CRPG Analyzer: A checklist for computer role-playing games

I marked good things green :)

Nice to Have

Exploration
(Choice)
- Game has wide variety of weapons, armor, and accessories to buy, find, wield, and wear
(already in the Must Haves C3 and E2)


Exploration
(Interactivity)
- Game gives you monetary rewards for killing creatures/solving quests
(already in the Must Haves C2)

- There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (You can trade items for currency and better equipment.)
- You can craft/customize equipment, spells or items


Exploration
(Immersion)
- Realistic gameplay sound effects
- You never reach a point in which collecting money becomes pointless
Better: balanced economy

Story
(Interactivity)
- Replayability: different experiences for different classes and alignments

- NPC Interaction advances the plot of the game
- PC learns things about the game world from NPCs
(already in Must Have and Should Have Story)


Story:
(Immersion)
- Interesting and immersive background sound effects
- Well-acted, spoken(?) NPC dialog
- fitting Music
- NPCs are well-described in game world


Character/Story
(Interdependence)

- quests have opportunities for role-playing
(already a Must Have for Story)

- Game features side quests that offer opportunities for character building
(already a Must Have for Character)

- You understand how your character and quest fit within overall game world
Better: your characters' story and quests are believable and fit into the gameworld

Exploration/Story
(Interdependence)
- Items are thoroughly and interestingly described



Fun Features / No Idea

- Game makes it easy to understand and evaluate how items compare to each other (e.g., which weapon does the most damage)


Randomness
- Items are at least partly randomized within game world
- Game has some level of random encounters so that you never know what's coming
Sandbox
- Areas re-spawn at some point after they are cleared



very subjective
- Character advancement process is satisfying and rewarding
- Game has the right level of difficulty: challenging without being exasperating
- Magic system (if included) is well-balanced
- Overall pacing is good; game is not over too quickly, neither does it drag
- Graphics are not distractingly bad

obsolete

- Characters are rewarded for combat and quest-completion
- Combat offers opportunities for role-playing
 
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Thanks for checking!

Exploration
(Interactivity)
- Game gives you monetary rewards for killing creatures/solving quests
(already in the Must Haves C2)
No, C2 covers rewards for character development like experience. CRPG Addict's point is specifically about monetary rewards, targeting the game world's economy. We mention trading only twice: "You can trade items for currency and better equipment" (NtH) and "How balanced is trading?" (Fun Feature FD3).

The rest looks good to me. I'll try to incorporate these items and change the diagram generation a bit.
 
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I updated the analyzer to version 1.02 beta.. forgot to include the money thing from above but I did include the other new NtH's and Fun Features from above. I also changed the calculation of the diagrams -- they should now be more accurate.

As a consequence I had to re-order the MH/SH elements a bit and reformulate two of them, but nothing serious. They are now ordered by choice / interactivity / immersion, like the NtH elements.

Will upload a text-only version tomorrow.
 
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As a consequence I had to re-order the MH/SH elements a bit and reformulate two of them, but nothing serious. They are now ordered by choice / interactivity / immersion, like the NtH elements.

The MH/SH are already ordered by getting more demanding step by step.
So I'm not so sure if another order is really useful.

The MH/SH conditions are optimized to find out if a game is a CRPG or not.
There are not optimized to find out out if a game delivers more choices, interactivity or immersion.
 
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The MH/SH are already ordered by getting more demanding step by step.
So I'm not so sure if another order is really useful.
Yeah, I know... technical limitations. I'll try to get around them tomorrow, 'k? :)
 
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Done. Here's a new version -- added a few NtH elements and Fun Features as mentioned above.


The CRPG Analyzer (Version 1.02)

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.
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.

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also have related Should Have conditions; the reviewer should make a comment if a Should Have condition is not fulfilled.

So we have these scenarios to reflect the broadness of the genre:

  • At least one Must Have condition is violated => the game is not a CRPG.
  • All Must Have conditions are fulfilled => the game is at least CRPG'ish or a CRPG light.
  • All Must Have and some Should Haves conditions are fulfilled => the game is a CRPG that needs to be further qualified with (subgenre) tags and/or reviewer comments.
  • If all necessary Must Have and all Should Have conditions are fulfilled there's no further discussion necessary => the game is a true CRPG.
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.


The Checklist:

Must-Have

Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
C1. You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (-> avatar or party, not only uniform units.)
C2. You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (-> e.g. through an in game value gained by quests etc.)
C3. You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities
C4. Stat checks are required (-> you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game)

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.
E1. You can find new locations
E2. 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)
E3. You can find information sources (-> e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info)

Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.
S1. You can get information from information sources (-> e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …)
S2. You can follow quests (-> there is at least one main quest)
S3. You can progress through connected events (-> you play your character's role)


Should-Have

Character Development
C5. You can create your characters
C6. Pre-planning is required for character development
C7. Tactical use of abilities is required (-> Primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges. The player's physical coordination skills are secondary.)

Exploration
E4. You can find NPCs (-> Non-player characters who you can interact with)
E5. You can choose a path (-> there is at least some branching)
E6. 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)
E7. 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, …)
E8. 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, …)

Story
S4. You can interact with information sources (-> e.g. NPC conversations, riddle statue questions, …)
S5. You can make choices in those interactions
S6. Some of those choices have consequences
S7. Thinking is required in order to progress (-> e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …)
S8. The story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats or abilities

Combat
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
F1. Combat is influenced by character stats or abilities (-> e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …)
F2. Combat involves random elements (-> e.g. game internal dice rolls)
F3. Combat provides some challenge (-> e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment)
Tags are computer game tags that qualify the CRPG label even further:

