Fans of JRPGs, do you think that most JRPGs are generally better than most of the popular junk out now?

Question

I think that most JRPGs are strictly better than crap like FPSs and those are only played so much because: 

1. So many people play them all ready. People have a tendency to follow the most popular things, including games, so many people only play FPSs because so many people play them.

2. Many popular games don't require an investment. Many JRPGs are 100+ hour endeavors if you want that good ending and twice as many hours if you want that Great ending. Games like most FPSs are actually fairly light on the offline game play and can be beaten in 10 hours and so online play is actually where most of the gaming is.

3. JRPG players tend to not be graphics whores like other types of gamers. From the questions I've seen on here, many gamers today think a game isn't any good unless it is high-def and super realistic. Persona 3 and 4 are thought to be a couple of the best RPGs of all time and both are rather mild on the graphics with much of the dialogue between pictures of the characters speaking the dialogue and some anime cutscenes.

Rizer · Accepted Answer

1. I can't comment on that. I personally play whatever I please and never for the sake of 'cuz everybody else is doin it.' 

2. Many popular games don't even have a core single player mode anymore. Too much of a focus on multiplayer. Some might argue that getting to the final prestige in CoD takes hundreds of hours. Those people however are completely missing the point.

3. I'm not sure about that. Have you seen Ni No Kuni? I throw money at the screen every time I see it in hopes it gets released quicker, mostly because of how it looks.
Then again even that doesn't entirely contradict your point. I love Ni No Kuni for how cartoonish and stylish and admittedly hi-def it looks. The overall aesthetic and art style of it is some of the best I've seen (STUDIO GHIBLI YES!) Whereas it seems like there's still a bunch of misdirected twats who obsess over realism and realism alone. 

As someone who likes JRPG's, do I think that they're better? Well... yes. But really, considering the state and fads of the current AAA videogame market, that's not saying much. It's not like JRPG's as a genre isn't guilty of being absolutely terrible itself sometimes, and following it's own guidelines of cringeworthy tropes, and bad design choices. 

Yes, Persona 3 and 4 are some of the greatest RPG's I've ever played (I'd go as far to call them the best console RPG of all time). But compare Persona to, say, Planescape: Torment. A WRPG that many others regard as one of the best RPG's ever made, and one of the best games of all time. 
It's quite obvious the appeal between Planescape and Persona is incredibly different. I don't think anyone can rightfully generalize RPG's (Probably the most diverse genre) as a whole like this. As much as I like Persona 3 and 4, I like Planescape: Torment more. That's not to say I think Planescape is a better RPG than Persona, JRPGs and WRPGs are designed far too differently.

Also, you shouldn't lump all FPS's into the same crap bucket. You cannot seriously imply that games like System Shock 2 and Deus Ex are the same - or at all comparable - To Call of Duty or Battlefield.

WarioRocks · Answer

I think Japanese games in general are very unpopular here in the States with the exception of games like Resident Evil, Mario, Final Fantasy, and Metal Gear. 
I like all kinds of genres so I can't necessarily say that most everything that's mainstream is crap but I do really love my JRPGs and it makes me sad to see how unpopular they are nowadays. I'm quite fond of games like Fire Emblem, Tales of, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, The World Ends With You, and unpopular Japanese series that aren't RPGs like Sengoku Basara, Ace Attorney, Touhou Project, Trauma Center, and Yakuza. While it is fun to play online with a bunch of your friends, JRPGs have gameplay, story telling, content, and characters that Western games don't have. It's too bad many Western gamers avoid Japanese games because they're more complicated then shooting at your friends or don't look "real" enough. As for Persona, I've only played the third one- really need to get on playing Persona 4 sometime.
@ Rizer- I really want Ni No Kuni too! I immediately fell in love with the art style, it looks so pretty.

F F · Answer

I love JRPG's and love the universe and characters from FFVII the most! But gameplay wise not so much.. The gameplay I love is turnbased in general. And that's why I'm in love with Lost Odyssey. I did play Persona 3 & 4 and love the social aspect and  gameplay too. I keep asking myself what's the appeal to FPS? But people ask me the same about RPG's so yeah..

Anonymous · Answer

I thought everybody hated Final Fantasy 13 and its sequel.  I prefer RPGs that follow the Dungeon & Dragons style i.e. the  Western style of killing dragons, goblins, orks, trolls, etc.  I am a fan of the Elder Scrolls, Kingdoms of Amalur, Borderlands 2 games.

I am not a fan of the current Japanese aesthetic of having its art style based on manga and anime.  The best JRPG are suppose to be on the Wii.....with the over hyped Last Story that had fan boys e-begging for its release in the West.  It is my opinion that JRPG are better as 8-bit or 16-bit as in the case of Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy on NES and SNES and Genesis.....and currently the better games are on the Nintendo hand helds where the game developer can't focus on making mini movies and wasting time on cut scenes.

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Fans of JRPGs, do you think that most JRPGs are generally better than most of the popular junk out now?

4 Answers