History Main / RPGElements

* There's an Creator/{{Infocom}} [[InteractiveFiction text adventure]], ''[[VideoGame/{Zork}} Beyond Zork]]''. Your character had various stats, could use potions and herbs, and even attack monsters, yet it had all of the trademarks of the previous VideoGame/{{Zork}} games (including the mindbending puzzles). Surprisingly, it worked.

* There's an Creator/{{Infocom}} [[InteractiveFiction text adventure]], ''VideoGame/BeyondZork''. Your character had various stats, could use potions and herbs, and even attack monsters, yet it had all of the trademarks of the previous VideoGame/{{Zork}} games (including the mindbending puzzles). Surprisingly, it worked.

* Strangely, Square's ''VideoGame/WorldOfMana'' series started out as a straight action RPG, but every game since the Japanese-only ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' has had fewer RPG elements than the previous title. ''VideoGame/DawnOfMana'' manages to be a straight-out third-person action game with fewer RPG elements than ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank.''

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' has this in the form of experience points, potions, and enchantments. Experience points are used to enchant tools and armor pieces for various effects, such as a sword multiplying the number of drops from a mob or a pair of boots that reduces fall damage. Brewing potions can get you various results, depending on what is used, and they can be made into a "splash" form that act like hand grenades. The fanbase is [[BrokenBase divided]] as to whether this constitutes GrowingTheBeard or JumpingTheShark.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' has two modes of play. One is a {{Roguelike}}, and the other is similar to ''Franchise/TheSims'' or ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper''. Naturally, they both allow the dwarfs to gain skills and whatnot.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has light RPG elements with different stats related to driving and flying skills, proficiency with guns, stealth, stamina, and strength that are increased by continuing to do activities related to the stats (running to increase stamina, fighting with bare hands to increase strength, etc.). The online component of the game, ''GTA Online'', takes this a step further with [[ExperiencePoints Reputation Points]] that are earned through completing jobs and activities, increasing the player's [[CharacterLevel Rank]] and opening access to more gear and content.

* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty [[VideoGame/ModernWarfare 4]]''. See [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/9/ this comic.]] For clarification: as with an RPG, every kill you make rewards you with experience. Gain enough, you rank up and get access to more equipment. As it's ''Call of Duty'', [[FollowTheLeader this has become very popular in multiplayer shooters since then]].

* YouTube commentator [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOeGOrxFYa7dPIvJpNpMcVw Aeron Tempest]] uses various RPG elements in his commentaries, including experience, stats, levels, ranks, and character skins.

* [[PowersAsPrograms Equipable abilities]] and [[EvolvingAttack Evolving Attacks]]

* YouTube commentator [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOeGOrxFYa7dPIvJpNpMcVw Aeron Tempest]] uses a lot of RPG elements in his commentaries, including experience, stats, levels, ranks, and character skins.

* ''World Court Tennis'' for the TurboGrafx16 has a "Quest" mode in which you walk around an overworld and have RandomEncounters with other tennis players.

* ''VideoGame/AliceMadnessReturns'' managed to cram in some RPG Elements in addition to its HackAndSlash combat, heavy platforming focus and minigames. Your main weapons ([[KnifeNut Vorpal Blade]], [[GatlingGood Pepper Grinder]], [[GrenadeLauncher Teapot Cannon]] and [[BringTheHammerDown Hobby Horse]]) all had four tiers and were improved by investing points into them (although the 4th tier was available only as a DLC). That, and there was an occasional DialogueTree, although it didn’t have much impact on things.

* ''VideoGame/ScurgeHive'' is an isometric ActionGame-slash-{{Platformer}} with experience points, character levels, and ElementalRockPaperScissors. Oh, and {{Expy}}s of the ''{{Metroid}} Fusion'' cast.

* There's an {{Infocom}} [[InteractiveFiction text adventure]], ''VideoGame/BeyondZork''. Your character had various stats, could use potions and herbs, and even attack monsters, yet it had all of the trademarks of the previous VideoGame/{{Zork}} games (including the mindbending puzzles). Surprisingly, it worked.

* ExperiencePoints and [[CharacterLevel Character Levels]]

* StandardStatusEffects and {{StatusBuff}}s

* [[CharacterClassSystem Character Classes]] and [[JobSystem]]

* [[CharacterClassSystem Character Classes]] and [[SkillScoresAndPerks Skill Scores]]

* Microsoft-owned video game streaming site [[http://www.mixer.com Mixer]] (formerly Beam) has this. You earn experience points by watching streams and by streaming yourself. You level up when you gain enough experience points.

* Microsoft-owned video game streaming site [[http://www.mixer.com Mixer]] (formerly Beam) has this. You earn experience points by watching streams and by streaming yourself. You level up when you gain enough experience points.

* ''SuperPaperMario'' departed from previous games in the ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' series by being a platform game with RPG Elements rather than an RPG with some platforming elements.

* ''VideoGame/WarThunder'', a WorldWar2 multiplayer air combat game, uses these for progression. As players build up experience flying for various countries, more plane options are opened for them. Further, characters accumulate "Silver Lions" which function as currency, and any new plays must be bought. The plans themselves can be upgraded with more of this currency, with new weapons or upgrades, but only after passing certain experience thresholds for each plane. On top of that, the plan crew accumulates experience, which can then be spent improving their skills, allowing them things like greater tolerance for G forces or the ability to identify and lock onto targets at greater distances.

You're not playing an [[RolePlayingGame RPG]]. However, your character gains [[CharacterLevel experience and levels]] as if you were. Instead of being a mere test of skill, in which the only thing that makes the game easier or harder is your ability as a player, your control over the PlayerCharacter is abstracted so that you must [[AnAdventurerIsYou build a unique path for them]]. Often their talents improve the more you practice or train, maybe there's a class system, or some sort of [[SkillSlotSystem system]] that allows for tweakable abilities.

* [[CharacterClassSystem Character Classes]] and [[SkillScoresAndPerks Skill Scores]].
* EquipmentBasedProgression and [[EvolvingAttack Evolving Attacks]]