A game is a CRPG if it fulfills all Must-Have and Should-Have conditions.
  • MMO: Many players are questing simultaneously online.
  • CRPG: All Must-Have and Should-Have conditions are fulfilled.
  • CRPG Subgenre: All Must-Have conditions are fulfilled, but not all Should-Haves.
  • Non-CRPG: Not all Must-Have conditions are fulfilled.
What is the type of gameplay?
  • Linear: Exploration options are very limited. It feels like you are on rails most of the time.
  • Tactical: The game puts an emphasis on player tactical skill over character skill, often multiple squads (party splitting) are possible.
  • Rogue-like: The main emphasis of the game are on Exploring and Character Development, less on Story. Often features permanent death if a character dies and random generated levels.
  • Thief-like: Combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better, thief-skills are essential (lock picking, ambush, hiding, sneaking, …)
  • Non-Combat: The game features no combat.
  • Open World: There are no or little restrictions to movement, exploration and interaction near the beginning of the game.
  • Sandbox: The game can go on forever with no clear end goal and leans more towards simulation rather than story.
  • Action: The combat is real time without pause.
  • Adventure: The main emphasis of the game is on Exploring and Story, less on Character Development.
  • Arcade: Action game with frantic, addictive gameplay. The focus is on the user's reflexes rather than puzzle-solving, complex thinking, or strategy skills.
  • Dungeon Crawler: Closed environment where a lot of content is organized around dungeon interaction (traps, levers, buttons, teleports, riddles…) rather than story.
  • Hack & Slash: Many enemies, most of them easy to kill, respawning of enemies, much loot.
  • Puzzle: The game's main emphasis are puzzles.
  • Shooter: Combat is mostly ranged and requires hand eye coordination and reflexes from the player.
  • Strategy: Additional troop (not your party) management available.
  • Sneaker: Combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better.
What is the overall look and style of the game or its structural conventions?
  • Bright: The game features a happy, uplifting atmosphere or a sense of wonder and awe.
  • Clean: The game has a very clean, stylized or idealized look and feel.
  • Dark: The game features a dark, gloomy atmosphere or a sense of horror and dread.
  • Gritty: The game has a harsh, coarse, rough and unrefined quality to it, portraying life as it truly is (or worse), without false distortions, stylizations, or idealizations.
  • Arcanepunk: Refers to a fantasy world in which both magic and science exist in parallel and are of mostly equal value.
  • Cyberpunk: Sci-fi in a near-future setting. Focus on high tech and low life. Features advanced science, such as information technology and cybernetics, coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.
  • Fables & Fairy Tales: Fables feature animals with human qualities; Fairy tales typically features European folkloric fantasy characters, such as dwarves, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, mermaids, trolls, or witches, and usually magic or enchantments.
  • High Fantasy: Works with supernatural and magic elements for the plot. The most popular imaginary worlds use a medieval setting and often copy from J.R.R. Tolkien's book Lord of the Rings. Usually epic in nature.
  • Low Fantasy: Closer to realistic fiction than to myth. Magic or the fantastic exist, but are secondary to the primary historical context of the game. Less epic in nature than High Fantasy and more about personal stories. Includes Sword & Sorcery or Heroic Fantasy.
  • Realistic: No fantasy themes, probably based on Earth.
  • Sci-Fi: In this futuristic setting imaginary technology is used for space and time travel and the discovery of the universe. The contact with extraterrestrial life so called aliens leads to adventures, conflicts and challenges of all kind.
  • Steampunk: Sci-fi theme that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century.
  • W-RPG: Relatively realistic colors and graphics, character backgrounds are often left to the player's imagination. Western style CRPG.
  • J-RPG: Manga Style graphics, often turn based combat, usually focus on defined characters and an emotional story, Eastern style CRPG.
What is the central topic treated by the game?
  • Cloak & Dagger: Involves intrigue, secrecy, espionage, or mystery.
  • Coming-of-Age: Focus on the psychological and moral growth or transition of a protagonist from youth to adulthood. Personal growth and change is an important characteristic, which relies on dialogue and emotional responses, rather than action.
  • Eroticism: Quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality and romantic love.
  • Exploration & Discovery: Focus on expeditions and the exploration of the unknown. To boldly go where no one has gone before.
  • Good vs. Evil: Concerns the conflict between good and evil forces.
  • Hero's Journey: "A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons (..)."
  • Horror: Intended to, or has the capacity to frighten, scare, or startle its players by inducing feelings of horror and terror.
  • Humor & Comedy: Intended to be humorous or to amuse by inducing laughter.
  • Military: Most of the characters are in the military, the focus is on the life of soldiers.
  • Paranormal: Involves phenomena from popular culture or folklore whose existence is described to lie beyond normal experience or scientific explanation.
  • Philosophy: Deals with general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
  • Politics: Deals with influencing other people on a global, civic or individual level, Governance, or power struggles between communities.
  • Religion & Spirituality: Includes subjective experience and psychological growth, or personal transformation in accordance with religious ideals.
  • Romance: Focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters and the journey that their genuinely strong, true and pure romantic love takes them through dating, courtship or marriage.
  • Superhero: Features heroes possessing extraordinary talents, supernatural phenomena, or superhuman powers and are usually dedicated to protecting the public.
  • Survival: Focuses on survival of the character and is often trying to scare the players (in case of Survival Horror.)
  • Swashbuckling: Pirates or swordsmen displaying courage, swordfighting skill, resourcefulness, chivalry and a distinctive sense of honor and justice.
  • Vampires: Concerned principally with the subject of vampires.
  • Weird: Speculative fiction that encompasses the ghost story and other tales of the macabre, often blending the supernatural, mythical, and even scientific.
  • Wuxia: Concerns the adventures of usually chivalric martial artists.
  • Zombies: Concerned principally with the subject of zombies.
When and where does the game take place (e.g. Era, World, Landscape and Culture?)
  • (World)
  • Real World:
  • Alternate World:
  • Metaphysical Place:
  • Crossworld:
  • (Landscape)
  • Urban:
  • Sylvan:
  • Jungle:
  • Maritime:
  • Desert:
  • Wasteland:
  • Dungeon:
  • Space:
  • Winter / Snow:
  • (Era)
  • Mythic:
  • Historical:
  • Alternate History:
  • Medieval:
  • Modern:
  • Futuristic:
  • Post-apocalyptic:
  • (Culture)
  • Asian:
  • Celtic:
  • Wild West:
Is the game real-time or turn-based?
  • Real-time:
  • Pauseable Real-time:
  • Time-based turns: Includes timed turns, ticks & rounds, active time battle and similar.
  • Turn-based: Includes simultaneously executed and clock-based turns, unit initiative and acting outside one's turn, special turns and phases.
How are players rewarded for their progression through the game?
  • Experience: Also known as level-based. Your characters gain experience for in-game activities and may advance in levels, allowing you to progress their skills and abilities.
  • Training: You can develop your characters' abilities by using them, e.g. the longer they hold a sword, the more proficient they will get with it.
  • Skill Points: Your character is awarded skill points for completing quests, which can be directly used to buy skills or attributes.
How many players can play the game?
  • Single-player: The game can be played by a single player.
  • Multi-player: The game can be played by a few players.
  • Massive Multi-player: The game can be played online by many players simultaneously.
Which multiplayer features does the game support?
  • Online Co-Op: Supports online co-op play.
  • Couch Co-Op: Supports local co-op play.
  • Combo Co-Op: Supports simultaneous local & online play.
  • Split Screen: Players have independent views.
  • Shared Screen: Players share the entire screen view.
  • Co-Op Campaign: Game features a story-based co-op mode.
  • Co-Op Modes: The game has a bonus co-op mode.
  • Drop-In / Drop-Out: The game supports drop-in/drop-out multiplayer.
  • LAN/System Link: Multiplayer is supported via LAN/System Link.
  • PvE: Player vs. Environment
  • PvP: Player vs. Player
  • RvR: Realm vs. Realm
What is the perspective? Where is the camera positioned?
  • 1st-person: The perspective is rendered from the viewpoint of the player character.
  • 3rd-person: The characters are shown from the outside.
  • Side: The game world is shown from the side.
  • Isometric: The gameworld is shown at an angle. Also 3/4 perspective or 2.5D.
  • Top Down: The game world is shown from the top.
  • God: The player can see the entire game world or large portions of it as an all-seeing force.
How does the camera move?
  • Fixed: The camera doesn't move at all.
  • Tracking: The camera follows the character's movements.
  • Interactive: The camera can be moved or rotated by the player.
How does the game look?
  • Subdued: Reduced color palette, e.g. tinted in one color.
  • Realistic: Colors look normal or like in real-life.
  • Whimsical: Colors have a slightly larger-than life quality to them.
  • Dazzling: Bright and very colorful graphics.
How many characters can you control?
  • Full Control: Full control over every party member's action in combat.
  • AI Control: You only control part of the party directly, others are controlled by AI while they may accept general commands.
Do you have to read or can you listen?
  • Fully Voiced: Voice output for virtually all dialog lines in the game, including all player characters and non-player characters.
  • Partially Voiced: Voice output for some dialog lines, e.g. the player character and/or important non-player characters.
  • Text Only: No voice output at all.
Are there defined characters or can you make them up yourself?
  • Predefined: The background of the PC is completely predefined.
  • Mostly predefined: The background of the PC is mostly predefined. You may select details from a list.
  • Selectable: You can select from a list of predefined backgrounds.
  • Free-form: The PC has no explicit character background.
How long does an average walk through the game usually take?
  • Up to 10 hours:
  • 10-20 hours:
  • 20-40 hours:
  • 40-60 hours:
  • Over 60 hours:
  • Unlimited:
  • Indie: Self-funding independent person or group.
  • Crowdfunding: Funding with crowdfunding methods (Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, …)
  • Publisher: Funding with the help of a Publisher.
1. Choice (13/13)

