Why do you play RPG's?

[zombies]

Once one of the most popular genres on the market, RPGs have seemed to see a steady decline since their peak during the 32-bit era. Thanks to Final Fantasy VII, which shook up the industry and changed the idea of what an RPG (and most games) should be, RPGs exploded on the PSOne and markets outside of Japan were finally lucky to see many of the gems that we had previously been deprived.

Final Fantasy VII was my first RPG and I know I'm not alone in that assessment. And I admit being wowed by the scope of the game. The characters, the epic story, the graphics, the emotional cutscenes. It was like nothing I'd previously experienced. And it made me interested to play MORE games in this once foreign genre. I'd pick up almost anything else that came along... FFVIII and IX, Lunar, Grandia, Valkyrie Profile, Chrono Cross, etc (you get the point). I also got to play some of the greats from the past like the sublime Chrono Trigger and FFIV-VI.

But then I became supremely bored by the genre. Was it overload? Was it that most games on the market became FFVII clones? Was it that Square seemed to lose their sparkle and became the "Final Fantasy" company? Or that most RPGs seemed to jump into a different direction than the games that I loved? Maybe a combination of all of them.

Yet on this board, RPGs seem to continue their long-standing popularity and I'm kind of curious as to what makes this so. Why do you guys play RPGs? I've found the genre can usually be defined by a few major things.

Gameplay
We all know the basics of an RPG at this point. Travel around the world to different towns and visit dungeons/castles/caves/etc. to continue the story. While doing so, you level up your characters by fighting monsters through some sort of combat system. Some games are enthralling, some are tedious. Some are straightforward and linear, while others have you solve puzzles and have you try to think about what to do next. When I first played FFVII, this was the least important aspect of the game to me. I wanted to get to the next point and continue the story, combat was a chore.

But then I played more games. Chrono Trigger's combat was fun, its battle system was a great part of the game. FFV, one of my favorites in the series, was great BECAUSE of its battle system. The story is flimsy, but the job system is fantastic. I find myself wanting to fight to improve my characters.

Setting
Do you prefer futuristic games or games with a more medieval flavor? How about a mix of the two? This has been one of my biggest problems with the FF series. The series has taken a decidedly more futuristic approach and has turned me off big time. I'm looking forward to the Dragon Quest DS games for just this reason. The settings and worlds look fanastic.

Characters
In my opinion, one of the most imporant aspects of an RPG. If you don't care about your characters, how could you possibly care about the game? Since FFVII, most main characters have followed the Cloud emo approach. And some casts just make me almost laugh (or cry), I particularly hated FFVIII's and FFX's group of misfits. Then there are the likes of Chrono Trigger, Lunar, FFIV and VI (and I'm particularly partial to the cast of FFIX myself.)

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[thebrassthief]

I play an RPG because most of the time I play eastern RPG's. JRPG's follow a format that hasn't been broken for years. You pick up the new Dragon Quest game it's the same kind of gameplay as Dragon Quest I. Eastern RPG's provide a different style. Mass Effect has real time combat akin to Gears of War and Halo, but it still retained it's status as an RPG. Neverwinter Nights is a real time adaptation of D&D and it worked amazingly well.

I can't say I've ever played an RPG for the story or characters. That's something I tend get used to as I play.

[Kyatto]

I play so i can be whatever i want to be.....
Not to be in real life, to steal and murder without a conscience.
To do things i am not afraid of, to develop a character which...

agh.. you know!

[Pieman]

the leveling, the items, the gosu armour and enchanted weapons that.........

yes, i play for the experience

oh, and kiddies, don't feed the wildlife

[Xionicist]

I play RPGs because they are often more free-form than shooters. I can get away with being less precise, without automatically getting killed for it. I can also be as utterly methodical as I want, again without getting killed for it. RPGs tend to have more extensively-constructed worlds for me to explore, and I can relax a bit more when playing them. Shooters and racing games tend to make me tense in comparison. And while I enjoy puzzle games, they can actually feel a bit brainless to me, whereas I find that RPGs stimulate just the right amount of thought.

[Kyatto]

choice...
the answer is choice.

In shooters and racing games you don't have a choice.
Winning is the only option.
RPG's give choice.

[Sovereign002]

RPG's let you live a different life, in a different environment (unless they start releasing "Your neighbourhood RPG's"...knowing the industry they probably will within the next ten years ) and in a different time.
RPG's allow you to be someone else for a while, which is what makes it so nice. You can be whatever class you want to be, and usually do whatever you want to do. Killing bad guys, being a bad guy yourself, roaming around, trading goods, etc. And that's what makes an RPG so great.

[Sean]

Well, actually after the success of a few games on the NES RPG's becames mainly popular on the SNES and continued from their Your scope is correct they have been getting worse. The best ones were on SNES, followed by ps1 then ps2 and they have been (For the most part) getting worse.

Ohh, and as to why they are still just as popular; That is because if you played a good one it has replay value. Some people will claim a certain game is the best possible and play it repetatively for years w/out giving other games a fair chance.
Basically, if you liked a game then you will probably still like it.

[Steve]

I found that if I could care about a game as much as FF7 then most RPG's would be the same.

[Estacado]

Not only RPG's but games with RPG elements that branch off into many different genres as well. The fallout series, the third title was an RPG, but with horror, first person elements built in. Makes it feel more personal. FF mainly.