Covering JRPGs?

Naaman · Post by **Naaman** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 2:44 pm

Hi, I registered not long ago, but I've been a reader since a few years back and I was wondering if you have any plans on covering JRPGs? I know you have covered a few lately, and that makes me happy, but there are so many interesting games out there and I'd like for this site to take a look at them. I like the way everything is set up here, interesting reviews, previews and media round-ups. Your WRPG coverage is great and I can read stuff here that doesn't even get reported on major sites. Now I don't know if readers of GameBanshee have any interest in this sub-genre, but I hope you give it a thought.

Aeronth · Post by **Aeronth** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:19 pm

In my humble opinion, most JRPGs don't stand comparison with WRPGs GB covers. They often have shallow characters, a poor storyline, a crude and repetitive combat system, and most of all, very little roleplaying. Even among the popular ones... (no, I won't name them, shhh).

Of course, some of them are worth mentioning -- I'm thinking of Chrono Trigger, for example. But there aren't that many.

Naaman · Post by **Naaman** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 9:15 am

Well, I know there isn't much actual "roleplaying", but I still consider them rpgs. There have been some very good games the last few years: Demon's/Dark Souls, Xenoblade, Radiant Historia, Growlancer: Wayfarer of Time and Gungnir are some recent examples. Then there are upcoming games like Bravely Default, Fire Emblem: Awakening and Dragon's Crown.

sear · Post by **sear** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:48 pm

Aeronth wrote:In my humble opinion, most JRPGs don't stand comparison with WRPGs GB covers. They often have shallow characters, a poor storyline, a crude and repetitive combat system, and most of all, very little roleplaying. Even among the popular ones... (no, I won't name them, shhh).

Of course, some of them are worth mentioning -- I'm thinking of Chrono Trigger, for example. But there aren't that many.

I disagree with this quite a bit. These days JRPGs tend to be more complex and involved games than WRPGs are.

But, the fact is that GameBanshee are firmly focused on more traditional Western RPGs, and to a degree hybrid titles and others related to the RPG genre. JRPGs are kind of a distinct think, though we are more than happy to cover JRPGs when they veer more towards a Western formula, like Dragon's Dogma and Dark Souls.

There's also the matter that GameBanshee has a strong focus on the PC community and JRPGs are not exactly known for showing on that platform very often. Even if we wanted to cover JRPGs, I know I'd be the first to admit I'd have no idea where to really start with them. I keep an eye on the market as a whole but I'm hardly an expert and wouldn't really feel qualified to talk at length about them simply because 99% of my gaming is done on a computer.

Amanthor · Post by **Amanthor** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 11:58 am

sear wrote:I disagree with this quite a bit. These days JRPGs tend to be more complex and involved games than WRPGs are.

I disagree, that is I agree with Aeronth. If GB started covering JRPGs it could take up too much of the covering and I would probably stop reading GB. I don't think you want to lose your current reader base.

Aeronth · Post by **Aeronth** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 5:06 pm

In fact, I don't really disagree with sear myself, because I don't think he's disagreeing with me either (this is getting complicated).

If "these days" JRPGs tend to surpass WRPGs on some aspects, it mostly means that WRPGs got worse since the early 00s and before, e.g. the IE games.
However, hoping for their successors to be equally good seems natural to me... So covering them rather than JRPGs is not only a matter of quality, in my opinion.

Naaman · Post by **Naaman** » Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:39 pm

I see where you guys are coming from, but there are some quality JRPGs out there. Not all titles covered here offer "real roleplaying" either. Diablo and other games like it don't really offer any roleplaying, but I still think they should be covered here. But I guess there is no real interest for extensive JRPG coverage and I can understand because not a lot of them are on PC. And I guess not a lot of people here are interested in handheld gaming , where a lot of great games have been released.