Western RPGs vs JRPGs

[Infernoplex]

I have spent 600+ hours on (modded) Fallout 3 with all DLCs ... After that, I decided not to play games that get me addicted too much, that's why I still didn't play New Vegas, Skyrim, FO4, Oblivion, etc. ... As for the question asked, I think I'd rather go with JRPG these days, western RPGs are too much time consuming because of the "fantasy life living" element and can be played long after finishing the main quest if there's free roam in the game ...

I liked the videos that the OP linked, I am actually subbed to ExtraCredits but never saw these videos by that channel xD ... Some very insightful info if I may say so

[Pythagoras]

If I had to choose between the two then it would be Western RPGs. As much as I love JRPGs I just think that most western RPGs have better gameplay (or rather, gameplay that I prefer). In terms of story, it's not really a set thing you know? There could be JRPGs with atrocious stories and great gameplay and vice versa(or both). Now, I know what you're thinking, well most JRPGs have better stories! Well actually, most popular JRPGs have good stories (but then again so do most western RPGs...... ). Anyways, what I wanted to say was that debating whether western RPGs or JRPGs have better stories is kinda.... pointless since there is so much variety, you know what I mean? (or maybe you don't, oh well )

Moving on, I'm quite excited for Mass Effect Andromeda (huge Mass Effect fan). Not quite sure how it's gonna turn out though, cos of EA. Also excited for Cyberpunk because at this point, I think we all kinda expect good things from CD Projekt Red. Shenmue 3 seems quite interesting too, not sure about how it's gonna turn out though since the kickstarter stretch goals kinda seemed like they were planning to fund the whole game through kickstarter. I mean, they got 6 million(which is huge for a kickstarter) but the previous shenmue games costed A LOT more to make.

[Lucius]

Honestly, when I think of good stories- no, I take that back. When I think of the best story, Persona 4 wouldn't come to mind. You know what would come to mind? Dragon Age: Origins. And considering how similar JRPG stories are compared to anime, and since DA:O also got most anime beat down in terms of storytelling, I dare say that one still triumphs over most JRPGs in general.

But yeah, like Pythagoras said, it's mostly subjective. Mostly. 

[WinterfuryZX]

19 minutes ago, Lucius said:

Honestly, when I think of good stories- no, I take that back. When I think of the best story, Persona 4 wouldn't come to mind.

P4? I think of P2 innocent sin+eternal punishment, Xenogears/Saga and Sora no Kiseki Trilogy.

[Okarin]

Grinding? Bravely Default says "hi".

[Lucius]

18 minutes ago, Okarin said:

Grinding? Bravely Default says "hi".

Yet another JRPG. My point exactly. lol

[Darklord Rooke]

Western RPGs are where it's at ... for the moment. JRPGs have stagnated pretty badly. 

[Lucius]

8 minutes ago, Rooke said:

Western RPGs are where it's at ... for the moment. JRPGs have stagnated pretty badly. 

Yeah, I especially agree with the bolded part. I think that JRPGs do have their potential, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy any of them at all. I am looking forward to my own purchase of the first Trails of Cold Steel (even though I'm probably 50 years late). It's just that, I'd love to see more fleshed out gameplay in both the NG+ department, and also the strategy department. Some JRPGs rely on adding twice the health and attack stats to mobs in harder difficulties instead of forcing the players to come up with a strategy outside of grinding, which I feel can be lazy, so hopefully, future JRPGs can improve on that as well.

[RedK]

JRPG because of the cute waifus.

Female characters in western rpgs  look too manly imo.

[Makudomi]

Can't say I have a preference. I really love both types of RPGs. Favourite games are The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Undertale. So...an American WRPG, a Japanese(-made) JRPG, and an American JRPG.

As a general note, though, I'd say the defining aspects of quality (in my eyes) are very different for both.

For WRPGs, I care a lot more about world-building and exploration. If I feel like I've been set free into an open world with innumerable possibilities (which was what I liked so much about Morrowind), I can forgive a predictable or even weak central plot. There'll be something else to do; I just have to find it.

For JRPGs, the cast and story are paramount, roughly in that order. I'm fine with watching other characters have their fun adventure across a predetermined route (essentially, watching a story unfold rather than writing it yourself), but it's very important to me that I LIKE them and enjoy the quest they've embarked on.

And this is purely my own bias here, but I'm a bit more of a stickler for gameplay within the JRPG genre than WRPGs. Maybe that's just because I've yet to really be let down/bored with the combat systems in the latter, though.

[Okarin]

I'll have to give a whirl to Neptunia, I'm intending to get Hyperdevotion Noire, possibly an entry point to the franchise as bad as it gets... but I love Fire Emblem and SRPG.

I still get some good enjoyment from this kind of game, and given that there isn't a lot of them in the market, probably I'll be satisfied. Let's see how the waifu factor plays. This damn game is the reason I'm getting an extra 4 gigs of RAM for my desktop (the other is Dragon Age Inquisition, but I'm not making any promises as to whether I'll finish it or not. It's damn boring).

[Mugi]

JRPG's have the SMT series, that's enough for it to win in my book.