behaviors such as [[kill stealing]], [[Camping (gaming)#Spawn|spawn camping]], and [[Looting (gaming)#Ninja looting|ninja looting]].<ref>{{cite web |last=MacLellan |first=Jon |title=Please? Maybe a Thank You? |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |website=GameSpy |date=May 1, 2001 |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/491/491748p1.html |access-date=July 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hailey |first=Charlie |title=Camps: A Guide to 21st Century Space |publisher=The MIT Press |date=April 30, 2009 |isbn=978-0-262-51287-9 |page=74 |quote=Spawn camp affords an absolute position, controlling the game not by strategic action but through immobility—to the extent that popular games like ''EverQuest'' have come to be known as ''EverCamp''.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lopez |first=Miguel |title=Onlife #32: Good game ninja loot. |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |website=GameSpy |date=November 9, 2005 |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/665/665716p1.html |access-date=July 11, 2011}}</ref> In response—for instance by Richard Garriott in ''[[Tabula Rasa (video game)|Tabula Rasa]]'' (2007)<ref name="borlanddd_d" />—developers began turning to [[instance dungeon]]s as a means of reducing competition over limited resources, as well as preserving the gaming experience—though this mechanic has its own set of detractors.<ref name="McQuaid">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamergod.com/article.php?article_id=2933 |title=Instancing in Online Gaming |first1=Brad |last1=McQuaid |date=November 29, 2005 |website=GamerGod |access-date=August 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060324110936/http://www.gamergod.com/article.php?article_id=2933 |archive-date=March 24, 2006}}</ref>

Lastly, there exist markets such as Korea and China that, while saturated with MMORPGs, have so far proved relatively unreceptive to single-player RPGs.<ref name="1up_singlefuture" /> For instance, Internet-connected personal computers are relatively common in Korea when compared to other regions—particularly in the numerous "[[PC bang]]s" scattered around the country, where patrons are able to pay to play multiplayer video games—possibly due to historical bans on Japanese imports, as well as a culture that traditionally sees video games as "frivolous toys" and computers as educational.<ref name="stewartchoi">{{Cite journal |last1=Stewart |first1=K. |last2=Choi |first2=HP |title=PC-Bang (Room) Culture: A Study of Korean College Students' Private and Public Use of Computers and the Internet |journal=Trends in Communication |page=65 |year=2003 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=3958007063689222609&hl=en&as_sdt=800000&sciodt=800000 |access-date=October 12, 2010}}</ref> As a result, some have wondered whether the stand-alone, single-player RPG is still viable commercially—especially on the personal computer—when there are competing pressures such as big-name publishers' marketing needs, video game piracy, a change in culture, and the competitive price-point-to-processing-power ratio (at least initially) of modern console systems.<ref name="barton_1571_12h" /><ref name="1up_singlefuture">{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Jason |title=The Future of Single-Player RPGs |website=1UP.com |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |date=December 30, 2009 |url=http://www.1up.com/features/future-single-player-rpgs |access-date=December 19, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222083513/http://www.1up.com/features/future-single-player-rpgs |archive-date=December 22, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="1up_chasing">{{cite web |last=Crigger |first=Lara |title=Chasing D&D: A History of RPGs |website=1UP.com |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |year=2008 |url=http://www.1up.com/features/chasing-history-rpgs |access-date=December 19, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222091559/http://www.1up.com/features/chasing-history-rpgs |archive-date=December 22, 2015 }}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Though things like [[downloadable content]] can stem piracy to some degree, and MMO and single-player RPGs may to some degree attract different audiences—and thus not interfere with each other financially.<ref name="barton_1571_12h" /><ref name="1up_singlefuture" /><ref name="1up_chasing" />|group="Note"}}

===Monster-taming===
{{main|Monster-taming game}}

A monster-taming game (also known as a monster-catching game) is a subgenre of role-playing games that most notably includes the [[Pokémon franchise|''Pokémon'' franchise]]. While ''Pokémon'' is the most recognizable example of such a game to Western audiences, the origins of the genre were in the ''[[Megami Tensei]]'' series, which involved fighting, negotiating with, and recruiting [[Demon|demons]] and other [[Legendary creature|mythological beings]].

===Roguelikes and roguelites===
{{main|Roguelike}}
[[File:Nethack-dragons.png|thumb|right|''NetHack'' and other roguelikes often use [[ASCII]] text characters to represent objects in the game world. The position of the main character in this image is indicated by the symbol <code>@</code>.]]

