Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

[Eohmer]

This was brought up in another topic, but I didn't want to derail from it, so I thought I'd make one just for this.

It was mentioned that someone considers Resident Evil and Silent Hill and RPG game. I know others who have said they don't fall under that category. Discuss...

[Caspian]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

I could see it if you used the qualifier of Action/RPG. I think they're a lot like Zelda. You don't have actual stats other than a health bar, and you don't "level up", but they carry a lot of the other qualities associated with RPG's. You follow this one person around in a developing storyline. You acquire new, more powerful weapons as you go, and you're often presented with puzzles in order to progress further into the story. By definition an RPG is a role playing game. In resident evil and games widely considered to be rpg's, you see the world through one person's or a small group of people's eyes. You make their decisions and react to the environment through them. They also do not usually rely on incredible hand-eye coordination or lightning quick reflexes. I think they could be considered to be rpg's, but they are more a split off of them rather than a pure version.

[Sabaron]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

[Removed from original thread, placed here for appropriateness. Please don't burn me, it's not a crosspost.]

snip...

And since when do Resident Evil and Silent Hill fall in the RPG genre?

...snip

Resident Evil series is an RPG. Replace Healing magic with convenient spray and herbs, swords with guns, and dialog with "Uuuuunnnngghh!"

Just kidding on the last point (intention to sound like zombie moan). Any game whose primary function is to tell a story and is, in general, based around a character stepping through a choice-based (or not) storyline. RPG's don't have to be Fantasy RPG's. RPG is probably the most loose game genre. Let us look at some of the characteristics of non-RPG games:

1. Strategy: Player controls multiple units which are not generally named or involved in a story or plot line to defeat another player or AI. RPG elements (story, heroes, etc.) often creep into these games and many feature single-player modes with an RPG bend. There are two types, Turn-based and Real Time. (I like these, but I'm not good enough to contend with the vast majority of devoted [read fanatical] internet players, but I can whoop significant rear).
2. Quickie/Brainteaser: Games that do not have any plot at all, are usually one player, and involve manipulation of some type of board or pieces to solve either a pre-conditioned or random puzzle. Certain web-providers offer a large selection of these. (I pick up one every once in a while)
3. Board/Card Game: An adaptation of a game played on a board or cards usually involving dice and occasional choices/strategy ranging from Chess, to Monopoly, to Online Bridge. (I occasionally like these).
4. Shooter (Action): Single-player control of either Player VS. Monster or Player VS. Player; I'd wager 95%+ include both modes. Key aspects are generally limited plot lines, sequential "Levels" rather than free-ranging movement, and an arcade feel. (Hate 'em for some reason)
5. Fighting: Usually based around a PVP mode, Fighting games generally involve sophisticated hand motions on the controller to manipulate a single character in a short battle with another. (One of my favorite Genres)
6. Sports Simulation: A game, generally designed around a PVP interface, that attempts to duplicate the rules and/or physics of a specific type of real life sport often given a spin or twist for interest such as Madden, Need for Speed, etc. (Don't play...except if you twist my arm, and never buy).
7. Simulation: A game that simulates a particular real-life activity often single player. The Sims, Harvest Moon, Flight Simulators, etc., are examples. (I had a brief interlude with The Sims but got annoyed when they kept wetting their pants. Harvest Moon, a "farm" simulator is an occasional indulgence, esp. the SNES version).

The basic elements of RPG get incorporated frequently into other genres, but generally include.

• One or more characters controlled by a single player who interact with a given storyline.
• Characters gain abilities or items in order to accomplish goals (they get more powerful).
• The storyline is deeply integrated into the game, often in such a way as to prevent the actual game engine from operating without it (e.g. no "fight" modes or special "PVP" levels, etc.)

[EDIT: New thoughts Re: Caspian]

I suppose I agree with the characterization that Resident Evil is an Action/RPG because of it's rather intense interface characteristics. It takes a little practice to get used to slaying the various zombies, but it's not nearly as obvious as your standard action game (e.g. Mario), much closer to Zelda, which, but for it's fantasy setting would be characterized as Action as well.

[Eohmer]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Sebaron, you know, I wanted to copy and paste that from your other post, but I was hoping you would. :D

[nanatsu]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

What about the fact that those games have been classified into their own genre called Survival Horror though? Sure it shares some common aspects of RPGs but virtually all genres share aspects with one another if you sit down and think about it. And I'm pretty sure RPGs weren't the first game genre to come along. I think the problem with the RPG genre is that it has the traits of many genres combined into one. Puzzle game, Sim game, Action game are all aspects that belong to other genres. The only defining characteristic of RPGs are the role playing aspect, and although all Survival Horror games have that aspect to some degree, I don't know if that one defining characteristic makes any game an RPG.

Games like Clock Tower, Nightmare Creatures, Splatterhouse, Eternal Darkness, Dino Crisis and Fatal Frame are all classified as Survival Horror. Many of those share some traits with RPGs but they also share traits of many other kinds of games. The aspects of these kinds of games that bind them together is the supernatural aspect or gory violence and the emphasis on constantly surviving threats or trying to avoid being captured or discovered.

