action role-playing game#Role-playing shooter

Action role-playing games emphasize real-time combat where the player has direct control over the characters as opposed to turn or menu-based combat while still having a focus on character's stats in order to determine relative strength and abilities. These games often use action game combat systems similar to hack and slash or shooter games. The term "action role-playing game" may also describe action-adventure games, which include a mission system and role-playing game mechanics, as well as MMORPGs with real-time combat systems.

{{see also|Hack and slash}}

Several games prior to 1984 are considered precursors to the action RPG genre. Allgame cited Temple of Apshai (1979){{cite web|url=https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=38020|title=Temple of Apshai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101010101/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=38020|archive-date=2014-01-01|url-status=dead|website=AllGame}} and its sequel Gateway to Apshai (1983),{{cite web|url=https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=3621|title=Gateway to Apshai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101010101/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=3621|archive-date=2014-01-01|url-status=dead|website=AllGame}} Beneath the Pyramids for the Apple II (1980),{{cite web|url=https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=48168|title=Beneath the Pyramids|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101010101/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=48168|archive-date=2014-01-01|url-status=dead|website=AllGame}} Bokosuka Wars (1983),{{cite web|url=https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14762|title=Bokosuka Wars|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101010101/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14762|archive-date=2014-01-01|url-status=dead|website=AllGame}} and Sword of Fargoal (1983).{{cite web|url=https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=29146|title=Sword of Fargoal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101010101/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=29146|archive-date=2014-01-01|url-status=dead|website=AllGame}} Jeremy Parish of USgamer cited Adventure (1980).{{cite web |title=Montezuma's Revenge, an Atari Quest to Make Adventure Proud |author=Jeremy Parish |website=USGamer |year=2014 |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/montezumas-revenge-an-adventure-to-make-adventure-proud |access-date=October 18, 2017 |quote=By borrowing from Atari's action RPG, Utopia created a platformer classic. |archive-date=July 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729162836/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/montezumas-revenge-an-adventure-to-make-adventure-proud |url-status=dead }} Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton cited the Intellivision games Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1982) and Treasure of Tarmin (1983).{{cite web|title=A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision |last1=Barton|first1=Matt|last2=Loguidice|first2=Bill |website=Gamasutra |year=2008 |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/a-history-of-gaming-platforms-mattel-intellivision |access-date=October 18, 2017 |quote=Mattel's lineup included the classic action role-playing games Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cartridge (1982) and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Treasure of Tarmin Cartridge (1983).}} Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade notes that Adventure lacked RPG mechanics such as experience points and permanent character growth, and argues that Gateway to Apshai is "the earliest game I'd feel comfortable calling an action-RPG" but notes that "it doesn't fit neatly into our modern genre classifications", though came closer than Bokosuka Wars released the same year.{{cite web|last1=Musgrave|first1=Shaun|title=RPG Reload Glossary: The Origins of Action-RPGs|url=http://toucharcade.com/2017/07/13/rpg-reload-glossary-the-origins-of-action-rpgs/|website=TouchArcade|date=July 13, 2017}}

According to Jeremy Parish of 1UP, the action role-playing game genre was established by several Japanese developers in 1984, combining the role-playing genre with arcade{{nbh}}style action and action-adventure elements.{{cite web|title=What Happened to the Action RPG? |author=Jeremy Parish |website=1UP |year=2012 |url=http://www.1up.com/features/what-happened-action-rpg.html |access-date=January 14, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150112012702/http://www.1up.com/features/what-happened-action-rpg.html |archive-date=January 12, 2015 }} Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade also traces the genre's roots to Japan, noting that the "Western game industry of the time had a tendency to treat action games and RPGs as separate things for separate demographics".

According to Jeremy Parish, action RPGs were popularized by The Tower of Druaga in Japan. It was released for arcades in June 1984, and was intended as a "fantasy version of Pac-Man, with puzzles to solve, monsters to battle, and hidden treasure to find". Its success in Japan inspired the development of Dragon Slayer (1984) and Hydlide (1984). Dragon Slayer, Hydlide and Courageous Perseus (1984) "vie for position as genre precedent" according to John Szczepaniak, and there was an ongoing rivalry developing between the Dragon Slayer and Hydlide series over the years.{{cite book|last1=Szczepaniak|first1=John|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Volume 2|date=2015|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|isbn=9781518818745|pages=38|quote=It cannot be overstated how influential Hydlide was on the ARPGs which followed it, nor how popular it was on both computers and the Famicom in Japan. But it is imperative you compare Hydlide only to games released that same year, to fully appreciate the merit in its ideas. There were two other similar titles in 1984, Courageous Perseus and Dragon Slayer, and all three vie for position as genre precedent – amusingly, a friendly rivalry even developed with Dragon Slayer's creator Yoshio Kiya, of Falcom, as over the years T&E Software and Falcom competed against each other.}} The Tower of Druaga, Dragon Slayer and Hydlide were influential in Japan, where they influenced later action RPGs such as Ys, as well as The Legend of Zelda.{{cite book|last1=Szczepaniak|first1=John|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Volume 2|date=2015|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|isbn=9781518818745}}{{rp|38}}

Falcom's Dragon Slayer, created by Yoshio Kiya, is "the very first action-RPG ever made" according to GameSetWatch.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2006/07/column_compilation_catalog_fal_1.php|title=Falcom Classics|publisher=GameSetWatch|date=July 12, 2006|access-date=May 18, 2011|archive-date=March 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326224503/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2006/07/column_compilation_catalog_fal_1.php|url-status=dead}} Originally released for the PC-8801 computer in September 1984,[http://i.imgur.com/T62BuYo.jpg Falcom Chronicle], Nihon Falcom it abandoned the command-based battles of earlier role-playing games in favor of real-time hack-and-slash combat that required direct input from the player, alongside puzzle-solving elements.{{cite web|last=Kalata |first=Kurt |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragonslayer/dragonslayer.htm |title=Dragon Slayer |publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=July 23, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723142515/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragonslayer/dragonslayer.htm |archive-date=July 23, 2011 }} In contrast to earlier turn-based roguelikes, Dragon Slayer was a dungeon-crawl role-playing game using real-time, action-oriented combat, combined with traditional role-playing mechanics. Dragon Slayer's overhead action role-playing formula was used in many later games.

