User:Datumizer/Sandbox/Western and Japanese role-playing games
Western and Japanese role-playing games
Cultural differences
After the success of console role-playing games in Japan, the role-playing genre eventually began being classified into two distinct sub-genres, Western role-playing games and Japanese role-playing games or JRPGs, due to stylistic, gameplay and cultural reasons; with the latter having become popularized and heavily influenced by early Japanese games such as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.[1][2][Note 1]
Though sharing fundamental premises, Western games often tend to feature darker graphics, older characters, and focus more on
JRPGs' tightly orchestrated, linear narratives emphasize intricate plots and development of a single character within the story,[9] but usually lack the option to create or choose one's own playable characters or make decisions that affect the plot. This brings an impression that JRPG is very similar to adventure games.[12] In contrast, Western RPGs tend to focus more on open-ended, non-linear gameplay, with less emphasis given to narrative, dialogue, and plot development; and are also more likely to allow one to create and customize characters from scratch.[13] One reason given for this is that many early Japanese RPGs can be seen as forms of interactive manga (Japanese comics) or anime wrapped around Western rule systems.[14]
Finally, the largely secular nature of Japanese culture results in heavy usage of themes, symbols, and characters taken from a variety of religions, including
Controversy
Within the RPG community, some have criticized JRPGs for not being "true" RPGs due to heavy usage of scripted
As a result, Japanese-style role-playing games are held in disdain by some Western gamers, leading to the term "JRPG" being held in the pejorative.[19][10] Likewise, it is not uncommon for Western RPGs to be called "crap games" by Japanese players,[7] where the vast majority of console role-playing games originate,[20] and where Western RPGs remain largely unknown.[21] Further, there is a belief among some—particularly in the West—that Japanese RPGs are declining in both quality and popularity, including remarks by BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk and writing director Daniel Erickson that JRPGs are stagnating—and that Final Fantasy XIII is not even really an RPG;[22][23][24] criticisms regarding seemingly nebulous justifications by some Japanese designers for newly changed (or, alternately, newly un-changed) features of recent titles;[25] as well as calls among some gaming journalists to "fix" JRPGs' problems.[26][27][28][29] Several Western critics have expressed that the quality of Japanese RPGs is gradually declining, and that some recent titles such as Front Mission Evolved are beginning to make failed attempts at imitating Western titles.[30][31] Finally, one recent advertisement by Obsidian Entertainment in Japan openly mocked Japanese RPGs' traditional characteristics in favor of their own, Western Xbox 360 RPG, Fallout: New Vegas.[32]
This has produced responses such as ones by Japanese video game developers,
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Vestal 1998a, p. "Other Game Boy RPGs"
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
kotaku_rpgs
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b English, Sherrin. "Japanese and Western RPGs - The Differences". NZGamer. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
- ^ 1UP.com. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
- 1UP.com. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
- ^ Gamasutra.
- ^ Gamasutra. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ISBN 0240811461
- ^ Frederiksen, Eric (2010-08-17). "An RPG is not an RPG When it's a JRPG". Kombo.com. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
- ^ a b Loguidice & Barton 2009, p. 79
- ^ Gamasutra. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
- ^ Kalata, Kurt. "Cultural Differences". 1up.com. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
- ^ a b c d e Turner, Benjamin; Nutt, Christian (2003-07-29), Spy/Counterspy Case File 07: RPGs - East vs. West, GameSpy, retrieved 2006-08-14
- )
- Gamasutra. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
- ^ Awkerman, Chad. "Did Bioware and Bethesda Kill the JRPG?". DualShockers. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ Vestal 1998, p. "The First Console RPG" "A devoted gamer could make a decent case for either of these Atari titles founding the RPG genre; nevertheless, there's no denying that Dragon Quest was the primary catalyst for the Japanese console RPG industry. And Japan is where the vast majority of console RPGs come from, to this day. Influenced by the popular PC RPGs of the day (most notably Ultima), both Excalibur and Dragon Quest "stripped down" the statistics while keeping features that can be found even in today's most technologically advanced titles. An RPG just wouldn't be complete, in many gamers' eyes, without a medieval setting, hit points, random enemy encounters, and endless supplies of gold. (...) The rise of the Japanese RPG as a dominant gaming genre and Nintendo's NES as the dominant console platform were closely intertwined."
- ^ "Final Fantasy XIV director is not worried about Bethesda". Destructoid. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
gradar_jrpgsdead
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "BioWare co-founder: JRPGs suffer from 'lack of evolution'". Destructoid. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ Author: Artefact (2010-05-14). "Bioware: "Final Fantasy XIII Definitely Not An RPG"". Sankaku Complex. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
{{cite web}}
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Final Fantasy XIII not a JRPG, despite being a JRPG". Destructoid. 2006-03-16. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ Brudvig, Erik (2010-01-11). "Top 10 Ways to Fix JRPGs - Xbox360 Feature at IGN". IGN. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ Brudvig, Erik (2008-11-25). "The Gameplay Mechanic: Fixing Square's RPG Machine - Xbox360 Feature at IGN". Xbox360.ign.com. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ a b c "What's really wrong with JRPGs? | Edge Magazine". Next-gen.biz. 2010-01-24. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ Grenz, Brad. "Can the Japanese RPG Be Fixed?". Bitmob.com. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ "Front MIssion Evolved review". GameZone. October 08, 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
Japanese publishers have been singing the "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" song from The Jungle Book for the past few years and it's no longer flattering. Instead of borrowing elements and making them their own, the publishers have opted to assimilate and attempt to hide within the Western crowd. Herein lies the problem with Front Mission Evolved: It wants to be so much more than it has been in the past and ends up stalling at the starting line.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - GameSetWatch. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
- ^ Goldman, Tom (2010-08-04). "The Escapist : News : Japanese Fallout: New Vegas Ads Hate On JRPGs". The Escapist. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ "News: Japanese RPGs 'were never popular' - Mikami". ComputerAndVideoGames.com. 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ "Mikami: Japanese RPGs were never really popular'". Destructoid. 2006-03-16. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ John Funk (2010-07-13). "The Escapist : News : Dragon Quest Creator: Western Reviewers Dislike Turn-Based Games". The Escapist. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ "Interview: Yuji Horii and a Lifetime of Dragon Questing - Nintendo DS Feature at IGN". Uk.ds.ign.com. 2010-07-10. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- ^ "AltJapan: Freedom vs Teabagging: Japanese Gamers Sound Off". Altjapan.typepad.com. 2010-01-17. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
- 1UP.com. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
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