Yes, but overall they have less masterpieces and a lot more failures. They made a lot of good games in past gens, but this gen they faltered or were surpassed by far by Western developers. I am notone to to put sentimental past over the more current 6 -7 years. In fact, my gaming list is a lot bigger and includes a lot of old Japanese games. I just did not add games out of this gen or over the last six months. Still as as an old school gamer this gen is the best for me. I just consider Japanese games to more often to be bad even if there are great ones. They have a strange culture to me. *shrugs*

the elder scrolls
grand theft auto
assassins creed
darksiders

cant list them all...

the only jap game i care about any more is bayonetta!

Writing quality in Japanese games far exceeds the rest of the world.

I grew up with pokemon. It has a special place in my heart. For some reason when I play eastern games, I feel like I truly connect with the characters. It feels more than just a game but rather as though I'm part of the world.

As a kid I really loved raising my pokemon and they felt like a real team to me. The characters in Persona 3 were ones that I felt I knew by the end of the game. I enjoy playing western games too, but I've never felt that connection with such games that I felt with eastern games. Hence I've got to go with eastern games.

This is primarily a subjective thing, imo. Different cultures compose of different styles and standards that can set the results of such artistic design so far apart that sometimes they're just not worth comparing to. Other times, they can cross boundaries and will find universal appeal among gamers across the world. However, reasons for liking a game in the first place depend heavily on personal preference -- and now before I get derailed into an endless rant, I'll just say that pinpointing an official superior is not semantically possible, lol.

Now technically, from the non-Japanese perspective, however, obviously Western games will take the cake. The majority of games that hardcore gamers will jot down on a Top 10 list will, more or less, probably be developed by either a North American or European studio. In Japan, the opposite is just as true. No that doesn't answer the question of which is better, but it basically shows that people simply enjoy aesthetics and presentations that they're more familiar with.

To be honest, you could go into a whole lot of detail trying to explain the distinctions between the two. I'd try condensing them into a single summary but I can barely stay awake right now so I'm making sleep top priority instead, lol.

Still, this would also make for a great debate, so I wouldn't mind waking up to that. *wink wink nudge nudge*

I recently finished the 14th and final Wheel of Time book. My favorite book series finaly came to an end. One of the best endings I've ever read.

Sorry to go off topic.

Been wanting to get into WoT for a while now, glad to see a lot of people saying it ended well. Will give it a shot after Song of Ice and Fire wraps up and i finish Malazan. 

anyway OT; Its not even close anymore and hasnt been for a while, Western games.

I have only bought two Western games the past 3 years and they are Ghost Recon 3DS and Red Steel 2.
The former being average and the latter being a very enjoyable experience.
However, I do own a lot more Japanese games.
So in the end I will have to go with eastern.

I like both
my favorite games this gen are...

Deus Ex: Human Revolution: for Story, Gameplay
Dark Soul's: Atmosphere. Gameplay
Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. Dialogue, Characters, Story
Dead Space 2: Atmosphere, Gameplay
Fallout: New Vegas: Dialogue, Rpg Mechanics.

And I've always felt that way... those who say the west didn't have good writing or stories in the past obviously hasn't played games like Planescape Torment, black isle games etc.

But the west shits out more decent games and more consistent blockbusters. But, the "west" is also much bigger than the "east" which consists of mainly just japan, versus, all of Europe, North America.