Review Pillars of Eternity reviewed at RPGWatch

[treave]

Let's Define Disgaea 2!

I. Defining Features

The three core categories Character Development, Exploration and Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerized game can be labeled as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors.

i. Must Have

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) Yes
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes

Disgaea 2 fulfils all Must Have Requirements above. It is CLEARLY a CRPG.

ii. Should Have

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also have related Should Have conditions; the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (SH) are fulfilled too there's no further discussion necessary — the game is a true CRPG.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• SC1: You can create your characters. Yes — You can recruit a fuckload of pre-defined characters, too.
• SC2: Pre-planning is required for character development Yes - No pre-planning in character builds mean you get wiped.
• SC3: Tactical use of abilities is required (➙ primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges. The player's physical coordination skills are secondary.) Yes

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• SE1: You can find NPCs (➙ non-player characters who you can interact with.) Yes
• SE2: You can choose a path (➙ there is at least some branching.) Yes - You have multiple endings.
• SE3: You can interact with the game world (➙ e.g. you can pull levers, push buttons, open chests, hack computers, … appropriate to the game's setting) Yes
• SE4: The gameworld can affect your characters' conditions or circumstances such that you have to learn and adapt to overcome these challenges (➙ e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …) Yes — Plenty of obstacles in the gameworld that can affect the flow of battle.
• SE5: Inaccessible areas can be reached due to character enhancements or by solving quests or puzzles (➙ e.g. unlock locked areas, overcome obstacles, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …) Yes - Tossing prinnies... yes.

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• SS1: You can interact with information sources (➙ e.g. NPC conversations, riddle statue questions, …) Yes
• SS2: You can make choices in those interactions. Yes - you can choose where to go to, or buy items.
• SS3: Some of those choices have consequences. Yes - Going to the wrong place at the wrong time can wipe the party.
• SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …) Yes — From a metagaming perspective.
• SS5: The story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats or abilities. Yes - character actions/stats determine combat performance determines story ending.

4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• SF1: Combat is influenced by character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …) Yes
• SF2: Combat involves random elements (➙ e.g. game internal dice rolls.) Yes
• SF3: Combat provides some challenge (➙ e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment.) Yes

Disgaea 2 is a TRUE CRPG.

II. CRPG Elements

Optional elements are listed in the Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.

1. Character Development

Choice

1. You can name your characters. Yes
2. You can choose a gender. Yes - For generics
3. You can choose looks or voice. Yes - No voices
4. You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race. Yes
5. You can choose traits, alignment or disposition. Yes
6. You can choose abilities. Yes
7. You can choose spells. Yes
8. You can modify primary stats. No
9. Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
10. Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
11. Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
12. Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. Yes
13. You can have pets as party members. Yes

Interdependence

1. (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. No
2. (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. No
3. (Story) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes - Combat-wise
4. (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
5. (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world. Yes - Item World
6. (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes - Item World

Interactivity

1. You can create combos with spells or abilities. Yes
2. Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. Yes
3. Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. Yes
4. You can rest or sleep. No
5. Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. No
6. You can control party members or pets like your main character. Yes

Immersion

1. You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) Yes
2. You can create or choose a background story for your character. No
3. You can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game. Yes
4. You can wear normal clothes, not only armor. Yes - Some of the armor are clothes
5. Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, …) Yes - Dark Council
6. Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
7. Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) Yes
8. Your characters can eat or drink. Yes - In cutscenes
9. You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world. Yes

2. Exploration

Choice

1. You can follow different paths to reach a goal. Yes - More than one way to kill an enemy
2. You can reasonably go where you want. Yes
3. You can return to previously visited locations. Yes
4. There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No
5. There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (➙ e.g. trade for better equipment.) Yes

Interdependence

1. (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. Yes - Item World
2. (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes - Item World
3. (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes
4. (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
5. (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes

Interactivity

1. You can gain money. Yes
2. You can interact with items. Yes
3. You can break or destroy items. Yes
4. You can repair items. Yes
5. You can move items. Yes
6. You can combine or disaggregate items. Yes
7. You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. Yes
8. You can craft or customize equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) Yes
9. Inventory size is limited. No

