Poll: Japanese Games and Convoluted Plots... What Gives?

[Fappy]

Its no secret that many if not most Japanese games are in one way or another influenced by Japanese Anime, which as we all probably know is notorious for confusing, complex and down right ludicrous plots. Sometimes it works... but often times (at least for a Western audience) it just leaves us asking "wtf"? Well seeing as how Japanese games, most notably JRPGs and Fighters, lend their roots tremendously to anime stories, themes and cliches, naturally the games would suffer a similar fate. This is extremely evident in Fighting game stories (if you can call them that) and some JRPGs where most of the time the basic premise is very simple but it is presented in a manner that is meant to confuse the player. My question is why? I understand this happens in western games as well, but as far as I can tell it is not as frequent or severe.

Take Blazblue for instance... I actually did like the story... once I understood it... which took about as much research as figuring out wtf happened in the film Mulholland DR.

So what do you guys think? Why do think this happens so frequently with Japanese games? Do like ultra-complex plots that take a lot of deductive prowess?

 

[Dragon_of_red]

Yes, i like some of these games, i like deep polts that arent Exactly straight foreward, it make sthe game more fun with a lot of twists and turns, makes it a ***** to try and explain to someone though.

 

[-Drifter-]

It's just the way it works over there. I don't doubt that they think our games have overly simplistic stories.

Besides, I find that most Japanese games aren't that hard to understand (though that may be because I carry a note pad while playing them.)

 

[Spiner909]

The KH story ruled, after I took an hour to look it up.

 

[comadorcrack]

Plenty of western games with Complex convoluted plots

 

[Thaius]

I haven't found that to be the case with most of the ones I've played. Rather than being simply, but confusingly presented, I've found most JRPG stories (most good ones, at least) to simply be incredibly complex. Thanks to the Japanese obsession with fantasy elements, this often turns into confusion when the complexity manifests itself in some kind of force or power that we don't really understand.

But most JRPGs I've played are pretty good with this, namely because they have the sheer amount of hours in them to explain it all. Final Fantasy VII made perfect sense: it was complex and intensely complicated, but all the pieces are in place. Same with most others I've played.

 

[Fappy]

I haven't found that to be the case with most of the ones I've played. Rather than being simply, but confusingly presented, I've found most JRPG stories (most good ones, at least) to simply be incredibly complex. Thanks to the Japanese obsession with fantasy elements, this often turns into confusion when the complexity manifests itself in some kind of force or power that we don't really understand.

But most JRPGs I've played are pretty good with this, namely because they have the sheer amount of hours in them to explain it all. Final Fantasy VII made perfect sense: it was complex and intensely complicated, but all the pieces are in place. Same with most others I've played.

Final Fantasy VII really was the perfect example of how to succeed in that manner of story telling. Yeah you might not have a clue what is happening when he's trapped in his subconscious but by the end all the pieces come together.

 

[Akai Shizuku]

Plenty of Japanese games seem to have easy-to-understand plots to me.

 

[Jenova65]

What would that say about the western mind? That we don't get it if it requires more than a nano second's thought?
I think they are involved and deep but I don't think they are 'too convoluted'! I like them (I like a lot of their movies too, 'Death Note', anyone? )

 

[Fappy]

What would that say about the western mind? That we don't get it if it requires more than a nano second's thought?
I think they are involved and deep but I don't think they are 'too convoluted'! I like them (I like a lot of their movies too, 'Death Note', anyone? )

I'm not really trying to say that we are less intelligent in anyway. I am simply wondering if the average Japanese gamer finds these complex stories more necessary than western gamers, whether it be simply because its a developed preference and not because they are geniuses and we're just behind the curve.

 

[Jenova65]

What would that say about the western mind? That we don't get it if it requires more than a nano second's thought?
I think they are involved and deep but I don't think they are 'too convoluted'! I like them (I like a lot of their movies too, 'Death Note', anyone? )

I'm not really trying to say that we are less intelligent in anyway. I am simply wondering if the average Japanese gamer finds these complex stories more necessary than western gamers, whether it be simply because its a developed preference and not because they are geniuses and we're just behind the curve.

I know you aren't, I'm just giving you my opinion (which you asked for)
EDIT - Maybe you might consider editing your question as a re read of doesn't really make that clear, iygwim?

 

[Reiz]

I actually quite like complicated and complex story, it hooks me in and makes me think about the game even when I'm not playing. I remember having to play through FFVII twice just to make the pieces fit together (although part of it was because I was like 13 y/o at the time) and I'm still struggling to explain it all in a manner that someone who hasn't played would understand.

It's mainly that reason i still look up and try to play through JRPG's, looking for good storylines, but in most cases the game mechanics make me unwilling to play the game.

I remember one of my favourite games being played on a sega emulator (not sure which console), a game called "Soleil" I think. Can't remember much of it now but I do remember that the story was allover the place, and it kept me entertained to the very end, and even made me a bit sad when it ended just because I wouldn't be able to follow the story any more.

Kinda like watching a good movie which leaves you wishing it would continue, when a game can make me wish it was longer for the story it has succeeded in my opinion.

 

[Simalacrum]

It really just depends on the game.

Valkyria Chronicle, for example, had a very simple (though fantastic) plot line, easy to follow, yet complex enough to be interesting.

Its also unfair to say that fighting games have a convoluted plot line... your not meant to look at it in the first place, the point is it gives you an excuse to kick ass.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

Plots which are too complex?
Impossible!

 

[Sneaklemming]

So you're talking about Bayonetta being like an anime? Yeh. Totally. Most anime plots are genius at best.

 

[CommyGingerbreadMan]

I actually love over-the-top storylines. Ones that are so outrageous it's a wonder if the people that wrote it weren't high (i think) Like the movie coming out, Legion. God attacks Earth with Angels, first off God could Nuke us if he wanted. Second A HUMONGOUS WAVE OF ANGELS is seen in one scene. How the hell do people fight that?? WITH GUNS??? I love it.

 

[Tartarga]

Not to me but then again I watch a lot of anime so I'm used to it.