Is Mass Effect an jRPG?

[Cenequus]

Not such a big generalizion if you google search Mass Effect team tali without safe search. But hey generalizing is always wrong,the fact it's a copycat of the team twilight made me say that,and I'm one pretty neutral on subject(better read something stupid rather than not read anything at all).

Not trying to prove anything actually but at this point anything is ok since most posts are "it's not jRPG because it's not made in japan".

Did.. did you just try to win an argument about it being a JRPG-esque game by pulling Rule 34 for on me? The first and foremost rule of the Internet? I'm sorry, but you cannot get any more general than that.

In an equally silly maneuver I would like you to search Team Fortress 2 without safe search and see how long before pictures of Pyro start coming up as animesque.

Also how is Team Tali a copycat of Team Twilight? Both use alliteration to make their names more... fun, and both follow general conventions of fan clubs.

Ok I shouldn't have gone there was a low blow.sorry.nevermind that.

As for the copycat there were some pics somewhere on the tali fan thread with t-shirts with team twilight and team tali ideantical just that instead of edward there was tali. And no it wasn't posten in an offensive way since I've even seen people threatening with death others when they trolled threads and insulted tali. Same goes for others characters but my brain could only support so much.

 

[Rapamaha]

no, its made by canadians...

 

[AlternatePFG]

no skinny 15 year old "boys"
no huge swords
no turn based combat
huh, I guess it isn't a JRPG

Oh yes, because that describes the JRPG genre in general.

 

[pspman45]

no skinny 15 year old "boys"
no huge swords
no turn based combat
huh, I guess it isn't a JRPG

Oh yes, because that describes the JRPG genre in general.

Glad someone agrees with me

 

[mireko]

No.

JRPG and WRPG aren't genres. They are sub-categories of the RPG genre used to indicate the geographical location of the developers. You can expand it to include certain gameplay mechanics and character building techniques, but that's a fruitless endeavor. There are too many exceptions to every "rule" people attach to either group.

 

[NotYetForsaken]

Ok I shouldn't have gone there was a low blow.sorry.nevermind that.

As for the copycat there were some pics somewhere on the tali fan thread with t-shirts with team twilight and team tali ideantical just that instead of edward there was tali. And no it wasn't posten in an offensive way since I've even seen people threatening with death others when they trolled threads and insulted tali. Same goes for others characters but my brain could only support so much.

There's actually a template for that kind of shit you know? Not really copying as in using the same company's cash-in design.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

well let's see...
does it have a shitty story about crazy-haired androgynous tweenagers angsting their way to victory?
does it have combat that smacks your hands away every time you try to touch them?

no?
then it's not a JRPG

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

I'm sorry but its not even close to a jrpg, in fact its barely an rpg (the second one that is) But that doesn't mean the game isnt fun.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Since Mass Effect wasn't made in Japan, NO it's not a JRPG. The single most obvious defining characteristic of all JRPGS, without which they could not be JRPGs, is that they are MADE IN JAPAN!! If it's not made in Japan it's not a JRPG regardless of whatever other tropes it uses.

 

[Cenequus]

I'm sorry but its not even close to a jrpg, in fact its barely an rpg (the second one that is) But that doesn't mean the game isnt fun.

As i said for this thread i suspended my hate(more like dislike I'm not actually a hate person)of jRPGs. As i said I really liked it.

In the end it doesn't matter the genre and I only play a certain type of games because of mechanics not of it's label. If jRPGs would be like Mass Effect that's the only type of games I'd play(they aren't and not because of the people saying it's not made in japan so it's not but those 2-3 people that actually wrote something smart). Same goes for FPS,if developing a shooter someday will mean rich story and freedom of choice I won't ignore them just because it will be called call of Duty 10 and not Mass Effect 10.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

More exactly the second one. Now i know even Bioware said they were inspired by Final Fantasy and all but I always dissmised claims like that in general just because people always use classic games more often to say what type of games they loved/grew up rather than what their game actually looks up.

Now for Mass Effect 2,first of all I really enjoyed them game and the only flaws I could bring to it are how limited it is when it comes to side quests(still a 30ish hours game so not bad overall),almost absent if not lacking at all RPG elements(you can take almost any new FPS and it has pretty much the same in depth rpg elements) and some characters. Now I know putting big points like that one might think it's actually a big deal but even with those I really enjoyed the game.

Now what makes of it an jRPG: well for one to a certain degree the linearity but not by itself it's a linearity that includes side quest(not sure if I explained myself properly).

Second the characters,while for one they aren't 13 yr old kids(I'm sure there are jrpg with adults somewhere) with few exceptions(Jacob and Miranda only come to mind now)the rest are pretty much jRPG clichès. A good example is the behavior a Jacob and Tali vs their respective fathers. But overall any can fit some jRPG archetype and those that know them better could actually make examples for each,this includes Liara,Tali,Thane,Legion,Garrus,Jack with personalities I probably wouldn't dislike that much if I didn't had "normal" personalities(Jacob,Miranda as i said) to compare them.

