Poll: Western RPGs Vs. JRPGs

[Steampunk Viking]

Western
Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Dragon Age, Mass Effect 1 & 2, Fallout 3

Japanese
Final Fantasy VI, VII, VIII & X, Lost Odyssey


Conclusion
Western RPGs win, and they win hard. Japanese RPGs breed like rabbits, but only Final Fantasy (albeit not all of them) and Lost Odyssey have really interested me, whereas Western RPGs are usually (not always) a great experience each time.

 

[Laft Kranz]

WRPG:
Fallout 3

JRPG:
I've got wayyyyy too many to post :/

I've found that WRPGs have more interchangable/editable characters while JRPGs are normally predetermined.

 

[AcacianLeaves]

Both, although the best days of Western Friendly JRPGs are probably behind us. Japan needs to start delving into their darker side for RPG glory, then I'll be interested in them again. For now it's just annoying androgynous teenagers saving the world from some ill-explained poorly characterized villain.

 

[Cheesebob]

Western: Oblivion, Mass Effect and Planescape: Torment

Eastern: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

 

[Milney]

WRPG: Fallout 3
JRPG: FF series, Pokemon series, Paper Mario series, Fire Emblem Series, Tales series, Megaman Battle Network series, SMT series, Dragon Quest series, Star Ocean (except 4) series.

I know the stereotype is "HEY TEENAGER WITH CRAZY HAIR, SAVE THE WORLD WITH A HUGE SWORD" is silly. But "HEY MUSCLEMAN, HERE'S A BIG GUN, SAVE THE WORLD" is how I'd summarize WRPGs. IMHO

ITT: JRPG fans who probably weren't even born when most actual RPGs were around pass judgement on them.

Personally whilst there have been a couple of JRPGs that I've liked over the years, the vast amount of over-hyped crap that has been shoveled into the "West" to cash in on the recent up-swing of Japan-o-philia has pushed me to the stage where I won't even bother looking at them (let alone buy them) and would rather wait for a friend to buy one that looks decent and hobo off thier copy if it is actually enjoyable.

Sadly the era of the RPG (western that is) has been and gone, but I still prefer them, and recently was bit by the bug again and have reinstalled FO1 and FO2 to play through. And it reminded me why I liked it as a genre. Screw the fancy combat (or in the case of the cliched impression of many JRPGS show the protaganist doing awesome combat in cutscenes) and focus on the Role Playing. Non-linear advancement (Morrowind and Fallout 1/2), often humerous (even in serious settings) where your choices have an impact (like much to my annoyance getting banned from Vault City in my recent play through - gah!).

I much prefer JRPG and JRPG-style Western RPGs (e.g: Fallout 1&2, the majority of Bioware games) to the sandboxy RPGs that typify WRPGs (Elder Scrolls, Fallout 3, &c.).

How in any way, shape or form is Fallout 1/2 a "JRPG" style game. They bear no similarities between JRPGs, and are almost the definition of what a "Western" RPG is/was. See Morrowind, Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale.

 

[The Madman]

Looks to me like the most ardent defenders of their chosen genres are the ones with the least experience in the opposite genre, funny that! There are so many cliche stereotypes and downright silly statements being made in this topic it's... well... damned entertaining is what it is.

Not that I'm innocent myself. Not a huge fan of 'the jrpgs' but at least I ain't about to start throwing around statements like I genuinely know what I'm talking about when it comes to them. I played Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6&7, that's pretty much it. Whereas with 'the wrpg' I'd be hard pressed to think of an entry into the genre I *haven't* at least given a try at one point or another.

That said I'm half tempted to go through this topic quoting posts that incorrectly generalize wrpg. 'Durr, dey gots no plots' or 'ems all musley an manly heros' for example. But knowing me I'd probably just end up being insulting, and I rather like these forums so I'd rather not get banned.

Still, ya'll are silly! I don't pretend to know jack all about jrpg, I'd appreciate it if people who're just as gloriously ignorant about wrpg would admit to being the same and keep from spreading gross stereotypes.

Thanks!

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Does it have stats and leveling? Than chances are that I'll like it.

