20 Games That Defined Role-Playing Games

[VentilatorOfDoom]

<p><em>What are the most influential RPGs ever made?</em> A question <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/221341/rpg-pillars-20-games-that-defined-role-playing-games/" target="_blank">raised by GamePro</a>.</p>
<p>Here you have a snippet:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Pokémon (1996)</strong>

Why It's a Pillar: As with many of Shigeru Miyamoto's games, Pokémon is based upon an idea that many children can relate to: bug collecting. Maybe that's why Pokémon -- arguably Nintendo's most valuable franchise -- is so consistently successful from generation to generation, even with the central premise remaining largely unchanged. Its influence on the genre lies in that same, deceptively simple premise, which encourages players to "catch 'em all." Millions of children have done just that, and in the process, RPG mechancis have become part of their gaming vocabulary. In that sense, plenty of "adult" RPGs owe Pokémon a large debt.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They also have entries like KotoR and Pool of Radiance.</p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/104008-rpg-pillars-20-games-that-defined-role-playing-games.html">Gamebanshee</a></p>

 

[Excidium]

 

[Jools]

 

[SuicideBunny]

reads like someone just wanted to list some popular games and the defining pillar thing was just slapped on afterwards, whether it fit or not.
meh.

 

[Azrael the cat]

To be honest, if you're going for 'influential' rather than 'good', then the stupidity is contained entirely in the decision to call Pokemon an rpg. If you look past that, it isn't so crazy an inclusion. I fucking hate the thing, but Pokemon was a freakishly widespread cultural craze. I'd object to it being called a crpg, but if you're going to categorise it as one, then it's certainly one of the most godawfully omnipresent ones.

 

[ZbojLamignat]

King's Bounty defined crpgs?

My, those sites really do come up with the most bizarre things to earn some hits.

 

[Fowyr]

Another uneducated article.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

Miyamoto had nothing to do with Pokemon, the franchise was created by Satoshi Tajiri. “GamePro"? Jesus, at least check Wikipedia before making up random stories.

 

[Kaanyrvhok]

Good list

My only argument is that Morrowind is more influential than Arena.

 

[Shannow]

 

[Jive One]

At least the first four "bedrock" choices are right on, and good on them for picking Dragon Quest over Final Fantasy even though Ultima technically inspired both.

 

[Roguey]

Pokemon's been around for over ten years, still uses turn-based combat, and remains a multi-million seller popular with kids. It's a fine pillar and a lot of baka gaijin developers could learn from it.

 

[Mastermind]

Diablo is responsible for one of the new permutations of the role-playing genre: the point-and-click dungeon crawler. The original expertly marries Rogue's dungeon-diving mechanics with a massive skill tree,

Diablo had no skill trees...

 

[Andhaira]

Good list

My only argument is that Morrowind is more influential than Arena.

Incorrect. Arena was the most influential and groundbreaking game of the TES series. It was leagues ahead of it's time when it was released.

 

[felipepepe]

Pokemon's been around for over ten years, still uses turn-based combat, and remains a multi-million seller popular with kids. It's a fine pillar and a lot of baka gaijin developers could learn from it.

Besides, every new game gets more pokemons, attacks, skillz, combat styles and general content...something really rare in today's "let's simplify/dumbdown everything" way of thinking.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Dungeon Master is responsible for one of the new permutations of the role-playing genre: the point-and-click dungeon crawler.

Fixed.

I haven't even read the article, but I can still tell that it is full of crap.

 

[MMXI]

That is the most retarded RPG related article I've read in a long time.

 

[Charles-cgr]

Arena introduces open world in 1994? What about MM1 in 1986?

 

[Sceptic]

What about Ultima 1 in 1981? What about Wilderness Campaign in the late 70's?

Really, MMXI said it all.

 

[Xor]

The choices don't look bad for the most part (at least Oblivion isn't on there), but the text blurbs are .

 

[sea]

Pokemon's been around for over ten years, still uses turn-based combat, and remains a multi-million seller popular with kids. It's a fine pillar and a lot of baka gaijin developers could learn from it.

I agree. Even if you don't like the art style, universe etc. it has some pretty strong mechanics with a surprising amount of depth if you choose to get into the competitive multiplayer stuff, or even the in-game Battle Towers which basically switch on super cheat mode for the computer and require absolute perfect play. As far as the mainstream goes it's probably the most "hardcore" JRPG short of Dragon Quest. And to say it's had no influence is just stupid - it's pretty much solely responsible for the massive boom of JRPGs on portable platforms, which has only in the last couple of years begun to subside.

That said, most of the choices on this list are fine, for better or for worse. It's the text blurbs that are facepalm-inducing - it's hard to believe the author even played half the games on it extensively.

 

[Machocruz]

Utlima 7, the game that open world games have been trying to imitate since.

Edit: More specifically, set the standard for interactivity.

 

[MMXI]

Are the Pokemon games actually RPGs? Can you define the protagonist in any way or do you merely level up their pokemon?

 

[mangsy]

I played the shit out of the Pokemon Blue on my Game Boy when I was a kid.



@MMXI: Why wouldn't it be an RPG? It's turn-based, you've got party members with statistics that gain experience and level up, etc.

 

[felipepepe]

Get's down to the same "Laptop guy doens't have stats, Jagged Alliance 2 is no RPG" nonsense...but at least in Pokemon you choose the name and sex of the trainer.