Support NeoGAF

[kicker]

if you wanna be strict with the definition of RPG then you will have a very very limited list of videogames that you can consider RPG.

That's fine. As long as when someone recommends an RPG to me I can expect to role play in the game, It doesn't matter how few games are left. If the aim is to roleplay and very few games allow that, then pretending other games do will not help me in any way

My grievance is your clickbait like title

How is it clickbait:
"In your opinion is final fantasy 16 an RPG?" The very first thought that would come to mind is 'Why does that matter, the game will still be fun', and in response to that assumed default response, I added "Read the OP for why I think it matters".
If you had read the op, you would see that the title is not structured that way to force a response, but to get the obvious, kneejerk response out of the way so discussion can be had.

 

[kicker]

What do you accomplish by suggesting they're now when it's in the damn name?

I distinguish between games that allow me to roleplay (as the name suggests) and games that don't but borrow elements to artificially increase game length or use as marketing buzzwords.
That is all. I am damn excited for FF16 as a DMC fan, but I am not going into it with the idea that I will be roleplaying, and thus I do not consider it an RPG.

If your opinion is that it is an RPG, then fine. But It isn't in my opinion, and I believe it diminishes the strengths of the genre calling it that.

 

[Otre]

People actually roleplay a single player RPG? Like, they "fr fr, just like me" french kiss the screen. Jesus fuck.

Instead of caring for semantics or writing your own dictionary, the important question is: Is the game good?

Is it an RPG? Anything can be an RPG. Mute the character voices in game and do your own dialogue. Go exercise outside and think of it that youre leveling up. Hum the final fantasy theme when you beat up your dog. Tons of cringe to go around. "Diminishing the genre" is some simp talk. Move on.

 

[Drizzlehell]

Well, it's a jRPG which is a subgenre. Just like computer RPGs, action RPGs, MUDs, MMOs, even roguelikes. Each subgenre has its own characteristics and jRPGs such as Final Fantasy are simply told in a way that doesn't put too much emphasis on developing a custom character and instead let you play a role of a fictional character in a mostly linear story.

 

[Felessan]

That's fine. As long as when someone recommends an RPG to me I can expect to role play in the game, It doesn't matter how few games are left. If the aim is to roleplay and very few games allow that, then pretending other games do will not help me in any way

What roleplay is in Diablo? Diablo is staple Action RPG, which was widely accepted sub-genre of RPG for ages

If your opinion is that it is an RPG, then fine. But It isn't in my opinion, and I believe it diminishes the strengths of the genre calling it that.

You just have no idea of what does RPG means with all its historical heritage and variance and try to push your own narrow view onto genre that exists for 70 years already.

 

[Variahunter]

As far as I can tell, in Action Aventure games like GoW, Horizon, or Ghost of Tsushima, you don't get experience points for beating ennemies but by completing quest ?

In an RPG, you can farm XP points by liking random ennemies, that's why FF XVI is still an rpg, no different than Secret Of Mana for example.

And you can express yourself by selecting your Eikons, offering different builds that are more prone to zoning (Ramuh and Bahamut it seems) or comboing (Garuda, Odin). Shiva can freeze your opponents, Phoenix allows you to move faster and teleport to the enemy, and of course Titan is the tank build. Your expression lies in how you mix your Eikons together, and you can favor some builds by also equipping up to 3 accessories that boost elemental damage/physical damage and probably lots of other possibilities. And of course you also have 3 basic equipment slots.

It's also up to you to decide how you want to evolve your character and it's compétences by allowing your points how you seem fit.

Exploration seems to be in the game with the big open fields and multiples towns with people to chat with. You can go back to wherever you want to.

There's also side quests, crafting and so on.

The only downside is no control over the party, and no control over their equipment or AI. And my last hope is to be able to actually explore the big cities, but not in a war / combat setting.

 

[GMCamaro]

I don't know. I hate to be a pessimist, but I'm not going to get invested in a future FF game after they just dropped it all with 15.

