# Great computer games that aren't shoot-em-ups **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 20, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471 "2013-03-20T17:35:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/21 "2013-03-22T18:12:51Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > the Lego games are all co-op, some only local multiplayer and some have online multiplayer > my favorite is the harry potter one > [Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Harry_Potter:_Years_1%E2%80%934) I’m firmly of the opinion that, overall, the newer the LEGO game is, the better it is, because they’ve been figuring out ways to break up the essentially boring as crap gameplay with humor and other elements. By this metric, Lego Lord of the Rings is better than Lego Harry Potter. Also, can Lego Harry Potter do [this?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFjw88UP-yk#t=6s) I didn’t think so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/22 "2013-03-22T19:20:43Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > Er, no, Zelda is pretty much the iconic console adventure game. Which is different, certainly, from the PC variety, but Zelda has VERY FEW “RPG traits” and is basically all about getting the item that will allow you to solve the puzzles in the next area. > > Still, somewhat more action oriented than PC adventure titles. (And probably a lot more popular too, so… YMMV.) Sorry, but the “console adventure game” is a category that was created after the fact. Zelda was originally marketed as an RPG, and only after RPG became a much more static concept did people start to say it wasn’t one. I personally reject the title of “adventure game” being given to any title that is action oriented. Throw in the fact that the game has items, dungeons, upgrades, and even technically levels (even if they aren’t called such outside of Zelda II), and the game is either an RPG or a platformer. And it is definitely not a platformer. To say it isn’t an RPG would be to deny that most modern non-JRPGs are not RPGs. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/23 "2013-03-22T19:36:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Sorry, but the “console adventure game” is a category that was created after the fact. Zelda was originally marketed as an RPG, and only after RPG became a much more static concept did people start to say it wasn’t one. > > I personally reject the title of “adventure game” being given to any title that is action oriented. Throw in the fact that the game has items, dungeons, upgrades, and even technically levels (even if they aren’t called such outside of Zelda II), and the game is either an RPG or a platformer. And it is definitely not a platformer. > > To say it isn’t an RPG would be to deny that most modern non-JRPGs are not RPGs. It’s Not an RPG. It’s absolutely an Action game. Regardless of what you think those genres should be, what they actually are, excludes Zelda from the RPG category. Put it this way: If Zelda is an RPG, so is Mario. So is Metroid. so is a LOT of other stuff that no way in holy diablo cow level hell belongs there. It pretty much becomes a catch all term for a ton of very different games and stops being useful as a descriptor. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/24 "2013-03-22T19:37:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Sorry, but the “console adventure game” is a category that was created after the fact. Zelda was originally marketed as an RPG, and only after RPG became a much more static concept did people start to say it wasn’t one. Because it’s totally against the rules to create a new genre for a game that was originally conceived as a blending? Yes, Zelda is kinda like an action RPG, but action RPGs don’t have the puzzle solving aspects of Zelda games, and are much, much more focused on…action and combat. (Ys: Origins would be a fine example of a ‘classic style’ action RPG.) The fact that Zelda was or was not “marketed” as an RPG means… well, nothing to me, really. Nor should it to anyone. > [@](#): > > I personally reject the title of “adventure game” being given to any title that is action oriented. Throw in the fact that the game has items, dungeons, upgrades, and even technically levels (even if they aren’t called such outside of Zelda II), and the game is either an RPG or a platformer. And it is definitely not a platformer. But it doesn’t have “levels” in any of the classic senses. And ALL adventure games have “items”. It’s obviously not a platformer, as there are no platforms (Most clearly defined genre ever), but it contains far more puzzle solving than an RPG, while being far lighter on RPG systems than an RPG. Where does Quest for Glory stand in your mind? Because that is WAY more RPG than Zelda, but is generally accepted as an Adventure Game. > [@](#): > > To say it isn’t an RPG would be to deny that most modern non-JRPGs are not RPGs. There are so many negatives in that sentance that I literally cannot parse it. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/25 "2013-03-22T19:41:10Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Adventure games you might like: > > - Did you play the old Monkey Island games? They’ve been redone with some really nice 2D artwork and a more modern UI, in case you want to relive the old days 🙂 > - The Cave > - To the moon > - Syberia I & II > - Longest Journey series. The third chapter is due out next year thanks to a successful kickstarter. > - Lone survivor > - Sword and Sorcery > - Gemini rue > - Machinarium > - The Walking Dead > - Still life > - Gray Matter > - Indigo Prophecy (if you can find it) > - botanicula > - book of unwritten tales > - Yesterday > - Kentucky Route 0 > - Back to the Future > > Some other games you might like - not really adventure games, but I notice a lot of adventure game fans tend to like something about them - whether it’s the atmoshphere or the puzzle solving, who knows?: > > - FTL: Faster than light > - Limbo > - Braid > - Amnesia Dark Descent > - Cryostasis > - Mark fo the ninja > - Portal and Portal 2 > - > > Upcoming I’m loking forward to: > > - Stasis > - Reset > - Cradle > - Moebius > - Cargo Good list. I’d throw Amnesia into the adventure game category. It’s first person, but it’s not a shooter. There are a couple Walking Dead games out. The one that’s an adventure game is from Telltale Games. It made several top 10 lists, and for good reason. There are action sequences, but they’re very forgiving of failure and don’t fall into a trap of being too frustrating. Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit is on Steam, so it’s not hard to find at all. ---
**Author:** ![SweetiePotato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SweetiePotato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetiePotato)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/26 "2013-03-22T20:01:38Z")
Wow! I am blown away by all of these suggestions! I’m going to start checking them out one by one. Thank you SO much! FWIW, I really liked text-based adventure games back in “the day”, and I played old-school golden zelda cartridge until my ears bled. I also liked Maniac Mansion, but needed an old magazine walk-through to complete it… dern. That felt like sweet, sweet failure… ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/27 "2013-03-23T21:53:29Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > To say it isn’t an RPG would be to deny that most modern non-JRPGs are not RPGs. What’s a “JRPG”? ---
**Author:** ![Chipacabra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Chipacabra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chipacabra)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471/28 "2013-03-23T22:22:52Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > What’s a “JRPG”? Japanese RPG, referring to the Final Fantasy style of game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-computer-games-that-arent-shoot-em-ups/653471.md?page=1)