Immersion

1. There is a place you can call home. Yes
2. You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. Yes
3. Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) No
4. There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) No
5. Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
6. Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ generally they don't randomly pop up) Yes
7. At least some encounters are random (➙ you don't always know what's coming.) Yes
8. Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) No
9. Items are thoroughly and interestingly described. Yes
10. Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) Yes
11. Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) No
12. The economy is balanced (➙ collecting money never becomes pointless.) Yes
13. There are realistic gameplay sound effects (➙ e.g. combat sounds) Yes
14. There are interesting and immersive background sound effects. Yes

3. Story

Choice

1. You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) Yes
2. Some quests depend on each other. Yes
3. Some quests rule others out. No
4. Quests can be solved in more than one way. No
5. You can join factions, though not all at the same time. Yes - Dark Council
6. You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) Yes

Interdependence

1. (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. No
2. (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. No
3. (Character) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes
4. (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
5. (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes
6. (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
7. (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes

Interactivity

1. Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) No
2. There is more than one game ending. Yes
3. You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. Yes
4. There are many side quests. Yes
5. State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. Yes
6. You can solve or create conflicts between factions. Yes - Dark Council!

Immersion

1. Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, …) Yes
2. There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) Yes
3. NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) Yes
4. NPCs or party members interact with each other. Yes
5. NPCs have schedules. No
6. There are surprises and twists. Yes
7. The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) Yes
8. There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
9. There are memorable antagonists. Yes
10. Your main character is defined. Yes
11. The game features fitting music (➙ atmosphere is enhanced.) Yes

4. Combat (Meta)

Units

1. Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
2. You can control at least six characters. Yes
3. Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
4. Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
5. Resource management is necessary. Yes
6. Units have multiple attack options. Yes
7. Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) Yes
8. Movement-focused special abilities are available. Yes
9. Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) Yes

Environment

1. Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. Yes - Elemental tossing
2. You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) Yes
3. Combat can start at variable distances. Yes
4. Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) Yes
5. Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) Yes
6. Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) Yes
7. There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) Yes
8. There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. Yes
9. There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) Yes

Scenarios

1. Combat can be avoided through dialogue. No
2. Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) Yes
3. Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". Yes
4. Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. Yes
5. Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. Yes
6. There are memorable bosses. Yes

Roleplay Focus: Character : Exploration : Story = 0.79 : 0.85 : 0.77 = 80%
Gameplay Focus: Choice : Interactivity : Immersion = 0.79 : 0.81 : 0.81 = 80%
Combat Focus: Units : Environment : Scenarios = 0.88 : 1.00 : 0.83 = 90%

In comparison to PoE, Disgaea 2 has:
Equal Roleplay Focus (80% vs 80%)
Inferior Gameplay Focus (80% vs 84%)
Superior Combat Focus (90% vs 51%)

Overall Score:

Disgaea 2 : 83%

Pillars of Eternity : 72%

 

[Ulminati]

I tried men. But at the end I couldn't stand the autism and had to chicken out halfway through.

http://www.rpgwatch.com/crpg-analyzer.html is a nightmare of Prosperian proportions.

I. Defining Features
The three core categories Character Development, Exploration and Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerized game can be labeled as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors.

i. Must Have

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes -- One or more unique alts
  
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, ...) Yes -- Brofists, Bostcount, Joindate becomes more prestigious with time
  
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes -- Patron tag and various fundraiser microbadges. Some tags remove ads or give GD access
  
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes -- Noone likes a newfag

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes -- Retardoland, GD, Politics
  
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes -- Brofists and KKK
  
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes -- Lots of those!

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, ...) Yes -- Some of it is misleading or contains trannies!
  
