A video game genre characterized by great variety and lack of a rigid stylistic convention. The main distinguishing features of RPG titles are the description of the main character (or heroes) with a series of numerical statistics, and the presence of a mechanics of gaining experience points, thanks to which these statistics can be improved and acquired new skills. The protagonist most often plays an important role in an extensive, multi-threaded and mostly non-linear story. Classic role-playing games are also distinguished by the fact that they attach great importance to the narrative layer, encouraging the player to empathize with the character played and forcing them to make difficult moral choices.
Role-playing computer games were inspired by traditional tabletop RPG systems such as Dungeons & Dragons, from which many mechanics were borrowed. The common denominator is, among others, the process of creating a character, which most often determines its race, sex, profession, psychophysical features and skills. Successful performance of certain activities (e.g. combat, completing missions, disarming traps) is rewarded with a numerically expressed experience, which, after exceeding a certain level, allows you to advance the hero to a higher level and modify these parameters (e.g. increase the stats or acquire a new skill). Other common features are, for example, a wide range of equipment that you can look at a character, frequent themes of travel and exploration of dangerous areas (e.g. dungeons) and the possibility of accepting encountered NPCs to the team.
The vast majority of RPGs offer more or less extensive combat mechanics. It can take place in turn-based, real-time or with an active pause (after stopping the time, the characters are stationary, but you can give them orders). The action RPG and hack’n’slash sub-genres have evolved from erpegs focused mainly on fast-paced action and combat.
In RPGs like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, players can often define their appearance and define their hero’s basic attributes.