Every RPG Genre Explained

We all know that RPGs means role-playing games. But let’s be honest – that explain very little about what RPG games are! If you are curious about why RPGs are everywhere and appreciated by many, take a look at our article about why Hentai RPGs are more popular than ever before. Be sure to also take a look at our list of top 10 free hentai RPGs for a few suggestions to dive-in and explore right now!

Okay we get it, sure, all RPGs have a “role” that you’re “playing,” but not all experiences are made equal. Where some RPGs will be slow-moving, tactical affairs for real brainiacs, others will be action-heavy affairs for all the button mashers in the audience. So – what gives? How can these experiences, and any others, all fit under the category of “role-playing game? And for that matter – how many different kinds of RPGs are out there, anyway?

Wonder no more! That’s why we’re here today: to walk you through the wild world of RPGs, and to teach you a thing or two about all the options at your fingertips. 

What is a Role-Playing Game?

Pictures this: "You have ventured into an old dungeon that is falling apart to chase your arch-nemesis. Reaching the final room after avoiding deadly traps and fighting terrible monsters, you finally see him standing above Kurisu, your beautiful busty elf childhood friend. The poor girl is crying, her clothes are in shambles showing her beautiful skin. As you advert your eyes she pleads, "Help me, oh hero!". Quickly you mustered your strength, lift your sword and leap toward your enemy has a large chunk of rocks falls from the dungeon ceiling. After a few minutes, you emerge from the dungeon victorious with the beautiful Kurisu at your side ready to finally be called a hero and having a spicy evening."

This silly introduction a la Dungeons and Dragons is just a small example to showcase the power for role-playing games. In those games the story is all about you, the main character as you follow a journey to hero-ship through various obstacles and dangers to save the world from certain doom. Role-playing games let players explore worlds filled with fantastic characters that will have you make various choices to influence the outcome of the story. More specifically, pornographic RPGs are very story driven and offers the ability to choose one or many characters to interact with. In most cases characters can even be romanced, which can lead to a lot of spicy content and unique sexual scenes of all kinds. Although, role-playing games follow a very common concept, not all RPGs are the same and it's important to showcase their difference.

Gameplay featured from Taimanin Asagi -Battle Arena-.

What's the Difference Between a Japanese RPG (JRPG) and a Western RPG (WRPG)?

You’ve probably seen these terms thrown around a lot, and they’re a lot simpler than you might think. It’s got everything to do with where the game itself comes from. If it’s developed in Japan, it’s a Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG); if it’s developed outside of Japan, it’s a Western Role-Playing Game (WRPG). Now, this is definitely a bit simplified, but it’s been the common nomenclature for. However, things have gotten more complicated in the last decade, as Western developers are working on Japanese-style RPGs more than ever. Not only that, but WRPGs have influenced Japanese devs, to the point where some JRPG mega-studios have recruited Western teams to make new games! There is also the matter of the art style which can also influence what is branded as JRPG or WRPG. With so much resemblance between the two and the new twist and turns of the industry these days, it might just be more useful to call them all “RPGs” but that is not a very well-thought explanation so let's explore what makes those two types of genres unique!

Although the line between a Western and a Japanese RPG has been blurred quite a lot today, a lot of differences actually exists between the two. JRPG games are normally quite unique in the aesthetic that is used for the artwork of the game and the content that the game will tackle. In terms of graphic, JRPGs follow an aesthetic that is unique to Japanese drawing which is used for anime, manga and hentai artwork. Playing a JRPG is like being in your favorite manga! For this reason, JRPGs tend to be a bit more fantastical than WRPGs. Don't get us wrong, both types of role-playing games will delve into unknown magical land of monsters, spaceships, huge worlds, and, of course, beautiful characters with unique species and stunning aesthetics, but JRPGs feel more otherworldly because they focus less on realism and more uniqueness.

Gameplay featured from TenkafuMA!.

A common joke that is used to describe JRPG is that the first quest will have players search for a missing cat that an old lady has lost while the last mission will have you fight a god to become the hero of all kingdoms. We're here to say that this exaggeration is actually pretty accurate! A lot of Japanese role-playing games and even some of the best hentai JRPG games have the player start as a nobody or a simple worker and will make you become a hero by a surprising coincidence. This is exactly the case for the game I Am Magicami DX where Tobio, a normal student, suddenly wakes up in a stranger’s room where a beautiful girl called Kamisaman explain to him that she needs his help. The world is in danger from a terrible demon invasion and only Tobio can stop it. He must lead a cast of magical girls, each more stunning than the other, in a battle that will require strength and will, by building friendship and finding love along the way. This sort of grandiose prelude is just a little taste of JRPGs are usually all about and Nutaku has plenty of it with games like Kamihime Project R and Mist Train Girls X.