T&E Soft's Hydlide, released in December 1984,{{cite magazine|title=Hydlide (PC88)|magazine=Famitsu|url=http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=28193|access-date=January 14, 2015}} was created by Tokihiro Naito, who was influenced by The Tower of Druaga.{{rp|42–49}} It was the first action RPG with an overworld. The game was immensely popular in Japan, selling 2 million copies across all platforms.{{cite web|url=http://www.kinephanos.ca/2015/history-of-japanese-video-games/ |title=History of Japanese Video Games |publisher=Kinephanos |access-date=July 23, 2016}} According to John Szczepaniak, it "cannot be overstated how influential Hydlide was on the ARPGs which followed it". The same year, Courageous Perseus was also one of the earliest action RPGs.{{cite book|last1=Szczepaniak|first1=John|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Volume 2|date=2015|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|isbn=9781518818745|quote=Courageous Perseus is one of the earliest if not the first Action-RPG}}

Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu, released in 1985 (billed as a "new type of real-time role-playing game"), was an action role-playing game including many character stats and a large quest. It also incorporated a side-scrolling view during exploration and an overhead view during battle, and an early "Karma" morality system where the character's Karma meter will rise if he sins (killing "good" enemies), which in turn causes the temples to refuse to level him up. Xanadu Scenario II, released in 1986, was an expansion pack, created to expand the content of Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu.{{cite web|first=Kurt|last=Kalata|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/xanadu/xanadu.htm|title=Xanadu|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|access-date=September 7, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110723142521/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/xanadu/xanadu.htm| archive-date= July 23, 2011 | url-status= live}} Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness (1985) also featured a morality system. Eurogamer cites Fairlight (1985) as an early action RPG.{{cite web|title=The classic 8-bit isometric games that tried to break the mould |last=Mason|first=Graeme |website=Eurogamer |date=July 24, 2016 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-24-the-classic-8-bit-isometric-games-that-tried-to-break-the-mould |access-date=October 18, 2017 |quote=[T]here were potions and food to collect as well, making Fairlight an early entry in the action RPG genre seen so commonly today.}}

An important influence on the action RPG genre was the 1986 action-adventure The Legend of Zelda, which served as the template for many future action RPGs, even though it does not strictly fit the definition of later action RPGs.{{cite web|title=GameSpy's 30 Most Influential People in Gaming |publisher=GameSpy |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/march02/top30/61/index3.shtm |access-date=April 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302042627/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/march02/top30/61/index3.shtm |archive-date=March 2, 2007 |url-status=dead }} In contrast to previous action RPGs, such as Dragon Slayer and Hydlide, which required the player to bump into enemies to attack them, The Legend of Zelda featured an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen.{{cite web|title=Hydlide|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hydlide/hydlide.htm|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|last1=Kalata|first1=Kurt|last2=Greene|first2=Robert}} It was also an early example of open-world, nonlinear gameplay, and introduced new features such as battery backup saving. These elements have been used in many action RPGs since.{{cite web|title=15 Most Influential Games of All Time: The Legend of Zelda |publisher=GameSpot |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential/p9_01.html |access-date=January 24, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515053341/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential/p9_01.html |archive-date=May 15, 2010 }}

In 1987, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link implemented a more traditional RPG-esque system, including experience points and levels with action game elements.{{cite web|author=Comedy|date=February 25, 2006|title=Zelda II: The 20-Year-Late Review|url=https://www.wired.com/2006/02/zelda-ii-the-20/|access-date=July 20, 2021|publisher=WIRED}} Unlike its predecessor, Zelda II more closely fits the definition of an action RPG.

Another Metroidvania-style action RPG released that year was System Sacom's Sharp X1 computer game Euphory, which was possibly the only Metroidvania-style multiplayer action RPG produced, allowing two-player cooperative gameplay.{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/JPNcomputers/Japanesecomputers4.htm|author=John Szczepaniak|title=Retro Japanese Computers: Gaming's Final Frontier|page=4|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|access-date=March 18, 2011}} (Reprinted from Retro Gamer, Issue 67, 2009) The fifth Dragon Slayer title, Sorcerian, was also released that year. It was a party-based action RPG, with the player controlling a party of four characters at the same time in a side-scrolling view. The game also featured character creation, highly customizable characters, class-based puzzles, and a new scenario system, allowing players to choose from 15 scenarios, or quests, to play through in the order of their choice. It was also an episodic video game, with expansion disks later released offering more scenarios. Falcom also released the first installment of its Ys series in 1987. While not very popular in the West, the long-running Ys series has performed strongly in the Japanese market, with many sequels, remakes and ports in the decades that followed its release. Besides Falcom's own Dragon Slayer series, Ys was also influenced by Hydlide, from which it borrowed certain mechanics such as health-regeneration.{{cite journal|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=July 7, 2011|title=Falcom: Legacy of Ys|url=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F9zubzM0zBY/Tha7EQvCY6I/AAAAAAAADWA/Z0XpWaMpSdw/s1600/1.jpg|journal=Games^TM|issue=111|pages=152–159 [153]|access-date=July 20, 2021}}

The Faery Tale Adventure offered one of the largest worlds at the time, with over 17,000 computer screens without loading times.{{cite web|last1=Horowitz|first1=Ken|title=Genre Spotlight: RPG Round-Up|url=http://www.sega-16.com/2009/01/genre-spotlight-rpg-round-up/|website=Sega-16|access-date=October 19, 2017|date=January 8, 2009|quote=It was hailed at the time as having the largest in-game world of any RPG (almost 17,000 screens)...}}

In 1988, Telenet Japan's Exile series debuted and was controversial due to its plot, which revolves around a time-travelling Crusades-era Syrian assassin who assassinates various religious/historical figures as well as 20th-century political leaders,{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/exile/exile.htm|title=Exile / XZR|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=April 11, 2009|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|access-date=August 10, 2009}} The gameplay of Exile included both overhead exploration and side-scrolling combat and featured a heart monitor to represent the player's Attack Power and Armor Class statistics. Another controversial aspect of the game involved taking drugs (instead of potions) that increase/decrease attributes, but with side effects such as heart-rate increase/decrease or death. Origin Systems, the developer of the Ultima series, also released an action RPG in 1988, titled Times of Lore, which was inspired by various NES titles, particularly The Legend of Zelda.{{cite book|last1=Barton|first1=Matt|title=Dungeons & Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games|date=2008|publisher=A K Peters|location=Wellesley, Massachusetts|isbn=978-1568814117|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qPPRBQAAQBAJ}}{{rp|182, 212}} Times of Lore inspired several later titles by Origin Systems, such as the 1990 games Bad Blood (another action RPG based on the same engine){{rp|183}} and Ultima VI: The False Prophet, based on the same interface.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialBookOfUltima|title=The Official Book Of Ultima|date=September 17, 1990|via=Internet Archive}}{{rp|83–84}}

Also in 1989, the enhanced remake Ys I & II was one of the first video games to use CD-ROM, which was utilized to provide enhanced graphics, animated cut scenes,{{cite journal|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=July 7, 2011|title=Falcom: Legacy of Ys|url=http://imageshack.us/f/35/yshistory05.jpg/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130114061257/http://imageshack.us/f/35/yshistory05.jpg/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 14, 2013|journal=Games^TM|issue=111|pages=152–159 [156]|access-date=September 8, 2011}}{{cite web|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|title=History of Ys interviews|url=http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2011/07/history-of-ys-interviews-by-john.html|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|access-date=September 6, 2011|date=July 8, 2011}}) a Red Book CD soundtrack,{{cite journal|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=July 7, 2011|title=Falcom: Legacy of Ys|url=http://imageshack.us/f/35/yshistory04.jpg/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209093604/http://imageshack.us/f/35/yshistory04.jpg/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 9, 2012|journal=Games^TM|issue=111|pages=152–159 [155]|access-date=September 8, 2011}} and voice acting. Its English localization was also one of the first to use voice dubbing. The game received the Game of the Year award from OMNI Magazine in 1990, as well as other prizes. Another 1989 release, Activision's Prophecy: The Fall of Trinadon, attempted to introduce "Nintendo-style" action combat to North American computer role-playing games.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=87 | title=C*R*P*G*S / Computer Role-Playing Game Survey | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=October 1991 | access-date=November 18, 2013 | author=Scorpia | page=16}}

Action RPGs were far more common on consoles than computers, due to gamepads being better suited to real-time action than the keyboard and mouse.{{cite book|last1=Loguidice|first1=Bill|last2=Barton|first2=Matt|title=Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time|date=2009|publisher=Focal Press|location=Boston|isbn=978-0240811468}}{{rp|43}} Though there were attempts at creating action-oriented computer RPGs during the late 1980s and early 1990s, very few saw any success.{{rp|43}} Times of Lore was one of the more successful attempts in the American computer market,{{rp|43}} where there was a generally negative attitude towards combining genres in this way and more of an emphasis on preserving the purity of the RPG genre. For example, a 1991 issue of Computer Gaming World criticized several computer role{{nbh}}playing games for using "arcade" or "Nintendo-style" action combat, including Ys, Sorcerian, Times of Lore, and Prophecy.

In 1991, Square released Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden, also known as Final Fantasy Adventure or Mystic Quest in the West, for the Game Boy. Like Crystalis, the action in Seiken Densetsu bore a strong resemblance to that of Legend of Zelda, but added more RPG elements. It was one of the first action RPGs to allow players to kill townspeople, though later Mana games removed this feature.{{cite web|author=Andrew Vestal |title=Other Game Boy RPGs |publisher=GameSpot |date=November 2, 1998 |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/rpg_hs/gameboy3.html |access-date=November 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711071821/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/rpg_hs/gameboy3.html |archive-date=July 11, 2011}} Arcus Odyssey by Wolf Team (now Namco Tales Studio) was an action RPG that featured an isometric perspective and co-operative multiplayer gameplay.{{cite web|url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/882/882363p1.html|title=Top 10 Renovation Games|last=Buchanan|first=Levi|date=June 17, 2008|publisher=IGN.com|access-date=November 6, 2009}}

In 1993, the second Seiken Densetsu game, Secret of Mana, received considerable acclaim, for its innovative pausable real-time action battle system,{{cite web|title=Secret of Mana|url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/secretofmana/Secret_of_Mana-2.html|website=RPGFan|access-date=July 23, 2016|archive-date=November 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101174523/http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/secretofmana/Secret_of_Mana-2.html|url-status=dead}} and its innovative cooperative multiplayer gameplay,{{cite web|last=Dutton |first=Fred |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-12-17-secret-of-mana-hits-app-store-this-month |title=Secret of Mana hits App Store this month • |publisher=Eurogamer.net |date=December 17, 2010 |access-date=July 23, 2016}} where the second or third players could drop in and out of the game at any time, rather than players having to join the game at the same time. The game has remained influential through to the present day, with its ring menu system still used in modern games and its cooperative multiplayer mentioned as an influence on games such as Dungeon Siege III (2011).{{cite web|url=http://www.nowgamer.com/features/1127/dungeon-siege-iii-developer-interview |title=Obsidian: We Wish New Vegas 'Wasn't Glitchy' |publisher=NowGamer |date=May 8, 2011 |access-date=July 23, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102110139/http://www.nowgamer.com/features/1127/dungeon-siege-iii-developer-interview |archive-date=January 2, 2011 }}