  • You can name your characters.
  • You can choose a gender.
  • You can choose looks or voice.
  • You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race.
  • You can choose traits, alignment or disposition.
  • You can choose abilities.
  • You can choose spells.
  • You can modify primary stats.
  • Lots of different equipment is available.
  • Lots of different spells or abilities are available.
  • Abilities can unlock or block others or branch.
  • Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game.
  • You can have pets as party members.
2. Interdependence (6/6)

  • (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC.
  • (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options.
  • (Story) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (-> high replayability.)
  • (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made.
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world.
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world.
3. Interactivity (6/6)

  • You can create combos with spells or abilities.
  • Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities.
  • Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities.
  • You can rest or sleep.
  • Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry.
  • You can control party members or pets like your main character.
4. Immersion (9/9)

  • You need to specialize (-> can't have everything.)
  • You can create or choose a background story for your character.
  • You can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game.
  • You can wear normal clothes, not only armor.
  • Factions provide prizes for your deeds (-> e.g. houses, medals, ranks, …)
  • Magic is in the game in some form.
  • Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (-> e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.)
  • Your characters can eat or drink.
  • You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world.
1. Choice (5/5)

  • You can follow different paths to reach a goal.
  • You can reasonably go where you want.
  • You can return to previously visited locations.
  • There are few artificial borders, rare level loading.
  • There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (-> e.g. trade for better equipment.)
2. Interdependence (5/5)

  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world.
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world.
  • (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets.
  • (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations.
  • (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (-> e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces).
3. Interactivity (9/9)

  • You can gain money
  • You can interact with items.
  • You can break or destroy items.
  • You can repair items.
  • You can move items.
  • You can combine or disaggregate items.
  • You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use.
  • You can craft equipment, spells or items (e.g. alchemy).
  • Inventory size is limited.
4. Immersion (13/13)

  • There is a place you can call home.
  • You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations.
  • Locations can evolve or change (-> e.g. town / destroyed town)
  • There are non-hostile creatures (-> e.g. wildlife)
  • Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in.
  • Creatures are wandering persistently (-> no random encounters).
  • Looting makes sense (no shield on a dead wolf.)
  • Items are thoroughly and interestingly described.
  • Time is measured (-> e.g. there is a day/night cycle).
  • Time affects the game world (-> e.g. some things are only available at night).
  • The economy is balanced (-> collecting money never becomes pointless.)
  • There are realistic gameplay sound effects (-> e.g. combat sounds)
  • There are interesting and immersive background sound effects.
1. Choice (6/6)

  • You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (-> quest order doesn't matter much.)
  • Some quests depend on each other.
  • Some quests rule others out.
  • Quests can be solved in more than one way.
  • You can join factions, though not all at the same time.
  • You can make moral choices (or romance choices).
2. Interdependence (7/7)

  • (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC.
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options.
  • (Character) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (-> high replayability.)
  • (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made.
  • (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).
3. Interactivity (6/6)

  • Dialogue is fleshed out (-> there are multiple options in one conversation).
  • There is more than one game ending.
  • You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets.
  • There are many side quests.
  • State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions.
  • You can solve or create conflicts between factions.
4. Immersion (11/11)

  • Lore is provided (-> context, faction rules, laws, history, …)
  • There are different factions (races, groups, guilds).
  • NPCs or party members are well developed (-> expansive background stories, etc.)
  • NPCs or party members interact with each other.
  • NPCs have schedules.
  • There are surprises and twists.
  • The storyline is character-driven (-> character development within the narrative.)
  • There is a proper ending or sense of closure.
  • There are memorable antagonists.
  • Your main character is defined.
  • The game features fitting music (-> atmosphere is enhanced.)
1. Character Development (9/9)

  • Combat can be avoided due to stats (-> e.g. enemies flee).
  • You can control at least six characters.
  • Your characters are specialized (-> different battlefield roles).
  • Enemies are specialized (-> require different tactics.)
  • Resource management is necessary.
  • Units have multiple attack options.
  • Delayed attacks are possible (-> counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.)
  • Movement-focused special abilities are available.
  • Units have multiple resistance options (-> e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.)
2. Exploration (9/9)

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

  • Combat can be avoided through dialogue.
  • Combat can have different win scenarios (-> e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town).
  • Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss".
  • Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat.
  • Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences.
  • There are memorable bosses.
1. Character Development

  • Are there useless skills?
  • How would you rate character progression? (fast, balanced, slow)
  • Is there auto-leveling of some sort?
  • Is the character advancement process satisfying and rewarding?
  • Is the magic system (if included) well-balanced?
2. Exploration

  • Is Auto-Mapping available?
  • Is Fast Travelling available?
  • Are there quest markers?
  • Is there a quest compass?
  • How much realism is there? (little, balanced, much)
  • How much looting is in the game? (little, some, much)
3. Story

  • Does the story follow clichéd paths?
  • How linear is the game? (linear, network-like, non-linear)
  • How would you rate the suspense? (boring, gripping, fun, …)
  • Are there pre-selected options (-> Choice is reduced)?
4. Combat (Meta)

  • How much fighting is in the game? (little, some, much)
  • Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character?
5. Interface

  • How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? (rarely, sometimes, often)
  • How would you rate the game's interface? (intuitive, clunky, …)
  • Is it easy to understand and evaluate how items compare to each other? (-> e.g. which weapon does the most damage?)
6. Difficulty

  • How difficult is the game? (easy, normal, hard)
  • Can difficulty be adjusted?
  • How balanced is trading? (good, not-so-good, bad)
  • How much reloading is necessary to beat the game (little, some, much)
  • How good is the AI? (good, medium, bad)
  • How much handholing is there? (little, some, much)
7. Gameplay features

  • Are there Easter Eggs?
  • Are there minigames?
  • How is the overall pacing? (-> good: game is not over too quickly, neither does it drag) (good, not so good, bad)
 

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Looks good to me.

One little addition:
The reward system can a monetary system (money/gold), too.

Example:
You get gold for a quests and then you can train some new skills for gold.
(No Exp-points or skill points needed in such a system)
 
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Added "monetary". Also, here's a preliminary analysis of one of the very early games, The Bard's Tale I. I played only 1-2 hours or so and read some FAQs and of course CRPG Addict's blog entries for the game. Consequently, I wasn't so sure about a few elements; may have to play some more to experience a dungeon myself.



