Why RPG video games suck

Of all the major genres of video games out there, I believe that RPG games are the worst just by fundamental design - there are exceptions to the rule, but here here is my reasoning behind it.

1. The majority of the game's content is pure repetition (ex. "leveling") with no challenge or skill involved. These games require you to "level" up your stats in order to gain access to later areas of the game. And to do this you have to keep fighting the same battles, over and over and over, just to finally get the stats you need to actually play the next part of the game. To make it worse, once your stats are significantly higher than your enemies, you can more or less take on wave after waves of enemies and not even have to worry about dying because your stats are so much higher - so if the game requires you to re-visit earlier areas where enemies of weaker stats are located, then all the battles are guaranteed wins before you've even started them - it takes whatever little challenge or suspense there was to begin with and reduces it to pure repetition.

2. The challenge isn't based on the skill of the player, it's based simply on the player vs the opponent's "stats" - almost like rock, paper, scissors (and possibly some degree of luck). There's not such a thing as a "hard battle". The player will either win or lose purely on stats. Ex. If you enter a battle and your stats aren't high enough, then you've already lost - but if you enter a battle and your stats are higher, then you've already won - the battle itself is just a matter issuing commands - but the outcome is pre-determined by the stats.

So in essence, the "final boss" of the game isn't any "harder" than the weakest enemy you ever come across - the only difference is that you need to "level" to higher stats in order to win (by fighting a lot of repetitive, predetermined battles against enemies of lower stats) - if your stats are at a high-enough level, then the final battle of the game is just as easy as the first battle.

In summary, these games are 90% repetition with little to no skill or mental stimulation involved, and require way too many hours of time invested - most of the time spent playing (ex. having to kill dozens of the same enemies just to "level" high enough to get to the next one) is more like a "chore" needed to access new levels, than actually fun - that's why this genre as a whole is pretty much broken and I don't understand the appeal of it, except maybe to those who want to waste the maximum possible amount of time in front of a screen with the absolute smallest amount of mental stimulation possible.

On the flip side, the positive point I'll make about RPGs is that they often have deeper plots, dialogue and characters than many other genres of games - but given the repetitive and boring nature of the actual gameplay, you might as well just read a book or watch a movie if the plot is the only enticing feature.

 

Sounds like you're talking about RPGs of old. Now days most games are moving to a hybrid version with everything involved. Whether you're talking WOW, GTA, Mass Effect, etc. If anything, these games are so good they are better than reality for many and can rob people of their actual authentic existence. Even sports and shooters have RPG aspects. Video games are (*)(*)(*)(*) near legalized virtual heroin.

 

Some of them are like that. But even then, it's not about leveling up. It's about how you level up. Getting there, is what matters.

 

Try the Elderscroll series. They might function the way you prefer

 

I agree. One of the rare exceptions to this is the Elder Scrolls series, since those games are basically RPG meets medieval FPS, hence you get a mix of leveling/stats and player skill. The only downside to them is their lack of multiplayer.

 

you can now play Skyrim online w/multi-player options. The downside to Skyrim is the need to upload and download to Cloud. I am on wi-fi and that eats my threshold up like a hungry bear.

 

I agree with most of this, but Pokemon is actually pretty fun despite revolving around this, no?

 

What's Pokemon? Sounds like some rare STD.

 

I definitely agree with most of what you said. I really hate games where I have to grind and grind and grind until I've just about grinded all my patience out. It drives me crazy and is why I really can't stand to play MMORPGs anymore. xP

 

I have tried that, though it still had bugs when I last did.

 

This should sum up Pokemon in a humorous manner. Warning, lots of cursing ahead. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHG-JO8gIGk

 

Do you have no soul? :3

 

It looks like you don't know of what are you talking about , RPGs are not always aRPGs ( action role playing games) there are also cRPGs ( character ) and other like Roguelikes and JRPGs ( Japanese ) , there are also divisions like turn based tactical or real time .
In a cRPG the core of the game is shaping your avatar , giving him a character with choices and consequences . There are often several ways to accomplish a task and you have to pick sides .
RPGs are NOT about combat , if you like combat go play a popamole .

