Been decades since I've played it, but I didn't mind it at all back in the day.
Off the top of my head I'll recommend Alundra, Soul Blazer, Secret of Mana, Crystalis, Magic of Scheherazade, Ys, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Kingdom Hearts.
... all of the Zeldas (personal favorites are I and IV), ..., Neutopia I and II, ...
*are not RPGs* They are "action-adventure" games
Oh this old topic....
You know I'm just giving you a hard time. (while reenforcing the case for THE TRUTH )
And yeah, they are fuzzy genre categories (the division between action-RPG and action-Adventure).
Have to draw the line somewhere, though
Jonas - I've never actually seen the box for Neutopia, but played through them. So my statement was just about they are akin to Zelda, rather than have some of the additional RPG features of stuff like Crystalis/Willow.
Yes they are Zelda clones, I've beaten them both too. But it says it on the box, just to illustrated the ambiguity around the "Role-Playing" term in some people's eyes...
I'm 90% sure I remember seeing Dragon Magazine, the ones owned by TSR, the company who created Dungeons & Dragons, calling Zelda an RPG. And there's many pen & paper RPG systems without levels if you don't count skill progression. Marvel RPG (Also owned by TSR) has no advancement at all, and had RPG in its name, and predated most computer RPGs. Best they had was the karma system which amounted to spend points for better dice rolls.
It all comes down to how a person wants to define things. Genres are subjective (words, language, all that good stuff too), we just tend to all agree for the most part about what belongs in each.
One of my favorite articles/debates is how Zelda defined the action-RPG genre, but as it evoled it got classed out of it. Deep sigh... (favorite was said sarcastically there)
It all comes down to how a person wants to define things. Genres are subjective (words, language, all that good stuff too), we just tend to all agree for the most part about what belongs in each.
One of my favorite articles/debates is how Zelda defined the action-RPG genre, but as it evoled it got classed out of it. Deep sigh... (favorite was said sarcastically there)
My bias on the Zelda games (and pure Zelda-clones) specifically, is that as a kid, "RPGs" were stuff like the early Gold Box games or Dragon Warrior.
They were a pretty clearly defined genre, at the time, IMO. (i.e. turn-based, stat-heavy, etc -- this is before muddying waters with Eye of the Beholder, etc)
Even when stuff like Crystalis came out,I'm not sure that I thought of that game as an "action RPG" rather than a zelda-like with more features.
My first impressions on that series, and style of game, have just stuck with me.
Personally, I don't think Zelda, and the other very similar games, are stat/RNG-focused enough to qualify as typical to the RPG genre.
EDIT: and some of it comes from what other games you'd include in the RPG genre if you let in Legend of Zelda...
Is Metroid sufficiently different from the Zelda game mechanics that it wouldn't then be considered an action-RPG?
How about Blaster Master or Guardian Legend?
There are a lot of games that I think most of us would place in other genres, that share almost all of what could be considered RPG-mechanics that Legend of Zelda might possess.
My bias on the Zelda games (and pure Zelda-clones) specifically, is that as a kid, "RPGs" were stuff like the early Gold Box games or Dragon Warrior.
They were a pretty clearly defined genre, at the time, IMO. (i.e. turn-based, stat-heavy, etc -- this is before muddying waters with Eye of the Beholder, etc)
Even when stuff like Crystalis came out,I'm not sure that I thought of that game as an "action RPG" rather than a zelda-like with more features.
My first impressions on that series, and style of game, have just stuck with me.
Personally, I don't think Zelda, and the other very similar games, are stat/RNG-focused enough to qualify as typical to the RPG genre.
I've always used the old NP classification, and labeled them as Adventure games (pretty sure that it was NP that used it). That fell out of use a long time ago though, and doesn't work when you add in PC games and other things. I have a theory of genres based on time period and platform, but that is for another topic.
Good luck with the search for good action-RPGs OP, however you define it .
It all comes down to how a person wants to define things. Genres are subjective (words, language, all that good stuff too), we just tend to all agree for the most part about what belongs in each.
