Page 92 - Pure Life 11

Playing the Gospel of Video Games /91

Role-Playing Games (RPGs): Evolving from pen-and-
paper games like Dungeons and Dragons, RPGs are a
special type of adventure game that usually incorporate
three major elements:
1. A specific quest,
2. A process for evolving a character through
experience to improve his/her ability to handle
deadlier foes,
3. The careful acquisition and management if
inventory items for the quest (i.e., weapons, armor,
healing items, food, and tools).
Having said that, these games still have many
variations and appearances.
Puzzle: In many ways, puzzle video games are not
dissimilar from traditional puzzles. What they offer are
unique environments that are not as easily introduced in
one's living room.
For example, Wetrix enables the player to build up a series
of walls that would be able to contain a deluge of water when it
falls. Successful completion of a level involves capturing
enough water. Other examples include Tetris, Intelligent Qube,
Puzzle Bobble, Puyo Puyo, Devil Dice, and Mercury.
Simulations: By their nature, simulations are attempts to
accurately re-create an experience. These can be in the form of
management simulations like SimCity and Theme Hospital, or
more hands on like MicroSoft Flight Simulator or Gran Turismo.
Strategy/Tactics: Like simulations, strategy/tactics
games attempt to capture a sense of realism for the game
player to experience. However, these titles are often turn-
based as opposed to realtime and they give the player a
greater sense of specific control over a situation. Franchises
that fall into this genre include Ogre Tactics, Command
and Conquer, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Worms.