What is a CRPG? (Answer + Examples)

What is a CRPG? Well, RPG is a catch-all term for roleplaying game, and CRPG is a subgenre of that. And there are a lot of different subgenres of RPGs. My favorites tend to be tabletop RPGs (TTRPGs) and JRPGs. Though CRPG party-building, dense narratives, dungeon crawls, and focus on character stats are just itches I need to scratch sometimes.

But what makes them different from other video game RPGs? Lemme tell ya.

What Does CRPG Stand For?

CRPG, as I mentioned above, stands for “computer roleplaying game.” The term came about in the 1970s when TTRPGs were the only other RPGs there were.

When games like Wizardry, Akalabeth, Ultima, and MUDs of all kinds hopped onto the stage, people needed a way to differentiate between them and something like Dungeons & Dragons.

Since these games were played on a computer instead of around a table, they were called computer RPGs. So CRPG was born. Makes sense, right?

Examples of CRPGs

There are far, far too many CRPGs to list all of them. Or even most of the titles that have had a major impact on gaming. But here are a few classic and modern CRPGs so you can get an idea of what kind of game I'm talking about here.

Despite being nowhere near the first CRPG, one of the most well-known CRPG franchises is Baldur's Gate. Yep, the same Baldur's Gate series that shook the gaming world in 2024 by taking home nearly all Game of the Year awards. But back in the early '90s, it was so popular it revitalized the genre for a lot of people.

It was based on D&D rules, had amazing characters and storytelling, and for the time, it had amazing graphics. Not cutting edge, by any means, but it was fun to watch your party scramble all over the screen to fight and explore.

Even further back, Richard Garriott's Akalabeth and, later, Ultima would set the standard for what a CRPG could be. Eventually, I would lose years of my life to Ultima Online, and some of my fondest memories of gaming come from the MMO with CRPG roots.

Others like Wizardry or dungeon crawlers like Rogue (to which the term roguelike can be attributed) or AD&D: Eye of the Beholder (in the picture at the beginning of this section) were setting themselves up as pillars of the genre. And they were about as far from tabletop roleplaying as they could get.

And then there are some like Fallout that made the transition from turn-based, isometric CRPG into a full-on, action-shooter RPG franchise.

They're still CRPGs, technically, but I don't think anyone really considers them that because the basic gameplay has changed so much.

What Defines a CRPG?

What makes a CRPG recognizable has changed over the years. The line between the first Baldur's Gate game and the third couldn't be more stark. The same goes for the first Elder Scrolls game, Arena, and Skyrim (or even Oblivion Remastered).

For a long, long time, there were a few almost non-negotiable elements:

• An isometric camera angle (or maybe top-down, if they're a little older)
• A first-person camera perspective (if it's not isometric, there's a good chance it's in first person)
• Lots of mouse clicking (click to talk, click to interact, click on menus, click to move, etc.)
• Lots of text and reading (because they were on computers and not on tiny Atari or Nintendo carts, there were novels-worth of text in CRPGs. And no voice acting!)
• Dialogue choices (unlike JRPGs where the story is being told and you're a viewer, CRPGs give the player a choice in how to interact with NPCs in a more meaningful way).
• Sprawling, deep, long, and potentially random dungeons (you would use a first-person view to explore and map these dungeons, but there was often no in-game map).

But even those elements have spread into other subgenres, like jRPG and action RPGs. So it's really about the gameplay that sets them apart.

Hallmarks of CRPG Gameplay

Character Creation and Progression

CRPGs let you create your characters, and almost always the rest of your party, too. You get to choose classes, races, skills, and backgrounds, and you can allocate stat points based on the rules system the game uses.

This works differently from, say, JRPGs, where leveling up is a pretty static affair with the stats and abilities handled for you on a set path.

Stat-Based, Tactical Gameplay

Unlike action RPGs, where reflexes matter most, CRPGs rely on character stats, dice rolls, and tactical decision-making. Combat can be turn-based or “real-time with pause,” which lets you plan your moves a bit more carefully. Knights of the Old Republic is a great example of a CRPG that has the “real-time with pause” combat.

Party Management

Many CRPGs let you control a group of adventurers, each with unique skills and personalities. Divinity: Original Sin 2 has a great party for you to learn about and adventure with, for example.

Not every CRPG is like this, but it's very common for you to be in charge of leveling up and choosing each party member's stats and abilities. You're building a balanced party, and you end up managing relationships, too.

Parties having a reputation and relationship system, as far as I know, originated in CRPGs and then made their way into other, more mainstream genres.

Branching Narratives and Lots of Player Choice

CRPGs are known for their rich stories and meaningful choices. Looking at you, Bioware. You will see dialogue trees, morality systems, and multiple quest solutions. This all culminates in that your decisions can shape the world and sometimes the very outcome of the game. It's not uncommon for a CRPG to have dozens of endings, and you see the one that ties to the choices you made throughout.

Non-Linear, Open-World Exploration

Okay, so non-linear might not be the case for all CRPGs, but for the most part, you’re encouraged to explore, take on side quests, and find creative solutions to challenges. The Elder Scrolls are a great example of this, and so is the Ultima series. Many CRPGs feature open or semi-open worlds with secrets and lore to discover.

The downside to this is that they can be so overwhelming that players give up because they might never figure out where to go next to advance the story.

Inventory and Resource Management

Managing gear, spells, and consumables is a core part of the experience. Inventory systems are often robust, echoing the character sheets of tabletop games. Sometimes this might be in the form of hunger and the need to eat regularly, as in the original release of Fallout 76, or you might have very limited inventory spaces, like in Diablo. However it manifests, it's a balancing between taking what you want, doing what you want, and the danger of being an adventurer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a CRPG Different from Other Video Game RPGs?

Here's a handy-dandy chart to help you know the difference between the major subgenres of RPG video games.

Are all RPGs on the computer considered CRPGs?

Not exactly. This is where it gets a little confusing. While any RPG that you play on a computer could technically be called a CRPG, the term usually refers to games with stat-driven systems, party management, and deep player choice. You can play games like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger on Steam, but that doesn't make them CRPGs any more than playing Baldur's Gate on Nintendo Switch stops it from being one.

Do I have to play CRPGs on a Computer?

Despite being called “computer RPGs,” many of them are now available on consoles. Whether it's classics like The Elder Scrolls or modern takes such as Baldur's Gate III, tons of CRPGs are now available on consoles and mobile.

Are CRPGs only for hardcore gamers?

Nope, not at all. While they're a little intimidating sometimes and can be complex complex, many modern titles offer changeable difficulty and much friendlier interfaces than old ones. That makes them more accessible and definitely not just for hardcore gamers.

CRPGS are More Than Just Roleplaying Games on the Computer

A CRPG is so much more than just a computer-based RPG. It's a genre known for its depth and player agency, by immersive storytelling and branching narratives. From the early days of Rogue and Akalabeth to modern titles like Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Baldur's Gate 3, CRPGs have carved out a solid niche for themselves. It may overlap with other subgenres, but nothing quite compares to the original.