One of my favorite articles/debates is how Zelda defined the action-RPG genre, but as it evoled it got classed out of it. Deep sigh... (favorite was said sarcastically there)
My bias on the Zelda games (and pure Zelda-clones) specifically, is that as a kid, "RPGs" were stuff like the early Gold Box games or Dragon Warrior.
They were a pretty clearly defined genre, at the time, IMO. (i.e. turn-based, stat-heavy, etc -- this is before muddying waters with Eye of the Beholder, etc)
"Right, the term “RPG” has somehow been misunderstood by many of today’s games; they think that increasing your stats is roleplaying. Originally you inhabited the role of another character in an RPG. I mean, game systems where you defeat enemies and collect gold do help sustain players’ interest and ambition, but I feel something is being missed here."
Horii wrote that in 1987 - the RPG debate has raged on for decades.
Touche.
I'm not saying that SOMEBODY didn't debate about the definition.
But growing up, I never new anybody that would have called Legend of Zelda, specifically, an RPG.
But more to the point, we're talking about video game RPGs, where most of the classics adopted some kind of stat and RNG system from D&D.
They attempted to give you "roles" to play, but really, the parts that translated from the pen-and-paper to video games were exploration, combat, and stats.
So they became a stat-driven experience, for the most part.
If you are going off the "role playing" aspect in the strictest sense like he's saying, there is almost nothing back then that qualifies, because you couldn't have an open ended enough experience to meet that bar.
Having a true sandbox video game game, with genuine options of how you play your character, is a fairly new concept.
They probably all wanted to do something like that back then, but the games that even came close to the concept would be few and far between.
Horii wrote that in 1987 - the RPG debate has raged on for decades.
Touche.
I'm not saying that SOMEBODY didn't debate about the definition.
But growing up, I never new anybody that would have called Legend of Zelda, specifically, an RPG.
But more to the point, we're talking about video game RPGs, where most of the classics adopted some kind of stat and RNG system from D&D.
They attempted to give you "roles" to play, but really, the parts that translated from the pen-and-paper to video games were exploration, combat, and stats.
So they became a stat-driven experience, for the most part.
If you are going off the "role playing" aspect in the strictest sense like he's saying, there is almost nothing back then that qualifies, because you couldn't have an open ended enough experience to meet that bar.
Having a true sandbox video game game, with genuine options of how you play your character, is a fairly new concept.
They probably all wanted to do something like that back then, but the games that even came close to the concept would be few and far between.
You have to remember that at the time there were no rules - these developers were taking an established form of gaming (table top), anlalyzing what made it tick, and asked how they could transform the experience into a completely different medium. Ultimately each came away with a different answer. Sure Horii's forula is eventually what clicked with the consumers and so other developers tried to mimmick Enix's proven financial success. But at the time there were many many different ways to role play electronically and developers were borrowing gameplay elements from each other right and left.
It's only through a modern lens that we sit back and group these titles into neat little catagorical piles by similar mechanics. But at the time the seperation between an adventure game or an Role playing game was fairly trivial.
It's only through a modern lens that we sit back and group these titles into neat little catagorical piles by similar mechanics. But at the time the seperation between an adventure game or an Role playing game was fairly trivial.
I don't think I'd call the separation or distinction trivial, since at that time (by the late 80's) they described pretty different enough gaming experiences to be distinct genres.
As a gamer, you knew what you were getting into with something that proclaimed to be an "adventure" game, and you generally knew what you were getting into if something claimed to be a "role-playing game". (this is true whether we're talking about "adventure" games in the action-adventure console sense, or "adventure" games in the computer-game sense)
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
It's only through a modern lens that we sit back and group these titles into neat little catagorical piles by similar mechanics. But at the time the seperation between an adventure game or an Role playing game was fairly trivial.
I don't think I'd call the separation or distinction trivial, since at that time (by the late 80's) they described pretty different enough gaming experiences to be distinct genres.
As a gamer, you knew what you were getting into with something that proclaimed to be an "adventure" game, and you generally knew what you were getting into if something claimed to be a "role-playing game". (this is true whether we're talking about "adventure" games in the action-adventure console sense, or "adventure" games in the computer-game sense)
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
Since you love Fable, I suggest checking out Rise of the Argonauts. Blatent rip-off, bit of a budget title, but the characters are really well done and the mythology is well presented. Plus it was fun.