Now nothnig wrong in the end and I can say I finally liked a jRPG but I made one fatal error that made me reflect more on this subject and open to disscusion...I visited the bioware forum for ME. My mind exploded not at the amount of fanfic that can rival any anime,manga or japanese game but the actual war btwn fanbois of this char vs another. And I mean hundred of thousand of posts with threads having thousand of pages about how much they loved Liara or Tali.

Now I always thought Bioware will take the best of ME1 and ME2 and easylly make out of ME3 the best game ever but I don't know since people think unmasking Tali is a higher priority than bringing back the skill system or the upgrade/modding of weapons and armor.

TL;DR I liked ME2 even if it's an jRPG...kinda...both.

No, Mass Effect 2 is not a JRPG. It is a WRPG. I get where you are trying to go with this, but no.

 

[ultimateownage]

Is it made in Japan?
There, problem solved.

 

[WeakEnd]

I thing jrpg as a descriptor has transcended being linked to country of origin.

You could ask 1000 different gamers what an "RPG" is, and they wouldn't be able to give you a clear response without directly referencing another RPG. "X is defined as being like Y".
Without those frames of reference (which ISN'T what a definition is; a definition is the specific meaning of something; not the "vague, sort-of-like-that" meaning of something) I bet you would get hundreds of different responses at least. Similar, but not the same by any means.

Though in humanity as a whole's defense, I'd like to point out that the only way we're able to remember what we do at all is because we group things together. "Bird" conjures up thoughts of planes (keyword: wings) and clouds (keyword: sky) because we link them accordingly.
But I understand how frustrating it is when people don't switch off autopilot, and refuse to articulate proper, meaningful sentences. /end superficial rant
(Excuse me if I did this wrong, too; it's my first time actually interacting with another poster on a thread).

 

[DracoSuave]

No.

It contains no japanese design elements, does not use japanese style story telling, use japanese imagery, is not influenced by japanese themes, nor does it use a japanese-style system of conflict resolution.

It is in no way a JRPG, a J-like RPG, or even a J-kinda-tickling RPG.

 

[mjc0961]

Well, it's an action RPG instead of turn based, and it's not made in Japan. So no, it is absolutely not a JRPG and has little to nothing in common with them.

Those character traits you mentioned? Not limited to only JRPGs. They're cliches of every genre of every medium, not just JRPGs. Two characters with daddy issues doesn't make something a JRPG.

 

[Cenequus]

I thing jrpg as a descriptor has transcended being linked to country of origin.

You could ask 1000 different gamers what an "RPG" is, and they wouldn't be able to give you a clear response without directly referencing another RPG. "X is defined as being like Y".
Without those frames of reference (which ISN'T what a definition is; a definition is the specific meaning of something; not the "vague, sort-of-like-that" meaning of something) I bet you would get hundreds of different responses at least. Similar, but not the same by any means.

Though in humanity as a whole's defense, I'd like to point out that the only way we're able to remember what we do at all is because we group things together. "Bird" conjures up thoughts of planes (keyword: wings) and clouds (keyword: sky) because we link them accordingly.
But I understand how frustrating it is when people don't switch off autopilot, and refuse to articulate proper, meaningful sentences. /end superficial rant
(Excuse me if I did this wrong, too; it's my first time actually interacting with another poster on a thread).

You get a +1 for the short anthropological teory.

I find otherwise the subject finite and beyond the almost 100 post of "it's not made in japan so no it's not" there were a few posts really worth reading with enough insight.

As someone pointed labeling is pointless and maybe I was just shook up by my visit on the ME bioware forums(I'm not a masochist so it's the last).The real question is:"Is Mass Effect a good game?"And for me there's only one answer...yes it is.

 

[RA92]

JRPG = Japanese Role Playing Game.

Bioware = Canadian.

Mass Effect was made by Bioware thus not a JRPG.

Indeed. Thus, Mass Effect is a cRPG.

*Braces for whatever is coming*

 

[AlternatePFG]

JRPG = Japanese Role Playing Game.

Bioware = Canadian.

Mass Effect was made by Bioware thus not a JRPG.

Indeed. Thus, Mass Effect is a cRPG.

*Braces for whatever is coming*

It's not a cRPG- Oh wait.

I see what you did there.

 

[Irony's Acolyte]

Well first off, since it isn't a game made in Japan it can't be a JRPG (seeing as the J stands for Japanese).

Secondly, while the overall story is rather liner (but then of course most games stories are rather liner) it isn't to the level of JRPGs. In JRPGs you're given a bunch of premade characters and then told to control them occasionally while they go through the preplaned story. There is no difference, you do not change their personality, it always ends up the same. You're just along for the ride. Mass Effect is not like that. You choose what Shepard acts like and what he does. And in ME2 your choices are beginning to have actual consequences that change the gameplay you get. It looks like that's going to be even more so in ME3.

And as for the fanboys loving their character so much, that happens in any fandom. It might just seem more so because you were smack-dab in the middle of the fandom and also that you have a chance to romance several of the characters, so naturally people are going to develop stronger ties to them.