Key elements that make up a role playing game are usually an engrossing storyline, the world is more realized, more npc interaction, a monetary(money) system where you can buy from shops, a seemless overworld world from start to finish for the game and not having "levels" where a mission ends and you exit the game and go to some briefing for the next level, and always the character stat developement.
Honestly so many games mix rpg elements in them now days and rpgs are mixing elements from other genres its hard to call any game a pure old school rpg. And its for the best really. It makes games more immersive.
Its better to like what you like and dislike what you dislike.
Last edited by PCXL-Fan; June 1st, 2008 at 23:27..