 

[Alexios]

With your narrow and very D&D-like definition regarding choices & consequences then next to no FF qualifies, not just 16, and it has nothing to do with its combat. You can safely ignore the series so it doesn't mess with you having to go through 16+ of these games when looking for your next RPG.

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

Not sure if Im wrong but to me JRPG means the game is 99% going to have random encounters while roaming through the map whereas WRPG is much more action oriented and you cna always see the enemy before they attack you. I for one HATE random encounters and just cant touch those games, FF10 was the last one I could barely take. Thats why I enjoyed FF15 because it had none of that and FF16 looks like it follows that formula.

 

[Gandih42]

It's a flawed idea because it's harder to do? Or because some people want all big-budget games to be all things to everyone and that isn't inherently flawed either? I'm not trying to shit on games evolving. I would just like to be able to roleplay in games that are described as roleplaying games. Why is that a flawed idea?

If an X game has rpg elements but is not designed around roleplaying, then why don't we just call it an X game with roleplaying elements, rather than a roleplaying game. One suggests a different core with rpg features, while one suggests a roleplaying core.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to imply that you're shitting on anything - I think this is a fun topic to discuss.

I think it's a flawed idea because the functional solution already exists and you present it in your OP (and in the quoted message). Even if you wanted to filter games through a narrow lens of specifically literal "roleplaying", you'd still end up with games that have that, but play extremely differently. I'm not sure if I'm matching your definition but I'd propose something like Neverwinter Nights, The Witcher, Mass Effect, and Skyrim. All are heavily 'roleplaying' in the literal sense, but they play extremely differently. So if you came to me and asked me for suggestions for an RPG, I'd still end up going through variations on the term RPG. cRPG, open-world RPG, RPG with 3rd person shooting etc. I would tie this to the fact that for videogames, genres tend to have implications for tone, story, visuals, camera, gameplay, specific game mechanics and so on. So I don't believe we could ever satisfyingly categorise and recommend games solely based on 'RPG' anyway. But as a single filter among a few others, sure, RPG could be used in a more pure sense.

In one of your posts you mention games borrowing RPG elements, and in that area I do completely agree. I think it's great that there is tons of genre bending and blending and games, but it's not always positive. I feel some AAA games get homogenised with 'RPG elements' to a level where it is detrimental to the game (thinking of games like Avengers, Gotham Knights, Suicide Squad). But in those cases, I think you've also already described the solution; X type of game with these types of RPG elements. Returning to my own post, I'd probably describe FFXVI with phrases like 'JPRG ', 'Story-Driven Action RPG'.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Nautilus]

It's a JRPG, yeah.

Not the kind it should be, but it is.

 

[NomadicAsiatic]

Nah, it's not. It also doesn't look very good but, that's another story.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Want a ROLE Playing Game? Go play some tabletop RPGs with friends.

Or enter gmod servers

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Mischief Maker]

Nothing about this game is an RPG. It is a character action game in the style of god of war with some devil may cry animations thrown in for good measure. Traditional JRPG's have a number of mechnic, stylistic, and other things that make them a fairly distinct genre. I like all sorts of games, and have been gaming for over 30 years. This game is a betrayal to the series that has been falling from grace from the JRPG heyday in the 90s and into the early 2000s. The company obviously feels it's flagship property is too niche to compete, in today's market of endless action games, open world games, etc etc, that all feel and play similarly. They have said as much. They have been trending in that direction for the last 2 decades, slowly but surely. They finally just said, the hell with it, and made this entry a full on character action game with some FF skin/tropes thrown on top. You can call anything an action RPG, it's a meaningless sub genre at this point. This is clearly not a traditional FF game or JRPG, because square feels those games cannot be a AAA experience anymore. This is the result. It's a damn shame too.

 

[atyourservice]

Now that this comes to pc in a few hours, I guess I'll find out.
Though the fact that the poll is so even has me assuming it probably is, to some extent