The Difference Between JRPGs and the Rest of the RPG Genre

gamepur.com:

This discussion has been a long time coming. Since its inception, the term JRPG has been seen as a separate genre from the RPG, often used to identify RPGs that use turn-based combat. Along with this use comes the coming-of-age tropes that were (and still are) popular among Japanese audiences. Fast forward to the modern-day landscape, that term is still relevant and recognizable as a sub-genre of games that even Western developers have dipped their fingers into.

In my younger years, before the boon of the internet, every game was pretty much the same in my mind. Whether it was Japan, the United States, or Europe, the games spoke for themselves. A good game was a good game, and a bad game was a bad game. Its origins mattered little, especially if it was beloved – a far cry from today’s atmosphere.

What Did We Think In the 90s?

Over the years, many developers have diversified the RPG genre by releasing more titles for consoles and mobile. This change, in turn, allowed more gamers to experience titles previously exclusive to PC. When this happened, the community shifted towards separating these new RPGs into different sub-categories. Top-down games with RTWP were labeled CRPGs, while games with action combat and RPG progression were labeled Action-RPGs.

The older RPGs we grew up on in the 90s to early 2000s were primarily turn-based and from Japan were re-labeled JRPGs due to their origin and style. Recently, in an interview with Skill Up, FFXIV game director Naoki Yoshida mentioned in passing the process of making a JRPG title. His thoughts were that the developers never go into the project thinking that they’re making a JRPG – instead, they approach the design as any other RPG game.

How Can I Tell The Difference?

With