The Bard's Tale I: Tales of the Unknown


game-348.gif
Classification: CRPG Subgenre
Subgenre: Dungeon Crawler

Design: High Fantasy
Theme: Good vs. Evil
Setting: Alternate World, Dungeon, Medieval
Combat Style: Turn-based
Reward System: Experience
Play Style: Single-player
Point of View: 1st-person
Color Palette: Realistic
Control: Full Control
Voice Acting: Text Only
Character Backstory: Free-form
Playtime: Over 60 hours
Funding model: Publisher





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.

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 -- 6 characters
  • 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 -- ?
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
  • 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 -- Very limited.
  • 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 -- magic mouth, puzzle doors etc.
  • 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 -- ?
  • 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 -- puzzles most of the time
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 -- Rarely.
  • SS2: You can make choices in those interactions. No
  • SS3: Some of those choices have consequences. No
  • SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, ...) Yes -- Some riddles and puzzles.
  • SS5: The story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats or abilities. No
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
The Bard's Tale I: Tales of the Unknown belongs to a CRPG Subgenre. See tags below.


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.

Choice
  • You can name your characters. Yes
  • You can choose a gender. No -- All male party.
  • You can choose looks or voice. No -- One look for every class.
  • You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race. Yes
  • You can choose traits, alignment or disposition. No
  • You can choose abilities. No -- Abilities are tied to classes.
  • You can choose spells. Yes
  • You can modify primary stats. Yes
  • Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
  • Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
  • Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
  • Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. Yes -- Magic users can advance to different magic classes.
  • You can have pets as party members. No
Interdependence
  • (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. No
  • (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. No
  • (Story) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) No -- I guess you can experience everything in one play-through.
  • (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
  • (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. No
Interactivity
  • You can create combos with spells or abilities. No
  • Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. Yes -- Bard songs!
  • Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • You can rest or sleep. No
  • Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. Yes -- Class restrictions for items.
  • You can control party members or pets like your main character. Yes
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. No
  • Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, ...) No
  • Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
  • Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) No -- ?
  • Your characters can eat or drink. Yes
  • You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world. Yes -- Simple background story on the game box.
Choice
  • You can follow different paths to reach a goal. Yes -- The town is a small labyrinth, the dungeons are mazes.
  • You can reasonably go where you want. Yes
  • You can return to previously visited locations. Yes
  • There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No -- You are confined to a couple grids.
  • There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (➙ e.g. trade for better equipment.) Yes
Interdependence
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. Yes
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. No
  • (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. No
  • (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes -- ?
  • (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes -- There are some taverns in town.
Interactivity
  • You can gain money. Yes
  • You can interact with items. No -- ? In Dungeons?
  • You can break or destroy items. No
  • You can repair items. No
  • You can move items. No
  • You can combine or disaggregate items. No
  • You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. No
  • You can craft or customize equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) No
  • Inventory size is limited. Yes
Immersion
  • There is a place you can call home. No -- The Adventurer's Guild feels a bit like home, since it's the only place where you can save.
  • You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. No
  • Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) No
  • There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) No
  • Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
  • Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ generally they don't randomly pop up) No -- They do randomly pop up.
  • At least some encounters are random (➙ you don't always know what's coming.) Yes
  • Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) No -- ?
  • Items are thoroughly and interestingly described. No
  • Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) Yes
  • Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) Yes
  • The economy is balanced (➙ collecting money never becomes pointless.) Yes
  • There are realistic gameplay sound effects (➙ e.g. combat sounds) No -- Not on the PC version.
  • There are interesting and immersive background sound effects. No -- Not on the PC version, except for bard songs, perhaps.
Choice
  • You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) No -- There's only one main quest.
  • Some quests depend on each other. No
  • Some quests rule others out. No
  • Quests can be solved in more than one way. No
  • You can join factions, though not all at the same time. No
  • You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) No
Interdependence
  • (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. No
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. No
  • (Character) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) No -- I guess you can experience everything in one play-through.
  • (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. No
  • (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes -- ?
  • (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes -- There are some taverns in town.
Interactivity
  • Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) No
  • There is more than one game ending. No
  • You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. No
  • There are many side quests. No
  • State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. No
  • You can solve or create conflicts between factions. No
Immersion
  • Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, ...) Yes -- Very little. Just a paragraph, basically.
  • There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) No
  • NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) No
  • NPCs or party members interact with each other. No
  • NPCs have schedules. No
  • There are surprises and twists. No
  • The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) No
  • There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
  • There are memorable antagonists. No -- ? There's one final boss...
  • Your main character is defined. No
  • The game features fitting music (➙ atmosphere is enhanced.) Yes -- ?
Units
  • Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
  • You can control at least six characters. Yes
  • Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
  • Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
  • Resource management is necessary. Yes
  • Units have multiple attack options. Yes
  • Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) No
  • Movement-focused special abilities are available. No -- ?
  • Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) No -- ?
Environment
  • Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. No
  • You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) No
  • Combat can start at variable distances. No
  • Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) No
  • Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) No
  • Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) No
  • There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) No
  • There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. No
  • There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) No
Scenarios
  • Combat can be avoided through dialogue. No
  • Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) No
  • Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". No
  • Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. No
  • Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. No
  • There are memorable bosses. No -- ?
Roleplay Focus: Character : Exploration : Story = 0.59 : 0.54 : 0.29
Gameplay Focus: Choice : Interactivity : Immersion = 0.53 : 0.47 : 0.44
Combat Focus: Units : Environment : Scenarios = 0.60 : 0.10 : 0.14


III. Fun Features


1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • FC1: Are there useless skills? No -- ?
  • FC2: How would you rate character progression? Balanced
  • FC3: Is there auto-leveling of some sort? No
  • FC4: Is the character advancement process satisfying and rewarding? Yes -- ?
  • FC5: Is the magic system (if included) well-balanced? 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.
  • FE1: Is Auto-Mapping available? No
  • FE2: Is Fast Travelling available? No
  • FE3: Are there quest markers? No
  • FE4: Is there a quest compass? No
  • FE5: How much realism is there? Balanced
  • FE6: How much looting is in the game? Little
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.
  • FS1: Does the story follow cliched paths? Yes
  • FS2: How linear is the game? Linear
  • FS3: How would you rate the suspense? Ok
  • FS4: Are there pre-selected options? (➙ Choice is reduced.) Yes -- ?
4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
  • FF1: How much fighting is in the game? Much
  • FF2: Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character? Yes
5. Interface

  • FX1: How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? Rarely
  • FX2: How would you rate the game's interface? Clunky
  • FX3: Is it easy to understand and evaluate how items compare to each other? (➙ e.g. which weapon does the most damage?) No
6. Difficulty

  • FD1: How difficult is the game? (➙ normal = challenging without being exasperating) Hard
  • FD2: Can difficulty be adjusted? No
  • FD3: How balanced is trading? Good
  • FD4: How much reloading is necessary to beat the game? Some
  • FD5: How good is the AI? Medium
  • FD6: How much handholding is there? Little
7. Gameplay Features

  • FG1: Are there Easter Eggs? Yes
  • FG2: Are there minigames? No
  • FG3: How is the overall pacing? (➙ good: game is not over too quickly, neither does it drag) Not so good
This fact sheet was created using CRPG Analyzer 1.02 Beta.