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I think it's wierd to draw Adventure into this, since I suspect it had no influence whatsoever over games like Wizardry.
But we could just go to the older example of Akalabeth.
Text adventures like Colossal Cave Adventure could certainly serve as an inspiration for the early dungeon-crawler RPGs.
But they are a clearly distinct genre when you get into the game mechanics, player actions, etc.
(and most of those CRPGs claim their inspiration "directly" from D&D, just like Colossal Cave Adventure)
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I think it's wierd to draw Adventure into this, since I suspect it had no influence whatsoever over games like Wizardry.
But we could just go to the older example of Akalabeth.
Text adventures like Colossal Cave Adventure could certainly serve as an inspiration for the early dungeon-crawler RPGs.
But they are a clearly distinct genre when you get into the game mechanics, player actions, etc.
(and most of those CRPGs claim their inspiration "directly" from D&D, just like Colossal Cave Adventure)
Popful Mail shouldn't be overlooked - if nothing else it was pretty damn funny.
Addams Family Values should get at least an honorable mention - despite having one really major flaw and having been rushed into production (it obviously wasn't quite finished) it was a very good game and could have been a great game with a little more forethought and effort.
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
Since you love Fable, I suggest checking out Rise of the Argonauts. Blatent rip-off, bit of a budget title, but the characters are really well done and the mythology is well presented. Plus it was fun.
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I think it's wierd to draw Adventure into this, since I suspect it had no influence whatsoever over games like Wizardry.
But we could just go to the older example of Akalabeth.
Text adventures like Colossal Cave Adventure could certainly serve as an inspiration for the early dungeon-crawler RPGs.
But they are a clearly distinct genre when you get into the game mechanics, player actions, etc.
(and most of those CRPGs claim their inspiration "directly" from D&D, just like Colossal Cave Adventure)
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
Since you love Fable, I suggest checking out Rise of the Argonauts. Blatent rip-off, bit of a budget title, but the characters are really well done and the mythology is well presented. Plus it was fun.
Ys, Tales & Star Ocean series are some of my favorites! Secret of Mana is of coarse one of the best!
Came in to say Secret of Mana haha
A hybrid tradition mixed with action would be Tales of Graces (Wii) or Tales of Graces f (PS3). Tales of Graces f is one of my favorite RPG that was released post PS2 era. Very in depth, awesome battle system, and a great game overall.
This is really stretching the term "action RPG" here but Mario Tennis on the GBC is probably the greatest sports Action RPG out there.
Mario Tennis Power Tour on GBA is very similar to the GBC one, so if you haven't played it, you'd probably enjoy it. Also, Inazuma Eleven on DS/3DS is a soccer RPG which I've heard nothing but good things about so you may want to check it out if sports RPGs are your thing.
Also, my votes go to Secret of Evermore, Secret of Mana, and Legend of Mana.
Comments
Lagoon. Deal with it.
Been decades since I've played it, but I didn't mind it at all back in the day.
Off the top of my head I'll recommend Alundra, Soul Blazer, Secret of Mana, Crystalis, Magic of Scheherazade, Ys, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Kingdom Hearts.
StarTropics is one of the best games on the system, of any genre.
Couldn't agree more! The sequel isn't bad, either.
... all of the Zeldas (personal favorites are I and IV), ..., Neutopia I and II, ...
*are not RPGs* They are "action-adventure" games
Oh this old topic....
You know I'm just giving you a hard time. (while reenforcing the case for THE TRUTH )
And yeah, they are fuzzy genre categories (the division between action-RPG and action-Adventure).
Have to draw the line somewhere, though
Jonas - I've never actually seen the box for Neutopia, but played through them. So my statement was just about they are akin to Zelda, rather than have some of the additional RPG features of stuff like Crystalis/Willow.
Yes they are Zelda clones, I've beaten them both too. But it says it on the box, just to illustrated the ambiguity around the "Role-Playing" term in some people's eyes...