Most other such games, however, used a side-scrolling perspective typical of beat 'em ups, such as the Princess Crown series, including Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade. Princess Crown had a more cartoon-like visual appeal. It still had quality visuals due to the George Kamitani style.{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/can-t-wait-for-dragon-s-crown-try-its-spiritual-predec-568231331|title=Can't Wait for Dragon's Crown? Try its Spiritual Predecessor|website=Kotaku|date=June 25, 2013 |language=en-us|access-date=November 19, 2019}}

LandStalker's 1997 spiritual successor Alundra{{cite web|title=Alundra|url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/alundra/Alundra.html|work=RPGFan|access-date=January 20, 2015|author=Webber|date=March 2, 1998|archive-date=December 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214065236/http://rpgfan.com/reviews/alundra/Alundra.html|url-status=dead}} is considered "one of the finest examples of action/RPG gaming", combining platforming elements and challenging puzzles with an innovative storyline revolving around entering people's dreams and dealing with mature themes.{{cite web|last=Zimmerman|first=Conrad|title=An RPG Draws Near! Alundra|url=http://www.destructoid.com/an-rpg-draws-near-alundra-125565.phtml|publisher=Destructoid|access-date=January 30, 2012|date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=November 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104054923/http://www.destructoid.com/an-rpg-draws-near-alundra-125565.phtml|url-status=dead}}

Ultima Underworld's influence has been found in BioShock (2007),{{cite journal | url=http://www.eludamos.org/index.php/eludamos/article/view/27/40 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306020123/http://www.eludamos.org/index.php/eludamos/article/view/27/40 | title=Bioshock: A Critical Historical Perspective | last=Weise | first=Matthew Jason | date=February 29, 2008 | archive-date=March 6, 2008 | journal=Eludamos. Journal for Computer Game Culture | volume=2 | issue=1 | doi=10.7557/23.5977 | s2cid=145315938 | oclc=220219478 | at=151–155 | access-date=March 8, 2009 | doi-access=free }} and that game's designer, Ken Levine, has stated that "all the things that I wanted to do and all the games that I ended up working on came out of the inspiration I took from [Ultima Underworld]".{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/12/03/ken-levine-bioshock-tech-personal-cx_mji_1203levine.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225110906/http://www.forbes.com/2008/12/03/ken-levine-bioshock-tech-personal-cx_mji_1203levine.html | archive-date=February 25, 2009 | title=Games Are The Convergence Of Everything | last=Irwin | first=Mary Jane | date=December 3, 2008 | work=Forbes | access-date=March 17, 2009 }} Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski also cited it as an early influence, stating that it had "far more impact on me than Doom".{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1532185/20060519/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304115303/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1532185/20060519/story.jhtml |title=Gaming Roundtable Considers Bloody Monsters |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |date=May 22, 2006 |archive-date=March 4, 2010 |publisher=MTV |access-date=March 6, 2009 |url-status=dead }} Other games influenced by Ultima Underworld include The Elder Scrolls: Arena,{{cite web|url=http://www.elderscrolls.com/tenth_anniv/tenth_anniv-arena.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211032310/http://www.elderscrolls.com/tenth_anniv/tenth_anniv-arena.htm | title=Arena: Behind the Scenes | archive-date=December 11, 2007 | access-date=September 28, 2007 |publisher=Bethesda Softworks}} Deus Ex,{{cite web|date=August 4, 2000 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=337 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518105205/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/warrens2 |archive-date=May 18, 2011 |title=Warren Spector of Ion Storm (Part Two) |work=Eurogamer |access-date=March 6, 2009 |url-status=dead }} Deus Ex: Invisible War,{{cite web | url=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/440/440693p1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031119071038/http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/440/440693p1.html | archive-date=November 19, 2003 | title=Deus Ex: Invisible War Interview, Part 1 | last=Aihoshi | first=Richard | date=November 17, 2003 | publisher=IGN | url-status=dead | access-date=March 6, 2009 }} Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines,{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-designer-diary-3/1100-6085643/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518130331/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-designer-diary-3/1100-6085643/ |title=Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines Designer Diary #3 |last=Boyarsky |first=Leonard |archive-date=May 18, 2016 |date=December 13, 2003 |publisher=GameSpot |url-status=dead }} and Half-Life 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/i_e3valvesoftware_pc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126011711/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/i_e3valvesoftware_pc |title=Half-Life 2 - Valve speaks to Eurogamer |last=Reed |first=Kristan |date=May 12, 2004 |archive-date=January 26, 2010 |publisher=Eurogamer |access-date=March 6, 2009 |url-status=dead }}

