I think RPGs are made for those with the wildest of imaginations. They require a suspension of disbelief that not every gamer can muster. It's one thing for a racing game enthusiast to become lost in the joy of driving their favorite cars, or for a strategy purist to focus intensely on thinking 10 moves ahead of their opponent. For one to love RPGs, however, it takes an extraordinary willingness to be both open-minded and personally creative. Not only is the player stepping into a fictional (and, oftentimes, foreign) world, but they also have to be invested in making decisions that shape their character and gameplay experience. Though a wide array of people and personalities can be drawn to the genre, there are definitely several characteristics that they all share in common.
People come to RPGs in different ways. Some are attracted to the promise of huge open worlds to explore and multitudes of enemies to overcome. Others love the ability to customize their character and take them on a life-changing adventure. Still others are quite young when they're introduced to the genre via mainstays like the Pokemon and Final Fantasy series. This last one was definitely me; the first RPG I ever played was a Pokemon game, like many others born in the early '90s--specifically Pokemon Red. I'd played many other games by that time from a wide array of genres, but my first experience playing Pokemon changed my outlook on gaming forever. The bond I felt with the first five Pokemon I caught (plus my starter) was strong enough that I never swapped them out; I continued to catch others, but always kept my primary six. Traveling through the land, meeting new friends, and battling with my pals was incredible, especially the traveling aspect. From there I moved to something more traditional--Final Fantasy III. The first and only main series FF game I've finished, it blew my mind open to the excitement of traveling with a more traditional party and growing close to the characters over the course of the story. My love for games like Children of Mana, Tales of Symphonia, Blue Dragon and others all comes from the countless joy-filled hours I put into FFIII. The fantastical worlds and colorful characters appealed to my appetite for fantasy, and I found myself enjoying the escapism and storytelling I got from the game equally to that of Harry Potter, my favorite series of novels. There really is something about RPGs that just satisfies an innate craving in my soul for adventure and fantasy. But what about you guys? Do you feel the same way, or is it just me? Leave a comment below or hit me on Twitter @CreamBasics and let me know your experiences and thoughts with/about RPGs. Peace!
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