Classic dungeon crawler with barely any story elements or actual role-playing opportunities — those came much later in RPG history, from what I heard. Seemed a bit like a cross of the Final Fantasy and Diablo games during my short excursion, with all those random, invisible enemies and level-focused gameplay.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
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Nice review, but some of your 'No' answers must be a 'Yes'
The last time I played Bard's Tale 1 is decades ago, but I definitely remember these:

S3 You can interact with the game world -> yes (magic mouth, puzzle doors etc.)
S5 Inaccessible areas can be reached due to character enhancements or by solving quests or puzzles -> yes (puzzles most of the time)

SS1: You can interact with information sources -> yes, but rarely
SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress -> yes, some riddles and puzzles
 
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Aye, I read about those things but didn't experience them myself yet. Thanks for the heads up. Updated.
 
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Diablo


game-177.gif
Classification: CRPG Subgenre
Subgenre: Rogue-like, Action, Hack & Slash

Design: Dark, Gritty, Low Fantasy
Theme: Horror
Setting: Alternate World, Dungeon, Mythic
Combat Style: Real-time
Reward System: Experience
Play Style: Single-player, Multi-player
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Co-Op Campaign, LAN/System Link, PvE
Point of View: Isometric
Camera: Tracking
Color Palette: Subdued
Control: Full Control
Voice Acting: Fully Voiced
Character Backstory: Free-form
Playtime: 20-40 hours
Funding model: Publisher





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.

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
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 only pick one of three character classes and give a name.
  • SC2: Pre-planning is required for character development Yes
  • 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.) No -- Hack and slash frantically.
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 -- A few in the starting town.
  • SE2: You can choose a path (➙ there is at least some branching.) Yes -- Dungeons are mazes.
  • 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 -- Some traps on chests or doors.
  • 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
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. No
  • SS3: Some of those choices have consequences. No
  • 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. No
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.) No -- Frantic button-mashing.
Diablo belongs to a CRPG Subgenre. See tags below.


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.

Choice
  • You can name your characters. Yes
  • You can choose a gender. No -- Gender is tied to class: Warrior = male, Rogue = female, Sorcerer = male.
  • You can choose looks or voice. No
  • You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race. Yes
  • You can choose traits, alignment or disposition. No
  • You can choose abilities. No
  • You can choose spells. Yes
  • You can modify primary stats. Yes
  • Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
  • Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes -- Various spells, not really any abilities.
  • Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
  • Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. No
  • You can have pets as party members. No
Interdependence
  • (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. No
  • (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. No
  • (Story) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes -- Very high replayability due to different classes and randomized mazes, quests, enemies and items.
  • (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes -- They are even called unique.
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world. No
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes -- Find traps skill from the rogue; telekinesis spell.
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. Yes -- There's a healing spells.
  • You can rest or sleep. No
  • Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. Yes
  • You can control party members or pets like your main character. No
Immersion
  • You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) Yes -- Classes are highly specialized.
  • 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. No
  • Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, ...) No
  • Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
  • Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) No
  • Your characters can eat or drink. No
  • You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world. Yes -- Depends. Your characters are completely blank; NPCs on the other hand provide lore.
Choice
  • You can follow different paths to reach a goal. Yes
  • You can reasonably go where you want. Yes -- Within each level, at least.
  • You can return to previously visited locations. Yes
  • There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No -- Mazes are all about borders ...
  • There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (➙ e.g. trade for better equipment.) Yes
Interdependence
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. No
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes -- Find traps skill from the rogue; telekinesis spell.
  • (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. No
  • (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) No
Interactivity
  • You can gain money. Yes
  • You can interact with items. Yes
  • You can break or destroy items. Yes
  • You can repair items. Yes
  • You can move items. No
  • You can combine or disaggregate items. No
  • You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. No
  • You can craft or customize equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) No
  • Inventory size is limited. Yes
Immersion
  • There is a place you can call home. No
  • You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. No -- Just one big dungeon with different levels.
  • Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) No -- Dungeons are randomly generated each time you start a new game.
  • There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) Yes
  • Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
  • Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ generally they don't randomly pop up) Yes
  • At least some encounters are random (➙ you don't always know what's coming.) Yes -- It's all about the randomness.
  • Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) No -- It's all about the randomness.
  • Items are thoroughly and interestingly described. No
  • Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) No -- Perpetual night.
  • Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) No
  • The economy is balanced (➙ collecting money never becomes pointless.) Yes
  • There are realistic gameplay sound effects (➙ e.g. combat sounds) Yes
  • There are interesting and immersive background sound effects. Yes
Choice
  • You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) Yes
  • Some quests depend on each other. No
  • Some quests rule others out. No
  • Quests can be solved in more than one way. No
  • You can join factions, though not all at the same time. No
  • You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) No
Interdependence
  • (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. No
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. No
  • (Character) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes -- Very high replayability due to different classes and randomized mazes, quests, enemies and items.
  • (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes -- They are even called unique.
  • (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. No
  • (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) No
Interactivity
  • Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) No
  • There is more than one game ending. No
  • You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. No
  • There are many side quests. Yes -- Well, some.
  • State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. No
  • You can solve or create conflicts between factions. No
Immersion
  • Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, ...) Yes
  • There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) No
  • NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) Yes
  • NPCs or party members interact with each other. No
  • NPCs have schedules. No
  • There are surprises and twists. No
  • The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) No
  • There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
  • There are memorable antagonists. Yes
  • Your main character is defined. No
  • The game features fitting music (➙ atmosphere is enhanced.) Yes -- To me the Tristram theme remains one of the most atmospheric songs in gaming history.
Units
  • Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
  • You can control at least six characters. No
  • Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
  • Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
  • Resource management is necessary. Yes
  • Units have multiple attack options. Yes
  • Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) No
  • Movement-focused special abilities are available. Yes -- Teleport spell.
  • Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) Yes
Environment
  • Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. No
  • You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) No
  • Combat can start at variable distances. Yes
  • Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) No
  • Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) Yes
  • Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) No
  • There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) No
  • There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. No
  • There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) Yes
Scenarios
  • Combat can be avoided through dialogue. No
  • Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) No
  • Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". No
  • Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. No
  • Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. No
  • There are memorable bosses. Yes
Roleplay Focus: Character : Exploration : Story = 0.51 : 0.63 : 0.37
Gameplay Focus: Choice : Interactivity : Immersion = 0.50 : 0.49 : 0.54
Combat Focus: Units : Environment : Scenarios = 0.70 : 0.40 : 0.29


III. Fun Features


1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • FC1: Are there useless skills? No
  • FC2: How would you rate character progression? Balanced
  • FC3: Is there auto-leveling of some sort? No
  • FC4: Is the character advancement process satisfying and rewarding? Yes
  • FC5: Is the magic system (if included) well-balanced? 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.
  • FE1: Is Auto-Mapping available? Yes
  • FE2: Is Fast Travelling available? Yes
  • FE3: Are there quest markers? No
  • FE4: Is there a quest compass? No
  • FE5: How much realism is there? Balanced
  • FE6: How much looting is in the game? Much -- It's all about the loot.
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.
  • FS1: Does the story follow cliched paths? Yes
  • FS2: How linear is the game? Network-like
  • FS3: How would you rate the suspense? Gripping
  • FS4: Are there pre-selected options? (➙ Choice is reduced.) Yes
4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
  • FF1: How much fighting is in the game? Much
  • FF2: Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character? Yes
5. Interface

  • FX1: How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? Rarely
  • FX2: How would you rate the game's interface? Ok
  • FX3: Is it easy to understand and evaluate how items compare to each other? (➙ e.g. which weapon does the most damage?) Yes
6. Difficulty

  • FD1: How difficult is the game? (➙ normal = challenging without being exasperating) Normal
  • FD2: Can difficulty be adjusted? Yes
  • FD3: How balanced is trading? Good
  • FD4: How much reloading is necessary to beat the game? Little
  • FD5: How good is the AI? Medium
  • FD6: How much handholding is there? Little
7. Gameplay Features

  • FG1: Are there Easter Eggs? Yes
  • FG2: Are there minigames? No
  • FG3: How is the overall pacing? (➙ good: game is not over too quickly, neither does it drag) Good
This fact sheet was created using CRPG Analyzer 1.02 Beta.

