Role-Playing Games vs. RPG: What’s the Difference?

Games vs RPG? If you’ve ever been involved in gaming, you’ve probably come across the terms Role-Playing Games and RPGs. At first glance, they might seem like the same thing—and in many ways, they are. But depending on the context, these terms can have slightly different meanings. In this blog tutorial, we’ll take a deep dive into the meaning of both terms, how they overlap, and where they differ. Whether you’re new to gaming or a seasoned player, understanding these concepts will help you better navigate the gaming world.

What are Role-Playing Games (RPGs)?

Role-Playing Games are a genre of games where players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. These games can be played either through imagination, like traditional tabletop RPGs, or in a virtual setting, like video games. The key idea is that you “role-play” a character, guiding them through various adventures, challenges, and stories.

Key Features of Role-Playing Games:

1. Character Creation: You typically start by creating a unique character. This character could be a warrior, mage, or any other type, depending on the game’s world. You decide how they look, what their strengths are, and how they interact with the world.
2. Storytelling: The backbone of role-playing games is the story. The narrative could be as simple as rescuing a village from monsters or as complex as unraveling a political conspiracy. These stories can adapt based on your choices and actions.
3. Character Progression: As you play, your character grows stronger. This is known as leveling up. You earn experience points (XP) through battles, solving puzzles, or completing quests, and you use those points to increase your character’s skills and abilities.
4. Player Choices: Many RPGs give players the freedom to make decisions. For example, you might decide whether to help a villager or ignore them, which could affect future parts of the game. These choices lead to different story outcomes, giving the game a personal feel.
5. Exploration: RPGs often take place in large, open worlds that invite you to explore. You can discover hidden treasures, interact with non-player characters (NPCs), and uncover mysteries by wandering through forests, cities, or dungeons.

Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs)

When most people first hear the term Role-Playing Games, they often think of tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs). These are games like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), which are played with a group of people sitting around a table, often with paper, pencils, and dice.

In a tabletop RPG, one player is usually the Dungeon Master (DM) or Game Master (GM), who acts as the storyteller and referee. The other players take on the roles of characters in the story, describing their actions and making decisions. The game unfolds based on the players’ choices, the roll of dice, and the DM’s storytelling. Unlike video games, tabletop RPGs rely heavily on imagination and social interaction.

Key Features of Tabletop RPGs:

• Imagination-Driven: The players use their imagination to visualize the setting, characters, and events. The DM describes the world, and players narrate what their characters do.
• Collaborative Play: These games are often cooperative, where players work together to solve problems, defeat enemies, and complete the adventure.
• Dice Mechanics: Dice rolls are used to determine the outcomes of actions. For example, a dice roll might determine whether your character successfully sneaks past a guard or misses an attack.

Tabletop RPGs have been around since the 1970s and are still extremely popular. They offer a highly customizable experience where the only limit is your imagination.

What are RPGs (Role-Playing Video Games)?

While Role-Playing Games (RPGs) refer broadly to games where you play a character, when most gamers use the term RPG, they are often talking about video games that fall into this genre. These RPG video games have taken the core elements of traditional tabletop RPGs—like character progression and storytelling—and adapted them into a digital format.

Evolution of RPGs in Video Games:

In the early days of gaming, RPGs were text-based adventures where players typed commands to move through the story. As technology advanced, games evolved to include detailed graphics, complex storylines, and immersive worlds. Some famous examples of RPG video games include:

• Final Fantasy series
• The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• Dragon Age series

These games allow players to explore huge, open worlds, interact with characters, complete quests, and develop their characters through combat and other activities.

Sub-genres of RPGs in Video Games

RPGs have evolved into various sub-genres that offer different gameplay experiences. Here are the most common ones:

1. Action RPGs: In action RPGs, combat happens in real-time. You control your character directly, fighting enemies using a mix of fast reflexes and strategy. Examples include Dark Souls and Diablo. These games blend action elements with traditional role-playing features like leveling up and skill trees.
2. Turn-Based RPGs: In these games, combat is turn-based, meaning you and your opponents take turns to make moves. You decide your actions—such as attacking, defending, or using magic—and wait for the outcome. Examples include the Pokémon series and the early Final Fantasy games.
3. MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs): These games are played online with thousands of other players in a shared world. You create a character, team up with other players, and go on quests together. World of Warcraft and Guild Wars are popular MMORPGs.
4. Tactical RPGs: These games combine role-playing with strategy. Combat takes place on a grid, and players must carefully position their characters and think several steps ahead. Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics are well-known tactical RPGs.
5. Sandbox RPGs: In sandbox RPGs, players have almost total freedom to explore the game world and shape the story. These games are less structured and encourage creativity and player-driven storytelling. Minecraft in its RPG mode is a good example of this.

