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Do you favor WRPGS or JRPGS generally?

Which do you favor more?

  • WRPGS

    Votes: 121 50.4%
  • JRPGS

    Votes: 119 49.6%

  • Total voters
    240
When looking back from past to present in it's entirely, and remembering the endless classics you've played until now, do you favor WRPGS or JRPGS more?

Also please list your favorite or favorites and if possible, why.

Some common WRPGS that are mentioned over the years are:

Diablo
Fallout
Fallout 2
Shadow run
Oblivion
Baldurs Gate 1 and 2
Mass Effect 2
The Bards Tale
Morrowind
Eye of the beholder
Arc Fatalis
Ultima 4
Ultima 7
Neverwinter Nights
Planetscape Torment
Skyrim
Fallout 3
Magic Candle II
Ultima 5
Deus Ex
The Witcher 3

For JRPGS I've heard these mentioned often:

Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy X
Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Vesperia
Kingdom Hearts
Persona 5 or 3
Xenogears
Chrono Trigger
Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenosaga
Suikoden II
Golden Sun
Phantasy Star 4
World Ends With You
Mega Man X Command Mission
Earthbound
Skies of Arcadia
Dragon Quest 8
Breath of Fire III

Of course there are hundreds of games across each sub-genre but I'm curious which do you favor generally. I'm also interested if there are common answers that trend.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
WRPGs hands down. Although those old ass Phantasy Star games on Genesis were slick as they moved smooth and had great animation and music.

WRPGs at that time were still clunky games on PC where half of them were made by small studios and could be a pain in the ass to play unless you committed to graph paper (most games had no auto map back then) and were willing to risk playing a game where if you fucked up a quest or lost a key, you game could be shot. And almost all of them were traditional D&D-ish kinds of realms. I never played a console RPG or game that didn't have easier progression or fail safe mechanism. Some reason PC games back then didnt care about that kind of stuff. It was all on you not to fuck up the story or items.

The second Ultima Underworlds came out, PCs could handle graphics better, and system power for console and PC improved so that devs could make realistic looking games, thats when WRPGs took off. The cheesy cartoon stuff could stay on console JRPGs.

Back when systems churned out shit graphics on console and PC, and most RPGs were turn-based for both it was more about gameplay mechanics. WRPGs added so much more innovations and styles later.
 
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Kokoloko85

Member
Last gen JRPG’s made a come back after not doing so great during the 360/PS3 era. WRPG fell off apart from the Witcher 3.
Dragon age, Mass Effect, Fallout all took a dive

I prefer JRPG’s. I do love some WRPG’s like Nox, Planescape, Kingdoms of Amalur and Star Wars Knights of the Old republic but in general JRPG’s I love way more

Final Fantasy’s, Suikoden, Grandia, Trails in the Sky, EarthBound, Golden Sun, Souls games ( if you count those ) Kingdom Hearts, SMT, Digital Devil Saga, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Tales of series etc

I love Japanese TRPG’s or SRPG’s like Shining Force, Disgaea, Dragon Force, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy tactics, Front Mission etc, they are my absolute favourite genre
 
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Kokoloko85

Member
I used to love JRPGs in the days of Xenogears, FF7 and the like. Then somewhere along the way, they all became the same game over and over again. Bad anime plots, art styles and characters, on repeat. I just can’t bring myself to play them anymore.

Try Persona 5, Ni No Kuni 1 and Digital Devil Saga I & II. All very different
 

Strider311

Member
DDS is great, as is SMT Nocturne. But those are still from the older days. I can’t really think of many JRPGs that have come out recently that stand apart like that. Maybe Nier.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
DDS is great, as is SMT Nocturne. But those are still from the older days. I can’t really think of many JRPGs that have come out recently that stand apart like that. Maybe Nier.

Ive heard good things about Yakuza 7 and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Also Persona 5 Royale is quite recent. Most people arent into Y’s or Trails series but I like them
 
I don't really mesh with JRPGS, albeit a few exceptions (FFX, Dark Cloud, early pokemon games and Ni No Kuni). The stories on JRPGS tend to be way out there and I don't really like how they present their games.

So for me western games all the way.
 