I'm 90% sure I remember seeing Dragon Magazine, the ones owned by TSR, the company who created Dungeons & Dragons, calling Zelda an RPG. And there's many pen & paper RPG systems without levels if you don't count skill progression. Marvel RPG (Also owned by TSR) has no advancement at all, and had RPG in its name, and predated most computer RPGs. Best they had was the karma system which amounted to spend points for better dice rolls.
One of my favorite articles/debates is how Zelda defined the action-RPG genre, but as it evoled it got classed out of it. Deep sigh... (favorite was said sarcastically there)
It all comes down to how a person wants to define things. Genres are subjective (words, language, all that good stuff too), we just tend to all agree for the most part about what belongs in each.
One of my favorite articles/debates is how Zelda defined the action-RPG genre, but as it evoled it got classed out of it. Deep sigh... (favorite was said sarcastically there)
My bias on the Zelda games (and pure Zelda-clones) specifically, is that as a kid, "RPGs" were stuff like the early Gold Box games or Dragon Warrior.
They were a pretty clearly defined genre, at the time, IMO. (i.e. turn-based, stat-heavy, etc -- this is before muddying waters with Eye of the Beholder, etc)
Even when stuff like Crystalis came out,I'm not sure that I thought of that game as an "action RPG" rather than a zelda-like with more features.
My first impressions on that series, and style of game, have just stuck with me.
Personally, I don't think Zelda, and the other very similar games, are stat/RNG-focused enough to qualify as typical to the RPG genre.
EDIT: and some of it comes from what other games you'd include in the RPG genre if you let in Legend of Zelda...
Is Metroid sufficiently different from the Zelda game mechanics that it wouldn't then be considered an action-RPG?
How about Blaster Master or Guardian Legend?
There are a lot of games that I think most of us would place in other genres, that share almost all of what could be considered RPG-mechanics that Legend of Zelda might possess.
Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
My bias on the Zelda games (and pure Zelda-clones) specifically, is that as a kid, "RPGs" were stuff like the early Gold Box games or Dragon Warrior.
They were a pretty clearly defined genre, at the time, IMO. (i.e. turn-based, stat-heavy, etc -- this is before muddying waters with Eye of the Beholder, etc)
Even when stuff like Crystalis came out,I'm not sure that I thought of that game as an "action RPG" rather than a zelda-like with more features.
My first impressions on that series, and style of game, have just stuck with me.
Personally, I don't think Zelda, and the other very similar games, are stat/RNG-focused enough to qualify as typical to the RPG genre.
I've always used the old NP classification, and labeled them as Adventure games (pretty sure that it was NP that used it). That fell out of use a long time ago though, and doesn't work when you add in PC games and other things. I have a theory of genres based on time period and platform, but that is for another topic.
Good luck with the search for good action-RPGs OP, however you define it .
It all comes down to how a person wants to define things. Genres are subjective (words, language, all that good stuff too), we just tend to all agree for the most part about what belongs in each.
One of my favorite articles/debates is how Zelda defined the action-RPG genre, but as it evoled it got classed out of it. Deep sigh... (favorite was said sarcastically there)
My bias on the Zelda games (and pure Zelda-clones) specifically, is that as a kid, "RPGs" were stuff like the early Gold Box games or Dragon Warrior.
They were a pretty clearly defined genre, at the time, IMO. (i.e. turn-based, stat-heavy, etc -- this is before muddying waters with Eye of the Beholder, etc)
"Right, the term “RPG” has somehow been misunderstood by many of today’s games; they think that increasing your stats is roleplaying. Originally you inhabited the role of another character in an RPG. I mean, game systems where you defeat enemies and collect gold do help sustain players’ interest and ambition, but I feel something is being missed here."
http://shmuplations.com/kiyahorii/
Horii wrote that in 1987 - the RPG debate has raged on for decades.
Horii wrote that in 1987 - the RPG debate has raged on for decades.
Touche.
I'm not saying that SOMEBODY didn't debate about the definition.
But growing up, I never new anybody that would have called Legend of Zelda, specifically, an RPG.