Pretty similar profile to the Bard's Tale above, actually. Just different mechanics and a few more puzzles in the former.

Ah, it really is too bad that the Diablo series diverged towards a bright and colorful high fantasy tale with larger than life heroes instead of staying with the sublimely disturbing and atmospheric roots of Diablo 1. The newer games just don't compare.
 
Last edited:
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Aug 30, 2006
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One little addition:
The reward system can a monetary system (money/gold), too.
I read about a weird Action-Adventure CRPG called "Endomorph" today. The reward system is really strange and tied into what the game is about. Apparently you can find nectar in the game world, and upon drinking it you get stronger. It has a cost, though, namely the more you drink the more you transform into a bug, one of the very things you fight against (?). So basically you trade your humanity for strength you may need to progress.

How should we call a system like that?
 
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Messages
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I read about a weird Action-Adventure CRPG called "Endomorph" today. The reward system is really strange and tied into what the game is about. Apparently you can find nectar in the game world, and upon drinking it you get stronger. It has a cost, though, namely the more you drink the more you transform into a bug, one of the very things you fight against (?). So basically you trade your humanity for strength you may need to progress.

How should we call a system like that?

other in-game values for character building

or

other reward system
 
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SF3: Combat provides some challenge (➙ e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment.) - it's a 'No' for me :)
 
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Messages
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SF3: Combat provides some challenge (➙ e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment.) - it's a 'No' for me :)
LOL. Yes, I guess you are right. I would say, however, that combat is definitely challenging (in a frantic button-mashing sense), especially in lower levels. It's just not very tactical.

We could remove the "e.g." keyword, or move the "tactical" keyword more to the front to make it clearer?
 
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Pillars of Eternity


game-508.gif
Classification: CRPG Subgenre
Subgenre: Adventure

Design: Dark, Low Fantasy
Theme: Hero's Journey, Religion & Spirituality
Setting: Alternate World, Medieval
Combat Style: Pauseable Real-time
Reward System: Experience
Play Style: Single-player
Point of View: Isometric
Camera: Tracking
Color Palette: Subdued
Control: Full Control
Voice Acting: Partially Voiced
Character Backstory: Selectable
Playtime: Over 60 hours
Funding model: Crowdfunding





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.

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
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 recruite a lot of pre-defined characters, too.
  • SC2: Pre-planning is required for character development No — PoE has a "every char works" policy build in, so you need not much pre-planning
  • 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
  • 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 — a few closed doors, hidden buttons and traps
  • 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
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 — only a few
  • SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …) No — The main story is pretty easy to follow
  • 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 — at least in the first chapter, later the combat becomes too easy
Pillars of Eternity belongs to a CRPG Subgenre. See tags below.


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.

Choice
  • You can name your characters. Yes
  • You can choose a gender. Yes
  • 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
  • You can modify primary stats. Yes
  • Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
  • Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
  • Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
  • Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. No
  • You can have pets as party members. Yes
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.) No
  • (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world. No
  • (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes
Interactivity
  • You can create combos with spells or abilities. No
  • Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • You can rest or sleep. Yes
  • Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. No
  • You can control party members or pets like your main character. Yes
Immersion
  • You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) Yes
  • You can create or choose a background story for your character. Yes
  • 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
  • Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
  • Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) Yes
  • Your characters can eat or drink. Yes
  • You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world. Yes
Choice
  • You can follow different paths to reach a goal. Yes — sometimes
  • You can reasonably go where you want. Yes
  • You can return to previously visited locations. Yes
  • There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No — many load screens
  • There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (➙ e.g. trade for better equipment.) Yes
Interdependence
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. No
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes
  • (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes
  • (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes
Interactivity
  • You can gain money. Yes
  • You can interact with items. No
  • You can break or destroy items. No
  • You can repair items. No
  • You can move items. No
  • You can combine or disaggregate items. No
  • You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. Yes
  • You can craft or customize equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) Yes
  • Inventory size is limited. No
Immersion
  • There is a place you can call home. Yes
  • You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. Yes
  • Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) Yes — only very few
  • There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) Yes
  • Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
  • Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ generally they don't randomly pop up) Yes
  • At least some encounters are random (➙ you don't always know what's coming.) No
  • Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) Yes
  • Items are thoroughly and interestingly described. Yes
  • Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) Yes
  • Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) No
  • The economy is balanced (➙ collecting money never becomes pointless.) Yes
  • There are realistic gameplay sound effects (➙ e.g. combat sounds) Yes
  • There are interesting and immersive background sound effects. Yes
Choice
  • You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) Yes
  • Some quests depend on each other. Yes
  • Some quests rule others out. Yes
  • Quests can be solved in more than one way. Yes
  • You can join factions, though not all at the same time. Yes
  • You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) Yes
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.) No
  • (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes
  • (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes
Interactivity
  • Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) Yes
  • There is more than one game ending. Yes
  • You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. Yes
  • There are many side quests. Yes
  • State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. Yes
  • You can solve or create conflicts between factions. Yes
Immersion
  • Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, …) Yes
  • There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) Yes
  • NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) Yes
  • NPCs or party members interact with each other. Yes
  • NPCs have schedules. No
  • There are surprises and twists. Yes
  • The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) Yes
  • There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
  • There are memorable antagonists. Yes
  • Your main character is defined. Yes
  • The game features fitting music (➙ atmosphere is enhanced.) Yes
Units
  • Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
  • You can control at least six characters. Yes
  • Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
  • Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
  • Resource management is necessary. Yes
  • Units have multiple attack options. Yes
  • Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) Yes
  • Movement-focused special abilities are available. Yes
  • Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) Yes
Environment
  • Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. No
  • You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) No
  • Combat can start at variable distances. No
  • Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) Yes
  • Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) No
  • Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) No
  • There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) No
  • There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. No
  • There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) No
Scenarios
  • Combat can be avoided through dialogue. No — in general no, with a few exceptions
  • Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) No
  • Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". No
  • Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. Yes
  • Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. No
  • There are memorable bosses. Yes
Roleplay Focus: Character : Exploration : Story = 0.83 : 0.76 : 0.92
Gameplay Focus: Choice : Interactivity : Immersion = 0.87 : 0.76 : 0.90
Combat Focus: Units : Environment : Scenarios = 0.90 : 0.20 : 0.43