Little Chicken

Gold Member
I prefer WRPGs but like both.

JRPGs are too juvenile. Some of the writing is utterly brain dead. JRPGs really don't cop enough criticism for recycling the same things over and over and over again.
 

rahuljx

Member
JRPGs all the way. I usually prefer a more vibrant setting and structured narrative. And when JRPGs get it right, they create really memorable moments that I look back on like any good film. When WRPGs get it right I have fun in the moment but they rarely leave a lasting impression.
 
JRPGs
I'm not sure I've ever actually enjoyed a WRPG outside of Mass Effect (which is like half a RPG anyway since it's basically a TPS)
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
WRPGs are my favorite genre. I can't stand JRPGs with their horrible anime art style, super annoying stupid-looking emo kids, the horrible dialogue and voice acting and really stupid stories.
Do JRPGs still have the blue text box?

The box that shows maybe 8 words at a time and you got to press X button 10 times to get through two paragraphs?
 

Fbh

Member
I really like both, and they tend to be quite different.
I think WRPG's usually do a better job at feeling like RPG's, with more customization and build option. Hell, like 80% of JRPG's I've played don't even change your appearance when you change equipment (except for the weapons).

JRPG's tend to feel more linear but I enjoy their more unique worlds and settings, and I generally like the combat in them better too. WRPG's often feel rather standard in their worlds, lots of standard medieval fantasy with knight, castles and dragons.
 
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Renozokii

Member
Tired of almost every jrpg seemingly never expanding outside of the anime inspired look. Stylized looks are cool but the ridiculous outfits, face covering eyeballs, and ludicrous hair cuts grow grating on the eyes. The voice acting, scripts, and side characters are also very often just flat out cringe. Scarlet nexus has some cool ideas but the entire aesthetic and voice acting make me feel like watching a b tier anime with all the biggest cringe anime has to offer thrown in. It’s just so much easier to get lost in a semi realistic looking world.
 
I usually play both things however JRPGs are tending to go overboard and to weird with their storys, character design and so on. So I'm leaning more towards wrpgs...

(An example for stuff that bothers me with "Asian" Games - I've played dragon quest builders 2 in the past month and theres this strange gay/pedo mining island :messenger_dizzy:)
 
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Javthusiast

Banned
final fantasy ff GIF
 

laynelane

Member
I favour JRPGs, but have enjoyed the few WRPGs I've tried too. As long as the game has an interesting story, lore, world, and characters I'm interested in playing it.
 
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Kokoloko85

Member
WRPGs have been better in the last 10 years or so. JRPGs peaked on the SNES.

JRPG’s peaked on the PS1 and Saturn but I think they have made a comeback in the last gen with Dragon Quest, Persona 5, Yakuza 7 etc.
And had some great ones between the Wii, PS2 and 360 and some on the PS3

Whereas WRPG’s have gone downhill recently. Only the Witcher 3 and Divinity were decent last gen. The big ones fell off, Mass Effect, Dragon age, Fallout all poopy
 
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SinDelta

Member
Pretty good stuff for both. For me-

WRPG
Dragon Age Origins
Jade Empire
Kotor
Mass Effect 1
Mass Effect 2
Pillars of Eternity
Witcher 1 Enhanced Edition
Witcher 2 Assassin of Kings
Witcher 3 GOTY

Edit- Honorable Mentions
Divinity Original Sin 2
Greedfall

JRPG
Chrono Trigger
Dragon Quest XI S Echos of an Elusive Age
Final Fantasy X
Persona 5 Royal
Skies of Arcadia
The World Ends With You
Xenoblade DE
Ys VIII

Edit - Honorable Mentions
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age
Fire Emblem Awakening
Persona 4 Golden
 
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Daymos

Member
About 50/50 playing baldur's gate and atelier ryza right now. The son of the god of murder and an alchemist magical girl having fun with her friends, hooray!! It's an interesting balance.

Both are about collecting loot, gaining levels, and killing dragons, I suppose.

My all time favorites are probably jrpgs, mainly ff9, xenoblade 1/2, and dragon quest 11. Skyrim and kingdoms of Amalur are right up there though.
 
