I dunno, maybe it's just me, maybe I'm biased but I have always been far more fonder of Japanese videogames than the titles developed in the West. Maybe it's because I started playing games -fanatically- during Japan's dominance. Maybe it's because I found (and still find) -most- (not all) Western videogames soulless and empty. Is it the soundtrack? Is it the gameplay? Or perhaps the lack of identity? The lack of risk being taken...ending in a sea of mediocrity of annual releases... Have the majority of Western developers no greater stories to tell than the stupid story of gangsters or soldiers? Then there are these strange reports by Japanese developers, who are claiming that Japanese games are inferior to Western ones... http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/one-on-one-keiji-inafune-game-designer/ http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...ern-gamers-have-no-interest-in-japanese-games What's your point on all of this? :encouragement:
They are both capable of amazing gems, & horribly awful titles. If this was the 90's, I would definitely say that the majority of AAA games were Japanese in origin. If we zoom to today, I would say that it is too blurred for me to tell, but it seems as if Japanese made games have fallen in terms of quality or freshness & that Western ones have superseded them. This is coming from someone who hasn't played any Japanese exclusive games in years, so my judgement is just based off personal gauging of the subject & multilingual titles of Japanese origin.
I think it has to do when you started gaming. As a child of the '80 I have fond memories of the 8-bit and 16-bit era. Those times happened to Japanese-centric. If nothing else, Japanese developed games always have great art direction.
I'd say my two favourite games of the past 10 years have been Fallout 3 and Minecraft. I've played a number of Japanese RPGs and platformers, and I have to say that there has been no advancement since the 90s in terms of gameplay. I mean, I played through Final Fantasy XIII, for instance, and though it was fun for a while, it has nothing on Fallout 3. Those blogs you linked to are dead on. Another issue is cultural change. Most gaming now a days is simplistic mobile games. These games can be developed anywhere, and know no boundaries. While western developers have adjusted (well, maybe not the biggest companies), Japanese companies have not.
Japanese games don't seem to have changed too much. RPGs, dating sims, bullet-hell & Gran Turismo. Same stuff as 10 years ago. Sure every once in a while something like Katamari comes along but then it's back to the old. I guess they know what sells in Japan and stick to those markets.
Thank you all for sharing your opinion. Here are two other articles and their readers' commentary that I would like to recommend : http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/09/western-games-japan/ http://www.1up.com/features/japanese-games-breaking-west?pager.offset=1 Japan is a very conservative country, with a huge respect towards the established tradition and it's customs. And I guess that's the thing which strike at the core of why I like them. And maybe we're too spoiled, too desensitized that we overlook the greatness in things. To me a videogame is far more than a mere product or "mere entertainment", it is something which you built a relationship with, with the characters, the story, it's music - even it's packaging, and I'm sure that the collectors know what I am talking about. Sorry, it just seems that most Western titles don't strike a deeper chord within me to have a relationship to begin with...it just isn't *there* at all...
What you are describing is essentially an RPG. Have you looked at the sales charts? Most games being played have no story, characters and limited music. For instance, Minecraft. It has sold over 10 million units, a tremendous success now a days. Yet it has no story, no characters, limited music, and it is digitally distributed. That doesn't mean it isn't one of the most innovative, brilliant games ever made. Or how about Angry Birds, another highly successful game that is no more than a simple skill/physics based game. The reason for this, is that most people who do a lot of gaming are looking for something that requires you to be creative, or to acquire skill, i.e. challenge. I remember playing Eternal Sonata, and though it had great music, pretty graphics, and a reasonable story, it was a terrible game because there was no challenge and no incentive for exploration. Japan used to be at the forefront of innovative games, beautiful games, but now they are just boring. I know some people still enjoy these grind-fests, but I personally don't have the time for them anymore.
And the nonsense continues... Mikami: Japanese developers take less risks than western studios; West works harder Delusions and self-hatred are the words on the top of my mind...
during the 90s, Japanese development reigned supreme. Over the last 2 generations that has come, IMO, to a stand still/stand off. The 2000-2006 generation was the last of Japanese dominance. We had lots of Japanese exclusives worth importing, and the ones released domestically really shined. The US developed games however also really had their own feet to stand on - much more than the 32/64 bit generation (and that's when the US started getting good) and this last gen? Honestly, while some of my favorites are definately Japanese (no more heroes <3) US/EU developed titles have sucked up most of my time.