Roguelike is a subgenre of role-playing video games, characterized by [[procedural generation]] of [[level (video gaming)|game levels]], turn-based gameplay, tile-based graphics, [[permanent death]] of the player-character, and typically based on a [[high fantasy]] narrative setting. Roguelikes descend from the 1980 game ''[[Rogue (video game)|Rogue]]'', particularly mirroring ''Rogue''{{-'}}s [[Text-based game|character-]] or [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprite-based]] graphics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/ftl-faster-than-light/1227287p1.html |title=Rise Of The Roguelikes: A Genre Evolves |first=Tom |last=Hatfield |date=January 29, 2013 |access-date=April 24, 2013 |website=GameSpy |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/12/column_play_the_berlin_interpr.php |title=COLUMN: @Play: The Berlin Interpretation |website=GameSetWatch |publisher=UBM TechWeb |date=December 18, 2009 |first=John |last=Harris |access-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-date=20 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920054535/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/12/column_play_the_berlin_interpr.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> These games were popularized among college students and computer programmers of the 1980s and 1990s, leading to a large number of variants but adhering to these common gameplay elements. Some of the more well-known variants include ''[[Hack (Unix video game)|Hack]]'', ''[[NetHack]]'', ''[[Ancient Domains of Mystery]]'', ''[[Moria (1983 video game)|Moria]]'', ''[[Angband (video game)|Angband]]'', and ''[[Tales of Maj'Eyal]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Craddock |first1=David L |editor1-last=Magrath |editor1-first=Andrew |title=Dungeon Hacks: How NetHack, Angband, and Other Roguelikes Changed the Course of Video Games |date=August 5, 2015 |publisher=Press Start Press |isbn=978-0692501863}}</ref> The Japanese series of ''[[Mystery Dungeon]]'' games by [[Chunsoft]], inspired by ''Rogue'', also fall within the concept of roguelike games.<ref name="usgamer roguelikes">{{cite web |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-gateway-guide-to-roguelikes |title=The Gateway Guide to Roguelikes |date=April 6, 2015 |website=USGamer |publisher=Gamer Network |first1=Jeremy |last1=Parish |access-date=May 4, 2015 |archive-date=9 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509104607/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-gateway-guide-to-roguelikes |url-status=dead }}</ref>

More recently, with more powerful home computers and gaming systems, new variations of roguelikes incorporating other gameplay genres, thematic elements and graphical styles have become popular, typically retaining the notion of procedural generation. These titles are sometimes labeled as "roguelike-like", "rogue-lite", or "procedural death labyrinths" to reflect the variation from titles which mimic the gameplay of traditional roguelikes more faithfully.<ref name="usgamer roguelikes"/> Other games, like ''[[Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/2000/01/27/nethack/ |title=The best game ever – Linux |website=Salon |publisher=Salon Media Group, Inc. |date=January 27, 2000 |access-date=May 28, 2012}}</ref> and ''[[UnReal World]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/features/10074-A-Game-20-Years-In-the-Making |title=A Game 20 Years In the Making |first=Stephen |last=Murphy |date=December 26, 2012 |access-date=November 14, 2015 |website=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]] |publisher=Defy Media LLC |archive-date=17 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117034417/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/features/10074-A-Game-20-Years-In-the-Making |url-status=dead }}</ref> took inspiration from roguelikes.

=== Sandbox RPGs ===
Sandbox RPGs, or [[open world]] RPGs, allow the player a great amount of freedom and usually feature a more open free-roaming world (meaning the player is not confined to a single path restricted by rocks or fences etc.).{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} Sandbox RPGs possess similarities to other sandbox games, such as the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series, with a large number of interactable NPCs, large amount of content and typically some of the largest worlds to explore and longest play-times of all RPGs due to an impressive amount of secondary content not critical to the game's main storyline. Sandbox RPGs often attempt to emulate an entire region of their setting.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} Popular examples of this subgenre include the ''[[Dragon Slayer (series)|Dragon Slayer]]'' series by [[Nihon Falcom]], the early ''[[Dragon Quest]]'' games by [[Chunsoft]], ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]'' and ''[[Pokémon Scarlet and Violet]]'' by [[Nintendo]], ''[[Wasteland (video game)|Wasteland]]'' by [[Interplay Entertainment]], the ''[[SaGa (series)|SaGa]]'' and ''[[Mana (series)|Mana]]'' series by [[Squaresoft]], ''[[System Shock]] '' and ''[[System Shock 2]]'' by [[Looking Glass Studios]] and [[Irrational Games]], ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'' by [[Ion Storm]], ''[[The Elder Scrolls]]'' and [[Fallout series|''Fallout'' series]] by [[Bethesda Softworks]] and [[Interplay Entertainment]], ''[[Fable (video game series)|Fable]]'' by [[Lionhead Studios]] and [[Playground Games]], the [[Gothic series|''Gothic'' series]] by [[Piranha Bytes]], the ''[[Xenoblade Chronicles]]'' series by [[Monolith Soft]], and the ''[[Dark Souls]]'' series by [[FromSoftware]].{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===Tactical RPGs===
{{main|Tactical role-playing game}}
[[File:Fire Emblem-like mockup.png|thumb|Tactical role-playing games often involve moving troops turn by turn across a map to defeat foes or capture territory, as depicted similarly in this illustration.]]

