Summary
- The Ultima series laid down foundational RPG mechanics like XP, gold spending, and morality choices in gaming history.
- Wizardry introduced party gameplay, detailed character creation, and permadeath, shaping RPGs for years to come.
- Final Fantasy 4 broke tradition with a predefined protagonist, paving the way for character depth in storytelling RPGs.
No genre has influenced the gaming industry more than RPGs, and no genre is quite as divisive, with varying definitions of what features and mechanics are considered worthy of the label. The genre's origins can be traced back to 1974's iconic tabletop RPG Dungeons and Dragons, a game with fantasy iconography and rules that inspired early computer programmers to develop the first CRPGs.
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The following years and decades would birth many subgenres, such as immersive sims, action RPGs, and JRPGs, all with unique takes on gameplay and narrative. Among the countless variations, there are a few defining mechanics that players have come to expect, and their origins can be found in several innovatinve games dotted throughout the genre's history.
9 Ultima 1 - 4 (1981 - 1985)
Established The Genre
Ultima 4: Quest Of The Avatar
- Created by Richard Garriot, following up on a previous title from 1979, Akalabeth
- The series introduced some of the most important features of the genre
It's impossible to look into the history of RPG mechanics without discovering Ultima at the beginning, time and time again. First released by developer Richard Garriot in 1981, Ultima 1 introduced foundational RPG systems such as gaining experience (or XP) for leveling up, spending gold in towns on items and equipment, and more. It featured a colorful top-down view of its overworld, with a first-person perspective for dungeon-crawling sections.
Ultima 2 was released the following year and had NPCs that the player character could talk to. Ultima 4 would break new ground once again by placing more emphasis on storytelling and characters. It would introduce the very first morality system, where the player, or the Avatar, had to balance the Eight Virtues, stats that changed depending on choices and actions in-game. The series continued to receive mainline sequels until 1999's Ultima 9: Ascension.
8 Wizardry (1981)
Parties, Character Classes, Permadeath
- Wizardry pioneered part-based dungeon crawling and permadeath
- The complex character creation and classes complemented party gameplay
Wizardry was first released in the same year as Ultima, but it was very different in style. It featured the earliest example of party gameplay, where the player didn't control just one character, but six. This game and its sequels emphasized survival in dangerous environments and inspired mechanics in countless RPGs.
Wizardry also had a detailed character creation system, with stats, classes, and alignments. This helped add variety and immersion to the turn-based party gameplay, and raised the stakes when faced with impossible odds. The unforgiving nature of the dungeons and the possibility of permadeath continue to inspire dungeon crawlers today, such as the popular Darkest Dungeon series.
7 Final Fantasy 4 (1991)
Predefined Protagonist
Final Fantasy 4
- The Final Fantasy series began with character creation like most RPGs
- Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest popularized party-based JRPGs
Before Final Fantasy 4 took a leap with its predefined protagonist, RPGs involved players by having them create their own hero, much like the tabletop inspiration Dungeons and Dragons. This allowed players to use their imagination to tell stories. The early JRPG series Final Fantasy was no different, but it changed direction by the fourth installment to allow for more character depth and focused storytelling.
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Breaking away from the traditional RPG class systems would clear the way for many important IPs, such as Pokemon, Persona, Chrono Trigger, and more. The Final Fantasy series, alongside other franchises like Dragon Quest, would popularize RPGs in Japan, and solidify JRPGs as a noteworthy subgenre.
6 Fallout
Careful World Building, Atmosphere, Player Choice
Fallout
- Fallout 1 & 2 were isometric RPGs famous for their difficulty and hostile worlds
- The carefully crafted post-apocalyptic setting maintains Fallout's popularity today
Before Bethesda took the wheel and released Fallout 3 to high praise, the world and lore of Fallout first appeared in Interplay's classic isometric RPG. The world of Fallout was hostile and unapologetic, punishing players for venturing out unprepared. The carefully written lore of the wasteland paved the way for more emphasis on worldbuilding and variety across the genre, while also influencing future titles.
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The game was praised for its attention to detail, with the player's actions having major effects on the plot. The Vault Dweller's skills directly influenced what the player could do within the story, legitimizing classic RPG systems in a game that focused more on storytelling.
