Games of Various Genres That Have Strong RPG Elements

[racketboy]

You might have heard me say on a number of occasions that I'm a big fan of games that combine elements of different genres.

I've been noticing more and more games that are tying in RPG elements and I thought it might make for an interesting guide for the site. So I thought I'd tap into the forum once again to help flesh out a list.

Of the top of my head, here's what I have

Beatemups:
Castle Crashers, Guardian Heroes, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, River City Ransom

Puzzle Game:
Puzzle Quest

Platformers:
Popful Mail, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Super Paper Mario

Shooters:
Sigma Star Saga, Guardian Legend, Armada

FPS:
System Shock 2, Deus Ex

Simulator:
Segagaga


Racing:
Final Lap Twin


What am I missing?

[ReddMcKnight]

Way of the Samurai 1, 2, and 3. (PS2/PSP/PS3)
Steambot Chronicles. (PS2, PSP)

[CRTGAMER]

Napple Tale: Arsia in Daydream - Platformer
This game reminds me of PSX Pandemonium. Mainly a platformer but it also has a RPG quest mixed in. What is it with Japanese games and the endless dialog? This one is decent, a Dreamcast Hidden Gem.

[Bradtemple87]

Borderlands needs to be added to the list

[SwooshBear]

Paper Mario isn't an Rpg?

[MrEco]

Borderlands needs to be added to the list

Quoted for correctness.

Also, you have System Shock but I see no Bioshock. The PSP Dissidia: Final Fantasy games are fighting games with RPG elements. And any of the Castlevania games that came out from Symphony of the Night and onward were platformers with RPG elements.

[racketboy]

Paper Mario isn't an Rpg?

Super Paper Mario (Wii) is more of a platformer, but has some of the elements of the other Paper Mario games.

[RXRob]

Hybrid Heaven (N64)

If you can get past the awful "exploration" sections then you have a (fantastic IMO) turn based fighting system (using the same moves/animation as Wrestlemania 2000 and No Mercy) which rewards victories with experience points. Said XP is then used to customise your attack or defence stats for each individual limb, torso and head; levels are rewarded with new moves to use.

***EDIT: I retract this post. On second thoughts it was actually marketed as an action/RGP, however stupid it is to use the weakest parts of your game as selling points***

[CFFJR]

Yakuza is probably worth mentioning for the character building via XP.

[Dylan]

I'm not sure if it's exactly what you have in mind, but a pretty good number of hack 'n slash games (Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, God of War) all give you types of "currency" (which behave a lot like experience points) for killing enemies that you can use to level up your abilities and weapons.