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Do you think Zelda is an RPG?

Do you think Zelda games are RPGs

  • Yes

    Votes: 24 13.2%

  • No

    Votes: 132 72.5%

  • Only BOTW

    Votes: 3 1.6%

  • Only Zelda 2

    Votes: 17 9.3%

  • BOTW and Zelda 2 but none of the others

    Votes: 6 3.3%
  • Total voters
    182
LakeOf9

LakeOf9

Member
I just had a really long argument about this and the other person just wouldn't listen to me

What does GAF think, is Zelda an RPG?
 
Aldric said:
No, it's action/adventure. It shares a lot of core design elements with Metroid and no one would seriously argue Metroid is an RPG.
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197.gif


I feel like I am inc crazy town with how many people are trying to gaslight me into thinking Zelda is RPG
 
I wonder what people classify as an rpg.
And what classifies as an adventure game.

And then proceed to point out what they have in common without omitting anything on purpose to fulfil an agenda.
 
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GenericUser said:
I'm pretty sure zelda more or less invented the action adventure genre.
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im only saying this because I really dont know but I always thought that was just nintendo fans pretending zelda invented everything, were they actually right about this?
 
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LakeOf9 said:
im only saying this because I really dont know but I always thought that was just nintendo fans pretending zelda invented everything, were they actually right about this?
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I honestly don't know. But zelda is the first game that I can remember that fits the description of a action adventure game.
 
GenericUser said:
I honestly don't know. But zelda is the first game that I can remember that fits the description of a action adventure game.
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ill look into it but I never took the claims seriously because according to nintendo fans Zelda invented everything haha. it invent action adventure games. it invent lock on targeting. it invent 3d exploration. it invent open worlds. apparently it even invent the ability to save your games.

hard to take them seriously lol
 
No, I'd say more action/adventure/puzzle game.

If you go in to Zelda expecting an RPG you're going to be disappointed. If you go into Zelda expecting an action/adventure with loads of puzzles to solve you're going to be playing the best game on the market.
 
LakeOf9 said:
ill look into it but I never took the claims seriously because according to nintendo fans Zelda invented everything haha. it invent action adventure games. it invent lock on targeting. it invent 3d exploration. it invent open worlds. apparently it even invent the ability to save your games.

hard to take them seriously lol
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I'm 100% sure that if you go back in time you can find games that (on paper) fit the description of an action adventure way before zelda came around. But thats like saying Alone in the Dark invented survival horror before Resident Evil. I mean, suuuuure, on paper it did. But Zelda/Resident Evil were the first games that brought the genre to the standards we nowadays all take for granted.
 
GenericUser said:
I'm 100% sure that if you go back in time you can find games that (on paper) fit the description of an action adventure way before zelda came around. But thats like saying Alone in the Dark invented survival horror before Resident Evil. I mean, suuuuure, on paper it did. But Zelda/Resident Evil were the first games that brought the genre to the standards we nowadays all take for granted.
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im completely sure Zelda is influential, even if it didnt invent these things it at least popularized them and thats what matters in terms of influence

but nintendo fans are obnoxious about pretending that nintendo and especially Zelda invented everything so I try to ignore their claims haha

however, just looking at wikipedia it seems that in this case they are actually right, and Zelda was the first action adventure game. nintendo originally developed it to be an RPG (go figure) but they streamlined it so much it became its own totally different thing.
 
LakeOf9 said:
im completely sure Zelda is influential, even if it didnt invent these things it at least popularized them and thats what matters in terms of influence

but nintendo fans are obnoxious about pretending that nintendo and especially Zelda invented everything so I try to ignore their claims haha

however, just looking at wikipedia it seems that in this case they are actually right, and Zelda was the first action adventure game. nintendo originally developed it to be an RPG (go figure) but they streamlined it so much it became its own totally different thing.
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I'm not so sure about that. I remember an episode from AVGN where he played some obscure indiana jones game on a atari 42069. You could fight enemies in that game, explore the "world" and solve puzzles. It was all there, but it was a shitty game and no one cared. I'd say, the guys that made it popular and polished the game to a certain degree deserve the credit for inventing it. So in my opinion zelda invented action adventure. And that comes from a die hard sega fanboy back in the 90s.
 
