RPG elements in "action" games?

[Solitudinarian]

Does the inclusion of RGP elements (i.e. 'experience' points for upgrades and character attributes) into "action" games add to or detract from the playability of these games? For example, The Godfather, a GTA clone, uses respect points to allow the player to build up certain features of the playable character as well as earned money to buy weapons upgrades and the like, while the original GTAs just use straight-up violence to propel the gameplay without the tedium of "minding the store", so to speak, and arguments abound about which of these games is the stronger. Enlighten me, please.

 

[spudlyff8fan]

I'm thinking more like Otogi. Full-blown level ups and experience points. But it can, yes, just like in any other RPG. If you NEED to be X level to advance, it detracts from the gameplay. That's one of the reasons I never finish old school FFs.

 

[Darth_Jonas]

I like the level-up aspect, but I think it should almost always be a side item. Some games that maybe make you get to a certain lower level before earning an ability, skill, weapon, etc. are understandable especially if the hero started out as a lowly scrub and not a friggin' Navy SEAL. I love it when I can just play through and be done with the story, and then go back and figure out how to get uber powerful and destroy all enemies.

You see, it doesn't make any sense for the Master Chief to level up except maybe to use money to buy guns or vehicles, but in a game like Godfather it makes sense.

 

[scoops]

Kingdom Hearts is a good example of the marriage of the Action game and the RPG. I think it works fairly well.

 

[scribe999]

Well, in action games you can work in two different ways.

There's the whole leveling up, classic treadmill, like in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.

Or, the RPG elements can just be there to customize the way you'd like to play with additional skills that may not necessarily be important for moving forward through the game, but allows you to change up some things for your own unique tastes.

Depends on the game, but I do like customization features for the most part.