Stop Trying to Redefine Genres

I started playing Infinite Undiscovery a couple days ago, and usually in my spare time I try to look up information on the game(s) I'm playing on sites like GameSpot. While sifting through the nerd rage and fanboy praise directed at just about every game, I notice something.

People are trying to redefine what a game genre is. In the last month or so, I've played two Japanese RPGs and one Western RPG and the same things are true about them that are true of every other JRPG and WRPG I've played to date. Certain design elements - whether it be art direction, battle mechanics, story progression, whatever - are the same for each sub-genre and will likely be that way for a long time. A lot of people want to force Japanese RPG developers into Western RPG philosophies, or vice versa.

Just reading about Infinite Undiscovery, one complaint that just keeps coming up is: "Why can't I go where I want, when I want, why do things have to be so linear?"

I have yet to see a Japanese RPG be as open-ended as, say, an Oblivion, a Fallout 3 or even a Fable. Why? Because that's not what defines Japanese RPGs! Japanese RPGs are typically more linear, more focused on the main story above all else and tend to develop more than one character. Western RPGs are typically more sand box style, non-linear. You're allowed to get to the main story when you want because the game isn't defined by the story, its defined by the players. And, finally, you're typically tied to one character and you develop that character how you see fit.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with either approach to creating an RPG. I really enjoyed Oblivion and Fable 2, even though I prefer the Japanese RPG philosophy - the game revolving around the story and a cast of characters. The problem comes when people try to force one genre's design philosophy onto another.

Bottom line: If you want to play a JRPG, play a JRPG - don't play it and then complain that its not a WRPG. If you wanna play a WRPG, you do that and, likewise, don't complain because its not a JRPG.

Ok, I can get off my soapbox now. (^_^)b