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes -- Star stable lets play
  
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes

ii. Should Have

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also have related Should Have conditions; the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (SH) are fulfilled too there's no further discussion necessary -- the game is a true CRPG.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• SC1: You can create your characters. Yes
  
• SC2: Pre-planning is required for character development Yes -- Especially important for alts
  
• SC3: Tactical use of abilities is required (➙ primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges. The player's physical coordination skills are secondary.) Yes -- Trolling is a bit overused. Pump this stat whenever possible

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• SE1: You can find NPCs (➙ non-player characters who you can interact with.) Yes
  
• SE2: You can choose a path (➙ there is at least some branching.) Yes
  
• SE3: You can interact with the game world (➙ e.g. you can pull levers, push buttons, open chests, hack computers, ... appropriate to the game's setting) Yes
  
• SE4: The gameworld can affect your characters' conditions or circumstances such that you have to learn and adapt to overcome these challenges (➙ e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, ...) Yes -- Properized is a really nasty condition D:
  
• SE5: Inaccessible areas can be reached due to character enhancements or by solving quests or puzzles (➙ e.g. unlock locked areas, overcome obstacles, repair bridges, dispel barriers, ...) Yes -- Gib shekels 4 patron

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• SS1: You can interact with information sources (➙ e.g. NPC conversations, riddle statue questions, ...) Yes
  
• SS2: You can make choices in those interactions. Yes
  
• SS3: Some of those choices have consequences. Yes -- ALL OF THEM DO
  
• SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, ...) No
  
• SS5: The story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats or abilities. Yes

4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• SF1: Combat is influenced by character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, ...) Yes
  
• SF2: Combat involves random elements (➙ e.g. game internal dice rolls.) Yes
  
• SF3: Combat provides some challenge (➙ e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment.) Yes

RPGCodex belongs to a CRPG Subgenre. See tags below.


[h3]II. CRPG Elements[/h3]
Optional elements are listed in the Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.

1. Character Development

Choice

• You can name your characters. Yes
  
• You can choose a gender. Yes -- Raptor/Mudcrab
  
• You can choose looks or voice. Yes
  
• You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race. Yes
  
• You can choose traits, alignment or disposition. Yes
  
• You can choose abilities. Yes
  
• You can choose spells. Yes -- Only with Black_Cat DLC
  
• You can modify primary stats. No
  
• Lots of different equipment is available. No
  
• Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
  
• Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. Yes -- WCDS and Librul are mutually exclusive
  
• Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. Yes
  
• You can have pets as party members. No

Spoiler

Interdependence

• (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes
  
• (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. Yes
  
• (Story) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes
  
• (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. No
  
• (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world. Yes
  
• (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes -- Moderators can see IPs and talk shit behind plebs in their own lounge
  

Interactivity

• You can create combos with spells or abilities. No
  
• Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. No
  
• Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. No
  
• You can rest or sleep. No
  
• Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. No
  
• You can control party members or pets like your main character. No
  

Immersion

• You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) No
  
• You can create or choose a background story for your character. No
  
• You can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game. Yes
  
• You can wear normal clothes, not only armor. Yes
  
• Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, ...) Yes -- Mostly brofists
  
• Magic is in the game in some form. No
  
• Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) Yes
  
• Your characters can eat or drink. Yes -- POSTING DRUKN IN TEH CODEX OFFICIAL THREAT
  
• You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world. No
  

Interdependence

• (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes
  
• (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. Yes
  
• (Character) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes
  
• (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. No
  
• (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets.
  
• (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations.
  
• (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.)
  

This fact sheet was created using CRPG Analyzer 1.01 Beta.

​

 

[Angthoron]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

i. Must Have

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes (Role-playing a USMC Marine and some British guy)
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments)
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes (Guns, armor, attachments)
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes (Pretty hard to pass sniper missions without sniper rifle)

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes (Many maps! You can explore some of them before YOU ARE LEAVING THE COMBAT ZONE)
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes (Hell ya! GUNS!)
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes (Collargrabbing civilians)

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) Yes (Collargrabbing civilians)
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes (Two main storylines!)
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes

COD 4 MW is a true RPG.