III. Fun Features


1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • FC1: Are there useless skills? Yes
  • FC2: How would you rate character progression? Balanced
  • FC3: Is there auto-leveling of some sort? No
  • FC4: Is the character advancement process satisfying and rewarding? No
  • FC5: Is the magic system (if included) well-balanced? 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.
  • FE1: Is Auto-Mapping available? Yes
  • FE2: Is Fast Travelling available? Yes
  • FE3: Are there quest markers? No
  • FE4: Is there a quest compass? No
  • FE5: How much realism is there? Little
  • FE6: How much looting is in the game? Much
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.
  • FS1: Does the story follow cliched paths? Yes
  • FS2: How linear is the game? Non-linear
  • FS3: How would you rate the suspense? Ok
  • FS4: Are there pre-selected options? (➙ Choice is reduced.) Yes
4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
  • FF1: How much fighting is in the game? Much
  • FF2: Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character? No
5. Interface

  • FX1: How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? Often
  • FX2: How would you rate the game's interface? Intuitive
  • FX3: Is it easy to understand and evaluate how items compare to each other? (➙ e.g. which weapon does the most damage?) Yes
6. Difficulty

  • FD1: How difficult is the game? (➙ normal = challenging without being exasperating) Normal
  • FD2: Can difficulty be adjusted? Yes
  • FD3: How balanced is trading? Good
  • FD4: How much reloading is necessary to beat the game? Little
  • FD5: How good is the AI? Medium
  • FD6: How much handholding is there? Little
7. Gameplay Features

  • FG1: Are there Easter Eggs? Yes
  • FG2: Are there minigames? No
  • FG3: How is the overall pacing? (➙ good: game is not over too quickly, neither does it drag) Not so good
This fact sheet was created using CRPG Analyzer 1.01 Beta.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
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Location
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Might & Magic X: Legacy


game-527.gif
Classification: CRPG
Subgenre: Open World

Design: High Fantasy
Theme: Good vs. Evil
Setting: Alternate World, Medieval
Combat Style: Turn-based
Reward System: Experience
Play Style: Single-player
Point of View: 1st-person
Camera: Interactive
Color Palette: Realistic
Control: Full Control
Voice Acting: Partially Voiced
Character Backstory: Free-form





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.

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 — A party of four.
  • 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
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
  • 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 — Open world.
  • 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
  • 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
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
  • SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …) Yes
  • 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
Might & Magic X: Legacy is a 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.

Choice
  • You can name your characters. Yes
  • You can choose a gender. Yes
  • 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. No
  • You can choose abilities. No
  • You can choose spells. Yes
  • You can modify primary stats. Yes
  • Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
  • Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
  • Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
  • Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. No
  • You can have pets as party members. Yes — There's a dog you can pick up as a follower, although it just sits there passively.
Interdependence
  • (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes — Some NPCs talk only to certain races.
  • (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. No — Stats and abilities are purely combat oriented.
  • (Story) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes
  • (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes — There are legendary items to be found and leveled up.
  • (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
Interactivity
  • You can create combos with spells or abilities. No
  • Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. Yes
  • You can rest or sleep. Yes
  • Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. Yes
  • You can control party members or pets like your main character. Yes
Immersion
  • You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) Yes
  • 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. No
  • Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, …) No
  • Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
  • Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) Yes
  • Your characters can eat or drink. Yes — Resting requires rations.
  • You understand how your character and quest fit within the overall game world. Yes
Choice
  • You can follow different paths to reach a goal. Yes
  • You can reasonably go where you want. Yes
  • You can return to previously visited locations. Yes
  • There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No
  • There are interesting and helpful things to buy with your money (➙ e.g. trade for better equipment.) Yes
Interdependence
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. Yes
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes
  • (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes — You can recruit followers who provide passive bonuses.
  • (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes — Very limited interaction though.
Interactivity
  • You can gain money. Yes
  • You can interact with items. Yes
  • You can break or destroy items. Yes
  • You can repair items. Yes
  • You can move items. No
  • You can combine or disaggregate items. No
  • You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. No
  • You can craft or customize equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) No
  • Inventory size is limited. Yes
Immersion
  • There is a place you can call home. No
  • You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. Yes
  • Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) No
  • There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) No
  • Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
  • Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ generally they don't randomly pop up) Yes
  • At least some encounters are random (➙ you don't always know what's coming.) Yes
  • Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) No
  • Items are thoroughly and interestingly described. Yes — Legendary items, at least.
  • Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) Yes
  • Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) No
  • The economy is balanced (➙ collecting money never becomes pointless.) Yes
  • There are realistic gameplay sound effects (➙ e.g. combat sounds) Yes
  • There are interesting and immersive background sound effects. Yes
Choice
  • You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) Yes
  • Some quests depend on each other. Yes
  • Some quests rule others out. Yes
  • Quests can be solved in more than one way. No
  • You can join factions, though not all at the same time. No
  • You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) Yes
Interdependence
  • (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes — Some NPCs talk only to certain races.
  • (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. No — Stats and abilities are purely combat oriented.
  • (Character) Different classes and alignments offer noticeably different experiences (➙ high replayability.) Yes
  • (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes — There are legendary items to be found and leveled up.
  • (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. Yes — You can recruit followers who provide passive bonuses.
  • (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. Yes
  • (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) Yes — Very limited interaction though.
Interactivity
  • Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) No
  • There is more than one game ending. No
  • You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. No
  • There are many side quests. Yes
  • State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. Yes
  • You can solve or create conflicts between factions. No
Immersion
  • Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, …) Yes
  • There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) No
  • NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) No
  • NPCs or party members interact with each other. No
  • NPCs have schedules. No
  • There are surprises and twists. No
  • The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) No
  • There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
  • There are memorable antagonists. No
  • Your main character is defined. No
  • The game features fitting music (➙ atmosphere is enhanced.) Yes
Units
  • Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
  • You can control at least six characters. No
  • Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
  • Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
  • Resource management is necessary. Yes
  • Units have multiple attack options. Yes
  • Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) Yes
  • Movement-focused special abilities are available. No
  • Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) Yes
Environment
  • Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. No
  • You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) No
  • Combat can start at variable distances. Yes
  • Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) No
  • Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) Yes
  • Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) No
  • There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) No
  • There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. No
  • There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) No
Scenarios
  • Combat can be avoided through dialogue. Yes — Rarely.
  • Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) No
  • Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". No
  • Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. Yes
  • Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. No
  • There are memorable bosses. Yes
Roleplay Focus: Character : Exploration : Story = 0.78 : 0.76 : 0.61
Gameplay Focus: Choice : Interactivity : Immersion = 0.77 : 0.78 : 0.61
Combat Focus: Units : Environment : Scenarios = 0.70 : 0.30 : 0.57


III. Fun Features


1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
  • FC1: Are there useless skills? No
  • FC2: How would you rate character progression? Balanced
  • FC3: Is there auto-leveling of some sort? No
  • FC4: Is the character advancement process satisfying and rewarding? Yes
  • FC5: Is the magic system (if included) well-balanced? 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.
  • FE1: Is Auto-Mapping available? Yes
  • FE2: Is Fast Travelling available? Yes
  • FE3: Are there quest markers? No
  • FE4: Is there a quest compass? No
  • FE5: How much realism is there? Balanced
  • FE6: How much looting is in the game? Some
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.
  • FS1: Does the story follow cliched paths? Yes
  • FS2: How linear is the game? Non-linear
  • FS3: How would you rate the suspense? Ok
  • FS4: Are there pre-selected options? (➙ Choice is reduced.) Yes
4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
  • FF1: How much fighting is in the game? Much
  • FF2: Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character? No
5. Interface

  • FX1: How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? Sometimes
  • FX2: How would you rate the game's interface? Intuitive
  • FX3: Is it easy to understand and evaluate how items compare to each other? (➙ e.g. which weapon does the most damage?) Yes
6. Difficulty

  • FD1: How difficult is the game? (➙ normal = challenging without being exasperating) Normal
  • FD2: Can difficulty be adjusted? Yes
  • FD3: How balanced is trading? Good
  • FD4: How much reloading is necessary to beat the game? Some
  • FD5: How good is the AI? Medium
  • FD6: How much handholding is there? Little
7. Gameplay Features

  • FG1: Are there Easter Eggs? Yes
  • FG2: Are there minigames? No
  • FG3: How is the overall pacing? (➙ good: game is not over too quickly, neither does it drag) Good
This fact sheet was created using CRPG Analyzer 1.01 Beta.
 