This subgenre of turn-based role-playing games principally refers to games which incorporate elements from [[strategy video game|strategy games]] as an alternative to traditional role-playing game (RPG) systems.<ref name="EATRPG">{{cite web | last =Parish | first =Jeremy| title =Lord of the Rings: Tactics| publisher =[[Electronic Arts]]| url =http://www.ea.com/games/lotr-the-battle-for-middle-earth-2| access-date =2010-02-04}}</ref> Tactical RPGs are descendants of traditional strategy games, such as [[chess]],<ref name="Justin Leeper"/> and table-top role-playing and strategic [[Wargaming|war games]], such as ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'', which were mainly tactical in their original form.<ref name="barton_ddesktops_c" /><ref name="1up_atbtys">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=Active Time Babble XXI: Tactical RPGs & Ys Seven |url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9042222 |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=1UP.com |access-date=May 12, 2011 |quote=The roots of tactical RPGs go back to tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and old-school wargames; in other words, the roots of gaming itself. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808193434/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9042222 |archive-date=August 8, 2011 }}</ref> The format of a tactical CRPG is also like a traditional RPG in its appearance, pacing and rule structure. Like standard RPGs, the player controls a finite party and battles a similar number of enemies.<ref name="EATRPG"/> And like other RPGs, death is usually temporary, albeit some have permanent death of party members. But this genre incorporates strategic gameplay such as tactical movement on an [[Isometric graphics in video games|isometric grid]].<ref name="EATRPG"/> Tactical RPGs tend not to feature [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] play.

A number of early Western role-playing video games used a highly tactical form of combat, including parts of the ''[[Ultima (series)|Ultima]]'' series, which introduced party-based, tiled combat in ''[[Ultima III: Exodus]]'' (1983).<ref name="barton_3623_04">{{Harvnb|Barton|2007a|p=4|Ref=barton_3623}}</ref> ''Ultima III'' would go on to be ported to many other platforms and influence the development of later titles,<ref name="borlanddd_h">{{Harvnb|King|Borland|2003|Ref=borlanddd}}</ref> as would ''[[Bokosuka Wars]]'' (1983), considered a pioneer in the strategy/simulation RPG genre, according to Nintendo.<ref name=Nintendo>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/vc_bw/index.html|title=VC ボコスカウォーズ|website=www.nintendo.co.jp}}</ref> Conventionally, however, the term tactical RPG (known as ''simulation RPG'' in Japan) refers to the distinct subgenre that was born in Japan; as the early origins of tactical RPGs are difficult to trace from the American side of the Pacific, where much of the early RPG genre developed.<ref name="barton_ddesktops_c">{{Harvnb|Barton|2008|p=12|Ref=barton_ddesktops}}</ref>

