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===1985=== ''[[Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu]]'', released in [[1985 in video gaming|1985]] (billed as a "new type real time role-playing game"), was a fully-fledged action RPG with many [[Statistic (role-playing games)|character stats]] and a large quest,<ref name=GameSetWatch/><ref name=Falcom-Xanadu/> with action-based combat setting it apart from other RPGs.<ref name=1UP-Kat/> It also incorporated a [[Side-scrolling video game|side-scrolling]] view during exploration and an overhead view during battle,<ref name=Xanadu>Kurt Kalata, [http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/xanadu/xanadu.htm Xanadu], Hardcore Gaming 101</ref> though some rooms were also explored using an overhead view. The game also allowed the player to visit towns, which had training facilities that can improve statistics, and shops that sell items, equipment that change the [[player character]]'s visible appearance, and food that is consumed slowly over time and is essential for keeping the player alive. It also introduced gameplay mechanics such as [[Platform game|platform]] jumping, magic that can be used to attack enemies from a distance,<ref name=GameSetWatch/> an early [[Karma]] morality system where the character's Karma meter will rise if he commits sin which in turn affects the temple's reaction to him,<ref name=GameSetWatch/><ref name=Falcom-Xanadu/> and individual experience for equipped items.<ref name=Falcom-Xanadu/> It is also considered a "proto-[[Metroidvania]]" game,<ref name="1up_metroidvania">{{cite web|author=Jeremy Parish|title=Metroidvania|work=GameSpite.net|url=http://www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index.php/Games/Metroidvania|accessdate=2011-03-25}}</ref> due to being an "RPG turned on its side" that allowed players to run, jump, collect, and explore.<ref>{{cite web|title=8-Bit Cafe: The Shadow Complex Origin Story|author=Jeremy Parish|date=August 18, 2009|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9001783|accessdate=2011-03-25|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620044739/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9001783|archivedate=2012-06-20}}</ref> The game gained immense popularity in Japan, setting records for PC game sales by selling more than 400,000 copies.<ref name=Falcom-Xanadu>{{cite web |url=http://www.falcom.co.jp/xanadu_next/xanadu/xanadu.html|title=Xanadu Next home page|accessdate=2008-09-08 | archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20080918031312/http://www.falcom.co.jp/xanadu_next/xanadu/xanadu.html| archivedate= 18 September 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}} ([http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.falcom.co.jp%2Fxanadu_next%2Fxanadu%2Fxanadu.html Translation])</ref> The way the ''Dragon Slayer'' series reworked the entire game system of each installment is considered an influence on ''[[Final Fantasy]]'', which would do the same for each of its installments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4066/game_design_essentials_20_rpgs.php?page=13 |title=Game Design Essentials: 20 RPGs |publisher=[[Gamasutra]] |date=2009-07-02 |accessdate=2017-01-10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012154920/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4066/game_design_essentials_20_rpgs.php?page=13 |archivedate=2011-10-12 }}</ref> According to ''Dragon Slayer'' creator Yoshio Kiya in a 1987 interview, when he developed ''Dragon Slayer'', he "wanted to make something new", which "was like a bridge to the 'action RPG', and ''Xanadu'' was taking those ideas to the next level." He also avoided implementing [[random encounter]]s because he "always thought there was something weird about randomized battles, fighting enemies you can't see, whether you want to or not."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shmuplations.com/yoshiokiya/ |title=shmuplations.com |publisher=shmuplations.com |date= |accessdate=2016-07-23}}</ref> ''Tritorn'', released by Zainsoft for Japanese computers in 1985, was a side-scrolling, platformer-action RPG hybrid (much like ''Xanadu''), released in the same month. ''Tritorn'' had fewer RPG elements than ''Xanadu'', instead focusing more on action. ''Tritorn'' was influenced by ''Hydlide'' and ''Dragon Buster''.<ref name="Szczepaniak"/> Released in October 1985, ''Tritorn''<ref>[http://www.giantbomb.com/tritorn/3030-28933/ Tritorn], Giant Bomb</ref> improved on the early ''Dragon Slayer'' and ''Hydlide'' games by replacing their simple bump-attack real-time combat with a true reflex-oriented real time combat system where the player needs to press an attack button to swing a sword, like in the earlier ''Tower of Druaga'' and the later ''[[The Legend of Zelda|Legend of Zelda]]''.<ref>[http://www.mobygames.com/game/tritorn Tritorn], [[MobyGames]]</ref> ''[[Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness]]'', released in 1985,<ref>{{MobyGames|/pc88/hydlide-ii-shine-of-darkness|Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness}}</ref> introduced an early morality meter, where the player can be [[Alignment|aligned]] with Justice, Normal, or Evil, which is affected by whether the player kills humans, good monsters, or evil monsters, leading to townsfolk ignoring players with an evil alignment, denying access to certain clues, dialogues, equipment, and training. The game also introduced a time option, allowing the player to speed up or slow down the gameplay.<ref name=Hydlide/> Magical Zoo's ''The Screamer'', a 1985 post-apocalyptic [[cyberpunk]] [[Survival horror|horror]] RPG released for the PC-8801,<ref name=4Gamer-Screamer>{{cite web|url=http://www.4gamer.net/news/history/2006.12/20061226145948detail.html|title=The Screamer|work=4Gamer.net|date=2006-12-26|accessdate=2011-03-29}} ([http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.4gamer.net%2Fnews%2Fhistory%2F2006.12%2F20061226145948detail.html&sl=ja&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8 Translation])</ref><ref name=Legendra-Screamer>[http://www.legendra.com/rpg/fiche-rpg_id-3174-rpg-the_screamer.html#fichesr_33_3174 The Screamer], Legendra</ref><ref name=Moby-Screamer/> featured gameplay that switched between first-person dungeon crawl exploration and [[side-scrolling shooter]] combat, where the player could jump, duck and shoot at enemies in real-time.<ref name=Moby-Screamer>{{MobyGames|id=/screamer_|name=The Screamer}}</ref>
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