EAST vs WEST

It's fair to say that I'm a bit of a fan of RPGs. In fact that's quite an understatement, I'm a huge fan of RPGs. Console RPGs to be specific. I have been for a very long time. It started, if I recall correctly, with Final Fantasy II(IV) way back in grade school. That means I've been playing these games since around 1991-92. That's 18 years! It started with that game but it built up from there. I've played hundreds (probably, I'm not counting) of RPGs since that first one.

There were golden ages of RPGs for certain. Late era SNES and PS1 games were some of the best the genre ever produced. Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy III/VI, Final Fantasy 7, Suikoden 1 & 2, Earthbound, Lufia 2, Star Ocean 2, Wild Arms, SaGa Frontier (vastly misunderstood), and so many more. It's absolutely nostalgic just to look that list over. It was a genre on the boom for the genre in the 1990s-early '00s. Take a look at that list and tell me what they have in common. Give up? These games are all Japanese developments. At the time that was how it went. The consoles were primarily Japanese to begin with so why shouldn't all of the best games come out of that country? It was the Japanese mentality and style that turned this genre into what the powerhouse that it was at the time.

Over time there were fewer and fewer RPGs coming out, and the quality started to dip noticeably. The PS2 era (since the XBOX and Gamecube entirely abandoned the RPG) did give us some notable additions. The fantastic Final Fantasy X, Suikoden V, and Rogue Galaxy. Let us not forget Persona 4, quite possibly the finest game on the system. However, the tide had clearly turned. The few RPGs coming out were geared towards the anime crowd (the Disgaea series in particular). The numbers and the quality just weren't there anymore. The games focused on increasingly boring cliches. JRPGs were new and exciting ten years ago, but failed to change and wore out its welcome.

That brings us to the current generation. So how is the genre faring now? Pretty damn good. The reason? BioWare and western RPGs. The rise of the western RPG has led to the downfall of the Japanese RPG on console systems. Dragon Age: Origins, Oblivion, Mass Effect 1, Mass Effect 2 and Fallout 3. These amazing, open world games have destroyed the paltry entries by eastern companies. While Lost Odyssey was okay (mostly due to the "memories" and not the game itself), the remaining RPGs on offer were uninspired at best. The Last Remnant, Infinite Undiscovery, and Star Ocean 4 were all miserable. These games tried to be something different, but in the end it simply didn't work.

What we have now are amazing entries from European and American developers. Dragon Age was one of the best games of 2009, and Fallout 3 was by far the best game of 2008. These games basically present you with epic scale adventures that are yours to pursue in any manner you desire. It's your world and it's your story. Some may say this weakens the narrative, but you play through Dragon Age and tell me that amazing story is hurt by your decisions. Fun and innovative gameplay, brilliant visuals and a sense of adventure in these games has brought new life to a tired genre. The sun has set on the Japanese RPG and I'm a convert to the western style.

Yes I'm aware that most of these games are really just PC-RPGs on console systems. I don't care. They're amazing, and if this is the new direction of the genre than I say it's for the best. I never played such PC classics as Baldur's Gate or Planescape: Torment. I know that what I'm playing now are their spiritual successors.

I'm sure that Final Fantasy XIII will be breathtaking. I'm sure that I'll love it from start to finish. There's really no doubt about that since each game is pure dynamite. Final Fantasy is always the exception to the rule. Hell, I'm positive that Final Fantasy 7 converted casuals and shooters into RPG fans. That game has a budget that dwarfs most movie productions so it damn well better be good! I know it will be a classic style RPG. I really, really wish that Japanese developers would take lessons from American developers. The best of both worlds would be fantastic. I know it won't happen. JRPG teams make games for the Japanese public, and I don't have much to say about that group.

Here's to RPGs, and here's to many more years with the genre. East or west, I respect quality. I'm not begging for the death of JRPGs. I loved them. I spent far too much of my youth playing them. It would be nice if there could be new titles of great quality on the consoles. There's always the DS, but that's another topic entirely...