RPGs come in different shapes and sizes but even beyond their play styles RPGs can vary greatly depending on where they are made. Do you think they should remain distinct or would you rather the genre take the best bits from both and move forward?
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Should JRPGs and WRPGs remain distinct from one another?
- Thread starter MysticGon
- Start date
I like variety. It's totally okay for them to borrow aspects and make something totally unique. It's also good for a game to excel in it's intended genre. Developers should make the game they want to make.
The Western and Japanese distinction was always really dumb.
They can do whatever they want. RPGs are so varied now days.
They can do whatever they want. RPGs are so varied now days.
There's very little in JRPGs that western RPGs should take from imo (definitely not sexualización of minors or homophobia) but JRPGs can learn something modern game design and QOL from WRPGs for sure
I'm fine with games either mixing elements or doing their own thing. As it stands, JRPGs were already heavily influenced by older WRPGs anyway and there was a brief period where JRPGs were influencing how WRPGs were getting converted to consoles that lead to some amazing conversions.
I don't think there has ever been a time when WRPGs and JRPGs didn't borrow from each other.
JRPGs originally grew out of some early WRPGs. You could argue there was a period of isolation between the two stemming from roughly the mid 90's through the start of 7th gen but at all other times JRPGs borrowed liberally from WRPGs, and WRPGs often reacted to JRPGs.
JRPGs originally grew out of some early WRPGs. You could argue there was a period of isolation between the two stemming from roughly the mid 90's through the start of 7th gen but at all other times JRPGs borrowed liberally from WRPGs, and WRPGs often reacted to JRPGs.
The style and culture representation is not something you can divorce, especially examples like Dragon Quest XI and the Ni Nu Kuni series, the later partly produced by Japan's famous Ghibli studio.
Dragon Quest (and therefore Final Fantasy) was heavily influenced by Wizardry and Ultima.
The jRPG v. wRPG dichotomy is at best convenient shorthand for the emphasis of particularly systems.
The jRPG v. wRPG dichotomy is at best convenient shorthand for the emphasis of particularly systems.
They already do borrow from one another...you're acting like there are rigid differences that they aren't allowed to bridge when they aren't
They should absolutely remain separate while borrowing certain elements from one another that could stand to improve both styles.
There are many reasons I like JRPGs way, way more than WRPGs, though. You can't just take those reasons away and make them all the same, or else they wouldn't be JRPGs and WRPGs anymore.
There are many reasons I like JRPGs way, way more than WRPGs, though. You can't just take those reasons away and make them all the same, or else they wouldn't be JRPGs and WRPGs anymore.
going by genre labels alone "jrpg" kind of evolved into its relatively niche thing. i'd be surprised if you could easily fit FFXVI into that column whenever it comes (though if you want to be a semantic gestapo, yes all rpgs from japan are jrpgs, even Dark Souls, Dragon's Dogma ect)
will they/should they borrow from each other? sure why not. but i think "the jrpg" will be further relegated into stuff like Tales, Legend of Heroes, Persona ect. not a whole lot of wrpg sensibilities to be found there
will they/should they borrow from each other? sure why not. but i think "the jrpg" will be further relegated into stuff like Tales, Legend of Heroes, Persona ect. not a whole lot of wrpg sensibilities to be found there
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Nah, bad combination right there, specifically when the best action RPGs come from Japan.