 

[Jools]

My favourite bit:

Pros

Great story and writing
Fabulous quests​

Once you reach level 12, there is no real point in doing more side quests unless you’re a completionist.

Wait, didn't they say the quests were fabulous and the writing great? Or are they not "great and fabulous" enough to warrant completing a few extra quest despite not getting the XP? You know, for the story?

Based on the old IE games

How's that a merit? Might as well have put "Being a videogame" there. It's not like all FPS are good because they're based on DooM. And it's not like all hack&slash are good because they're based on Diablo. Being based on something is not a fucking merit.

 

[Ulminati]

It's based on the bad parts of the old IE games though. That's the problem.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Wait, didn't they say the quests were fabulous and the writing great?

Of course doing quests after the level cap is pointless since they replaced combat grinding with quest grinding and items/rewards are shit.

 

[Hatred]

IWD2 was already based on 3rd edition rules, it didn't have the THACO nonsense.

Yeah I woke up this arvo and remembered that. I guess I spent so much effort working out thaco as a youngster it did something to my brain >.<

 

[Sensuki]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

i. Must Have

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes (Role-playing a USMC Marine and some British guy)
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments)
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes (Guns, armor, attachments)
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes (Pretty hard to pass sniper missions without sniper rifle)

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes (Many maps! You can explore some of them before YOU ARE LEAVING THE COMBAT ZONE)
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes (Hell ya! GUNS!)
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes (Collargrabbing civilians)

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) Yes (Collargrabbing civilians)
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes (Two main storylines!)
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes

COD 4 MW is a true RPG.

Call of Duty 4 with Promod has very tactical combat! Not as tactical as Call of Duty 1 or 2 though. Sensuki seal of approval!

 

[Loriac]

Pac-man

i. Must Have

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes - role-playing a slightly deformed yellow circle
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (you can eat stuff that makes you stronger and gives you access to new abilities)
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes (power ups)
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes (if you want to interact with the 'ghost' entities you have to pass a check if you're powered up properly, or else you die - like a saving throw or something)

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes (Many different maze layouts to explore as a slightly deformed yellow circle)
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes (as well as the consumable power ups/stat boosters, you collect dots - the number of which are in your inventory is abstractly represented by your 'score' statistic)
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes (the entire map is effectively like a meta-information source, and can be used by a savvy deformed yellow circle player to plan out moves - which is pretty much the utility of having access to information of course)

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) Yes (the ghost entities provide information via a different visual appearance when its safe to interact with them)
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes (quests are also abstractly represented by additions to your 'score' statistic, and there are various side-quests when completing maps, such as e.g. interacting with all ghost entities in a short timeframe which gets you a major 'score' bonus)
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes (you can have a bunch of side-quests [score bonuses] whilst moving through maps. Also, each map is connected to the one before it and after it, in that you have to roll play your way through from one to the next - pretty much what 'connected' means)

Pac-man is a true RPG

The combat isn't so tactical though, its mainly bump-attacking ghosts with a stat check against your powered-up status, and using a purely deterministic algorithm to assess the outcome rather than relying on fun-destroying unbalanced shit like dice rolls.

 

[Modron]

Didn't read, didn't agree with what was written.

If you're going to paraphrase Irenaeus at least give him proper credit.

 

[HiddenX]

Thanks for trying the CRPG Analyzer, gentlemen - this really shows how universal this checklist can be used.

Unfortunately not all of you understand all the fine little details of CRPG elements, I suggest to play a few more CRPGs for a few more decades.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Cons

Little or no XP for combat​

Combat fags really are the worst.

Some good ideas poorly implemented

What the fuck does this even mean? Are they trying to copy IGN with these retarded summaries?

Last part of game gets tedious

Haha, fuckheads.​

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

i. Must Have

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes (Role-playing a USMC Marine and some British guy)
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments) Weapons aren't stats you fucking retard.
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes (Guns, armor, attachments)
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes (Pretty hard to pass sniper missions without sniper rifle) See above.

