In the past few generations, games in general have become less linear. From start to finish a linear game is one where the player takes his character down a set path with little to no wiggle room, In becoming less linear, games allow the player to complete objectives at his leisure and in the order that he chooses. These are known as sandbox games, such as Oblivion. At the beginning, game play is the epitome of linearity, but once you get out of the “training phase”, there are a thousand different things to do, and they can be done at any time, in any order. This appeals greatly to people with less structured mindsets or lifestyles. That is not to say that orderly people don’t enjoy this aspect of the modern RPG as well.
In most RPGs, a great deal of fantasy is involved. It doesn’t matter if you love your life, hate it, or are indifferent to the whole thing, because everyone loves an escape every now and then. For instance, it isn’t possible for most people to command an army, cast a spell, or jump off a ten-story building and survive the impact unscathed. It’s vicarious living taken to the nth degree by the idea, “If I can’t do it, then I’m going to step into the shoes of someone who can.”
RPGs also allow people to do things that normally would land them in trouble with the law. You’d be lucky if you weren’t gunned down by the local police If you went downtown and chopped up some innocent bystanders with a broadsword, In a game like Fable II, if you flee the region and avoid it for a spell, you can return and have the guards smile and wave at you. Even if you’re caught before you make your escape, you can just pay off the fuzz and be on your merry way. This is because in many RPGs, especially Western RPGs, there’s a total lack of meaningful consequences, and that allows for the darker side of people to emerge in a harmless and even cathartic way. Just be sure that the emergence is compartmentalized. In other words, keep your gaming and real life separate in this regard, or you could find yourself “staring down the barrel of a .45” (Shinedown).
RPGs give gamers a feeling of accomplishment, an escape from the daily grind, and a place to give voice to the inner bad boy. It’s like psychiatric therapy, but less expensive and infinitely more entertaining.