Saturn and the Dreamcast era for me was when the Japanese devs ruled supreme. The industry is on its arse in Japan these days with only really Capcom seeming open to change.
Do you think this is due to the rise of 3D? If you look at the Japanese animation industry, the majority are 2D animated. While if you look at America, nearly everything is 3D. Hell, even Disney recently announced they're shutting down their 2D studios. Looking back at games, Western studios like id, Crytek, Epic Games and Valve all found success using fancy new 3D tech. Do you think that it was the move away from 2D (Japan's strength) to 3D (The West's strength) that knocked Japan off the top?
It all comes down to taste / preference, so you can't say JP games are superior or not... I enjoy both JP and non-JP games, though I usually prefer JP games.
Interesting questions. Are they inferior critically or financially? These are two different questions. Critically is in the eye of the beholder. Look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games By far, the best selling games this generation are shovelware games on Wii. Yeah, they are Japanese, but no one is going to name in "best games of all time" lists 10 years from now. The US market is bigger & has different tastes, I think that's what drives sales. There are a few things to note throughout the generations: Multi-player (competitive) vs 1-player games Older generations' top selling games had arcade style games, like shmups or pac-man, where players would compete for top score. You could practice at home and take skills to the arcade. Arcades aren't around anymore, but people still want competition. Top score games aren't so popular anymore, so now FPS games take their place. This is really a western thing (look at sales breakdown between US & Japan). There are some popular Japanese games like Gran Turismo though. 1 player games There are strong Japanese RPGs that top best sellers lists, but hyper violent western games are tops, like God of War, GTA, etc... Aside from RPGs, Japanese games like Metal Gear Solid seems to crack the top lists, but that's it. It seems like western & Japanese tastes are different, western developers cater to western tastes, which means those games will sell better overall, because the western market is so much bigger than Japan. More western games sell more, but it doesn't mean the games are better. Bad Boys II is a terrible movie, but it will make more money than The Professional. Money invested is not the only variable either. Minecraft is one of the best selling games on multiple platforms. What did that cost to make?
That too I think, although there have been exceptions like the Metal Gear Solid-series, Zelda Ocarina of Time and Ninja Gaiden, among others. In a way the already established PC-market overtook the console market by storm. Plus, Japan's focus has shifted from consoles to handhelds and mobile gaming. In my opinion, consoles don't really have console games anymore (most of the time), but souped-up PC titles that have their roots on the PC anyway (Elder Scrolls, Fall Out, Ghost Recon, Call of Duty, Deus Ex, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. ...).
I'm going to say Japanese games are just generally better. US developers, for the vast majority, create games that will appeal to a massive amount of people and often feel cookie cutter with hand holding tutorials and gameplay. They often have huge teams and the games they make you play them once (sometimes not even to completion) and forget about them very quickly afterwards as there are never any aspects (art design) that stand out or are appealing. There are some exceptions to this trend. Fallout New Vegas is a great example of a game that far surpassed its predecessor and is a standout in its genre in every way. Also alot of indie game developers put tons of personality and genre bending aspects to their games to make them memorable and fun experiences. The Japanese create games for niche audiences of a particular genre and it works extremely well. They have distinct art design that is incredibly appealing and draws you in. The gameplay can be routine but often its innovative or new (just look at Metal Gear Rising or Final Fantasy 13). Nintendo is an example as game developers which makes games people play a decade later because of their high quality gameplay and art design. Few if any american games have that longevity. US developers may push more units with COD but they still have alot to learn from Japan.
Gameplay wise they're about equal, but it does seem like Japan creates more characters that are memorable then western studios do.
Funny I thought this topic was about how Japanese versions of certain 16 bit games were superior to the American counterparts. Well either way, so long as Japan keeps putting out stuff likee Bishi Bash, Warioware, Mario Party, No More Heroes and that new adventure beat em up thing from capcom etc. and the West keeps churning out stuff like Fahrenheit, Tombraider (the new one), Brutal Legend, Injustice etc. I'm a happy camper
not just 16 bit... OH GOD. PAC MAN ATARI 2600 WHY!!!!!!!!????????? [video=youtube_share;HL2p2ANFlQ4]http://youtu.be/HL2p2ANFlQ4[/video]