Other hentai Japanese RPG games also try to avoid the usual trope by having the main character been already at the top of the food chain where the main character already has unique power and social statues. TenkafuMA! is one of these games where players play as Caesar one of the strongest archdemon who grew bored and decided to take over the world so that he could add more waifus to his harem. Regardless if you are looking for amazing and lewd characters or simply want to deep dive into a unique mysterious world, JRPGs has the best of both worlds.

Gameplay featured from I Am Magicami DX.

On the other end, Western RPGs offer some of the most realistic, fun and mind-blowing role-playing games that are available on the market. The initial difference between WRPGs and JRPGs resides in the aesthetic of the game which may take two unique forms depending on the Western Role-Playing game.

Certain WRPGs will focus on having a more realistic approach in regards to their gameplay aesthetics and character art. 3D models are more commonly used to achieve more lifelike graphics in both the gameplay and of course in the sex scenes. These games are usually impressive and give a closer to reality experience.

Other Western Role-Playing games prefer to use a more American cartoon aesthetic or a more comic book style approach which makes for a unique experience. Although these games are usually not in 3D, the artwork is some of the lewdest you can find and are usually still more realistic than JRPG game. Following the art, the story will also feature a more realistic approach and will be quite different than what you can find in Hentai Japanese Role-Playing games! For instance, Comix Harem focus on a harem of heroes and features a story that is quite similar to what you could read in an American comic book. Another WRPG game is Long Lost Lust where you can recruit many beautiful women from different mythology to help you defend the fantasy realm.

Gameplay featured from Long Lost Lust.

What is a Turn-Based Role-Playing Game (TBRPG)?

Turn-Based RPGs (TBRPGs) are games where the player must wait their turn to attack and is a type of gameplay heavily based on Dungeons and Dragons. The initial order is decided at the beginning of an encounter and sees the player side and the enemy side clash one after another in what is called a "turn". Instead of being action driven where the player attacks and receive damage from the enemy at the same time, these games instead let you plan your attack and calculate your next move to conquer the battlefield. In most cases a turn lets users either fight, heal or flee the combat. Some TBRPG games also features movement and lets players move their unit during their turn. Finally, each turn the player characters will build a bit of power toward their special attack. Once it is complete, they can unleash a crazy attack that can leave the enemy trembling in defeat! Although those games are not as action oriented as action-adventure games, they are very good for players who do not enjoy reflex base gameplay. Instead, these games let you focus and encourage you to take your time in order to decide your next move!

Turn-Base Role-Playing Games are the bread-and-butter of the traditional JRPG experience! Before other iterations on the RPG formula like Zelda and Ys, turn-based titles like the Final Fantasy series and Dragon Warrior set the standard. These games are all about menus, levels, and dialogue. So… much… dialogue… and it rocks! These experiences were usually defined as lengthy, frequently difficult, and often come packed with dense, deep narratives. In fact, some of the greatest stories ever told in gaming are in TBRPGs!

Classic TBRPG staples are the heart of so many modern mobile masterpieces, and it’s impressive to think how far we’ve come since the 1980s. Today things have changed quite a lot. Although, at heart these games still have a unique gameplay, feature story rich content and some of the most beautiful mesmerizing world gaming has to offer, they are also a lot more user-friendly than they once were. This is why many mobile RPGs these days are modelled on TBRPGs where you wait your turn to build up a meter and  to do an attack to make your number go up. The TBRPG formula has been improved a lot to help players have a more streamlined experience where the focus is now on the game and the spicy content that you can unlock through those. Nutaku TBRPG are packed with interesting gameplay, fun stories and some of the best porn scene you can find in any erotic games. Great hentai Turn-Based RPGs on Nutaku include Project QT, Horny Arcana, and Kamihime Project R. Whether you want a fast turn-based RPG where you can do a few battles quickly to gain materials and unlock spicy scenes or prefer longer rewarding battles, we have a game for you! 

Gameplay featured from Kamihime Project R. 

What is a Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG)?

Action Role-Playing Games are experiences built around fast-paced, real-time combat and exploration. Instead of planning things out in advance, or waiting for your turn to fight, ARPGs throw you right into the thick of combat. These types of role-playing games usually feature a 3rd person point of view where you can see the characters and the enemies around them. The player is then able to quickly move their characters around and to perform various actions to defeat their enemies. Most ARPGs center around flashy, combo-driven, combat and stylish special moves, with plenty of numbers popping off baddies with each hit. Once the casual mob has been defeated, the player will often be treated to an epic boss fight where anything goes! Players can use many of their abilities and even special attacks that are only possible during this time. Once the battle has been won, you might be rewarded with new characters to seduce and have sex with or some special spicy animation.

