The Sinking City - RPGWatch Review
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I played and finished The Sinking City at release. I think it's one of the better games based on Lovecraft, but I'm not sure how much that says considering how few quality titles exist for the setting.
I also think calling it an RPG is a stretch. It's more of a third-person shooter with adventure and RPG elements.
I also think calling it an RPG is a stretch. It's more of a third-person shooter with adventure and RPG elements.
Its as much an RPG in my opinion as many modern action rpgs. Certainly as much in my opinion as something like Horizon Zero Dawn or Path of Exile. I also think calling it a shooter a stretch. I don't know how you played the game, but the minority of my game was spent in combat, certainly nothing compared to how much fighting I did in something like Prey or any of the Bioshock games.
I'm not sure what time spent in combat has to do with it. I'm talking about mechanics.
Other than some very basic (and linear) skill trees, it really has no RPG mechanics to speak of. Unless you count exploration and receiving quests as RPG mechanics. It's not even tagged as an RPG on Steam.
Cue: The 3472nd discussion on what an RPG is. cRPG? trpg? arpg? jrpg? stbtrpg? Clearly it is an Adventure RPG or AdvRPG for short.
lackblogger
SasqWatch
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Nah, not really this time (unless you were being sarcastic, lol, in which case I apologise).
Sinking City is made by Frogwares, a studio that is almost entirely dedicated to traditional adventure games. They've made all the Sherlock Holmes games this century and some other stuff.
It's a bit like people who say X-Com are RPGs or Paradox grand strategies are RPGs, I mean, yes, arguments can be made, but it's purely academic as the developers did not set out to make RPGs, they do not call their games RPGs, they do not want to be catagorised as RPGs, but, sure, they might scratch a similar itch in some regards to games made as RPGs.
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I find it has more rpg elements than Stalker 2, which finished 4th in our game of the year voting and it is tagged as both a RPG and Action RPG on Steam.
Genres don't have clear cut borders - if a game is RPGish and interesting it has a place here at RPGWatch.
I was but I should have put a wink emoji or something to make it more obvious.
I would have to play the game to judge for myself but if it has some action shooting sequences, skills or perks or similar I can see it having a bit of RPG in it.
Not sure if you ever played the game "Beyond Zork" back in the late 80's but that game added stats and skills checks to the traditional adventure games of the time. I would call it an Adventure RPG even.
It has level ups, skill trees, branching main quests and side quests. It has an inventory and crafting system. There is dialogue, and a ton of elements that you'd find in an adventure game like the crime reconstruction and research elements. It does have 3rd person shooting mechanics, but so do the Mass Effect games or Fall Out 4. I think if I bought the Sinking City as a 3rd person shooter fan, I'd be very surprised and probably disappointed.
I guess it can be whatever you want it to be.
Thing is though, if it was even close to being an RPG, they would have tagged it as one on Steam. It's a tag publishers love to give their games because they know it draws more people.
Even calling it an adventure-RPG is a stretch. Steam has it labeled as action-adventure, and I think that's far more accurate.
Thing is though, if it was even close to being an RPG, they would have tagged it as one on Steam. It's a tag publishers love to give their games because they know it draws more people.
Even calling it an adventure-RPG is a stretch. Steam has it labeled as action-adventure, and I think that's far more accurate.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
I'm glad we're a more inclusive site, bring on all the games that give even just one person joy.
As far as i remember the original table top rpg was more about roleplaying and descending into madness and I can´t remember ever leveling up
I haven´t heard about this game but this review make me want to try it if my old computer can handle it
thanks a lot
I haven´t heard about this game but this review make me want to try it if my old computer can handle it
thanks a lot
In the original game you don't level up, but gain xp which can be used to raise skills. Granted the rpg system here is completely different. Still there is roleplaying, descending into madness, and finding things out by doing research, which are things a character would do in the tabletop game. I find this game captures the feel well if not the mechanics.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
Ahhh, that old descending into madness, that's usually a fun mechanic, if done correctly.