RPGs - East Versus West?

Thanks to GameSpy for their Spy/Counterspy column discussing the relative advantages and disadvantages of Western and Japanese RPGs. According to GameSpy editor Benjamin Turner's less-enthusiastic view of Japanese RPGs: "I want to create my own characters instead of playing someone else's; I want to explore a world at my own pace rather than being shuffled through a pre-planned, linear progression. Most of all, I want to be able to replay a favorite game and have a very different experience." However, editor Christian Nutt's rebuttal suggests: "While there are entertaining elements to Western RPGs... the way that all of the design elements of a great Japanese RPG work in concert to offer a truly engaging experience as a whole is what really excites me the most."

Comments

I cannot STAND western RPG's.

[silentbobdp]

Western RPGs, IMO, allow too much freedom. If you're not careful, you accidentally create the kind of character you are, or go down a story thread you didn't care about at all, and you aren't really engaged by your own character. Furthermore, I hate every WRPG's battle system. Ever. I don't know why, I just cannot stand it at ALL. I can't play a WRPG.

Give me Chrono Trigger over Ultima any day.