Gameplay featured from Sacred Sword Princess.

This ARPG genre really took hold in the early 1990s, especially with the birth of the Mana games! These days, some of the biggest games released each year are ARPGs, and have carved out a devoted following in Japan, America, Europe, China, and just about every other gaming market out there. Today they have become a lot more common and can even be played on mobile on the go!

One of the best hentai ARPGs featured on Nutaku is Sacred Sword Princess a Free to Play Harem game where you, the only man in the world, controls a team of busty princesses to defend the kingdom against the invader. Another example is SF Girls, a unique subgenre of ARPG game with button mashing gamplay. The game features a large cast of unique loyal mech ladies that you can romance and have sex with!

Gameplay featured from SF Girls.

What is a Strategy Role-Playing Game (SRPG)?

These are for the nerds among us out there. SRPGs are brainy affairs – built around planning things out five steps in advance and being extremely patient. This genre can be real-time or turn-based, but most commonly, SRPGs tend to take on the form of grid-based, turn-based games with heavy emphasis on story and class systems. Yeah – they’re complicated! But a good SRPG will last you literally hundreds of hours, and each one of those hours will be full of intrigue, complex mechanics, and plenty of unique systems to dig into.

The best thing about SRPGs is that they are lengthy because they gave you the ability to properly planned each and every move you make. Is it better to move your character to a certain point and not attack? Do you prefer to build a strong line of defense toward you base and let monsters come closer to you? Are some of your characters able to break to enemy units for you to rush their camp and quickly win the battle? All of those options need to be considered and will define your success or failure. One popular SRPG game is Tactics Elemental a unique mix of strategy and sexy action for a very addicting experience!

Gameplay featured from Tactics Elemental.

What is a Computer Role-Playing Game (CRPG)?

This one’s easy: it’s a computer role-playing game! As in, an RPG that you play on your computer. These can range from beefy, graphic-heavy experiences that only the glorious PC gaming race can taste, to niche experiences that could only survive on the larger PC marketplace. Variety is the spice of life, and you don’t get much more varied than games on PC! In fact, because porn is a no-go on traditional home consoles, any porn role-playing game you’ll ever play that isn’t on a phone is, technically, a CRPG. 

Because those games are playable on computers they also give players a lot more control over the world and the characters. Some games like Wildlife will feature a full on 3D world where most of the characters or the environment can be interacted with. Other CRPGs may offer Sim-like character customization which can let you either chose your own appearance or the ones from other characters! In some porn CRPGs you can even customize breast size or sexual organs to your own liking which makes for a more unique and personalize experience.

Computer Role-Playing Game are also some of the most story-driven games out there. It's not uncommon to have multiple characters that you can choose to interact with or lets you make multiple decisions that will lead to a whole new ending. In other words, you could play these games a bunch of time and still find new things that you would have missed before! Evenicle 2 is a great example of CRPG game which feature so much content this game need to be played on the computer otherwise it would just not be possible!

Gameplay featured from Evenicle 2.

What is a Dungeon Role-Playing Game (DRPG)?

Of course, you know what a first-person shooter is. You know about walking simulators. But DRPGs are the granddaddies of first-person gaming! Classic DRPGs are grid-based, set from the player’s point of view, and often see them traversing dungeons with limited visibility. A single step forward is a chance for a trap, warp, or random enemy encounter. In the 90s, developers had a real ‘chocolate and peanut butter’ moment with DRPGs and ARPGs, when they realized both were great tastes that worked great together. Ever since, some DRPGs have taken a more action-oriented route, with isometric third-person exploration and loot-based design.

Although less common today, Dungeon Role-Playing Games still have some of the most unique gameplay available from any role playing games, which is sure to bring back nostalgia for the good old days to the ones who have played some when they were younger. Sakura Dungeon is on of the most popular DRPG games available on Nutaku and features the first person classic gameplay from dungeon crawling game but with a lot of spicy twists and turns along the way.

Gameplay featured from Sakura Dungeon.

… But They’re All RPGs?

The best thing about role-playing games is that there are no hard and fast rules. Sure, there are some baselines – experience points, hit points, some degree of strategy – but RPGs are one of the most pliable genres out there. If you’re a diehard RPG connoisseur, you’ll never be hurting for games to play, and you’ll never be limited to just one type of game! With multiple decades of history behind it, there’s bound to be a role-playing out there for everyone.

Nutaku is happy to host a whole wealth of role-playing games of every shape, size, and age! We’ve got cutting edge titles that break new ground for the genre, established classics with built in audiences, and everything in between. There are so many different titles to explore across PC, Mac, Linux, and Android that we’re confident you’ll find something for your tastes. Sink your teeth into some RPG history on the Nutaku Store today!