Many tactical RPGs can be both extremely time-consuming and extremely difficult. Hence, the appeal of most tactical RPGs is to the hardcore, not casual, computer and video game player.<ref name="1upkat_strategery">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=Strategery: Your First Tactical RPG |url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8981596&publicUserId=5725436 |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=1UP.com |date=February 19, 2009 |quote=It wasn't too long ago that I mentioned how difficult it is to get into tactical RPGs. It's an intimidating genre, what with all the grids and customization and names like Tactics Ogre. People are worried that they won't understand what's going on. That it'll be hard. That it'll be boring. So if you've made it past all those fears and you're ready to take the plunge, congratulations. You're a lot stronger than I was while contemplating Final Fantasy Tactics a decade ago. But people like you have also been asking me the same question, time and time again—where to start? |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222101523/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8981596&publicUserId=5725436 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 }}</ref> Traditionally, tactical RPGs have been quite popular in Japan but have not enjoyed the same degree of success in North America and elsewhere.<ref name="cnet_vhearts2">{{cite web |title=Vandal Hearts II (PlayStation) |url=http://reviews.cnet.com/legacy-game-platforms/vandal-hearts-ii-playstation/1707-9882_7-30965757.html#cnetReview |date=January 3, 2000 |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=May 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315202916/http://reviews.cnet.com/legacy-game-platforms/vandal-hearts-ii-playstation/1707-9882_7-30965757.html |archive-date=March 15, 2012 |quote=Although the RPG has gained popularity in the US, its tactical offshoot, the strategy-RPG, has had a harder time gaining similar popularity.}}</ref><ref name="mcv_disg3">{{cite web |last1=Parfitt |first1=Ben |title=Disgaea 3 heading to PS3 |url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/disgaea-3-heading-to-ps3 |website=MCV |publisher=Newbay Media |access-date=December 19, 2015 |date=July 17, 2007 |quote=The tactical RPG genre may not be a chart-topper in the West, but hardcore followers of Japanese RPG specialists Nippon Ichi will be delighted to hear that the studio is bringing the latest instalment to its critically acclaimed series to PS3 next year.}}</ref> However, the audience for Japanese tactical RPGs has grown substantially since the mid-90s, with [[PlayStation|PS1]] and [[PlayStation 2|PS2]] titles such as ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics]]'', ''[[Suikoden Tactics]]'', ''[[Vanguard Bandits]]'', and ''[[Disgaea]]'' enjoying a surprising measure of popularity, as well as hand-held war games like ''[[Fire Emblem]]''.<ref name="rpgamer_fireemblem">{{cite web |last=Neufeld |first=Anna Marie |title=Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones – Staff Review |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/fe/fe9/reviews/fe9strev2.html |website=RPGamer |access-date=May 12, 2011 |quote=As the Tactical RPG genre has grown in recognition and popularity, it was inevitable that a few would manage to make their way to the handheld systems. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314174517/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/fe/fe9/reviews/fe9strev2.html |archive-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (''Final Fantasy Tactics'' for the PS1 is often considered the breakthrough title outside Japan.<ref name="1up_pstactics">{{cite web |last=Parish |first=Jeremy |title=PlayStation Tactics |url=http://www.1up.com/features/playstation-tactics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604094510/http://www.1up.com/features/playstation-tactics |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=1UP.com |access-date=May 12, 2011 |quote=Tactical RPGs have been gaining popularity in the United States since a PS1 game called Final Fantasy Tactics introduced a legion of gamers to its detail-oriented strategy. ... Although FFT is often praised for giving birth to the tactical RPG genre, that PS1 masterpiece would never have existed without this classic pair of Super NES ports. }}</ref><ref name="rpgamer_fftretro">{{cite web |last=Beckett |first=Michael |title=Final Fantasy Tactics – Retroview |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/fft/reviews/fftstrev4.html |website=RPGamer |access-date=May 12, 2011 |quote=Final Fantasy Tactics did much the same thing for tactical RPGs that Final Fantasy VII did for the genre as a whole—made it more popular, more accessible, and more visible to the rest of the gaming world. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314124149/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/fft/reviews/fftstrev4.html |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>) Older TRPGs are also being re-released via [[Emulator|software emulation]]—such as on the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]]—and on [[handheld game console]]s, giving games a new lease on life and exposure to new audiences.<ref name="eug_dyntac">{{cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |title=Dynasty Tactics – First Impressions |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/fi_dynastytactics_ps2 |publisher=Gamer Network |website=Eurogamer |access-date=May 12, 2011 |date=October 21, 2002 |quote=Final Fantasy Tactics is being given a new lease of life on Game Boy Advance, and Capcom has plans to release an Onimusha Tactics title in the near future too.}}</ref> Japanese video games such as these are as a result no longer nearly as rare a commodity in North America as they were during the 1990s.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