But more to the point, we're talking about video game RPGs, where most of the classics adopted some kind of stat and RNG system from D&D.
They attempted to give you "roles" to play, but really, the parts that translated from the pen-and-paper to video games were exploration, combat, and stats.
So they became a stat-driven experience, for the most part.
If you are going off the "role playing" aspect in the strictest sense like he's saying, there is almost nothing back then that qualifies, because you couldn't have an open ended enough experience to meet that bar.
Having a true sandbox video game game, with genuine options of how you play your character, is a fairly new concept.
They probably all wanted to do something like that back then, but the games that even came close to the concept would be few and far between.
Horii wrote that in 1987 - the RPG debate has raged on for decades.
Touche.
I'm not saying that SOMEBODY didn't debate about the definition.
But growing up, I never new anybody that would have called Legend of Zelda, specifically, an RPG.
But more to the point, we're talking about video game RPGs, where most of the classics adopted some kind of stat and RNG system from D&D.
They attempted to give you "roles" to play, but really, the parts that translated from the pen-and-paper to video games were exploration, combat, and stats.
So they became a stat-driven experience, for the most part.
If you are going off the "role playing" aspect in the strictest sense like he's saying, there is almost nothing back then that qualifies, because you couldn't have an open ended enough experience to meet that bar.
Having a true sandbox video game game, with genuine options of how you play your character, is a fairly new concept.
They probably all wanted to do something like that back then, but the games that even came close to the concept would be few and far between.
You have to remember that at the time there were no rules - these developers were taking an established form of gaming (table top), anlalyzing what made it tick, and asked how they could transform the experience into a completely different medium. Ultimately each came away with a different answer. Sure Horii's forula is eventually what clicked with the consumers and so other developers tried to mimmick Enix's proven financial success. But at the time there were many many different ways to role play electronically and developers were borrowing gameplay elements from each other right and left.
It's only through a modern lens that we sit back and group these titles into neat little catagorical piles by similar mechanics. But at the time the seperation between an adventure game or an Role playing game was fairly trivial.
It's only through a modern lens that we sit back and group these titles into neat little catagorical piles by similar mechanics. But at the time the seperation between an adventure game or an Role playing game was fairly trivial.
I don't think I'd call the separation or distinction trivial, since at that time (by the late 80's) they described pretty different enough gaming experiences to be distinct genres.
As a gamer, you knew what you were getting into with something that proclaimed to be an "adventure" game, and you generally knew what you were getting into if something claimed to be a "role-playing game". (this is true whether we're talking about "adventure" games in the action-adventure console sense, or "adventure" games in the computer-game sense)
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
It's only through a modern lens that we sit back and group these titles into neat little catagorical piles by similar mechanics. But at the time the seperation between an adventure game or an Role playing game was fairly trivial.
I don't think I'd call the separation or distinction trivial, since at that time (by the late 80's) they described pretty different enough gaming experiences to be distinct genres.
As a gamer, you knew what you were getting into with something that proclaimed to be an "adventure" game, and you generally knew what you were getting into if something claimed to be a "role-playing game". (this is true whether we're talking about "adventure" games in the action-adventure console sense, or "adventure" games in the computer-game sense)
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
Since you love Fable, I suggest checking out Rise of the Argonauts. Blatent rip-off, bit of a budget title, but the characters are really well done and the mythology is well presented. Plus it was fun.
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I think it's wierd to draw Adventure into this, since I suspect it had no influence whatsoever over games like Wizardry.
But we could just go to the older example of Akalabeth.
Text adventures like Colossal Cave Adventure could certainly serve as an inspiration for the early dungeon-crawler RPGs.
But they are a clearly distinct genre when you get into the game mechanics, player actions, etc.
(and most of those CRPGs claim their inspiration "directly" from D&D, just like Colossal Cave Adventure)
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I think it's wierd to draw Adventure into this, since I suspect it had no influence whatsoever over games like Wizardry.
But we could just go to the older example of Akalabeth.
Text adventures like Colossal Cave Adventure could certainly serve as an inspiration for the early dungeon-crawler RPGs.