GenericUser said:
I'm not so sure about that. I remember an episode from AVGN where he played some obscure indiana jones game on a atari 42069. You could fight enemies in that game, explore the "world" and solve puzzles. It was all there, but it was a shitty game and no one cared. I'd say, the guys that made it popular and polished the game to a certain degree deserve the credit for inventing it. So in my opinion zelda invented action adventure. And that comes from a die hard sega fanboy back in the 90s.
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Oh yes for sure. games that were technically action adventure games before Zelda existed (pitfall and adventure are the biggest ones) but Zelda is the first one thats an action adventure game in the way that we understand it today

in any case, it seems like nintendo did want Zelda to be an RPG but ultimately its not, its its own thing
 
For the time it was a RPG. I was young when it came out and all of my D&D playing friends were all about it. Sure Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior showed what JRPGs would become, but Zelda always has a sweet spot as at the very least an ARPG to me.
 
Knightime_X said:
I wonder what people classify as an rpg.
And what classifies as an adventure game.

And then proceed to point out what they have in common without omitting anything on purpose to fulfil an agenda.
Click to expand...
In an RPG you have HP, MP, experience points, the combat is in turns, use a world map, use accessories, clothes, the norm is 3 members.


In Zelda it is another type of video game.
 
LakeOf9 said:
im completely sure Zelda is influential, even if it didnt invent these things it at least popularized them and thats what matters in terms of influence
Click to expand...

Let me say and I dare to, but Zelda Tears of the kingdom was influenced and copied some things from Gravity Rush 2
 
One could be anal and say any game could be technically called an "RPG" because you're essentially playing a role in said game.

But No. Zelda games are not RPG.
 
LakeOf9 said:
197.gif


I feel like I am inc crazy town with how many people are trying to gaslight me into thinking Zelda is RPG
Click to expand...
It might be ok to say that you have different categorisations and go back to having a nice time together instead of arguing about video games.

Fwiw, I don't think Zelda is an rpg, but I'm not sure if I'd change my mind if it had leveling up and stats.
 
Joramun said:
One could be anal and say any game could be technically called an "RPG" because you're essentially playing a role in said game.

But No. Zelda games are not RPG.
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To get out of this, I think you have to work back to its origins: TTRPGs. If it's a game that heavily involves stats and the like, it's an RPG.

I honestly have no idea why people still insist that Zelda games have anything in common with other games in that genre when they're so far removed that they're almost a textbook example of what an RPG isn't.
 
No, Adventure game.
RPG requires immersion, player choice and growth. Levelling up or gaining health really doesnt count.
 
Action/Adventure.

tvtropes.org

Action-Adventure - TV Tropes

A subgenre of both the Action Game and Adventure Game genres, the Action-Adventure game was effectively created by such titles as The Legend of Zelda and Metroid back in the days of the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. These two titles are …
tvtropes.org tvtropes.org

This isn't a /thread kind of link (snicker) but I think it gives a decent take.
 
LakeOf9 said:
im only saying this because I really dont know but I always thought that was just nintendo fans pretending zelda invented everything, were they actually right about this?
Click to expand...
Lots of genres were influenced by the holy trinity of Metroid, Mario, and Zelda.

But even dragon quest devs cite Zelda as a source for inspiration and even the new GOW ragnarok is just the old Zelda OOT formula with a new coat of paint.
 
Action Adventure would be correct. But so would Action RPG.

Although I'd go so far as to call it a Zelda game since in my Nintendo bias it is unique and no genre can ever quite fit what it is in it's entirety.
 
Yeah. It's a light action RPG. You level up with more health and stamina/ or magic in earlier games. You get stronger equipment (armor), some items, as you progress, and the same with weapons.
 
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I don't think so, but you could very easily make an argument that it was. Honestly, no one can really define what an RPG even is anymore.

Why is FFXVI an RPG? Stats? Is NBA 2K an RPG then? It has a pretty extensive career mode.
 