Western video games have utilized similar mechanics for years, as well, and were largely defined by ''[[X-COM: UFO Defense]]'' (1994) in much the same way as Eastern video games were by ''Fire Emblem''.<ref name="1upkat_xcom">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=X-COM: Distilling a Classic |url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9027138 |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=1UP.com |date=April 14, 2010 |quote=One of the absolute essentials from that era was X-COM: UFO Defense, which defined western tactical RPGs every bit as much as Fire Emblem did for strategy RPGs in the east. ... The crux of the game is efficiently defeating the aliens in turn-based combat, building up various bases, and outfitting soldiers with the latest and greatest equipment. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710231744/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9027138 |archive-date=July 10, 2012 }}</ref> Titles such as ''X-COM'' have generally allowed greater freedom of movement when interacting with the surrounding environment than their Eastern counterparts.<ref name="1up_daj">{{cite web|last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=Strategery: The Dragon Age Appetizer |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=[[1UP.com]] |date=Oct 23, 2009 |url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9007783 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130101180905/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9007783 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 1, 2013 |access-date=February 4, 2010 |quote=The interesting wrinkle here is that when outside of battle, it's possible to explore the world in the same manner as any other RPG, and that's where Dragon Age Journeys has something in common with western tactical RPGs. The X-Coms of the world have always a great deal more freedom than even Valkyria Chronicles, and Dragon Age takes that one step further by offering actual dungeons to explore, rather than asking players to take on simple missions like 'kill everyone.' }}</ref><ref name="1upkat_valkchro">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=Strategery: Valkyria Chronicles and X-Com: UFO Defense |url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9003286 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709171620/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9003286 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |publisher=IGN Entertainment Games |website=1UP.com |access-date=May 15, 2011 |date=September 4, 2009 |quote=For Japan, the Famicom's Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryu to Hikari is the archetype for the whole genre. Over the years, franchises like Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics have offered unique twists and refinements, but the basic conceits have remained the same, with square-based grid being one of the subgenres most recognizable traits. Western SRPGs, however, have generally allowed for a bit more freedom of movement, with some like Freedom Force (and Dawn of War II, if you're willing to call it an SRPG) going real-time. }}</ref> Other similar examples include the ''[[Jagged Alliance (series)|Jagged Alliance]]''<ref name="gamershell_pc">{{cite web |last=S. |first=Dennis |title=Paradise Cracked Review |website=GamersHell |url=http://www.gamershell.com/pc/paradise_cracked/review.html |access-date=November 26, 2007 |quote=The world of Paradise Cracked was largely influenced by such movies as Matrix, Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, as well as novels of Philip K. Dick and various other cyberpunk writers. It actually has one of the most interesting plots ever—but I won't give it away just yet. The game's genre can be called tactical RPG, drawing some of its best features from such games as X-Com, Jagged Alliance, Incubation and Fallout. |archive-date=November 7, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107191816/http://www.gamershell.com/pc/paradise_cracked/review.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="gamehelper">{{cite web |last=Thompson |first=Mike |title=Night Watch |website=Game Helper Magazine |date=June 22, 2006 |url=http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/night-watch |access-date=2007-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228055845/http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/night-watch <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = December 28, 2007}}</ref> (1994–2013) and ''[[Silent Storm]]''<ref name="gamehelper"/><ref name="rpgvault_ss">{{cite web |author=Jonric |title=Silent Storm Interview |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |website=[[Vault Network|RPG Vault]] | url=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/367/367949p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021006023429/http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/367/367949p1.html |archive-date=October 6, 2002 | access-date=November 26, 2007 |url-status=dead |date=August 15, 2002}}</ref> (2003–2005) series. According to a few developers, it became increasingly difficult during the 2000s to develop games of this type for the PC in the West (though several had been developed in Eastern Europe with mixed results);<ref name="rpgv_ja3">{{cite web | author=Jonric |title=Jagged Alliance 3 Interview |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |website=RPG Vault |date=October 16, 2007 |url=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/827/827659p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018145142/http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/827/827659p1.html |archive-date=October 18, 2007 |access-date=October 19, 2007 | url-status=dead |quote=When choosing a team to develop a project of this type and scale, it was obvious that we needed Russian developers, the same people that created games with similarities to Jagged Alliance 2, both in genre and the time setting. I'm referring to releases like [[Silent Storm]], Night Watch, Brigade E5 and others. Such projects have not been created in Western countries for a long time, which can make development more difficult.}}</ref><ref name="forum_jgollop"/> and even some Japanese console RPG developers began to complain about a bias against turn-based systems.<ref name="escp_dquest"/><ref name="ign_horii"/> Reasons cited include Western publishers' focus on developing real-time and action-oriented games instead.<ref name=forum_jgollop>{{cite web |last=Gollop |first=Julian |title=Comment by Julian Gollop, developer of X-COM and other genre titles |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/putting-the-i-xcom-i-in-i-xcom-i- |date=August 14, 2010 |publisher=UBM Tech |website=Gamasutra |quote=Publishers run a mile from anything with turn-based mechanics—it is regarded as too niche. RTS games pretty much killed off turn-based strategy games in the mid-90s—but now even RTS games are regarded as niche. (...) Thanks to 'Advance Wars', 'Fire Emblem' and 'Final Fantasy Tactics' it seems turn-based games are not totally dead—at least for Nintendo handhelds.}}</ref>

Lastly, there are a number of "full-fledged" CRPGs which could be described as having "tactical combat". Examples from the classic era of CRPGs include parts of the aforementioned ''Ultima'' series;<ref name="nexus_ultima">{{cite web |last=Tie |first=Sing Chie |title=7 Deadly Games |publisher=The Student Publication Board, Multimedia University, Melaka campus |website=neXus Central |date=August 1, 2000 |url=http://clsm.mmu.edu.my/index.php?artid=5&nesect=7&sectid=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218071643/http://clsm.mmu.edu.my/index.php?artid=5&nesect=7&sectid=1 |archive-date=December 18, 2007 |access-date=December 12, 2007}}</ref> SSI's ''[[Wizard's Crown]]'' (1985) and ''[[The Eternal Dagger]]'' (1987);<ref name="bart2007c"/> the ''[[Gold Box]]'' games of the late '80s and early '90s, many of which were later ported to Japanese video game systems;<ref name="bart2007b"/> and the ''[[Realms of Arkania]]'' (1992–1996) series based on the German ''[[The Dark Eye (role-playing game)|The Dark Eye]]'' pen-and-paper system.<ref name="bart2007c"/> More recent examples include ''[[Wasteland 2]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/wasteland-2-trailer-shows-off-first-gameplay-footage-including-tactical-battles-giant-bugs/ |title=Wasteland 2 trailer shows off first gameplay footage, including tactical battles, giant bugs |last1=Sykes |first1=Tom |date=February 9, 2013 |website=PC Gamer |publisher=Future plc |access-date=December 18, 2015}}</ref> ''[[Shadowrun: Dragonfall]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamershell.com/news_168365.html |title=Shadowrun: Dragonfall Director's Cut Dated and Video Released |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=August 30, 2014 |website=GamersHell.com |access-date=December 18, 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222151938/http://www.gamershell.com/news_168365.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ''[[Divinity: Original Sin]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/blackguards-review/ |title=Divinity: Original Sin is an odd mix of old- and new-school RPG design |last1=Kaiser |first1=Rowan |date=July 16, 2014 |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=December 18, 2015}}</ref>—all released in 2014. Partly due to the release of these games 2014 has been called "the first year of the CRPG renaissance".<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Thorman |first1=Peter |title=2014: the first year of the CRPG renaissance |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2014-the-first-year-of-the-crpg-renaissance/ |magazine=PC Gamer |date=31 December 2014 |publisher=[[Future US, Inc.]] |access-date=December 5, 2015}}</ref>

