Summary
Now thatAvowedhas been released,the gaming world’s focus is back on the big-budget first-person RPG and how it has evolved and changed in its decades-long lifespan. Though it can be janky, it’s hard to deny how immersive it can be when done right, even resulting in some of the most satisfying combat systems that RPGs have to offer.
Whether it’s slinging spells from one hand and blasting enemies with a machine gun in the other or a gritty realistic swordplay simulator, first-person RPGs have evolved a lot since their inception and have inspired loads ofcombat systems similar to the likes ofAvowed.
In the world of first-person RPGs, it’s hard to overstate the immense impact ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim,not only as the popular peak of the genre, but also as an early attempt to try and fix some of the problems with first-person RPG combat of being too floaty or easy.Skyrimtackled this challenge with novel quick select bars for consoles and a simplified mana system.
WhileSkyrimonly succeeds somewhat in fixing these problems, the influence it has over every RPG after its release can’t be understated, includingAvowed.Despite the shaky combat system, its sheer long-standing popularity demonstrates that the first-person perspective may just be enough to plaster over the problems.
Though its RPG elements are light,BioShock’slineage is clearly seen in theSystem Shockgames that embraced the snappy first-person gameplay ofDOOMand deftly mixed it with the RPG and the burgeoning immersive sim genre. What resulted was critically acclaimed and laid the foundations forBioShock, one of the best games ever made.
Sent down to the underwater city of Rapture, players must survive the horrors of those citizens who remain in the decaying city witha variety of plasmids in one hand(essentially magical abilities), as well as the biggest guns possible in the other. It’s a really tactile and punchy gameplay experience that holds up surprisingly well to this day.
Though theBorderlandsfranchise has become a touch divisive, particularly since this third entry, it’s hard to deny that few other RPG games have nailed the looter-shooter first-person formula quite as well asBorderlands, with genuinely satisfying combat mixed with RPG elements.
With an arsenal full of weird and wonderful guns,Borderlands 3places players into high-octane combat zones where a prudent mix of grenades, guns, character-specific abilities, and stat combos are key to success. When the game’s at its best, all elements mix into a satisfying feedback loop that has rarely been surpassed in its field (though, admittedly, despite having clunkier combat,some of the otherBorderlandsgames are better).
In the world of survival RPGs, first-person combat has become one of the most popular ways of making the humble zombie appear scary again, particularly if the player only has a humble pipe or stick to try and beat them away with. The originalDead Islandpioneered it,Dying Lightmixed it with parkour, andDead Island 2came back after a lot of gestation to deliver the platonic ideal of this combat system.
Carefully managing stamina bars, weapon durability, upgrades, abilities, and effectiveness against different combat situations,Dead Island 2is a great example of how to hone a simple idea into a great first-person RPG experience, making the experience of first-person combat as tactile as possible.
WhenCyberpunk 2077was first confirmed to be first-person, there was no shortage of concern and controversy about whether that would work. ThoughCyberpunk 2077launched in a rough state, its modern iteration is strong, and the choice of a first-person perspective has finally been vindicated.
Taking a ground-level view of Night City, players can use guns, swords, and their cyberware (often a mix of all three) tocut through Night City’s fearsome gangsin a satisfying mix of old-school RPG damage-dealing and first-person intensity. At its best,Cyberpunk 2077proves that players don’t need a top-down tabletop perspective to experience the tactile thrills of the original TTRPG.
Dead Islandundoubtedly popularized the first-person zombie combat that many others would adopt in time, but Techland innovated that gameplay further into the world of parkour withDying Light,which somehow pulled off the hybrid of zombie survival action withMirror’s Edge-style parkour.
Dying Light 2expanded on the core concepts further, introducing massive skyscrapers, parachutes, and ever-wilder traversal abilities, all while iterating upon solid zombie combat infused with greater agility.Dying Light 2shows how speed isn’t necessarily detrimental to coherency in first-person RPG combat.
The Skaltiz Swordsman
The firstKingdom Come: Deliveranceraised eyebrows for a host of reasons, particularly due to its strict adherence to realism. However, its strange but unique combat style designed to imitate actual swordfighting proved controversial, but ultimately influential.
When players square up against an enemy, the direction of their cursor or joystick places their weapon in six different stances from which they can defend or attack, chaining different stances into combos while managing a stamina meter and the enemy’s fighting style. It’s tricky to get to grips with, but there’s a real sense of mastery that arises.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2iterates on this idea even further, deepening the combat where it works, eliminating some of the unnecessary jank, and implementinga whole host of new and fearsome longswords.
Some games are so determined to fill their particular niche that they don’t even attempt to compete with their peers. So it goes withMount and Blade 2: Bannerlord,where players take control of the head of a new mercenary group ready and willing to sell their martial services tothe various kingdoms of the world.
Though the game can be played in third-person, the first-person perspective gives gaming’s most realistic view of what medieval warfare actually looked like, warts and all. Though a little clumsy, the game is unparalleled in its particular niche, and will no doubt be influential in RPGs to come.
ThoughDark Messiah of Might and Magicmay have dropped off the radar in mainstream gaming circles, OG PC gamers know the rancour this game caused when it first released, preceding the boom of first-person RPGs by some time, and in many ways remaining unsurpassed.
In the dark fantasy world of the game, players take on the role of Sareth, a wizard apprentice. They make their way through the city of Stonehelm to cut through hordes of baddies with incredibly punchy melee combat, satisfying spell-slinging, and a kick so powerful that it remains one of the best combat mechanics ever introduced into video games.
