[POLL] WESTERN RPGS VS JAPANESE RPGS

Edit: What about Oceania rpgs...

Edit: I voted for western since there must be a balance in the poll

I ultimately like jRPGs better. Sorry, Halo fans, but despite my age groups loving shooters, I hate them. I still like wRPGs, though.

I tend to prefer jRPGs for a few different reasons. For the most part (there are a FEW exceptions)... jRPGs are more difficult, I enjoy the gameplay mechanics more, and the storylines are better IMO. Not to say that I don't like wRPGs - I do. But games like Fallout, which I'm only mentioning since it's been mentioned so much already... to me, feels like there's barely any plot. It's dull, drab. No real twists and turns. Point A to Point B. That's just how I feel. Gameplay is fun though.

But in the end, I play RPGs for the story. So jRPGs > wRPGs for me.

jRPGs.

Western for me.

When I was growing up, it was Japanese all the way. They could just do no wrong at all. Lately, though, all of the series I grew up with have either...
A) Changed their focus to one I don't like (Final Fantasy)
B) Dropped off the face of the planet entirely (Breath of Fire)
C) Faded into seemingly permanent obscurity (Ogre Battle)

The Japanese series that are still chugging out entries, such as the Tales series and Suikoden, are ones that I never particularly enjoyed so I don't feel compelled to go near them or to replace my former favourites with them.

Now, Western RPGs have gotten steadily better since the 1990s. I've got such a hard on for anything Elder Scrolls related these days that it isn't funny. There are plenty of other Western RPGs that I enjoy, the majority of them probably on my Steam account these days, but Bethesda's are simply the greatest in my eyes.

While Japanese RPGs seem to have no idea what their identity is anymore, Western RPGs are becoming more sure of themselves year by year. It has created a very level played field.

My opinion about WRPGs has changed to something more positive nowadays. HOWEVER, I am not a huge fan of Real Time Battle Systems or Action Battle Systems. I prefer to play through a menu or in a very chess-like manner. Which is why I tend to also incline towards JRPGs more.

Something more leisurely pace than mashing through buttons making countless of combos in a mindless manner. If I wanted to button smash I'd go play a Bullet Hell Shooter which requires more reflexes or dish it out in fighting games. :v

Unless it's Raidou Kuzunoha/Ys Origins with Hugo. Those games are awesome.



That and I like anime and cute and shiny stuff. And fantastical elements that doesn't follow the realism norm.

Well, to be honest I'm too familiar with what a Wrpg is. I keep hearing that they have become increasingly good as of late, but unfortunately I don't own any last generation console (or a PC that can handle those games) But as far as game mechanics and general aesthetics go I'm fairly confident in saying that I prefer Jrpgs...

One thing I came to loathe about jrpgs, though, is that they have become more and more 'Japanese'. It was easier for me to relate with the characters when they were amorphous masses of pixels with bland personalities as opposed to now when everything must fall into some kind of Japanese archetype, from bishies to tsunderes and everything in between. And this thing people call "moe" feels like nothing but watered down fetishes to me. It's really creepy. =S

Hardly. As much as I like the stuff they come up with, hardly.