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Dark Souls is absolutely an RPG, explanation

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Aug 10, 2019
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Why so much autism whether its rpg or not? A game is not required to be an rpg to be considered worthy.
This is the RPG Codex, not Worthy Codex. Determining whether a game is an RPG or not is one of the fundamental pillars of our religion and paths to heaven. Of course, what we really should do first instead is determine what an RPG really is...
 

The_Mask

Just like Yves, I chase tales.
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Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
DS on the other hand, focuses its RPG elements on combat.
I disagree. Simply because every single boss fight can be looked at from two different narrative perspectives. Sometimes 3.

1. I buy the fact that I am the hero of a dying race meant to sacrifice myself to keep their era going.

2. I don't buy the above story, and I choose to end and keep going however I see fit.

Not to mention that there are 4 covenants aimed at non-combat, opposite to 5 that are. I choose to see that as balanced, but I'm sure you'll see that as combat-focused.

DS on the other hand, focuses its RPG elements on combat, but combat is still too much of just action for it to reach bloodlines level. To be clear, by RPG elements here, I mean for instance how different character builds play in different ways. I also mean how many situations have different ways of being played out.
Every single build, except maybe pumping into VIT, has some way to stand out. Pancake master, bow master, flat-out neglection of stamina or poise wreckage - every single one of these builds make for a diverse playthrough. Situations being played out different - the only difference is that it's left up to you - the player, how to deal with them.

For goodness sake, there is a way to end the game by simply flinging poop at your enemies, if you really have the stamina for it.

That is why Dark Souls is good. It changes something in *YOU* the human being playing the game. That is the true mark of a good RPG. When you sit down, you're someone - when you get up, you're a better version of yourself because of the game.

Ultimately, I think one of the worst problems DS has, as far as RPGs are concerned, is that repetition and memorization gameplay work against it.
I've heard this a lot, and interestingly enough for me, from better Dark Souls players than me: "it's all about memorization".

I strongly disagree. I've remembered patterns where they apply (the monsters are usually guilty of this - dragons, or demons - which funny enough fits their profile of being lesser dumber beings), but once you get to know the game, you actually remember stat weaknesses more than move sets.

The Beatles - lightning
Ravelord Neato - fire
Seath - lightning
Gwyn - parry button or fire

Even the holy paternal figure of masturbation himself - Manus - half of him can be easily defied by using a pendant.






And if you thought to, ironically, use Artorias as an example, I can show you multiple clips of P O I S E tanking through his comboes, and people taking him down in two head to head fights.




Also, and I think I am about to either get poetic (which will make you eyeroll) or weird, but generally Dark Souls has a very D&D turn-based structure for me.

Take any medium weapon - the unofficial rule is: don't swing more than twice or you will take damage. Obviously this rule changes for daggers (4) or huge weapons like the Dragon Tooth (1), but you get the point.
Also, don't roll more than twice. Panick rolling can get you in trouble.
And so each "turn" has 2 rolls, and 2 attacks. Sound familiar? ----- If you keep this in mind, you don't have to memorize much at all.

There are, of course, bosses that play with that, like O&S, but if they were all the same, people would scream that it's too formulaic.
 

Silva

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images
 
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Let's look at it this way: All three Dark Souls game are on the Codex's Top 101 RPGs of all time. Dark Souls 1 is number 12 and we all know AoD is there as a prank, so it makes it number 11. I don't think there's much point in convincing a dumb minority of this game being an RPG or not. If they don't care what the consensus says, they won't care for *any* arguments.
 

Gibson

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it's a Diablo clone (obviously with better lore), ported into 3D Metroidvania platformer engine; or vice versa - a 3d nintendo platformer with Diablo-esque RPG elements.

in any case, an awsome game.
 

Verylittlefishes

Sacro Bosco
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I guess DS is Action/RPG. It really have a lot of branches in story progress.

Not sure if its ok or not that all the lore is hidden in item descriptions and should be deciphered.
 