FromSoftware's Demon's Souls (2009) emphasized unforgiving enemies and environments, combined with risk-and-reward mechanics such as limited checkpoints, collecting "souls" that can be consumed as experience points to increase the player's stats, or as a currency to purchase items, and penalizing player deaths without imposing an outright failure state. It also incorporated online features allowing players to leave messages in the overworld that can be read by other players, to temporarily join other players' sessions to assist them cooperatively, or "invade" another player's session to engage in player versus player combat. Especially after the release of its spiritual successor Dark Souls (2011) and its sequels, other action RPGs emerged in the 2010s that incorporated mechanics influenced by those of Demon's Souls, which have been popularly referred to as "Soulslike" games.{{cite web|author=Sam Bishop|date=2009-10-09|title=IGN Demon's Souls Review – One of the most rewarding, challenging PS3 games finally hits the US.|url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/103/1033437p1.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719081805/http://ps3.ign.com/articles/103/1033437p1.html|archive-date=2012-07-19|access-date=2010-01-27|website=IGN}}{{cite web|last1=Prescott|first1=Shaun|title=The best Souls-like games on PC|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-souls-like-games-on-pc/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714180852/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-souls-like-games-on-pc/|archive-date=July 14, 2019|access-date=July 14, 2019|website=PC Gamer|date=April 11, 2019 }}{{cite web |title=The Best Soulslike Games|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-soulslike-games|work=IGN|date=February 11, 2021 |access-date=February 11, 2021}}{{cite web|last=Cameron|first=Phill|date=April 9, 2015|title=Cheating Death: Accommodating player failure and recovery|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/cheating-death-accommodating-player-failure-and-recovery|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928000609/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/240418/Cheating_Death_Accommodating_player_failure_and_recovery.php|archive-date=September 28, 2019|access-date=September 27, 2019|work=Gamasutra}}

In 2013, Vanillaware released the fantasy beat 'em up ARPG Dragon's Crown, a spiritual successor to Princess Crown and a "deeply moving product" of Vanillaware director George Kamitani. Kamitani cites many classic RPGs as his inspiration, stating in the Dragon's Crown Artworks foreword: "The motif within Dragon's Crown is all the fantasy works that has affected me until now: the PC RPG Wizardry that I first came into contact with as a student; Ian Livingstone's gamebooks; games like Tower of Druaga, Golden Axe and The King of Dragons." He also cites his early 20s work on Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom as "truly something that I had aspired for". Dragon's Crown was re-released with a PS4 "Pro" edition in 2018.

Assassin's Creed, a long-running Ubisoft franchise, also shifted towards the action RPG formula, inspired by the successes of The Witcher 3 and the Dark Souls series,{{cite web|last=Kain|first=Erik|title='Assassin's Creed Origins' Learned Important Lessons From 'The Witcher 3' And 'Dark Souls'|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2017/10/26/assassins-creed-origins-learned-important-lessons-from-the-witcher-3-and-dark-souls/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Forbes|language=en}}{{cite web|date=2017-08-11|title=New Assassin's Creed Origins Combat Video Shows Heavy Dark Souls and Witcher Inspiration|url=https://geekreply.com/geek-culture/gaming-geek-culture/2017/08/11/new-assassins-creed-origins-combat-video-shows-heavy-dark-souls-witcher-inspiration|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Geek Reply|language=en-US}} with its titles Origins (2017), Odyssey (2018) and Valhalla (2020).

Avalanche Software released Hogwarts Legacy in 2023. Set in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its surrounding areas, the game is played from a third-person perspective.{{Cite news |date=2021-01-13 |title=Hogwarts Legacy delayed to 2022 |language=en |work=Eurogamer.net |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/hogwarts-legacy-delayed-to-2022 |access-date=2023-10-02}}{{Cite news |last=updated |first=PC Gamer last |date=2022-08-23 |title=Hogwarts Legacy: Everything we know about the new Harry Potter game |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/hogwarts-legacy-harry-potter-RPG-release-date/ |access-date=2023-10-02}} Players can customize their player character, which learns to cast spells, brew potions, and master combat abilities, eventually developing their own special combat style.{{Cite web |last1=Fay |first1=Kacee |last2=Tomakic |first2=Izabela |date=2023-02-06 |title=How many spells are in Hogwarts Legacy? All confirmed spells so far |url=https://dotesports.com/hp/news/all-spells-in-hogwarts-legacy |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US}}

{{see also|Dungeon crawl}}

File:DOTGv0.31screenshot.png

In late 1987, FTL Games released Dungeon Master, a dungeon crawler that had a real-time game world and some real-time combat elements (akin to Active Time Battle), requiring players to quickly issue orders to the characters, setting the standard for first-person computer RPGs for several years.{{rp|234–236}} It inspired many other developers to make real-time dungeon crawlers, such as Eye of the Beholder and Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos. Dungeons of Daggorath meanwhile for the TRS-80 Color Computer had first employed real-time combat in 1982.

