What is your favorite Rpg game?

[2000cc]

I think it depends how you look at it, technically it IS the same series so there will always be some similarities between games, I think the characters similraities is actually one of he series most endearing features, because it highlights the subtleties that really differntiate their personalities (and forces the devs to actually put subtleties into the characters, something lacking in so many western gaming characters). If you look at the likes of Vanille, Rikku, Selphie etc they are all based on the same archetype but they are all very different characters that demonstrate very different themes & story aspects in the games. The likes of Selphie & Yuffie are extraneous characters to add mood while rikku demonstrates one of the FF10 stories most interesting concepts and in FF13 Vanille holds the story together & is arguably the 'main character' (though these days there is no real main character in FF's anymore which is also great, another great push forward for storytelling of all types, main characters can shoehorn a story in a certian direction something terible, having multiple leads is so much better imo).

Plus the game mechanics are very different FF9 bears very little resemblence mechanically to FF12 which bears very little resemblance to FF13. Its a much bigger jump mechanically than say NWN to Dragon age or Kotor to Mass effect.

I think at the end of the day its one of those things that could be argued till the end of time and it all comes down to personal preference and perception (i'm a perception (psychology) researcher an on lunch break right now so really dont want to get into perception based arguments on my time off). At the end of the day this is my opinion base off an amalgamation of what I know and have read (in total, not just in relation to FF) as what you know and read is different you will no doubt see it much differently. I'm not saying my view is "absolutely right & the only way" or anything so audacious, Its just my view. Plus I am not a huge hardcore gamer or anything so your gaming knowledge may far exceed mine. That and I hate space and guns stories so mass effect & star wars is really not for me (so our tastes are no doubt vastly different) 

and kudos on the Japan interest, I love the country and culture so much, used to teach there and was going to live there next year but just got engaged so that plans out the window at the moment, really value my friends from Japan, ther outlook is so interesting and I am very lucky to know them, they are always a blast and so different to my english speaking friends. having both groups is great!