RPGs

[This post isn't very well written.  While some of it is basic enough for the laymen to understand, other use terms that are so complex, that anyone who understands them would already know everything explained in this post.  Oh well...]


The RPG (role-playing game) is a genre of videogame.  The name itself is kind of silly, as one plays a role in every game one plays.  But despite its broad name, the RPG has some specific identifying qualities.  The most basic of which is in-game characters whose abilities are represented as stats (statistics) and whose overall strength is represented by a level.  These characters increase their stats by gaining a certain amount of a form of experience points, causing their level to increase.

While most RPGs share a basic concept, they can also be divided into two overall categories: JRPGs and WRPGs.


The "J" in JRPG stands for Japanese.  These are the traditional sort of RPG, including such game series as Final Fantasy and Pokemon.  JRPG tend to include a turn based battle system.  Their stories usually focus on a underdog saving the world from a demonic evil.  They tend to be more strategically oriented and set in magical fantasy worlds.


W(western)RPGs, on the other hand, tend to be a bit more down to earth.  They tend to focus on more realistic settings, and are more action oriented.  Such games include the Elder Scroll series and Dragon Age: Origins.