===Turn-based RPGs===
{{main|Turn-based role-playing game}}
Turb-based RPGs have actions take place in a sequence which can be determined by various factors. Unlike other genres, actions by others characters cannot be performed unless it is their turn to perform them. This can be limited to just battles in games or even movement around the overworld depending on the game mechanic or subgenre.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-27 |title=From D&D to Today: The Shifts of Turn-Based Combat in RPGs |url=https://turnbasedlovers.com/news/from-dd-to-today-the-shifts-of-turn-based-combat-in-rpgs/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=TURNBASEDLOVERS}}</ref> This genre started off on PC with series like [[Ultima (series)|Ultima]] and then become very popular on console with releases like [[Dragon Quest]]. 

===Hybrid genres===
A steadily increasing number of other non-RP video games have adopted aspects traditionally seen in RPGs, such as experience point systems, equipment management, and choices in dialogue, as developers push to fill the demand for role-playing elements in non-RPGs.<ref name="1up_singlefuture" /><ref name="rampcoy_hybrids">{{cite web |title=Are Hybrid RPGs Just Poor-Man's RPGs? |author=The Rampant Coyote |website=Tales of the Rampant Coyote |date=October 23, 2006 |url=http://rampantgames.com/blog/2006/10/are-hybrid-rpgs-just-poor-mans-rpgs.html |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109014534/http://www.rampantgames.com/blog/2006/10/are-hybrid-rpgs-just-poor-mans-rpgs.html |archive-date=November 9, 2006 | quote = The core elements of a computer roleplaying game are pretty simple and straightforward. You basically have a task resolution system for an individual unit based on its statistics. Mix this with the ability to modify those stats through circumstances, equipment, spells, level increase or whatever. (...) Modern computer RPGs tend to be a bit more complex than this. (...) Hybrid RPG can emphasize some other element of gameplay that are FAR less development-intensive than pure roleplaying games. Thus they are cheaper and easier to make. Does this make them the "poor-man's RPG?" Meaning a poor / inexpensive substitution for the real thing? (...) Maybe.}}</ref> The blending of these elements with a number of different [[game engine]]s and [[gameplay]] styles have created a myriad of hybrid game categories formed by mixing popular gameplay elements featured in other genres such as [[first-person shooter]]s, [[Platform game|platformer]]s, and [[turn-based strategy|turn-based]] and [[real-time strategy]] games. Examples include first-person shooters such as parts of the ''[[Deus Ex (series)|Deus Ex]]'' (starting in 2000) and ''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl|S.T.A.L.K.E.R.]]'' (starting in 2007) series;<ref name="bitt_deusex">{{cite web |last=Martin |first=Joe |title=Spector tried to buy Deus Ex rights |website=bit-tech.net |date=November 3, 2009 |url=http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2009/11/03/spector-tried-to-buy-deus-ex-rights/1 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |quote=Deus Ex, often considered one of the best PC games ever made, is a FPS/RPG hybrid about uncovering an international conspiracy in a near-future, cyber-punk setting.}}</ref><ref name="rpgamer_deusex">{{cite web |last=Boske |first=John |title=Deus Ex: Invisible War – We Wanted Orange, We Got Lemon-Lime |website=RPGamer |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/deus/deusex2/reviews/deusex2strev1.html |access-date=October 2, 2010 |quote=How do you beat your own record? How do you out-do a one-of-a-kind FPS/RPG hybrid that met substantial critical acclaim and garnered praise from gamers across the board? Perhaps this is one question that Ion Storm shouldn't have asked, for while Deus Ex: Invisible war is a functional, and even enjoyable title on its own, it is a far cry from its predecessor, and bears several serious flaws that keep it from being anything other than a mediocre experience. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314162644/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/deus/deusex2/reviews/deusex2strev1.html |archive-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="gsutra_stalker">{{cite web |last=Cross |first=Tom |title=Analysis: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Defense – The Hybrid Results |publisher=UBM Tech |website=Gamasutra |date=September 1, 2010 |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30141/Analysis_STALKER_Defense__The_Hybrid_Results.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904172003/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30141/Analysis_STALKER_Defense__The_Hybrid_Results.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 September 2010 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |quote=In this Gamasutra analysis piece, Tom Cross looks at GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky and its odd combination of FPS, RPG and tower defense game, examining the art of gameplay hybrids.}}</ref><ref name="cavg_stalker">{{cite web |last=Bishop |first=Stuart |title=The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., part one |website=ComputerAndVideoGames.com |publisher=Future Publishing Limited |date=June 16, 2007 |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=166049 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625210224/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=166049 |archive-date=June 25, 2007 |quote=Back in late 2001 we got our first look at an impressive game called Oblivion Lost, then a squad-based action game from GSC Game World. In 2007 the title that we now know as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl finally released, plunging players into a survival-FPS-RPG hybrid and the post-apocalyptic wasteland surrounding the Chernobyl power plant after its meltdown.