W: Oblivion

J: Legend of Mana

 

[Postema]

Western:Morrowind, Oblivion

Japanese:Final fantasy series, Ar Tonelico 2, Paper Mario, Tales of Vesperia, Tales of the Abyss, etc, etc.

Yeah...definitely JRPGs for me

 

[The Madman]

But noone even mentioned stuff like Vampire: Bloodlines, Drakensang, Risen, Silver, The Bard's Tale, Ultima Series, Albion, Anachronox, Divine Divinity etc.

If it makes you feel better Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines is one of my all-time favorite games. Easily! And whenever one of those 'most underrated' topics pops up, I'm always sure to pimp Divine Divinity.

But in general they're just more obscure games compared to the others mentioned is all... well, most of em. Ultima used to be huge, same with Bard's Tale. They're just old and so most new gamers have never played em and older gamers have forgotten how good they were.

 

[Denamic]

Depends entirely on the game.

 

[LeonLethality]

Western: Morrowind is my favourite game of all time. Period.

JRPGs: I only like Pokemon.

Are most JRPGs even RPGs? I'm not saying this in a bad way, it's just a matter of naming, but many JRPGs have little skill choice, minimal equipment choice and pre-determined stat growth. You also often play a pre-defined character with his/her own personality.

What makes it a JRPG and not a JG?

Then a WRPG would be called a WG, both game use up parts of the definition of RPG but not all. They are both as much of a RPG as the other.

In my experience WRPG's have more RPG elements to them. I'm not saying all JRPG's should be stripped of the title, but many fall under that name when they really don't deserve to.

So why are so many JRPGs called JRPGs when they have less RPG elements than Assassin's Creed?

RPGs don't have to have the choice factor, there is a large difference between video game RPGs and tabletop RPGs but if you want to compare them to tabletop RPGs (like most people on the escapist seem to do) WRPGs are horrible lacking in the elements that make a tabletop rpg what it is.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Bwa ha ha! Pedro Steckecilo expert in all things RPG descends upon you to leave you with crazed nuggets of wisdom!

I pretty much play EVERY top tier RPG that comes out and I love all of them, whether they be JRPG or WRPG.

Oblivion and Fallout 3 create fantastic open worlds full of exploration and quests.

Bioware games feature brilliant choice driven stories.

JRPG's have sophisticated battle systems, fantastic and bombastic art design and impressive soundtracks.

Huzzah! Love all RPG's and stop being such douchebags about it, Pedro Steckecilo out.

 

[Angerwing]

Western: Morrowind is my favourite game of all time. Period.

JRPGs: I only like Pokemon.

Are most JRPGs even RPGs? I'm not saying this in a bad way, it's just a matter of naming, but many JRPGs have little skill choice, minimal equipment choice and pre-determined stat growth. You also often play a pre-defined character with his/her own personality.

What makes it a JRPG and not a JG?

Then a WRPG would be called a WG, both game use up parts of the definition of RPG but not all. They are both as much of a RPG as the other.

In my experience WRPG's have more RPG elements to them. I'm not saying all JRPG's should be stripped of the title, but many fall under that name when they really don't deserve to.

So why are so many JRPGs called JRPGs when they have less RPG elements than Assassin's Creed?

RPGs don't have to have the choice factor, there is a large difference between video game RPGs and tabletop RPGs but if you want to compare them to tabletop RPGs (like most people on the escapist seem to do) WRPGs are horrible lacking in the elements that make a tabletop rpg what it is.

Even so, many WRPGs have a very significant element of number and stat-crunching. Most JRPGs I've played have predetermined stat gains when you level, so the computer does all of the calculations for you.

 

[LeonLethality]

Even so, many WRPGs have a very significant element of number and stat-crunching. Most JRPGs I've played have predetermined stat gains when you level, so the computer does all of the calculations for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_video_game

Read this, the video game RPG is defines by many things and as you can see JRPGs fall in to many of these. and predetermined stat growth or not the video game RPG element it just stat growth. also if you refuse to change that then perhaps you should look at how FF2 a -gasp- JRPG has stat growth depending on how you battle.

 

[McMarbles]

Western: Black Sigil. What? It's Canadian.

Eastern: Golden Sun.

Overall: Eastern.