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Is There Any Room Left For JRPGs?

Ben-Dutka 41 Comments

It's a new generation and while I suppose some are looking forward to Final Fantasy XV (certainly nobody I know, but whatever), it seems like the JRPG is slowly dying out.

Oh, I imagine it'll continue on in the mobile and handheld realm, but the days of big-budget JRPGs may be gone.

I've wondered about this as the new generation has advanced. All the current trends we're seeing in the industry are trends JRPGs have never really embraced. Story-driven adventures are still around, of course, but linearity is widely viewed as a negative thing. That couldn't be further from the truth but it's starting to sound like accepted fact in the gaming industry. Furthermore, with Western developers sort of kicking the crap out of Japanese devs over the past few years, the impact of Japanese culture has started to fade.

I'm just not sure I can envision a scenario where a new JRPG would be considered a "big-budget blockbuster" or a true "AAA" release. Until the designers step up and produce something that doesn't look and feel outdated, I'm afraid there's not much room for the JRPG in today's market. Don't forget that as genres continue to expand and grow, some genres may inevitably get left behind…

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What JRPG Would You Recommend To An Intrigued JRPG Virgin?

Ben-Dutka 81 Comments

It goes without saying that there's a strong JRPG following here at PSXE.

However, as the years have passed, the genre's popularity has declined (and unfortunately, so has the quality), and gaming has become more and more mainstream. There was a time when most all video games were made by Japanese companies, but no longer.

What we're seeing is a chasm between long-time JRPG fans – specifically, those who enjoyed the heights of the sub-genre and credit JRPGs with delivering some of their most memorable experiences – and the JRPG virgins. Essentially, they're either members of a younger generation who simply don't understand the appeal, or older gamers who never signed on to the JRPG craze in the first place. But if you are a JRPG lover, and you're adamant in your belief that certain games in the genre deliver that which can't be delivered anywhere else, what's the one title you would recommend? Remember, you're dealing with someone who, while mildly curious, has never touched any such title.

I think it would have to be something that still retains a little of what they know (i.e., Western influences) while still remaining true to the JRPG structure and style. You also have to consider that the JRPG's heyday was some time ago; the very best titles will appear significantly outdated by today's standards. And that can be difficult to promote. It's actually a much more difficult task than it may seem on the surface, isn't it? Me, I'd go with Final Fantasy XII . It's a late-gen PS2 game that certainly does appear dated, but it has some of that open-world exploring that's so common these days, and the combat is a blend of real-time and turn-based elements. We still see that system today in games like Dragon Age , so it wouldn't seem too archaic. It's actually incredibly fluid and deep.

One might also want to recommend Lost Odyssey , but I'm not sure pure turn-based would fly with today's crowd, regardless of age. Eternal Sonata isn't a bad option, though, because it's unique, the combat is a blend, and there are distinct Japanese styles that you don't find anywhere else. The writing isn't too bad, either. Oh, and don't forget about Vagrant Story , although I still say that's closer to a standard action/RPG rather than a JRPG. Still, an amazing story and a compelling atmosphere… Which game would you choose in order to bust a JRPG virgin's cherry?

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Will JRPGs Eventually Disappear Entirely?

Ben-Dutka 52 Comments

There's no denying the declining popularity of the niche sub-genre. Sad but true.

Contrary to popular opinion, there's more than one reason for that decline. The industry's priorities have shifted, the Western markets have started to dominate, and the amount of effort put into many JRPGs this generation has been embarrassing.

For example, take the recent gigantic letdown known as Time and Eternity . It's hardly the only example of a JRPG that shows an appalling lack of progress on the part of the Japanese developers. But it's certainly one of the most jarring. This is because of why the game is bad; it's not due to an ambitious attempt at something special, which ultimately fell flat due to a lack of time and resources. This is due to a total lack of either effort or talent or both. You could just sense that everyone involved in that production was…bored.

Now, there are still plenty of die-hard fans out there. They'll continue to support the ailing genre because of the great memories they've accumulated over the years. And many still hold out hope for a renaissance of sorts. After all, we did get Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch , right? It just doesn't seem like many designers are taking the cue, and let's face it, the acclaimed title didn't sell as well as many anticipated. So, even when there's a great example of what could be done with that genre, it's as if there aren't any game makers willing to give it a go.

