Recycled themes in RPGs

[Wyatt_Derp]

All games are Groundhog Day...

With slightly different groundhogs.

Zep--

This is pretty much how many of us feel about games nowadays.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

I want an RPG where you are a lowly goon that is preparing hours on end for a huge, climatic confrontation with the typical heroic adventuring party that knows nothing of your existence or purpose and simply wants to pass through to murderhobo shit. But you've been spying and hearing rumors of them for in-game months and everyone in your part of the world is treating them like Armageddon.

 

[YldriE]

You just described Japo RPGs. For all their flaws and formulaic recipes, at least they routinely feature other parties that shitstomp you a few times before the endgame, and antagonists almost always have a good excuse to see themselves as the hero of their own story.

 

[barghwata]

it's not really that much of a problem if the gameplay is decent, the issue however is the lack of originality, rarely do you ever find an rpg with unique or innovative gameplay these days. In other words, without a good story, you literally feel like your playing games that you've played a thousand times before.
What i am trying to say is, a good story can compensate for uninspired and unoriginal gameplay, if your not gonna have unique gameplay at least have a unique story for god's sake.

 

[Falksi]

I thought Tyranny was flat out fucking brilliant all round.

Although, in general, the only real theme I'm sick of seeing is the "chosen one" angle. All my fave RPG's start you from humble beginings and have you caught up in bigger events.

 

[Wyatt_Derp]

I thought Tyranny was flat out fucking brilliant all round.

Although, in general, the only real theme I'm sick of seeing is the "chosen one" angle. All my fave RPG's start you from humble beginings and have you caught up in bigger events.

Speaking of which, has any RPG ever had you play as someone trying to STOP a 'chosen one' character from fulfilling some prophecy? That might make for an interesting switch. And you know these days everyone's about subverting expectations.

 

[YldriE]

rarely do you ever find an rpg with unique or innovative gameplay these days. In other words, without a good story, you literally feel like you're playing games that you've played a thousand times before.

That's not always a bad thing, you're not going to replay the same levels forever. If a game is formulaic as to feel like a mission pack of another game you enjoy, what's the matter? I play Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale as DLCs of each other, I like it precisely because it's more of the same.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[barghwata]

rarely do you ever find an rpg with unique or innovative gameplay these days. In other words, without a good story, you literally feel like you're playing games that you've played a thousand times before.

That's not always a bad thing, you're not going to replay the same levels forever. If a game is formulaic as to feel like a mission pack of another game you enjoy, what's the matter? I play Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale as DLCs of each other, I like it precisely because it's more of the same.

That's a fair point, however and this is for me at least, there is a certain point where the gameplay just becomes stale, it might take a long time or not depending on how fun it is, but it always happens eventually.