This thread was partly inspired by a GDC Roundtable (between Sakaguchi, Ray Muzyka, and Peter Molyneux) in which they discussed the changing nature of RPGs, some incorporating aspects from action games, and other gaming genres adopting techniques typically definitive of RPGs. 10 years ago it was very clear what kind of games they were, but now it may be becoming harder to discern between what is and what isn't.

Another inspiration came when Dragonsoul (seemingly M.I.A. at the moment) kept referring to Zelda as an RPG. Each and everytime he did this, there was always someone quick to correct him. But then I really thought about it - what really separates Zelda from traditional RPGs other than the fact that it doesn't utilize turn-based combat and menu-input commands?

At the same time, you have some strict followers of Western RPGs making a rather strong assertion:

Final Fantasy IV, for example, is not an RPG. The player does not roleplay. He/she has no impact on the characters' choices or the possibility to have different events or dialogue scenes depending on his or her choice. There isn't even any system for character development, as each party member is set on a linear track as they level up. Instead, the player is placed into a predetermined story, in which he or she can only witness as it follows a path and comes to a conclusion already set by the developers. Ironically, the term "interactive movie" almost fits the description (although anyone seriously using the term for RPGs or FF's has clearly not played the "choose-and-watch" "games" of the Sega CD).

Furthermore, because of voice acting, and the limits which creators who implement it use, FFVII, VIII, and IX (again, for example, since this is an FF site) may now be the only entries in the series to include sparse moments of role playing (and VI to some extent, but that's a stretch). Subsequently, it may be even further removed from Japanese RPG's as the implementation of voice acting seems to be becoming the standard.

So, how do you define what really is an RPG? For example, why is it that Zelda is out of bounds, yet Final Fantasy IV is firmly entrenched in the genre? Do you see genres overlapping, with games that are commonly classified in other genres incorporating RPG elements? It's a tough question, and the way in which the title gets restrictively used by gamers, it may be a good one for us to try to come up with some kind of answer to.