Because of the genre-blending trends of modern-day game design, classifying games into their respective genres is becoming progressively more difficult. There are some schools of thought that say organizing games into genres does more harm than good, since it places a limitation on how games can evolve. On the other hand, determining genres, or genrefication, helps people establish their preferences, the same way one does for any other art form. Even though it’s fairly rare, genrefication can be ambiguous, so sometimes it’s necessary to break a game down into it’s baser elements, so that players can discover the elements which appeal to them. If two extremely different games share an aspect that resonates with a player, it can lead them to new genres they never would have tried otherwise. Think Pandora for video games and you get the idea. So here’s the plan: First, I’ll mention some common misconceptions about the genre at hand. Next, I’ll present a formal definition. And finally, I’ll analyze the mechanics of several games to see if they meet the criteria. So let’s get to it.

(Misconceptions) Through my own research, I’ve found that a lot of people think that if you level up in a game, it’s an RPG. And really, I wish it were that simple. “Do you level up? It’s an RPG! Cut and print!” Then there are those that think an RPG is any game where you play the ‘role’ of a character in the game’s narrative. The problem with that is, if every game with a story was an RPG, there’d be no point in the genre existing in the first place. So what is an RPG, then?

(Definition) Role-playing video games take their roots directly from pen-and-paper RPGs, popularized by 1974’s Dungeons and Dragons. Many, if not all, of the elements that comprise an RPG started with DnD, the most important of them being the concept of levelling up. Common RPG elements like inventory management, towns, NPCs, dungeons, loot, and skills are extremely important to the genre as a whole, but nothing is as integral to the RPG formula as a proper levelling system. Many games have taken cues from RPGs, allowing statistics to increase, and often times, progress is measured in the form of a numerical level. However, this progression is not always necessary in games with RPG elements. In fact, many gamers challenge themselves in real-time action games by attempting to complete them without acquiring any upgrades. Gaining levels, as it was originally intended, was an absolute requirement to progress in the game. Since damage from enemy attacks was made purposefully unavoidable, it was impossible to succeed through rote memorization or quick reflexes. In any game, the goal is to trigger a victory condition. In a single-player game, this usually means completing the story. In a competitive multiplayer game, the goal is to finish with more points than your opponent. Aside from these macro-level win states, though, a game can have several micro-level win states buried within it. Defeating an enemy, grabbing a power-up, racking up a high score, even pressing a button and seeing your avatar respond to your input--all of this creates a positive feedback loop that teaches the player that they’re playing the game correctly and gives them incentive to continue. In pen-and-paper RPGs, the dungeon master is usually responsible for constructing the narrative of the adventure, but sessions can last months, with no definitive end in sight. So a macro victory condition to the effect of the game ending isn’t always necessary in an RPG, but video games usually have one. The only real goal that matters, though, is to level up. This is where grinding comes into play. Here’s how it works: In the world of a traditional RPG, enemies have a level just like the player, but their level is set; they don’t gain experienc. This is absolutely integral for an RPG to work. If an enemy is the same level as the player, that area is exactly where the player should be. If the enemy is a lower level, the player won’t gain adequate experience points from defeating them, so the player should start exploring uncharted territory. If the enemy is a higher level, the player will experience challenge and rewards proportionate to the difference in level. It’s not in a player’s best interests to expose themselves to unnecessary risks; before save points, dying in an RPG had gigantic negative repercussions. Thus, the optimal path that yields the maximum amount of experience points for the minimum amount of effort is to  grind mobs that are the same level as the player. It should be noted that, while I use the word ‘enemies’ here, that word can be used interchangeably with ‘quests’ or any other task that yields XP. In any case, the process is designed so that the player progresses at a steady pace. When designed properly, the time it takes to go from lvl. 2 to 3 should be about the same as going from 3 to 4, even though it takes more XP. Put another way, the entire purpose of levelling is to maintain the rate at which you level. Role-playing video games introduced the concept of level scaling, which was first seen in Romancing Saga released by Square for the Super Famicom in 1992. Level scaling is referred to as an anti-grinding mechanic, employed by designers to prevent players from making the game too easy. Enemies in the game world become stronger as the player does, so the challenge remains constant. But level scaling can also be an anti-RPG mechanic; when not employed properly, it negates the entire purpose of levelling in the first place. If a player can gain levels at a steady pace by staying in one area, there might not be enough incentive to experience the rest of the game. Hoping that monotony will set in isn’t always reliable, since RPGs, by their very nature, are repetitive. Level scaling isn’t always a deal-breaker, though, because in games that feature scaling, there are usually areas of the world that are impossible to traverse through before reaching a certain level. And that brings me to my definition:

In video games, an RPG is one in which the player’s level or statistics change over the course of the game. The tasks the player is given must be proportionate to their current level and tasks must be completed until the player has achieved the prerequisite level needed to trigger a victory condition.

OK. That looks pretty good. I think I covered everything.

(Mechanics) With this definition in place, I’d like to examine how the theory works in practice. Many games contain RPG elements, but there’s usually an overarching genre in place with these elements mixed in. Case-in-point: Action RPGs (ARPGs). ARPGs are unique when it comes to blending RPG mechanics. Instead of taking another genre and adding RPG elements, ARPGs go the opposite direction and add real-time elements to the standard RPG formula. This usually means that you can move around and attack freely during combat, instead of waiting your turn. However, in any good real-time action game, it should be possible to complete the game without taking any damage. Many games claiming to be Action RPGs, like Diablo, don’t actually give you the ability to avoid enemy damage, so levelling up and increasing your stats is done instead of being able to dodge attacks. That makes Diablo functionally the same as a classical RPG. The Legend of Zelda, on the other hand, is a brilliant example of an action-RPG. Even though the games include common RPG mechanics, most of them can be completed without any sort of stat progression. But what of RPGs like Fallout 2, where a pacifist playthrough is possible? In other words, completing the game without killing anyone. Scenarios like this generally require that a certain stat be high enough to unlock the dialogue options necessary to avoid combat. As such, my definition still applies. I’d be inclined to say that the Borderlands series would be classified as ARPGs, or FPSRPGs, if it weren’t for the fact that enemies use hitscan weapons that don’t allow you any way of avoiding damage besides running away. Completing the game without levelling is next to impossible. Because of this, Borderlands falls into a sort of gray area.

What do all of you think? Is there anything you would add to my definition?