So would you say all survival horror games are rpgs? Or maybe Survival Horror isn't a real genre and the games that are classified as survival horror should be reclassified into other genres?

[Sabaron]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Horror is a valid classification for movies, so it might as well be valid for video games which is a similar albeit more interactive medium. I believe the "horror" aspect is an evaluation of the game's story content rather than the interaction aspect whereas "survival" defines the interaction style. I think the classification of survival horror would be apt. One could easily adapt the genre wording to create genres like: survival fantasy or action horror.

I think the categorization of "survival" would be best described as:

1. Player is delicate and enemies are strong/numerous.

I would tend to drop the "horror" aspect since it's a characterization of the themes of the game whereas the term RPG generally denotes gameplay and call them Survival games. The obvious difference between them and an action game is the relative strength of the enemies and the player. In an action game the enemies are weak and must destroy the strong player by attrition.

[Omniblast]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Back when I use to work in the gaming industry (Retail) we would classify Resident as an Survival Horror. However it falls under the broader category of Action / Adventure.

However the question comes up, what do you classify other games that are similar?
Devil May Cry
Parasite Eve
Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus
God of War
Metal Gear Solid
Winback
Yakuza
Grand Theft Auto

Open ended question, no real answer here sorry.

[Skoal]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Parasite Eve has more rpg like aspects than Resident Evil. It has an action timer that you have to wait on. GTA, DoC, and Devil May Cry are all action games.

I have not heard the term Survival Horror until today. I think thats a great description for those games.

[Eohmer]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Parasite Eve has more rpg like aspects than Resident Evil. It has an action timer that you have to wait on. GTA, DoC, and Devil May Cry are all action games.

I have not heard the term Survival Horror until today. I think thats a great description for those games.

Skoal, I've heard of that term Survival Horror before, but I had just simply forgot about it until it was brought up again just now.

I do agree that Resident Evil and Silent Hill fall under that, or Action/Adventure.
Parasite eve would be considered an RPG imo.

I figure, if your character grows significantly through the story, it would be an RPG.

[Maju]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Parasite Eve has more rpg like aspects than Resident Evil. It has an action timer that you have to wait on. GTA, DoC, and Devil May Cry are all action games.

I have not heard the term Survival Horror until today. I think thats a great description for those games.

Square got rid of the action timer in PE2 and it plays a lot more like RE/SH (much better in my opinion), but it still has some items that can be used to boost Aya's stats (HP and MP) and you have upgradeable armor and weapons. You also gain exp and then buy and upgrade parasite energy abilities with it.

Survival Horror is a commonly used term for this kind of games. It's been in use since RE1 at least.

[Anheuser]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

i believe rpgs involve visible stats that can be controlled by the player. all games have helth bars, or whatever, but rarely will an action/adventure game involve managing your character's agility or dexterity. in the case of an action/rpg like zelda, i consider it RPG because of the narrative and scope of the world.

[Caspian]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

One thing I've always kinda considered mandatory in an RPG in I personally classify them, is some sort of leveling up. Whether it be the classical way like the most have done, lvl1-lvl?, or the sphere grid like in FFX, they all have a way where your character becomes stronger due to nothing more than killing a lot of enemies.
Secondly, though I think this is more just a coincidence kinda thing and generally how developers just choose to make these games, is that there are usually unlimited monsters that can be killed. If you wanted, you could sit around killing the same monsters at the very beginning, over and over until you had the highest possible level in the game. Its kind of how RPG's often give you the ability to spend countless hours doing the same monotonous things to get stronger, but its later rewarded with the ability to just laugh as you smoke the hardest boss in the game.
Like I said, I don't think these are hard and fast rules about what classifies an RPG, but they're some of the standards I use in how I personally view the game genre.

[Queen Uma]

Re: Resident Evil/ Silent Hill... RPG?

Survival Horror is a commonly used term for this kind of games. It's been in use since RE1 at least.

I believe the term was given to the original Alone in the Dark series (which predated RE and similar titles).

I would have to agree with others that the lines between different genres are blurred with each containing different elements of several others. Games companies/retailers try to create new genres for games when they don't want to use a conventional category, for example, MGS and Syphon Filter are classed as "Stealth-em-ups" .

Secondly, though I think this is more just a coincidence kinda thing and generally how developers just choose to make these games, is that there are usually unlimited monsters that can be killed. If you wanted, you could sit around killing the same monsters at the very beginning, over and over until you had the highest possible level in the game. Its kind of how RPG's often give you the ability to spend countless hours doing the same monotonous things to get stronger, but its later rewarded with the ability to just laugh as you smoke the hardest boss in the game.

That pretty much sums up an RPG for me. You are able to roam freely and fight wherever you want (normally). Games such as RE, SH, DMC etc are linear in respect to areas to explore/fight in and character development. Games such as Parasite Eve straddle the barrier between Action and RPG, if I had to classify them I would put PE into the RPG section and PE2 into action, simply due to the more linear nature of PE2 than PE. Yes, you had to follow a set path in PE just as you do in all RPG games however you did get the oppertunity to freely explore zones (via the city map) once you passed a certain point in the game.