5 Neverwinter Nights
MMORPGs And Player-Generated Content
Neverwinter Nights
- Neverwinter Nights was the first graphical RPG to introduce online multiplayer
- It also features the first example of player-generated content
MMORPGs have a long history of massively popular franchises, such as Runescape and World of Warcraft. The subgenre can trace its roots back to 1991's Neverwinter Nights. BioWare's 2002 title of the same name allowed players to join up and complete quests together in 3D for the very first time.
The game also implemented player-generated content, a feature that would keep players coming back for many years by allowing them to create custom campaigns for others to play, in the spirit of Dungeons and Dragons. Player-generated content continues to see massive popularity today, with modding communities for many titles unleashing player creativity with professional development tools.
4 Baldur's Gate
Real-Time With Pause Combat, Isometric Perspective
Baldur's Gate
- The game introduced the ability to pause and plan during real-time combat
- The isometric view began to gain popularity in the late 1990s
D&D was once again brought to the digital world by BioWare, but this installment featured several different mechanics that set it apart. Baldur's Gate was in the increasingly popular isometric view, which gave gameplay more visual depth than the standard top-down view of previous RPGs. It also featured real-time combat with the ability to pause and plan actions for the player's party.
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This combat system, Real Time With Pause, has influenced countless titles since its original release, including Baldur's Gate 2 & 3, Dragon Age, XCOM, and more. It has also shown up outside isometric games, with The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher allowing players to freeze time while changing equipment, using consumables, and more.
3 Diablo
Action RPGs
Diablo
- Released
- January 3, 1997
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation (Original)
- Developer
- Blizzard North, Climax Group
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Diablo's release marked the birth of action RPGs
- It simplified certain RPG features and focused on fast-paced action
Diablo successfully launched the action RPG subgenre by implementing fast-paced real-time combat while simplifying more complex RPG features. The progression system constantly gave players more strength and tools, making it a hit among fans who enjoyed making their characters stronger as they fought through the deadly environment.
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The game's popularity would inspire the action RPG subgenre, which took the industry by storm with popular franchises like Dragon's Dogma, Darksiders, Dark Souls, and more. Diablo itself also continues to receive sequels to this day, with Diablo 4 refreshing the series' popularity in 2023.
2 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
Cinematic Storytelling, Binary Morality
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Story decisions were based on the light and dark sides from Star Wars
- The cinematic presentation inspired a new generation of RPGs
While Dungeons and Dragons stood as a popular franchise, it couldn't compare to the massive success of Star Wars. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was launched on the Xbox in 2003. The game was a much more cinematic take on an RPG, while remaining true to the genre's mechanics and systems. Certain aspects were simplified, and controls were well-suited to console controllers instead of a mouse and keyboard.
The game and its sequel featured full voice acting and memorable characters, as well as a binary morality system that would represent the light and dark sides of the Force as seen in Star Wars lore. The more simplistic approach to morality systems and choices would have a lasting influence on future RPGs such as Mass Effect, Fallout 3 & 4, and even non-RPG titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2, inFamous, and Marvel's Midnight Suns, among others.
1 The Elder Scrolls Series
Constantly Set The Standard For RPGs
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- The long-running series has popularized many different RPG mechanics and systems
- Several Elder Scrolls installments defined their generation of single-player RPGs
The original from 1994, The Elder Scrolls Arena, was one of the earliest large open worlds. It had a massive, procedurally generated map populated with towns, dungeons, guilds, and quests, as well as a day/night cycle and a dynamic weather system. This was followed up two years later by Daggerfall, which refined and expanded on these features, while placing more focus on player freedom and innovative side quests.
2002's Morrowind made a successful move to 3D, introducing players to a highly immersive and atmospheric world with memorable characters and side quests, and granted players access to a fully open-ended way of approaching the main quest. Oblivion would take things further with its Radiant AI NPC system, which gave NPCs a daily routine and allowed them to speak and interact with one another independently of the player. Bethesda's formula would take center stage with the iconic fifth installment, Skyrim, a game that would bring open-world RPG elements to the masses, influencing countless AAA titles to include some form of character progression and moral choice.
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