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, released in 1992, has been cited as the first RPG to feature first-person action in a 3D environment.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629172105/http://gamasutra.com/features/20060425/shahrani_01.shtml |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2674/educational_feature_a_history_and_.php?page=1 |title=Educational Feature: A History and Analysis of Level Design in 3D Computer Games (Part 1) |date=April 25, 2006 |archive-date=June 29, 2006 |publisher=Gamasutra |author=Shahrani, Sam |access-date=February 10, 2009 |url-status=dead }} Ultima Underworld is considered the first example of an immersive sim, a genre that combines elements from other genres to create a game with strong player agency and emergent gameplay, and has influenced many games since its release.{{cite web | url = http://www.glixel.com/news/the-makers-of-ultima-underworld-return-to-their-roots-w456304 | title = How the Makers of 'System Shock' and 'Ultima Underworld' Rediscovered Their Roots | first = Alex | last = Wiltshire | date = December 15, 2016 | access-date = April 17, 2017 | work = Glixel | archive-date = May 18, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170518102320/http://www.glixel.com/news/the-makers-of-ultima-underworld-return-to-their-roots-w456304 | url-status = dead }} The engine was re-used and enhanced for Ultima Underworld{{'}}s 1993 sequel, Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds.{{cite web | url=http://www.ttlg.com/articles/UW2int2.asp | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419201423/http://www.ttlg.com/articles/UW2int2.asp | title=An Interview With Looking Glass Technologies | publisher=Game Bytes | archive-date=April 19, 2013 | year=1992 | access-date=February 15, 2009 }} Looking Glass Studios planned to create a third Ultima Underworld, but Origin rejected their pitches.{{cite web | url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=28003 | title=Feature: Games that changed the world: Ultima Underworld | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212192612/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=28003 | date=April 16, 2002 | archive-date=December 12, 2007 | work=Computer and Video Games | last=Mallinson | first=Paul | access-date=February 10, 2009 }} After Electronic Arts (EA) rejected Arkane Studios' pitch for Ultima Underworld III, the studio instead created a spiritual successor: Arx Fatalis.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/arxfatalis/news.html?sid=2856384&mode=previews |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525015944/https://www.webcitation.org/5tw8kwxgf?url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/arxfatalis/news.html%3Fsid=2856384&mode=previews&print=1 |title=Arx Fatalis Preview |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |date=March 20, 2002 |publisher=GameSpot |author=Todd, Brett |access-date=February 9, 2009 |url-status=dead }} Toby Gard stated that, when designing Tomb Raider, he "was a big fan of ... Ultima Underworld and I wanted to mix that type of game with the sort of polygon characters that were just being showcased in Virtua Fighter".{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1410480.stm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040717173949/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1410480.stm | title=Q&A: The man who made Lara | date=June 28, 2001 | archive-date=July 17, 2004 | last=Gibbon | first=Dave | publisher=BBC | access-date=March 6, 2009 }} Ultima Underworld was also the basis for Looking Glass Technologies' later System Shock.{{cite book | last=Rouse III | first=Richard | title=Game Design: Theory & Practice Second Edition | publisher=Wordware Publishing | at=500–531 | year=2005 | isbn=1-55622-912-7 }}

{{see also|Diablo (series)}}

The 1988 Origin Systems title Times of Lore was an action RPG with an icon-based point-and-click interface. Bad Blood, another Origin Systems game from 1990, would use the same interface.{{cite web|date=July 21, 2010|title=The Official Book Of Ultima|url=https://archive.org/stream/TheOfficialBookOfUltima/The-Official-Book-of-Ultima#page/n95/mode/2up|access-date=February 20, 2017}} The designers were inspired by console titles, particularly The Legend of Zelda, to make their interface more accessible.Computer Gaming World, issue 68 (February 1990), pages 34 & 38 The 1994 title Ultima VIII used mouse controls and attempted to add precision jumping sequences reminiscent of a Mario platform game, though reactions to the game's mouse-based combat were mixed. In 1997 Blizzard's Diablo was released and became massively successful. It was an action RPG that used a mouse-oriented point-and-click interface and offered gamers a free online service to play with others that maintained the same rules and gameplay.{{rp|43}}

Diablo{{'}}s effect on the market was significant, inspiring many imitators. Its impact was such that the term "action RPG" has come to be more commonly used for Diablo-style games, with The Legend of Zelda itself slowly recategorized as an action-adventure. Very commonly, these games used a fixed-camera isometric view of the game world, a necessity of the limitations of 2D graphics of early computers; even with 3D graphic engines, such point-and-click games are still presented from a similar isometric view, though providing options to rotate, pan, and zoom the camera to some degree. As such, these are often grouped with other "isometric RPGs".{{Cite book|last1=Adams|first1=Ernest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qc19ChiOUI4C|title=Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on game design|last2=Rollings|first2=Andrew|publisher=New Riders Publishing|year=2003|isbn=978-1-59273-001-8|pages=364–367}}

The popularity of the Diablo series spawned such franchises like Divinity, Torchlight, Dungeon Siege and Sacred.{{cite web|date=2021-09-02|title=QA Testing Games Like Dance Central Is Apparently Gruelling And Smelly|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/09/qa-testing-games-like-dance-central-is-apparently-gruelling-and-smelly/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902000504/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/09/qa-testing-games-like-dance-central-is-apparently-gruelling-and-smelly/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 2, 2021|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Kotaku Australia|language=en-AU}} Commonly, these games used a fixed-camera isometric view of the game world, a necessity of the limitations of 2D graphics of early computers; The Diablo series spawned many terms like being referred to as "dungeon crawler" "slasher RPG" "hack and slasher", the series was also heavily criticized by players and media for not being a proper RPG due to it being focused more on fighting enemies and creating character builds than following a proper narrative and dialogue-heavy journey. After its success many other games tried to mix its influences with different structures and narratives, there are multiple games like Divine Divinity that were an attempt to have a more dialogue-heavy experience akin to the Baldurs Gate games and even older series like Falcom's Dragon Slayer/Xanadu series had its outing Xanadu Next with similar Diablo influences.{{cite web|date=2016-11-20|title=Review: Xanadu Next|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-xanadu-next/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Destructoid|language=en-CA}}{{cite web|title=Xanadu Next (for PC) Review|url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/xanadu-next-for-pc|access-date=2021-09-02|website=PCMAG|date=January 24, 2017 }} The influences also come full circle when the first Diablo game was inspired by rogue-likes Umoria and Angband {{cite web|title=How One Gameplay Decision Changed Diablo Forever|url=https://arstechnica.com:444/video/watch/war-stories-how-one-gameplay-decision-changed-diablo-forever|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Ars Technica Videos}}{{cite web|title=The Game Archaeologist: A brief history of roguelikes|url=https://www.engadget.com/2014-01-18-the-game-archaeologist-a-brief-history-of-roguelikes.html|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Engadget|date=January 18, 2014 |language=en-US}} and in more recent years many games in the rogue-like genre are inspired by more classic dungeon crawler ARPGs that Diablo helped spawn.{{cite web|last=Livingston|first=Christopher|date=2021-06-10|title=Dungeon crawler Loot River is like 'Diablo and Tetris had a baby'|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/dungeon-crawler-loot-river-is-like-diablo-and-tetris-had-a-baby/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=PC Gamer|language=en-US}}{{cite web|date=2017-07-22|title=Indie studio Ignited Artists aims for 'Triple-I' quality with Barbaric|url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/07/22/indie-studio-ignited-artists-aims-for-triple-i-quality-with-barbaric/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}}{{cite web|last=Chalk|first=Andy|date=2020-01-29|title=Stoneshard launch trailer shows off the Diablo-meets-Darkest Dungeon roguelike|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/stoneshard-launch-trailer-shows-diablo-meets-darkest-dungeon-roguelike/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=PC Gamer|language=en-US}}{{cite web|title=Curse of the Dead Gods is a Dark Diablo Style Rogue-like Brimming With Potential|url=https://cogconnected.com/preview/curse-dead-gods-preview/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=COGconnected|date=March 15, 2020 |language=en-US}}{{cite web|date=2019-10-15|title=Diablo-like 'Children of Morta' launches on Xbox One|url=https://www.windowscentral.com/diablo-children-morta-launches-xbox-one|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Windows Central}}{{cite web|date=2019-10-11|title=Children of Morta Review|url=https://www.gamespace.com/all-articles/news/children-of-morta-review/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=GameSpace.com|language=en-US}}File:Freedroidrpg basic gameplay.ogv