Of course player's skill is irrelevant you are playing a character and it is his abilities that matter not yours . Characters are suppose to have specialisations that determine how they do things , for example a thief will not get into an area guns blazing and a low charisma character will not try to talk his way out of situations. Take for example one of he Deus EX games : you are told to infiltrate someone's house how you will do that is determined by your character's skills

A thief will try to break a lock or break a window
A charisma character will approach the battler and try to convince him for an invitation
A combat character will just break the door
A hacker will disable alarm and door systems

It is your approach but your character can not do everything.

RPGs are not about beating bosses they are about the journey , the lore of the area , the people you meet , politics , religious conflicts, the story line and more . cRPGs require investment and specially older ones do not treat you like an 11 year old and they do not spoon feed you ways to do things, you have to figure them on your own and navigate into areas without silly quest markers.

Most games have respec system and you can reroll your skills , again you are only referring to a specific type aRPGs also known as "hack 'n'slash" .

 

Virtual heroin...now that is hilarious.


You're not far from the truth...far be it for me to judge...but is reality that bad we need to escape from it 24/7?

Role playing games with "elves" and "trolls" seem juvenile to me, but I spend my fair share of time on flight sims...
so as I say, I understand the appeal of shutting out the outside world and staring at a monitor for hours...

However, I didn't grow up with video games...I was a kid even before your basic Nintendo system...there was
"Pong" at the pinball arcade...about as complicated as video games were at the time. No home consoles.

So we used our imaginantion...we played cowboys and indians...or we played Army. It was outside.

I do wonder how these younger generations will turn out having been raised in this video game / internet / TV culture...
seems to me social skills deteriorate spending inordinate amounts of time playing a video game character.
An activity that for the most part is a waste of time, and sedentary.

 

Sorry, Chrono Trigger is an awesome game. Ditto Secret of Mana




I do prefer the Zelda style RPG though, where you don't have to level up.

 

I prefer MMORPG's over other RPG style genres...specifically for the PvP aspect of it.

 

Secret of Mana is one of my favorites. Soul Blazer is another great one too.

Also I originally played Chrono Cross before I ever played Chrono Trigger. That was a great game for the PS1.

I did like Chrono Trigger, although it's a lot different from Chrono Cross.

 

I'm old enough to remember text based games on my Apple IIe. To me, true RPGs are the Final Fantasys, Dragon Warriors, Ultimas, Might and Magics of old. And I like them all. I think character development is what made RPGs. And all games have incorporated it to the point there is no need for the old. Video games are truly remarkable at this point. You can pick different clothes, build stats, and buy homes , all the while sniping people, picking up hookers, stealing cars, and that doesn''t even touch on the capabilities of the plethora of missions(GTA). Unreal. Hell, look at the BioShock series. Beautiful games. With as much as any story based, character based, plus live action as any game ever offered. The trouble these days is picking what game to lose weeks on. And of course, the unreal amounts of money involved compared to days of old. The reason why I eventually gave up. But I still pick up a paddle at friend's homes, and the games blow my mind. Gears of War to Red dead revolver. All fun.

 

Meh. I hate video games. I used to repair them. I met another guy my age that did the same thing and he hates them too.

A waste of time.

 

^^^This right here. The reason I'd never be a gynecologist.

 

Bwahahahaha! What a comparison!

 

Isn't Skyrim part of that?

 

ye, sir.......it has really nice graphics too. If yo are going to buy, you need to male sure you have a good or better graphics card, and it stores your games on Cloud. Online multi-player is kind of rough. Probaly weak servers.....

 

I'm a Fallout's guy. Skyrim, just doesn't seem that good to me.

 

Agreed - RPG games in particular seem to be designed just to waste the maximum amount of time though. I no longer own any video game consoles - I sometimes still play games on my PC but not too often.