In the future, everything will continue to shift. It just doesn't seem likely that JRPGs will survive; at least, not in the strictest sense of the term. Role-playing games made by Japanese companies probably won't die out, but what we've come to know as "JRPGs" may eventually disappear. And at this rate, maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. I don't think I can handle another Time and Eternity . That was just brutal.

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Are The Days Of Big-Budget JRPGs Dead And Gone Forever?

Ben-Dutka 32 Comments

It's not that JRPGs are dead. Some could argue that they're dying, but given the loyal albeit niche followers, the sub-genre probably (hopefully) won't disappear entirely.

However, the days of big-budget JRPGs may be gone. I just can't conceive of huge AAA JRPGs on the next-generation platforms. What we already see in this generation is that most are obviously on the lower budget end of development. This is primarily why they haven't matched up with the rest of the industry in terms of technical proficiency, and why in turn they have fallen from favor in the eyes of many critics.

Unfortunately, these days, most see JRPGs as either strictly for kids or mostly for the anime fans, which hardly constitute the majority of gamers. This is a very different ecosystem than it was fifteen or twenty years ago, and we have to accept that. One could argue that Final Fantasy will always be big-budget but at this rate, we probably won't be able to call future installments in that franchise "role-playing games." Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII might loosely qualify as action/RPG but there's almost no doubt that Square Enix is taking a more action-oriented approach with each new installment. Nobody knows why , but whatever.

Beyond that, what is there? Does everyone remember when Legend of Dragoon was being advertised? The number of people working on it, how much money it was costing, the sheer amount of time spent in development, etc. The game eventually shipped on four CDs and although it didn't exactly bring down high review scores, it was widely regarded by many JRPG fans to be fantastic. I just can't see JRPGs having the same budget and workforce behind them anymore. No team is going to risk losing a ton of money on a big PS4 title, not when the common belief is that JRPGs just aren't popular enough for a significant return.

Sadly, I think smaller niche productions are the most we can hope for, and I think the majority of any JRPGs in the new generation will be digital-only or designed exclusively for handhelds.

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My Love Of JRPGs Is Dying

Ben-Dutka 62 Comments

I very nearly titled this article, "My Love Of JRPGs Is Dead" but I have to admit, I might be interested in the upcoming Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch , and I have enjoyed a few recent titles like Atelier Totori: Adventurer of Arland .

But there's no doubt that my adoration of the sub-genre is on life support. During the PS1 era, I was all about RPGs. That also included some WRPGs on PC like Baldurs Gate , Diablo , Icewindale , Heroes of Might & Magic , etc., but for the most part, I just wanted my JRPGs. I wanted every Final Fantasy , I wanted the Suikoden , Wild ARMs , Saga Frontier , and Breath of Fire franchises. I wanted Legend of Legaia , Legend of Dragoon , Legend of Mana , and even Granstream Saga . I wanted anything Squaresoft made, from Vagrant Story to Chrono Cross to Threads of Fate to Xenogears . I wanted RPGs and most of 'em were Japanese.

And despite branching out big time in the PS2 generation, I still needed my JRPG fix. I still loved the FFs, Dragon Quest VIII , and the Shadow Hearts titles. Nowadays, however, I can't remember the last time I was excited about the release of a JRPG, nor can I remember the last one I actually finished. I suppose you can count Final Fantasy XIII-2 but in looking at the nightmare that appears to be Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII , this year's FF may be the last one I ever complete. And beyond that, here's a painful fact that I've had to accept- JRPGs just aren't very good anymore. The developers are lagging so far behind the rest of the world and it's painfully obvious. It's just really difficult to acknowledge.

If Square Enix hadn't lost its collective mind, I could've counted on Final Fantasy to keep my love alive. But obviously, that just isn't going to happen (and I've given up hope that it might). This all being said, however, the only classics I really want to go back and play are JRPGs. Why? Not just because of nostalgia, but because they offer a style of gameplay that really is dead, fancy technology or no. As for future JRPGs, I fear that I've dropped out of the fan group…perhaps forever.

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