Gibson

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it's a Diablo clone
Yup. Only Mr. Marsh could say this and get away with it. That being said, what the fuck dude? How even?

well, it means you ain't got 'nough Tegridy to understand :D

but seriously: it's a 3d metroidvania - because it just is. it has a great setting, great locations, it's really great to explore it and look in every nook and cranny...but it's still a metroidvania in 3D.
now for the "rpg" aspect of it: if I take a look at the OPs list, the only point that would put DS in an RPG are the "C&C", every other point (including multiple endings) can be found in other games. and for me the conversations/dialogues and the choices i make in them are THE staple of an RPG game. if there are no conversations and/or choices to be made that way or if you can basically "111111" through the whole game to me it's already an RPG-light or rather, more "A-rpg" than "a-RPG". "silent protagonist" or "it's a mysteria, that you have to interpret yourself" is only an excuse for "we cheaped out on the writing team";
given the amount of characters (that have great stories behind them) you meet, it's a damn shame that you can't have proper dialogues with them.

it's still one of the best series ever made and it's somewhat retarded to box it in only one genre (it's already in a box of "it's a grate fucking game", what more do you need to know?), but I always took it more as an action game with RPG elemts than a full-on RPG.
 
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it's a Diablo clone
Yup. Only Mr. Marsh could say this and get away with it. That being said, what the fuck dude? How even?

well, it means you ain't got 'nough Tegridy to understand :D

but seriously: it's a 3d metroidvania - because it just is. it has a great setting, great locations, it's really great to explore it and look in every nook and cranny...but it's still a metroidvania in 3D.
now for the "rpg" aspect of it: if I take a look at the OPs list, the only point that would put DS in an RPG are the "C&C", every other point (including multiple endings) can be found in other games. and for me the conversations/dialogues and the choices i make in them are THE staple of an RPG game. if there are no conversations and/or choices to be made that way or if you can basically "111111" through the whole game to me it's already an RPG-light or rather, more "A-rpg" than "a-RPG". "silent protagonist" or "it's a mysteria, that you have to interpret yourself" is only an excuse for "we cheaped out on the writing team";
given the amount of characters (that have great stories behind them) you meet, it's a damn shame that you can't have proper dialogues with them.

it's still one of the best series ever made and it's somewhat retarded to box it in only one genre (it's already in a box of "it's a grate fucking game", what more do you need to know?), but I always took it more as an action game with RPG elemts than a full-on RPG.
Well there is C&C in all DS games (DS 1 and 3 much more so than 2). You can determine the outcome of quests, the game, and fate of characters through those questlines, or more directly, through "universal character death". But anyhow, my question was, how is Dark Souls a "Diablo clone"?
 

Gibson

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Well there is C&C in all DS games (DS 1 and 3 much more so than 2). You can determine the outcome of quests, the game, and fate of characters through those questlines, or more directly, through "universal character death". But anyhow, my question was, how is Dark Souls a "Diablo clone"?

to me, it's more of an action/hack and slach (RPG) game than a "standard" cRPG and with the term "action RPG" Diablo instantly pops in my head. like, you can easily skip (or blindly mash up button until the text is through) the entire npc-monologues and you'd be fine; also like in a Diablo game it's more central to go around and kick ass (everytime with a different build) and uncover every nook and cranny than it is to actually pay atention to the story/lore.
if the term "diablo clone" bothers you, you can swap it with Severance: BoD - clone :)
 

Bester

⚰️☠️⚱️
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and for me the conversations/dialogues and the choices i make in them are THE staple of an RPG game. if there are no conversations and/or choices to be made that way or if you can basically "111111" through the whole game
What's it matter if it's 11111 or 12345? In 99% RPGs, you exhaust all dialogues just to see what's behind those options, so what does the button matter? Unless it's PST/Fallout/AOD where you can say the same thing differently, which is what actually allows for roleplay. Otherwise it's the same dialogues, just the dialogue tree is structured differently, but ultimately it's just as well.
 
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Well there is C&C in all DS games (DS 1 and 3 much more so than 2). You can determine the outcome of quests, the game, and fate of characters through those questlines, or more directly, through "universal character death". But anyhow, my question was, how is Dark Souls a "Diablo clone"?

to me, it's more of an action/hack and slach (RPG) game than a "standard" cRPG and with the term "action RPG" Diablo instantly pops in my head. like, you can easily skip (or blindly mash up button until the text is through) the entire npc-monologues and you'd be fine; also like in a Diablo game it's more central to go around and kick ass (everytime with a different build) and uncover every nook and cranny than it is to actually pay atention to the story/lore.
if the term "diablo clone" bothers you, you can swap it with Severance: BoD - clone :)
Well to each their own. Diablo to me is synonymous with randomly generated loot and content and pressing 11111 to advance dialogue, whereas in Dark Souls everything is hand crafted and far from brain dead, and that includes the dialogue which has quite a bit of C&C. I get the impression that you haven't played Dark Souls enough to know though. Anyhow, go play something you like :P
 

Nifft Batuff

Prophet
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Nov 14, 2018
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If I am in the mood for an action game I play DS, if want to play a RPG I look for something else.
 

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