WRPGs Vs JRPGs.

[SanAndreasX]

Which had games with the better setting?

I give a small edge to JRPGs, with settings like Midgar, Ivalice, Figaro Castle, or present-day Japan (SMT) or America (Earthbound, although very stylized). WRPGs have some interesting settings but too many of them are rehashes of stock Tolkien or George R. R. Martin tropes, neither of which interests me.

Which had games with the better music?

JRPGs easily. I can recognize the tunes in almost every Japanese RPG I've played. Beyond a few licensed/public domain tunes in Fallout 3 or New Vegas I couldn't even pick out any WRPG's soundtrack..

Which had games with better game design (How the game works)?

Hard saying. JRPGs tend to feel less like $60 betas (looking at you, Bethesda!). On the other hand, lot of WRPGs are more open-ended and I liked the game mechanics in New Vegas in particular.

Which had games with the better combat gameplay?

JRPGs by a mile here. Bigger variety in play. WRPGs tend to be all action RPGs these days, and JRPGs in general do better even as action RPGs.  Bioware's games are unwieldy, Bethesda's games feel like slap fights against paper dolls.

Which had games with the better story?

JRPGs tend towards more nonsensical plots, but to me that isn't a bad thing. WRPGs have more structured, focused plots, I guess. Both approaches are good if done right.

So overall, I prefer Japanese RPGs over Western RPGs.