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes (Many maps! You can explore some of them before YOU ARE LEAVING THE COMBAT ZONE)
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes (Hell ya! GUNS!)
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes (Collargrabbing civilians)

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) Yes (Collargrabbing civilians)
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes (Two main storylines!)
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes

COD 4 MW is not an RPG.

You may not employ any mental gymnastics when using the CRPG Analyzer™.

 

[HiddenX]

Cons

Little or no XP for combat​

Combat fags really are the worst.

Some good ideas poorly implemented

What the fuck does this even mean? Are they trying to copy IGN with these retarded summaries?

Last part of game gets tedious

Haha, fuckheads.​

Little or no XP for combat:
40% or more of the game is combat, most of the time you can't avoid it with role-playing (sneaking, trash-talking, bribing etc.) and you get no XP for it -> bad game design

Some good ideas poorly implemented:
All classes are a good option to play with all stats meaningful -> that leads to uninteresting classes that don't differentiate enough.
Resting system with limited rations is annoying and leads NOT to challenging situations, because you can always backtrack to your bed at home.
RTwP + Engagement system + Micromanagement of walking in combat= tedious => turn based would have been the much better option.
Kickstarter content feels out of place.
C&C are there, but 95% of the choices don't have BIGGER game changing consequences -> no need for a replay.
Day/Night cycle has no consequences - there are no NPC schedules - you can shop any time.

Last part of game gets tedious
After reaching level 12 the challenge of combat is completely gone.
Tactic: find a choke point, heal the tank(s), kill everyone with ranged weapons & spells, there is rarely use of all the wonderful skills (after chapter 1) any more (even on the hard difficulty setting)

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Cons

Little or no XP for combat​

Combat fags really are the worst.
​

That really has nothing to do with combatfags, if they were combatfags they'd enjoy the combat without exp. It's more about RPGfags that want to feel character progression when engaged in the most frequent aspect of gameplay. *

 

[Angthoron]

• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments) Weapons aren't stats you fucking retard. SOME WEAPONS HIT FOR MORE DAMAGE ALSO SOME WEAPONS HAVE A SCOPE BUT SOME DON'T I DUNNO ITS LIKE MAGIC LOL I DUN FUCKED UP CORRECTING THAT TEXT SEE ALSO BELOW

 

[Drowed]

Now we need to define definitions so people won't redefine definitions to define what an RPG is. That's hardcore.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

That's not hardcore, that's popamole, the definitions are clear to anyone that isn't mentally retarded or trying too hard to be funny.

For example:

• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments) Weapons aren't stats you fucking retard. SOME WEAPONS HIT FOR MORE DAMAGE ALSO SOME WEAPONS HAVE A SCOPE BUT SOME DON'T I DUNNO ITS LIKE MAGIC LOL I DUN FUCKED UP CORRECTING THAT TEXT SEE ALSO BELOW

MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities
This clearly distinguishes the itemization from the character stat development, simplifying for the sake of the mentally challenged has been done to death in RPGs, we shouldn't bring it over to the CRPG Analyzer.

 

[Angthoron]

That's not hardcore, that's popamole, the definitions are clear to anyone that isn't mentally retarded or trying too hard to be funny.

For example:

• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments) Weapons aren't stats you fucking retard. SOME WEAPONS HIT FOR MORE DAMAGE ALSO SOME WEAPONS HAVE A SCOPE BUT SOME DON'T I DUNNO ITS LIKE MAGIC LOL I DUN FUCKED UP CORRECTING THAT TEXT SEE ALSO BELOW

MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities
This clearly distinguishes the itemization from the character stat development, simplifying for the sake of the mentally challenged has been done to death in RPGs, we shouldn't bring it over to the CRPG Analyzer.

Then replace CoD MW with Far Cry 3 (if only because I can't remember how XP progression worked in CoD), and voila, once again the Analyzer fails, unless you mean to say that Far Cry 3 is a purebred RPG. FC3 has XP progression, character stats decoupled from weapons, character building components via skill trees. That covers MC2. MC4, yes, you have to have certain skills to perform certain actions. Say, in FC4 you can only ride an elephant if you have an elephant-riding skill. However, the game doesn't lock you into a certain development path and lets you tackle any situation with any set of skills, as a good RPG should.

