Is the Pokemon series a RPG or something else

Salidin54 · Post by **Salidin54** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:30 pm

I think Pokemon is a JRPG, a genre which I haven't liked since they released FF7. I probably should have said that I was only talking about the main series and not the dungeon explorer ones.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:36 pm

I actually do think the Pokemon games are RPGs, but they're JRPGs, not Western-style RPGs that this site generally covers. The combat isn't terribly different from earlier Final Fantasy games, and they are linear and mostly choice-free, a lot like the Final Fantasy games.

I actually enjoy the games, admittedly, partially for the nostalgia element (I grew up when the first generation of Pokemon games started coming out) but also because they're pretty good, simple JRPGs.

Salidin54 · Post by **Salidin54** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:50 pm

Good point, my friend just pointed out that if Dragon Warrior is an RPG then so is Pokemon.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:26 pm

Salidin54 wrote:Good point, my friend just pointed out that if Dragon Warrior is an RPG then so is Pokemon.

Only Dragon Warrior isn't an RPG. I can't speak to JRPGs, which are a separate genre. But an RPG? No.

Besides, sending terminally cute things into battle is just sick. They should be used instead as test pilots aboard experimental spacecraft.

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:11 pm

fable wrote:I'm having a problem admittedly with some of this. The Ultima series? Where you can pick up a bucket, drop it into a well, fill it, pull it out, and use the contents to put out a fire? Wizardry, where you can cast summoning spells, move tree limbs to provide walkways, and get attacked for selling back items to merchants you've stolen them from? Even if we make no allowance for the age of these titles, that sounds like a lot more interaction than you have with those plushies and their world.

I don't doubt that part7 or 8 are rpgs how you describe them. I was referring to Ultima and Wizardry, the games which later became the beginnings of the series.

I wouldn't call Pokemon games strategy games since the only strategy you need is letting your monsters fight until they have enough experience and levels to beat the enemies.
I guess strategy fans would be filled with terror

if those games would be put into their category. :laugh:

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:19 pm

kmonster wrote: I guess strategy fans would be filled with terror if those games would be put into their category. :laugh:

Well yes.. Pokemon games are like orphan children... nobody wants them, and, in particular, nobody wants them sharing the family name.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:28 pm

kmonster wrote:I don't doubt that part7 or 8 are rpgs how you describe them. I was referring to Ultima and Wizardry, the games which later became the beginnings of the series.

Oh, the original titles I would agree were certainly not RPGs. They were computerized dungeon crawls at a time when that was remarkable enough, and intended as nothing more. Garriott didn't get the glimmer of what immersiveness could do until he starting programming on the PC, or so he told me back around Ultima VI when I interviewed him for the second time.

I wouldn't call Pokemon games strategy games since the only strategy you need is letting your monsters fight until they have enough experience and levels to beat the enemies.
I guess strategy fans would be filled with terror if those games would be put into their category. :laugh:

Well, could we agree they just fall into the EAGTMYG (Extremely Annoying Games That Make You Gag) genre, and leave it at that?

Chanak · Post by **Chanak** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:38 pm

fable wrote:Well, could we agree they just fall into the EAGTMYG (Extremely Annoying Games That Make You Gag) genre, and leave it at that?

This sums it up perfectly!

Salidin54 · Post by **Salidin54** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:48 pm

fable wrote:Only Dragon Warrior isn't an RPG. I can't speak to JRPGs, which are a separate genre. But an RPG? No.

Now I'm lost. I thought that RPG was a genre with JRPG a sub-genre, along side RPG-hybrid, Adventure-RPG, Action-RPG, so on and so on. What would you say is an RPG?

Edit: over 200 views AHHH!

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:51 pm

Salidin54 wrote:Now I'm lost. I thought that RPG was a genre with JRPG a sub-genre, along side RPG-hybrid, Adventure-RPG, Action-RPG, so on and so on. What would you say is an RPG?

Edit: over 200 views AHHH!

A game in which the player assumes a role while interacting heavily with the environment and other characters. JRPGs are a pretty different kind of bird than RPGs. Totally different set of priorities. I guess you could JRPGs a subset of RPGs--at this point, I really don't care, so if you want to call it Chicken Korma, I'm in favor of that, as well. I just aim to please.

NarutoAngel221 · Post by **NarutoAngel221** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:36 pm

I think Pokemon is RPG?? Actually I also have troubled distinguishing other games from RPG to MMORPG sometimes

Salidin54 · Post by **Salidin54** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:01 pm

Dictionary.com:
role-playing game
–noun
a game in which participants adopt the roles of imaginary characters in an adventure under the direction of a Game Master.

If this is the case then the only video-game that can even remotely be called an RPG is Left for Dead, and by saying this I'm sure everyone is going to come after me. If you are going to separate video-game RPGs from the above definition then I would think that RPG would become sort a varied genre, including, as I said before, thinks like JRPGs, hybrid RPGs, Western style RPGs (like Oblivion, KoTOR, Baldur's Gate, etc), and so on.

Edit: 450+ views AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

kozeph · Post by **kozeph** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:26 pm

I really REALLY dont know where to put pokemon as a genere

I think their akin to a sort of sandbox adventure leveling up thing. I see JRPGs to be focused heavily in telling a story, gameplay and setting coming second. That being said I see western RPGs focused more on the world and setting and less on the story

pokemon Ive never seen it as a rpg, just like vampire the maquerade redemtion, temple of the elemental evil among others...

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:30 pm

kozeph wrote:I really REALLY dont know where to put pokemon as a genere
I think their akin to a sort of sandbox adventure leveling up thing. I see JRPGs to be focused heavily in telling a story, gameplay and setting coming second. That being said I see western RPGs focused more on the world and setting and less on the story

pokemon Ive never seen it as a rpg, just like vampire the maquerade redemtion, temple of the elemental evil among others...

Maybe it's horror arcade?

Salidin54 · Post by **Salidin54** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:09 am

fable wrote:Maybe it's horror arcade?

yeah let's go with that and call it a day