}}</ref> real-time strategy games such as ''[[SpellForce: The Order of Dawn]]'' (2003) and ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II]]'' (2009);<ref name="gshark_spellforce">{{cite web |last=Dorsey |first=Mark |title=SpellForce: The Order of Dawn Review |website=GameShark |publisher=Mad Catz, Inc. |date=March 24, 2004 |url=http://www.gameshark.com/pc/reviews/1530/SpellForce-The-Order-of-Dawn-Review.htm |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314080909/http://www.gameshark.com/pc/reviews/1530/SpellForce-The-Order-of-Dawn-Review.htm |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |quote=SpellForce is making the future of hybrid genre games look very positive indeed. (...) However, I do have a penchant for armies of minions doing my bidding and I do enjoy RPG elements in a game, which is why I was quite interested in the release of Phenomic's SpellForce, an RPG/RTS hybrid.}}</ref><ref name="ginform_warhammer">{{cite magazine |last=Biessener |first=Adam |title=Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising |magazine=Game Informer |date=March 11, 2010 |url=https://gameinformer.com/games/warhammer_40000_dawn_of_war_ii__chaos_rising/b/pc/archive/2010/03/11/review.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316234120/http://gameinformer.com/games/warhammer_40000_dawn_of_war_ii__chaos_rising/b/pc/archive/2010/03/11/review.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=16 March 2010 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |quote=Standalone expansion continues solid mix of RPG and RTS}}</ref> [[puzzle video game]]s such as ''Castlevania Puzzle''  (2010) and ''[[Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords]]'' (2007);<ref name="metac_cpeotn">{{cite web |last1=Dietz |first1=Jason |last2=Doyle |first2=Marc |title=iPhone/iPad Games Guide: What to Buy This Month |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc. |date=July 30, 2010 |url=http://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-iphone-ipad-games-july-2010 |access-date=October 6, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Caoili |first=Eric |title=Puzzle Quest 2 Releases For DS, XBLA Next Spring |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/11/puzzle_quest_2_releases_for_ds.php |publisher=UBM TechWeb |website=GameSetWatch |date=November 30, 2009 |access-date=16 July 2011 |archive-date=9 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909045048/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/11/puzzle_quest_2_releases_for_ds.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> and turn-based strategy games like the ''[[Steel Panthers]]'' (1995–2006) series, which combined tactical military combat with RPG-derived unit advancement. As a group, hybrid games have been both praised and criticized; being referred to by one critic as the "poor man's" RPG for omitting the dialogue choices and story-driven character development of major AAA titles;<ref name="rampcoy_hybrids" /> and by another critic as "promising" for shedding the conventions of more established franchises in an attempt to innovate.<ref name="gfirst_rpgxp">{{cite web |last=Luther |first=Jeff |title=The RPG Experience: Conventions and Not Beyond |website=GamesFirst! |date=April 20, 2001 |url=http://www.gamesfirst.com/index.php?id=378 |access-date=October 2, 2010}}</ref>

===Relationship to other genres===
{{see also|List of video game genres}}
RPGs seldom test a player's physical skill. Combat is typically a tactical challenge rather than a physical one, and games involve other non-action gameplay such as choosing dialog options, inventory management, or buying and selling items.{{Sfn|Adams|Rollings|2006}}

Although RPGs share some combat rules with [[Wargame (video games)|wargames]], RPGs are often about a small group of individual characters.<ref name="gama129583">{{cite web |last=Kaiser |first=Rowan |title=How Mass Effect challenged my definition of 'RPG' |website=Gamasutra |publisher=UBM Tech |date=March 1, 2012 |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/129583/Opinion_How_Mass_Effect_challenged_my_definition_of_RPG.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306024602/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/129583/Opinion_How_Mass_Effect_challenged_my_definition_of_RPG.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 March 2012 |access-date=March 2, 2012}}</ref> Wargames tend to have large groups of identical units, as well as non-humanoid units such as tanks and airplanes. Role-playing games do not normally allow the player to produce more units. However, the ''[[Heroes of Might and Magic]]'' series crosses these genres by combining individual heroes with large numbers of troops in large battles.<ref name="fundamentals"/>

RPGs rival [[adventure game]]s in terms of their rich storylines, in contrast to genres that do not rely upon storytelling such as [[sports game]]s or [[Puzzle video game|puzzle game]]s.<ref name="fundamentals"/> Both genres also feature highly detailed characters, and a great deal of exploration. However, RPGs also feature a combat system, which adventure games lack. In doing so, RPGs tend to emphasize complex internal mechanics where characters are defined by increasing numerical attributes.