It's obvious to anyone that's not mentally retarded or trying too hard to protect failed positions that the list is heavily flawed and easily manipulatable the ever-living fuck out of.

 

[HiddenX]

MC4 fails for Farcry 3 & 4 because you can finish the game without developing a single skill. All skills you can get are completely optional and there are no stat checks required to finish the game.

Several Should Haves fail, too.

Ergo: Far Cry 3 & 4 are Action Shooters with some RPG elements. What the hell is wrong with that? You guys can't even read correctly.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

That's not hardcore, that's popamole, the definitions are clear to anyone that isn't mentally retarded or trying too hard to be funny.

For example:

• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) Yes (You get better guns, and can upgrade guns via attachments) Weapons aren't stats you fucking retard. SOME WEAPONS HIT FOR MORE DAMAGE ALSO SOME WEAPONS HAVE A SCOPE BUT SOME DON'T I DUNNO ITS LIKE MAGIC LOL I DUN FUCKED UP CORRECTING THAT TEXT SEE ALSO BELOW

MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities
This clearly distinguishes the itemization from the character stat development, simplifying for the sake of the mentally challenged has been done to death in RPGs, we shouldn't bring it over to the CRPG Analyzer.

Then replace CoD MW with Far Cry 3 (if only because I can't remember how XP progression worked in CoD), and voila, once again the Analyzer fails, unless you mean to say that Far Cry 3 is a purebred RPG. FC3 has XP progression, character stats decoupled from weapons, character building components via skill trees. That covers MC2. MC4, yes, you have to have certain skills to perform certain actions. Say, in FC4 you can only ride an elephant if you have an elephant-riding skill. However, the game doesn't lock you into a certain development path and lets you tackle any situation with any set of skills, as a good RPG should.

It's obvious to anyone that's not mentally retarded or trying too hard to protect failed positions that the list is heavily flawed and easily manipulatable the ever-living fuck out of.

Brofist for actually trying this time, but the first list is just for the RPG subgenre, for it to be a "purebred RPG" it'd have to test positive on all the should haves.

 

[tuluse]

Then replace CoD MW with Far Cry 3 (if only because I can't remember how XP progression worked in CoD), and voila, once again the Analyzer fails, unless you mean to say that Far Cry 3 is a purebred RPG. FC3 has XP progression, character stats decoupled from weapons, character building components via skill trees. That covers MC2. MC4, yes, you have to have certain skills to perform certain actions. Say, in FC4 you can only ride an elephant if you have an elephant-riding skill. However, the game doesn't lock you into a certain development path and lets you tackle any situation with any set of skills, as a good RPG should.

It's obvious to anyone that's not mentally retarded or trying too hard to protect failed positions that the list is heavily flawed and easily manipulatable the ever-living fuck out of.

Ubisoft advertized FC3 as Skyrim with guns, clearly it is an RPG

 

[Angthoron]

MC4 fails for Farcry 3 & 4 because you can finish the game without developing a single skill. All skills you can get are completely optional and there are no stat checks required to finish the game.

Several Should Haves fail, too.

Ergo: Far Cry 3 & 4 are Action Shooters with some RPG elements. What the hell is wrong with that? You guys can't even read correctly.

I can skip levelling in Oblivion. Oblivion is an RPG. What's going on, sir?

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Then Oblivion is an action adventure with some RPG elements?
Sounds like a positive revelation to me.

 

[HiddenX]

... and you cannot finish Oblivion without stat checks, my friend even if you don't level.

PS:
Onholyservicebound:

Calling Elder Scrolls games - Sandbox Action Adventures seems to be right, too.
They don't have many c&c.

 

[Konjad]

bah.... can someone upload our beloved troll pissing on watchtower?

You mean like this? :D

He meant the original:

Not saying that your's is bad or anything though.