Joined
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Another 'What is an RPG' site:
RPG Evolution:

What is an RPG?

The exact definition of a Role Playing Game, or RPG, is argued by gamers.

In an article on RPG’s, Mathew Tschirgi said “An RPG is a game in which the player controls one or more player characters in order to complete an overall quest. The game is won by solving puzzles, interacting with Non-Player Characters (NPCs), and gaining experience points by defeating enemies in turn-based or real-time combat to increase their characters' various statistics (Strength, Stamina, Agility, Intelligence, and so on.)”

While this is a good working definition, there are a few elements found in Most RPG’s.

Story line – the player controls a character or group of characters through a story. Story line is typically much more important in single player game and table top games. In MMORPGs and Muds a storyline will normally exist, but it is secondary to other game aspects.

The Final Fantasy and Chrono Cross series are known for their complex and enthralling story lines. In particular Final Fantasy VII’s story line was so powerfull that it is known to make players cry during some of the more emotional parts.

Story line control – The player is able to choose where the characters go and what they do. The amount of control varies from game to game, from small choices of which way they want to go in a maze or where to go in a town, to large choices in which a character has the ability to move through an entire world. In most RPGs, the player will eventually have a large amount of control in where they visit.

MMORPGs and Muds are known for their complex worlds. In the MMORPG World of Warcraft the players have an entire world to explore, quest and kill each other in. The world is so large that two players could play the game for months without entering the same areas.

Changing story line – through the course of the game the players choices of action affect the world. In some games this shows as different endings, different actions cause different endings. In other games this becomes an integral part of the game with the character choosing between good, evil and more.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) forces it’s characters to choose between the light and dark sides. Not only must they choose, but depending on how evil or good the character is causes not only different endings, but also affects how the other characters in the games treat the player’s characters. Characters that were somewhat light are given an accommodation by the Jedi Counsel, characters that were extremely dark take over the universe and rule it with an iron fist. I liked playing the dark side character.

Character creation – the player creates each character from scratch, choosing it’s name, race, class, appearance, skills and abilities. This doesn’t show up as much in RPG’s with detailed story lines but is very important in Muds and MMORPGs. Depending on the RPG, these choices might differ in the change on game play. Typically Racial and class choices cause the biggest differences, and in many the Race changes what classes are available.

In most Muds, which were only text based, the characters appearance was up to the player. The player was responsible for writing up the characters description. The more creative the player, the more impressive the characters appearance would be.

In World of Warcraft, the player is asked to choose between Human, Night Elf, Dwarf, Gnome, Orc, Undead, Tauren and Troll. The player picks between male and female. The player also chooses what class his character will be; Hunter, Warrior, Shaman, Priest, Mage, Paladin, Druid or Warlock. Finally the player is shown a base character model and then asked to change the way it looks. The player is given options for hair style, hair colors, facial features and more.

Character advancement – the characters in the game become more powerful and gain new abilities as the game moves on. Most RPG’s have a leveling system where characters gain experience for completing quests and killing enemies. Typically the characters advancement and abilities are in some way controlled by the player. Players might have total control, giving them the ability to completely create each character as they wish, or partial control, giving the player a small group of options on how to advance the character.

In final fantasy X all the characters start off with set abilities. Tidus specializes in speedy, but less damaging attacks, Lulu is a black mage casting damaging spells on enemies and Yuna is a white mage casting healing spells. As the game progresses though, the player gets the option to choose what skills the characters gain. By the end of the game Tidus can still be a speedy fighter, but he will be able to heal a bit, Lulu could be a powerful fighter who has a few dark magic spells and Yuna could be completely specialized in healing.
 
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Elex

Let's do the CRPG Analyzer checklist for ELEX:

I. The Checklist:

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

  • Must Have
    C1: you can control and role-play one (=Avatar) or more (=Party) unique characters (-> not only uniform units) - yes
    C2: you can progressively develop your characters' stats and/or abilities (-> e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) - yes
    C3: Checks against character stats and/or character abilities/skills are necessary to make progress and finish the game - yes
    C4: you can equip and enhance your characters with items you acquire - yes
  • Should Have
    C5: you can create your characters - no
    C6: the player needs preplanning for the development of the character(s) - yes
    C7: the primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges is the tactical use of character/party skills/abilities (-> the player's physical coordination skills are secondary) - a weak yes (some minor player coordination is needed)

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.

  • Must Have
    E1: your character(s) can interact with the gameworld and find new locations by exploring. - yes
    E2: your character(s) can find items that can be collected in an inventory (-> there have to be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition and consumable stat boosters.) - yes
    E3: your character(s) can find information sources (-> e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) - yes
  • Should Have
    E4: there are NPCs in the game - yes
    E5: you can choose a path (-> there is at least some branching) - yes (you can join one of 3 factions)
    E6: your character(s) can manipulate the game world in some way (-> e.g. pull levers, push buttons, open chests, …) - yes
    E7: the gameworld can affect your character(s) (-> e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …) - yes
    E8: there are initially inaccessible areas in the gameworld that can only be reached by enhancing your characters' abilities, solving quests or puzzles (-> e.g. unlock locked areas, overcome obstacles, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …) - yes

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

  • Must Have
    S1: your character(s) can get information from information sources (-> e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) - yes
    S2: your character(s) can follow quests (-> there is at least one main quest) - yes
    S3: your character(s) can progress through connected events and play their role - yes
  • Should Have
    S4: the story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats/abilities/skills. - yes
    S5: your character(s) can interact with information sources (-> e.g. NPC conversation, riddle statue question, …) - yes
    S6: your character(s) can make choices in those interactions - yes
    S7: at least some of these choices have consequences - yes
    S8: advancing in the story requires thinking of the player (-> e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …) - yes
Combat
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds with elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

  • Should Have
    F1: Combat efficiency is in some way tied to character stats or abilities (-> e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …) - yes (bigger stats allows you to carry better weapons, special skills give combat advantages)
    F2: Combat works with some random elements (game internal dice rolls) - maybe
    F3: Combat should provide some challenge (-> e.g. preparing, use of tactics or environment possible) - yes

The CRPG Analyzer checklist shows that ELEX is very strong in the categories Exploration, Story and Combat and nearly complete in the category Character Development.
The only thing missing is the possibility to create a character from scratch. You play a predefined character, but you can build him to your tastes through the game.

ELEX is a true RPG!
 
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