Punished Miku said:
Honestly, no one can really define what an RPG even is anymore.
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A classical definition of RPG was always: high to low fantasy setting, creating/customizing your own character, complex stats mechanics, heavy in lore, story and dialogue (and the option to build your own narrative, so that you can literally roleplay as the character you created).
 
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Rhazkul said:
A classical definition of RPG was always: high to low fantasy setting, creating/customizing your own character, complex stats mechanics, heavy in lore, story and dialogue (and the option to build your own narrative, so that you can literally roleplay as the character you created).
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  • Fantasy - Disagree. Many RPGs are sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, or just modern day like Earthbound or Disco Elysium.
  • Creating character - Disagree. You don't do this in most JRPGs.
  • Complex stats mechanics - Traditionally, sure. I think this probably is still true today.
  • Heavy in lore, story and dialogue - Agreed.
  • Option to build your own narrative - Disagree, most JRPGs have never emphasized this.
Personally, I guess that leaves me with stats and dialogue. That does help narrow it down.
 
BOTW with weapons attack number and enemy level scaling feels like one.

Talking about what we understand by videogame RPG. Not the by the book definition.
 
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Punished Miku said:
[*]Fantasy - Disagree. Many RPGs are sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, or just modern day like Earthbound or Disco Elysium.
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Which is a type of fantasy too. I am not talking just elves or orcs. Aliens, Synthetics, Cyborgs is fantasy too. Albeit the more accurate term is Sci-Fi. But Sci-Fi RPGs are a thing too.

Punished Miku said:
[*]Creating character - Disagree. You don't do this in most JRPGs.
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Sure. But i was talking about western DnD inspired RPGs. DnD is the source material for most RPGs. Japan is just weird, but they have roles too (White Mage, Black Mage...they just call it "jobs").

Punished Miku said:
[*]Complex stats mechanics - Traditionally, sure. I think this probably is still true today.
Click to expand...
Theorycrafting is a huge aspect for RPG nerds.

Punished Miku said:
[*]Option to build your own narrative - Disagree, most JRPGs have never emphasized this.
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Your argument for the definition is solely based on the JRPG side of view. Again: western RPGs, inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, are 100% defined by this.
 
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Rhazkul said:
Which is a type of fantasy too. I am not talking just elves or orcs. Aliens, Synthetics, Cyborgs is fantasy too. Albeit the more accurate term is Sci-Fi. But Sci-Fi RPGs are a thing too.


Sure. But i was talking about western DnD inspired RPGs. DnD is the source material for most RPGs. Japan is just weird, but they have roles too (White Mage, Black Mage...they just call it "jobs").


Theorycrafting is a huge aspect for RPG nerds.


Your argument for the definition is solely based on the JRPG side of view. Again: western RPGs, inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, are 100% defined by this.
[/LIST]
Personally, I guess that leaves me with stats and dialogue. That does help narrow it down.
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I'm not sticking solely to JRPGs, I'm just saying that JRPGs do still qualify as being an RPG so the definition of RPG is broader than the D&D one. I'm familiar with D&D.
 
Punished Miku said:
  • Fantasy - Disagree. Many RPGs are sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, or just modern day like Earthbound or Disco Elysium.
  • Creating character - Disagree. You don't do this in most JRPGs.
  • Complex stats mechanics - Traditionally, sure. I think this probably is still true today.
  • Heavy in lore, story and dialogue - Agreed.
  • Option to build your own narrative - Disagree, most JRPGs have never emphasized this.
Personally, I guess that leaves me with stats and dialogue. That does help narrow it down.
Click to expand...
There is reason why jRPG games are called jRPG games and not just RPG games and why most of people who play RPG games don't play them at all (with exception for 2, maybe 3 series if any).
 
kuncol02 said:
There is reason why jRPG games are called jRPG games and not just RPG games and why most of people who play RPG games don't play them at all (with exception for 2, maybe 3 series if any).
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You guys are fixating on this too much. You don't create your own character in the Witcher either. RPG has broadened past the D&D definition at least a little bit.
 
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