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In my teens the Japanese were synonymous with videogames. RPG was Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy: turn-based battles with a fully controllable party - there was no multiplayer, so you controlled all the players. By PS3 time I began to play and enjoy the likes of Mass Effect and Fallout. Really more of action games, but then there were dialogues, choices, stats etc. And then what about AC, aren't those elements in it too?

I think pretty much every game today is a RPG, because it incorporates all of those elements and WRPGs ditched turn-based combat for action anyway... I have no preference.
 
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Isa

Gold Member
I've flipped back and forth over the years as my preferences changed. I loved the old stuff on consoles and table top games. Then, pc's started to peak with some really cool takes. Then I was getting stuck in console games again with the 16bit era and again, through the late 80's and 90's it went back to pc gaming. But then console games took off for me. You name it I've most likely played it, but during the PS2/Xbox era my tastes really swapped over to western aesthetics. Partially due to other media such as The Lord of the Rings etc. Also trying Morrowind, Kotor and Jade Empire. I thought I hated that uber Moe style of anime compared to the stellar styles of the 80's and 90's. I wanted gritty stuff to match my friends table top stuff too.

But I guess my tastes have come full circle, as I've been on a total Eastern kick lately for a few years now, especially after the gamergate shit, and censoring happening. Its not just me playing these games now though, I'd fallen off of the anime and Jrpg wagon over a decade ago, though still bought titles to support the devs and publishers I like. But my girl is really into lighter themes and art and I feel the same way. However unlike the past 30+ years gaming my tastes haven't swung back to western. Sure I play a few western games every now and then, but I'm so sick of the bland art styles and Tolkien knockoffs. I long for the days of bright colors and fantasy worlds that aren't total shitholes that I would actually want to live in.

But one thing I've noticed about people. And its kind of a shame. So many even here in our nerdome are quite close-minded. It shouldn't be so hard to see that countless developers regardless of country of origin have been pushing the boundries of gaming and roleplaying since the inception of videogames. Its amazing how far we've come. Plus it just shows a great deal of ignorance claiming that Jrpg's are only spiky hair and teen angst. Or that western games are the only true roleplaying games etc. People love to split hairs for something whenever it confirms their biases. There are some great games regardless of the tag, rpg's are great and thankfully here to stay. While I look forward to both western and eastern rpgs, its the asian stuff that catches my love and I's attention, in part due to the art and style( bright worlds, colors, and attractive characters). For us western media has been on a colossal decline in originality and storytelling, hell the only western stuff we consume would be the underground metal scene. Film and shows are all oldschool. I swear people would do themselves a favor to research some classic console rpgs man, some of them are absolutely stellar and far far ahead of their time in regards to story, storytelling, mechanics, characters etc. Plus the music holy shit. Jrpgs win for me hands down for OST's I still jam on the daily. And that's not even mentioning other genres, damn man Strategy rpgs are muh shit. Also, Japanese rpgs are the only ones that have gotten us to cry.

Sadly I just don't see much hope for western devs with the current culture war trends. Most western stuff is relegated to glories of the past. Same with Japanese stuff. But for us, we'll take any older Japanese rpg over replaying some western game. Perhaps its the reliance on art over polygons but even for western stuff I'd rather stick to the pixel art games of old, but then again they just haven't aged that well. And for me the eastern stuff just tells a story better. Sorry to hate on western rpgs if they're your cup of tea. I hope they get better but damn. My backlog is exceptionally one-sided in favor of Japanese games by the thousands not counting replays. Delving into learning Japanese only opens the import door further. Hell even the pr0n games I dabble in are primarily Japanese and waaaaaaay better. Even most of the west's new fetishes originated from Japanese art circles. I'm sure people will try to shit on my tastes(and Japan for being creepy or pervy) but its both amusing and telling that people are really comparing the world to one single country, that is the extent of their influence. DAMN. :pie_thinking: And for the record I'm not claiming that Japan wasn't inspired by the west, obviously that's far from the case. I'm just saying that the only winner is the gamer.
 

amigastar

Member
Although i like JRpgs i prefer Western Rpgs.
Currently playing Solasta and Dragon Quest XI, both great games.
 
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