Top 5 Ingredients For The Ultimate Action RPG: Which essentials would make the perfect game?

OXCGN:

"The Action/Adventure RPG allows gamers to experience various game worlds, richly detailed, full of life and character.

They cater to the players’ game styles, allowing them to create a unique character or choose specific abilities with which to play through the game. The Action/Adventure RPG grants the player a sense of representation in the unique game world.

The following are 5 essentials that I believe the Ultimate Action/Adventure RPG must have, along with an example of a game that goes about it the right way."

[Proeliator]

This list is spot on.

If only developers would take things like this seriously...

[gaminoz]

You'd think ONE game would combine all those elements. Can anyone think of one that has all that right?

[DeusExer]

Skyrim comes close to fulfilling all these.

Obviously you can go where you want, although the narrative is more focussed on lore than a story driving the player. The player is slapped into a historic world.

There is no real morality system in placed, but your actions in game allow for both "good" and "bad" choices.

One can also overcome enemies/obstacles in various ways depending on their specific character, be it Warrior, Archer, Mage, etc.

[blitz0623]

Skyrim fulfills 1,3,5. There's no moral ambiguity but the game employs a good enough system that allows your actions to influence the world.

The story on the other hand... just plain terrible

[R_aVe_N]

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning would come pretty close to filling that list. IMO very underrated game.

[BadCircuit]

I find the whole micro management of stats annoying. I like the method Elder Scrolls uses where it upgrades by use in the game.

[GREW50ME]

These are RPG elements... if its an action RPG it also needs visceral action in it... key word being visceral IMO...

[setokaiba]

Nonsense list

FF 13 and lost oddessy arent action rpgs

Not only that lost oddessy is better than every game on that list

[SageHonor]

Pretty good list

[amaguli]

Good list, but I don't get why FF and Lost Odyssey were mentioned.

To keep with the theme of WRPGs that the author had going, for bad story I would say Skyrim due to the fact that it has a bare bones story.

I am stumped at the moment for lack of player choice when it comes to WRPGs though, in my opinion WRPGs are pretty good with giving the player different ways to play.

[pandehz]

I disagree with lists like this.

There is no formula to success

[Rupee]

Of course there is...

[Tuxedo_Mask]

The best action RPG I've played this gen is Tales of Graces F. Sure, it has no moral ambiguity and you can't go anywhere you want, but it has a great story, great combat mechanic, and it brings back memories of the glory days of RPGs while still being fresh and new.

[goldwyncq]

While it's not an action RPG...I feel that the Infamous series could greatly benefit from the 4th advice.

[goldwyncq]

Oh, and he completely ignored the more important aspects of RPG's like challenging boss battles, awesome music, and relatable characters.

[Eske]

Solid points about morality systems. I'm always bugged when a morality system doles out rewards based upon how far you go towards one side. If they do that, then where's the incentive to consider each action individually? You may as well just ask me whether I want to be good or evil at the start, and build the game from there.

Mass Effect and Infamous got that really wrong.

[DivineAssault]

great formula for a western rpg.. i havent played a good eastern one in a very long time.. i think tales of vesperia was the last good one i got to play.. i think bioware is the only company capable of delivering a rpg like the article is asking for.. get a good team custom built from them & cd project red & theres a AAA heavy hitter.. & i dont care what anyone says, when theres some fine ass chicks on your squad & u can bone em (exposing the perfect tits that dont exist on real women) it makes the game alot better.. Not too much tho.. make it tasteful