I've wanted Resonance of Fate for a while now, but just never got around to getting it.
On another note, I'm thinking about getting Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. I already know about the ending, so I don't know if it's worth picking up now.
I love RPG's, but I also love action adventure games. Anyone care to help me? ^_^
^_^ Now now, no need to be argumentative, it's Christmas! While your confusion is understandable, given mainstream perception, I should note that what you said (referring to what I described) is the most widely accepted *defining* element of an RPG though, is the thing: user-controllable, experience-based growth. The user has the option to level grind, and smashing enemies repeatedly will always lead to level-ups at interval. This is what separates RPGs like Yakuza and Demon's Souls from action/adventure titles like Zelda.
Honestly, what makes it a brawler other than the fact that the fighting is done in real time? Those fights have RPGlike specials and events, and they always result in gaining EXP as well as items and money.
If you'd like other RPG "elements" from Yakuza, there's also: -Wandering around town(s) looking for quests, items, and NPCs. -Combat engine separate from the regular gameplay engine. -As mentioned above, fights have RPGlike specials and events, and... -they always result in gaining EXP as well as items and money. -You can choose to hang out and level grind almost any time you want, an RPG signature. -You can obtain weapon and armor upgrades, as well as consumable items. -Overhanging serious story (not important to me, but a lot of people list this as important to an RPG).
While there are exceptions to some of these within RPGs, experience-based combat is the biggie. Additionally, some action games have one or a few of those which are not necessarily RPGs (like Metal Gear). In Zelda, Link can hack up as many Stalfos as he wants, but he doesn't get stronger by doing so; he never will. In Yakuza, just like Dragon Quest, fighting enemies over and over will gradually make you stronger.
In Metal Gear Solid, you often get stronger after boss fights, but that's story-based progression; the user doesn't have any control over that. So it's not an RPG.
I think really, the mainstream writes of Yakuza and doesn't realize it's an RPG because it's set in modern times and has a more realistic, adult theme. If you give Kazuma blue hair and put it in Camelot instead of Tokyo, and replace street thugs with dragons...would you still say it's not an RPG?
Running around town...picking up side quests...progressing a story at will...taking breaks to level up and find better equipment...hoping to gain more HP before going into the next story battle.... Sounds like an RPG all over. That's probably why all 3 of the main RPG-specific websites (RPGFan, RPGLand, RPGamer)cover the series.
Related to the main topic: I got my brother Fallout 3 for Christmas. He'd never heard of the series and he's loving it so far :D
Yeah perhaps since a couple others were combined (such as the 2 Ys games being combined into 1 entry) the list could cheat a bit and combinethe two MMOs into 1, leaving a space for Demon's Souls. Aw well. It's hard to fit every great game onto any single list, it seems.
I'd also like to mention Cladun for PSP. Great for a longtime gamer who enjoys dungeon crawlers with deep customization.
I've wanted Resonance of Fate for a while now, but just never got around to getting it.
On another note, I'm thinking about getting Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. I already know about the ending, so I don't know if it's worth picking up now.
I love RPG's, but I also love action adventure games. Anyone care to help me? ^_^
Yakuza is not an RPG.
No Valkyria Chronicles?!
Demons freakin Souls. WTF!