What Is A CRPG? It's Complicated.

Explaining the loose and often arbitrary nature of the genre.

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#CRPG

[daniel.holbrook]

I always assumed that 'computer' was used to imply an adaptation (whether faithful or loose) of a ttrpg ruleset/'feel' rather than serving to distinguish from console rpgs

[undeadcommunist]

I loved the background footage when you're killing the void dragon with a chest, so relatable. :)

[trblemayker]

Dragon Age Origins was my first crpg and still my favorite.

[conradsmith]

I got introduced to CRPGs with Baldurs Gate 3.

[skiparsenal]

For me CRPG in a modern sense, are generally the RPG's that play/build on the tropes/features of the RPG's that were traditionally labeled as CRPG's during the time that it meant "computer RPG's" (like Baldur's Gate, original Fallout, etc.). Generally isometric view, generally choice-driven narrative, typically has a party-based set of protagonist/s with companion/s, and typically a deeper character building system relative to the zeitgeist. Also if the game's style of play is described either "real time with pause" or "turn-based" in that dichotomy, that's typically something unique to the genre (unlike real time strategy vs turn-based strategy, there is no "real time with pause strategy")

[Flamberion]

In my opinion, your description and criteria of cRPG fits the description of RPGs in general. What adds the "c" in cRPG is the party based concept where you embark on your adventures with companions, whether they are pre-generated or join at some point. That probably still doesn't narrow it down enough though- maybe add a top down camera view ala isometric style (or something else).

[AeonQuasar]

Diablo = aRPG (action)
Baldurs Gate = cRPG (computer/classic/old school)
Tales of Symphonia = jRPG (japaneese/anime style)
Fire Emblem = tRPG (tactical)
Skyrim = RPG (no particular direction)

And then you have games with concepts from multiple styles making them hard to pinpoint. Like Pokemon are a jRPG, but also a tRPG. Divinity Orginal Sin is a cRPG but also a tRPG.
In the end it does not matter what's the correct term is, it's just for quick figuring out your style. As I personally hate the aRPG style and no particulary love for the jRPG style, but I do love cRPG and tRPG. Easy for me to find new games I will enjoy.

[Nstrapapas]

We should just go the MetroidVania route and start calling them FallGate-likes. Especially since everyone wants to be a "spiritual successor" these days.

[youngimperialistmkii]

Seeing that DOS1 footage reminded me that I never finished that game. Gonna try to pick it up again.

[painfullyaware]

Never mind defining CRPG, people often can't even agree on what makes an RPG. That said, I pretty much agree with your criteria. I think something about action should be added to the definition, though, but I don't know how to phrase it. My point is that, in the classic days, PCs weren't capable of rendering fast action. That was the defining characteristic of console games, whose limitation was in providing depth in games. So, classic RPGs were relatively slow and methodical, even when they had real time combat. Just a thought.

[Hrafnskald]

Thank you for sharing your perspective on this. I grew up a little earlier, in the original RPG gaming era of Ultima 1-4, Moria and Roguelikes, Exile/Avernum, back when RPGs were really only found on old Dos PCs and early Macs. It's interesting how the SNES and similar consoles allowed RPGs to migrate to consoles. If you get a chance, Avernum (the indy second remake of the Exile series) is a very old, still good isometric cRPG with some interesting story decisions. Original came out in 1995, the updated trilogy (2nd time 1-3) wrapped up a few years ago.

[SpawnOfOden]

Anybody else notice him using the "throwing the chest full of weight" trick in Divinity: OS on that Void Dragon? Learned about that from the Spiffing Brit and noticed Mort doing like over 3k damage per throw with the chest lmao

[TheBlueDeath]

CRPG is a big-brain game that both enrages and enthralls its players

[qwerther]

Currently going through pillars of eternity 2 ultimate edition. I’m still not sold on the story, but at least now I can see the forest for the trees. It’s a hard game to understand going into it blind. It sometimes has a ‘pick your own adventure’ feel to it, which is growing on me.

[andrewstencel]

To me, the C still stands for "computer", as in a way to say that game is more or less a translation of a tabletop experience, but as a program running on that machine. Which already follows a different formula from jrpg and arpg

[ihor]

I have tried Spellforce 3 reforсed campaign and I was really shocked! I was not expected to find so good "CRPG"-like game which is hiding behind that RTS. Not so much time ago I had finished Greedfall and I want to say that Spellforce 3 campaign is far more great for me as RPG. The main story is interesting, almost each of your companions has his deep own story. More to say, as in many of RPGs in Spellforce 3 you have 8 companions 3 of which you may take as followers. Also youll get your "base" where you may talk with them, have simple artifact craft, sell\buy items. Each of characters has 3 skill tree (+1 affinity skill which you may also unlock) and attributes. I was really surprised! So I recommend you also to try it if youll have a chance.

[KarlWinterling]

The main RPGs on computers in the 80s were games like the Ultima series (top-down), games like the Wizardry series (first-person perspective), and games like Rogue (roguelikes). In 1986, Enix released Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior on the NES), the first JRPG, which simplified elements of Wizardry and Ultima so that it would work better on the Famicom. By 2000, CRPGs were games like Baldur's Gate while JRPGs were more movie-like games like Final Fantasy VII that worked well on consoles. Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect were *technically* CRPGs when they were released but worked well on consoles and were more cinematic, so the definition of CRPG was revised to specifically mean games like Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale.

[noukan]

After years trying to hopelessly define that, i came to the conclusion that the RPG genre is simply anything that is called an RPG and feel like an RPG. Any definition either include stuff that most people would never call an RPG, or exclude some things that are undeniably RPG. The same is largely true for many subgenres as well.
It's very much a "if you seen one you recognize it as one" situation.

[jmckey]

Thanks for this, with the term being thrown around all the time now with the discussion of Baldur’s Gate 3, I needed some clarity on the history of the term.

[Gregorovitch]

My definition of a cRPG is that it follows certain norms a table top PnP RPG. Specifically a) it (almost always) involves a party of companions, a team, fully controlled by the player as well as your MC and b) combat and other actions are resolved via character stats plus RNG dice rolls and not the player's physical dexterity with the game controls. This differentiates cRPG from aRPG (or action RPG) such as Witcher 3 where hits etc are determined by the player's physical skill with the combat controls. For me cRPG = party + dice rolls and this is the clear defining difference between cRPGs like Pathfinder WotR and DOS2 and aRPGs like Witcher 3 and Skyrim.