In this sub genre there are such recent titles as Path of Exile (2013), Grim Dawn (2016), Zenonia S: Rifts In Time (2015), Book of Demons (2018), Shadows: Awakening (2018), Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl Gold (2017), Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition (2016) and its expansions Titan Quest: Ragnarök (2017) and Titan Quest: Atlantis (2019), Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem (2020) and Minecraft Dungeons (2020).{{cite web|date=2020-10-25|title=The 14 Best Action-RPGs To Play If You Love Diablo|url=https://gamerant.com/best-action-rpgs-like-diablo/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Game Rant|language=en-US}}

{{see also|Massively multiplayer online role-playing game}}

The prominence of Diablo 2 in the gaming market and its influence on the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) genre{{Citation|last=Bartle|first=Richard A.|title=From MUDs to MMORPGs: The History of Virtual Worlds|date=2010|url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9789-8_2|work=International Handbook of Internet Research|pages=23–39|editor-last=Hunsinger|editor-first=Jeremy|place=Dordrecht|publisher=Springer Netherlands|doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-9789-8_2|bibcode=2010ihoi.book...23B |isbn=978-1-4020-9789-8|access-date=2021-09-02|editor2-last=Klastrup|editor2-first=Lisbeth|editor3-last=Allen|editor3-first=Matthew|url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|title=Marvel Heroes Review|url=http://www.capsulecomputers.com.au/marvel-heroes-review/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Capsule Computers|date=June 19, 2013 |language=en-US}}{{cite web|date=2020-06-25|title=Former Diablo Devs Talk About Creating A Whole Genre|url=https://www.thegamer.com/former-diablo-devs-create-arpg-genre/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=TheGamer|language=en-US}}{{cite web|last=Olivetti|first=Justin|title=The Game Archaeologist: The online world of Diablo II {{!}} Massively Overpowered|date=March 20, 2021 |url=https://massivelyop.com/2021/03/20/the-game-archaeologist-the-online-world-of-diablo-ii/|access-date=2021-09-02|language=en-US}}{{cite web|last=Olivetti|first=Justin|title=The Game Archaeologist: Flagship's Mythos {{!}} Massively Overpowered|date=August 22, 2020 |url=https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/22/the-game-archaeologist-flagships-mythos/|access-date=2021-09-02|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|date=2021-06-10|title=Amazon are bringing Diablo-like Korean MMO Lost Ark to the west|work=Rock Paper Shotgun|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/amazon-are-bringing-diablo-like-korean-mmo-lost-ark-to-the-west|access-date=2021-09-02}}{{cite web|date=2012-07-06|title=Looking For A True Successor To Diablo 2? Check Out Lineage Eternal|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/games/Looking-True-Successor-Diablo-2-Check-Out-Lineage-Eternal-44341.html|access-date=2021-09-02|website=CINEMABLEND}} later popularized the strongly used mouse-oriented point-and-click combat. While in the Diablo series this type of combat does not have a lock-on key, World of Warcraft and most MMO games use some kind of key to target an enemy, usually TAB, to lock into it, usually referred to as "tab-target".{{cite web|title=Tab Target MMORPG & MMO Games|url=https://mmopulse.com/game/tab-target-mmorpg-mmo-games|access-date=2021-09-02|website=MMOPulse|language=en-US}}{{cite web|last=Royce|first=Bree|title=Massively Overthinking: Tab-target vs. action combat in MMORPGs {{!}} Massively Overpowered|date=January 12, 2017 |url=https://massivelyop.com/2017/01/12/massively-overthinking-tab-target-vs-action-combat-in-mmorpgs/|access-date=2021-09-02|language=en-US}}{{cite web|last=Roklos|first=Pat|date=2017-02-17|title=Best Tab Targeting MMORPGs|url=https://mmos.com/editorials/tab-targeting-mmorpgs|access-date=2021-09-02|website=MMOs.com|language=en-US}} In tab-target combat, the player's character automatically performs attack animations with some kind of regular attack, while the player can focus on activating other skills and items by pressing other keys. Usually this type of combat is not heavily based on aiming or hit boxes, and thus the player can hit enemies from different distances and even from afar. Some tab-target MMOs have other targeting options such as an "Action mode".

