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For fans of role-playing games (RPGs), there are few things more appealing than the chance to lose oneself in a created world. For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, I will do my best to explain what role-playing games have to offer.

~Exploration~

Travel in the real world is time-consuming and expensive, but traveling in a role playing game can be done literally at a touch of a button. As players explore the world of a role-playing game, they are treated to new sites, sounds, and experiences. Most role-playing games have several cultures, which means that traveling to new parts of the world involves meeting characters with new and different appearances and speech patterns. Part of what keeps players "hooked" on a role-playing game is the urge to see what else the world has in store.

~Progress~

As you progress in a role-playing game, your character soon becomes stronger and faster, able to defeat more powerful enemies and travel to new and dangerous lands. You find increasingly useful items, often imbued with magical powers. The chance to see your efforts "pay off" in terms in enhanced character attributes is an exciting part of the RPG experience.

~Story~

Traditional RPGs, unlike the massively multiplayer online variety, have a storyline that plays out as you progress in the game. Usually this involves your character saving the world, or at least a corner of the world. Along the way, allies and enemies are encountered, trust is gained and sometimes betrayed, secrets are uncovered, and there is always an element of mystery and intrigue. Part of what keeps the player enthralled is the desire to see what happens next in the story. In this respect, playing an RPG is much like reading a novel or watching a movie.

~Combat~

The battles in RPGs generally involve both luck and strategy, which keeps them interesting. In some role playing games, battles are "turn based," and therefore more strategic, while in others, battles are "real time," which gives them a more arcade-like, action-oriented feel. Either type of game play can be absorbing.

~Mini Games~

It is not uncommon for a role playing game to have games within the game. For example, the Final Fantasy games usually have some sort of luck/skill based game you can play with cards or chips. The game Fable had several different tavern games. These mini games are often very well-programmed and can be fun activities in and of themselves.

~Imagination~

Role playing games are a chance to escape the mundane world and enter the realm of the imagination, a world filled with magic spells, enchanted weapons, and awesome prophecies. Playing an RPG is a chance to duel with dragons, master magic, and become a hero. In the world of an RPG, players can experience the impossible.

~Redemption~

In the real world, there is no reset button, but in a role-playing game, questions that begin with "what if" can usually be answered concretely. If you make the wrong choice in a game or just want to see how things play out if you had chosen differently, you can go back to an earlier saved game and modify your previous course of action. The chance to see how your decisions effect events is one of the many appealing elements of RPGs.

Learn more about this author, Raven Lebeau.
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