Gameplay elements strongly associated with this genre, such as statistical character development, have been widely adapted to other video game genres. For example, ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'', an [[action-adventure game]], uses resource statistics (abbreviated as "stats") to define a wide range of attributes including stamina, weapon proficiency, driving, lung capacity, and muscle tone, and uses numerous [[cutscene]]s and [[Quest (video gaming)|quests]] to advance the story.

''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'', a [[real-time strategy]] game, features heroes that can complete quests, obtain new equipment, and "learn" new abilities as they advance in level.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Monstrous Timelessness of Warcraft 3 |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-monstrous-timelessness-of-warcraft-3/|access-date=2020-12-20|website=Vice.com|date=7 March 2018}}</ref> A community-created [[Mod (video gaming)|mod]] based on ''Warcraft III,'' ''[[Defense of the Ancients]] (DotA),'' served as significant inspiration for the [[multiplayer online battle arena]] (MOBA) genre.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Funk |first=John |date=2013-09-02 |title=MOBA, DOTA, ARTS: A brief introduction to gaming's biggest, most impenetrable genre |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/9/2/4672920/moba-dota-arts-a-brief-introduction-to-gamings-biggest-most |access-date=2019-11-24 |url-status=live |archive-date=5 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905103354/https://www.polygon.com/2013/9/2/4672920/moba-dota-arts-a-brief-introduction-to-gamings-biggest-most |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Atkinson |first=Ryan |date=27 March 2018 |title=How Warcraft 3's modding community paved the way for League of Legends and Dota 2 |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/warcraft-iii/warcraft-3-mods-dota-league-of-legends |access-date=2021-07-11 |website=PCGamesN}}</ref> Due to its ''Warcraft III'' origins, MOBA is a fusion of role-playing games, real-time strategy games, and action games, with RPG elements built in its core gameplay. A key features, such as control over one character in a party, growth in power over the course of match, learning new thematic abilities, using of [[Magic (gaming)|mana]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobacci |first=Kara|date=2016-04-22|title=Mana – Less Heroes in the ARTS MOBA Genre|url=https://esportsedition.com/dota-2/mana-less-heroes-in-the-arts-moba-genre/|access-date=2020-09-08 |website=Esports Edition}}</ref> leveling and accumulation of experience points,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://click-storm.com/en/articles/6795/|title=What you need to know about the experience in Dota 2 written by Artem Uarabei |website=Click-Storm|access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref> equipment and inventory management,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Items |website=League of Legends |url=https://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/game-info/items/ |access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref> completing quests,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.esportstalk.com/blog/5-most-important-heroes-of-the-storm-objectives-10213/|title=The 5 Most Important Heroes of the Storm Objectives|date=2018-11-21|website=EsportsTalk.com |access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=25 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925110002/https://www.esportstalk.com/blog/5-most-important-heroes-of-the-storm-objectives-10213/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and fighting with the stationary [[Boss (video gaming)|boss]] monsters,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roshan Dota 2 Guide|date=2018-10-17|website=FirstBlood® |url=https://pages.firstblood.io/pages/blog/dota-2/roshan-dota-2-guide/ |access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=2019-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925110057/https://pages.firstblood.io/pages/blog/dota-2/roshan-dota-2-guide/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rendina |first=Brandon |date=27 October 2017 |title=Heroes of the Storm: How to Fully Utilize Boss and Mercenary Camps |website=team-dignitas.net |url=http://team-dignitas.net/articles/blogs/Heroes-Of-The-Storm/11768/heroes-of-the-storm-how-to-fully-utilize-mercenary-camps |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030105304/http://team-dignitas.net/articles/blogs/Heroes-Of-The-Storm/11768/heroes-of-the-storm-how-to-fully-utilize-mercenary-camps |archive-date=30 October 2017 |access-date=2019-09-25 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> have resemblance with role-playing games.

According to [[Satoru Iwata]], former president of [[Nintendo]], turn-based RPGs have been unfairly criticized as being outdated, and action-based RPGs can frustrate players who are unable to keep up with the battles.<ref name="Iwata Asks: RPG"/> According to [[Yuji Horii]], creator of the popular ''Dragon Quest'' series and Ryutaro Ichimura, producer of [[Square Enix]], turn-based RPGs allow the player time to make decisions without feeling rushed or worry about real-life distractions.<ref name="Iwata Asks: RPG"/>