{{seealso|Looter shooter}}

Shooter-based action RPGs include Star Cruiser (1988),{{cite web |title=Star Cruiser |url=https://kotaku.com/games/star-cruiser--1 |website=Kotaku |access-date=9 April 2025 |date=21 November 2024}} Strife (1996), System Shock 2 (1999), the Deus Ex series (2000 onwards) by Ion Storm, Bungie's Destiny (2014), Irem's Steambot Chronicles (2005),{{cite web|author=Spencer |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2006/05/23/steambot-chronicles/ |title=Steambot Chronicles |publisher=Siliconera |date=May 23, 2006 |access-date=July 23, 2016}} Square Enix's third-person shooter RPG Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (2006), which introduced an over-the-shoulder perspective similar to Resident Evil 4,{{cite web|title=Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII|date=January 30, 2006 |publisher=Siliconera|url=http://www.siliconera.com/dirge-of-cerberus-final-fantasy-vii/|access-date=March 29, 2011}} and the MMO vehicular combat game Auto Assault (2006) by NetDevil and NCsoft.{{cite web | author=Kaiser, Joe | date=July 8, 2005 | title=Unsung Inventors | url=http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=336&Itemid=2 | work=Next-Gen.biz | access-date=April 2, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051028224610/http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=336&Itemid=2 |archive-date = October 28, 2005}} Other action RPGs featured both hack and slash and shooting elements, with the use of both guns (or in some cases, bow and arrow or aerial combat) and melee weapons, including Cavia's flight-based Drakengard series (2003 to 2005),{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/previews/drakengard_3 |title=Drakengard Preview for PS2 from |publisher=1UP.com |access-date=July 23, 2016 |archive-date=August 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816052255/http://www.1up.com/previews/drakengard_3 |url-status=dead }} and Level-5's Rogue Galaxy (2005).{{cite web|last=Yang |first=Louise |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2007/01/26/rogue-galaxy-charming-and-cel-shaded/ |title=Rogue Galaxy: charming and cel shaded |publisher=Siliconera |date=January 26, 2007 |access-date=July 23, 2016}}

Other RPS games include the Mass Effect series (2007 onwards), Fallout 3 and subsequent Fallout titles (2008 onwards), White Gold: War in Paradise (2008), and Borderlands (2009).{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5546807/a-visual-guide-to-the-role+playing-game |title=A Visual Guide To The Role-Playing Game |publisher=Kotaku.com |date=May 25, 2010 |access-date=October 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619204055/http://kotaku.com/5546807/a-visual-guide-to-the-role%20playing-game |archive-date=June 19, 2010 |url-status=dead }} Borderlands developer Gearbox Software has dubbed it as a "role-playing shooter" due to the heavy RPG elements within the game, such as quest-based gameplay and also its character traits and leveling system.{{cite web |url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=1119 |title=Inside Mac Games Review: Borderlands: Game Of The Year Edition |publisher=Insidemacgames.com |date=January 31, 2011 |access-date=July 23, 2016 |archive-date=August 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808055842/http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=1119 |url-status=dead }} Half-Minute Hero (2009) is an RPG shooter featuring self-referential humour and a 30-second time limit for each level and boss encounter.{{cite web|title=2D Forever: the fall and rise of hardcore Japanese game design|work=The Guardian|author=Keith Stuart|date=March 4, 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/mar/04/2d-forever-japanese-game-design|access-date=March 23, 2011}} Other action role-playing games with shooter elements include the 2010 titles Alpha Protocol by Obsidian Entertainment and The 3rd Birthday, the third game in the Parasite Eve series, features a unique blend of action RPG, real-time tactical RPG, survival horror and third-person tactical shooter elements.{{cite web|title=The 3rd Birthday Review: Manhattan just can't catch a break these days|date=March 25, 2011|publisher=IGN|author=Patrick Kolan|url=http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/115/1157383p1.html|access-date=April 1, 2011}}{{cite web|title=The 3rd Birthday review: New year's Eve|author=David Wolinsky|date=April 7, 2011|publisher=Joystiq|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/the-3rd-birthday-review/|access-date=April 9, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110504024913/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/the-3rd-birthday-review/| archive-date= May 4, 2011 | url-status= live}} Shooter-based RPGs include Imageepoch's post-apocalyptic Black Rock Shooter (2011), which employs both first-person and third-person shooter elements,{{cite web|author=Tom Goldman|date=November 24, 2010|title=Imageepoch Unveils New Wave of JRPGs|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105615-Imageepoch-Unveils-New-Wave-of-JRPGs|access-date=July 23, 2016|publisher=The Escapist|archive-date=June 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605080504/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105615-Imageepoch-Unveils-New-Wave-of-JRPGs|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|author=Spencer|date=November 23, 2010|title=Black Rock Shooter: The Game In Development For PSP [Update: Trailer|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2010/11/23/black-rock-shooter-the-game-in-development-for-psp/|access-date=July 23, 2016|publisher=Siliconera}} and Square Enix's Final Fantasy XV (2016), which features both hack and slash and third-person shooter elements.{{cite web|date=January 18, 2011|title=Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailer leaks out – GamerTell|url=http://www.gamertell.com/technologytell/article/final-fantasy-versus-xiii-trailer-leaks-out/|access-date=July 23, 2016|publisher=GamerTell|archive-date=October 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002152839/http://www.gamertell.com/technologytell/article/final-fantasy-versus-xiii-trailer-leaks-out/|url-status=dead}}

The online live service version gained a lot of popularity on the 2010s with titles such as Warframe (2013), Destiny (2014) and Destiny 2 (2017), The Division (2016) and The Division 2 (2019).

{{Main|Soulslike}}

A Soulslike is a subgenre of action role-playing games known for high difficulty level and emphasis on environmental storytelling, typically in a dark fantasy setting. It has its origin in Demon's Souls and the Dark Souls trilogy by FromSoftware, the themes and mechanics of which directly inspired various other games.

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Category:Articles containing video clips

Category:Video game genres