(re: re: re: RPG’s as opposed to Adventure Games)
if a side quest is done well, it’s a story in itself. For example, Majora’s Mask (action RPG) had a very great side quest for a particular mask. Of course, the side quest ended up having a better story than the actual game, but that’s another story. Summoner has some great side quests. Final Fantasy doesn’t have very good side quests. Xenosaga has no sidequests.
I have to admit the rpg turn based style of combat is not very exiting, but its not entirely boring either. Then you have action RPGs like Ocarina of Time (probably my favorite game of all time) and action FPS’s like Deus Ex. But you’re right Adventure games are RPGs, but they aren’t RPGs in the traditional video gaming sense. There are plenty of RPGs that have puzzles. But now that I think about it, Action RPGs are like a mix of RPGs and Adventure games with the addition of combat. If the controls of KQ8 and the tone (for lack of a better word) of the story (too midieval, especially with the diction the characters used) were improved upon, KQ8 would be a great game.