Differences Between Traditional Role-Playing Games and RPG Video Games

Now that we’ve covered both tabletop role-playing games and video game RPGs, let’s dive into the key differences between the two.

Aspect	Tabletop Role-Playing Games	Video Game RPGs
Gameplay Style	Imagination-driven, uses storytelling and dice	Visual and interactive, uses graphics and systems
Freedom	High; players can do almost anything	Limited by game’s code and design
Interaction	Social and cooperative with other players	Often single-player or limited multiplayer
Storytelling	Collaborative, flexible story driven by players	Pre-written story with multiple paths
Character Creation	Highly customizable and personal	Customizable but limited by game’s options

Which Type of RPG Should You Play?

Both tabletop RPGs and video game RPGs offer immersive experiences, but the one you should play depends on your preferences.

• If you enjoy social interaction, creativity, and using your imagination, you might prefer tabletop role-playing games. These games allow for a lot of freedom and rely heavily on player creativity.
• If you enjoy visuals, a more structured experience, and controlling a character in real-time, video game RPGs are probably a better fit. These games come with detailed graphics, pre-written stories, and lots of action.

1. What is the difference between RPG and roleplay games?

• RPG stands for Role-Playing Game, a genre of games where players assume the roles of characters in a fictional world, often with story progression, character development, and decision-making.
• Roleplay games typically refer to games where players act out roles, often more focused on social interaction, improvisation, and creating narratives. RPGs are structured with rules and mechanics, while roleplay games may not always be formalized games.

2. What is the difference between RPG and action role-playing?

• RPGs focus heavily on storytelling, character development, and turn-based or tactical combat.
• Action RPGs (ARPGs) blend traditional RPG elements with real-time combat, where players directly control their character’s movements and attacks, requiring more reflexes and skill.

3. Why are RPGs called role-playing games?

• RPGs are called role-playing games because players take on the “roles” of characters in the game, making decisions, performing actions, and progressing through stories as if they were that character. The core mechanic is immersing oneself into the character’s life and choices.

4. What are the four types of role-playing games?

The four main types of RPGs are:

1. Tabletop RPGs (e.g., Dungeons & Dragons)
2. Action RPGs (e.g., Dark Souls)
3. MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, e.g., World of Warcraft)
4. Tactical RPGs (e.g., Fire Emblem)

5. Is GTA V an RPG?

• No, GTA V (Grand Theft Auto V) is not typically considered an RPG. It is primarily an open-world action-adventure game. While players can role-play and engage in character-driven missions, it lacks the deep character progression and decision-making mechanics typical of RPGs.

6. What are the three types of roleplay?

The three common types of roleplay are:

1. Live-Action Role-Playing (LARP): Physical reenactment of characters’ actions.
2. Tabletop Role-Playing Games: Involves character creation and storytelling, typically using dice and rules (e.g., Dungeons & Dragons).
3. Video Game Role-Playing: Interactive electronic games where players control characters in a virtual world.

7. What does ARPG stand for?

• ARPG stands for Action Role-Playing Game, which is a sub-genre of RPGs focusing on real-time action and direct player control over character movements and combat.

8. What are the three RPG roles?

The three common RPG roles include:

1. Tank: Absorbs damage and protects other characters.
2. Damage Dealer (DPS): Focuses on dealing the most damage to enemies.
3. Support (Healer): Assists by healing or providing buffs to teammates.

9. What does CRPG mean?

• CRPG stands for Computer Role-Playing Game, a subgenre of RPGs designed to be played on computers. These often have detailed worlds, complex narratives, and tactical combat (e.g., Baldur’s Gate).

10. Is Call of Duty an RPG?

• No, Call of Duty is a first-person shooter (FPS), not an RPG. While it has multiplayer progression systems, it lacks the deep story-driven character development and role-playing elements central to RPGs.

11. What are examples of role play?

• Examples of role play include:

1. Tabletop RPGs: Games like Dungeons & Dragons where players act as fictional characters.
2. LARPing: Participants physically act out roles in costumes.
3. Video Game Role Play: Players take on characters in games like The Witcher 3.

12. What does JRPG stand for?

• JRPG stands for Japanese Role-Playing Game, a subgenre of RPGs developed in Japan, known for turn-based combat, stylized characters, and linear storytelling (e.g., Final Fantasy).

Conclusion Games vs RPG

In summary, Role-Playing Games (RPGs) come in many forms, from the imaginative world of tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons to the visually immersive experience of video game RPGs like The Witcher 3. Whether you prefer the freedom of tabletop role-playing or the structure of video games, both offer exciting adventures where you get to play a character, make decisions, and shape a story.