But they are a clearly distinct genre when you get into the game mechanics, player actions, etc.
(and most of those CRPGs claim their inspiration "directly" from D&D, just like Colossal Cave Adventure)
I'd respond but OP said "hush"
Addams Family Values should get at least an honorable mention - despite having one really major flaw and having been rushed into production (it obviously wasn't quite finished) it was a very good game and could have been a great game with a little more forethought and effort.
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
Since you love Fable, I suggest checking out Rise of the Argonauts. Blatent rip-off, bit of a budget title, but the characters are really well done and the mythology is well presented. Plus it was fun.
Is that a PS2 game? I think I've heard of that
Stuff like Wizardry predates the JRPG console formula by numerous years.
And W/CRPGs like Wizardry were already completely distinct from adventure games like Zork, long before the majority of us had an opinion on the subject
Games like Wizardry evolved from games like Zork and Adventure. Hell the first text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, was born from the author's desire to create an "adventure" his children could go on and credits Dungeons and Dragons as his inspiration.
I think it's wierd to draw Adventure into this, since I suspect it had no influence whatsoever over games like Wizardry.
But we could just go to the older example of Akalabeth.
Text adventures like Colossal Cave Adventure could certainly serve as an inspiration for the early dungeon-crawler RPGs.
But they are a clearly distinct genre when you get into the game mechanics, player actions, etc.
(and most of those CRPGs claim their inspiration "directly" from D&D, just like Colossal Cave Adventure)
I'd respond but OP said "hush"
Nuh uh...did not.
I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Action/Adventure RPG is the ultimate genre and settle this age old discussion. After the wonder that was SNES/PS1 RPG's I think every RPG should have been Action/Adventure just like Fable. (Yes I'm a fanboy because that series is SO much fun)
Since you love Fable, I suggest checking out Rise of the Argonauts. Blatent rip-off, bit of a budget title, but the characters are really well done and the mythology is well presented. Plus it was fun.
Is that a PS2 game? I think I've heard of that
360 and PS3 I believe.
Faxanadu
2 of my fav NES game
dark souls 1 2 3
Cadash TG16
If I had to throw in entries:
Seconds to StarTropics, Crystalis, Ys, Diablo 1, Mass Effect, Star Ocean games, Tales games, Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, and Terranigma.
Other games I haven't heard mentioned I would add to the discussion (and/or debate over their genre merits):
-If FPS RPGs count, then add Deus Ex and Borderlands 2
-If Skyrim counts, then add Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion
-Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines
-Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
I think I missed out on a fun little conversation.
If I had to throw in entries:
Seconds to StarTropics, Crystalis, Ys, Diablo 1, Mass Effect, Star Ocean games, Tales games, Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, and Terranigma.
Other games I haven't heard mentioned I would add to the discussion (and/or debate over their genre merits):
-If FPS RPGs count, then add Deus Ex and Borderlands 2
-If Skyrim counts, then add Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion
-Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines
-Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
man I loved me some borderlands
NES - The Guardian Legend
SNES - ActRaiser
Ys, Tales & Star Ocean series are some of my favorites! Secret of Mana is of coarse one of the best!
Came in to say Secret of Mana haha
A hybrid tradition mixed with action would be Tales of Graces (Wii) or Tales of Graces f (PS3). Tales of Graces f is one of my favorite RPG that was released post PS2 era. Very in depth, awesome battle system, and a great game overall.
NES:
Crystalis
Willow
Zelda 2
Faxanadu
All four of those have a lot to offer.
I would add The Battle of Olympus to this already great list.
For SNES: Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma.
For Genesis: Wonderboy in Monster World, Ys III
This is really stretching the term "action RPG" here but Mario Tennis on the GBC is probably the greatest sports Action RPG out there.
Mario Tennis Power Tour on GBA is very similar to the GBC one, so if you haven't played it, you'd probably enjoy it. Also, Inazuma Eleven on DS/3DS is a soccer RPG which I've heard nothing but good things about so you may want to check it out if sports RPGs are your thing.
Also, my votes go to Secret of Evermore, Secret of Mana, and Legend of Mana.