ZenfoldorVGI said:
Occasionally, that's true, but those games are actually mixing the subgenres, and are not the rule, but exceptions to said rule. You can have a hybrid, afterall, but the subgenres for all intents and purposes, exist. More often than not, you'll find that a game keeps all but a few traits of each genre, and then branches out in a few select areas. This type of game isn't a true hybrid, but instead, a subgenre with certain branching traits. |
Not that I want to be dragged into the debate here, but just look at Dragon Quest. As a series, it took inspiration from Wizardry and Ultima, the two most fundamental and influential RPGs made by 'western' companies. And yet it is considered to be the creator of the 'JRPG' genre and the most influential RPG series in Japan.
Where is the line drawn? Dragon Quest shares a number of traits that are commonly heralded by fans of WRPGs, such as heavy emphasis on exploration, NPC interaction, character development and etc. Yet clearly influenced and even established many of the fundamental genre staples of JRPGs.
I think the main reason some people get annoyed with the 'WRPG vs JRPG' topic constantly being brought up is people try to use that as a way to divide RPGs into two groups. In other words, to exclude one group in topics or say one type is better than the other. When clearly there's RPGs on both sides of the ocean being influenced by each other. And obviously as I just showed, what some people claim makes one type of RPG superior can be found on the other side.
Six upcoming games you should look into:
