I have played many JRPGs and Western RPGs over the course of my gaming years; as such, it remains a mystery to me that JRPGs have learned so little from their Western counterparts. Now Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies has arrived and this time it seems that JRPGs have finally learned a thing or two from the Western RPG.

One Bitmobber's plan to fix what he says is the staleness of the Japanese RPG.

Chrono Trigger and FFVI are often cited as the pinnacle of JRPGs. You don't need to be a game reviewer to know that this is horseshit. Modern day JRPGs comprise of substantial quality, but are often saddled with unrealistic expectations that cause them to falter in the face of the classics.

My favorite Xbox 360 RPG, a game that brings back memories of the great JRPGs of yore.

Japan's blood-typing theory can tell you everything you need to know about your favorite character's personality in two letters or less.

Isaiah Taylor of the Brog posts up a heated review about the international edition of White Knight Chronicles. Recognizing how uncouth it is to post a review without finishing the game, Taylor goes into great detail as to why he couldn't eject the game fast enough. The horrid main plot to the interesting online features, what did this game miss?

Final Fantasy 13 Review

I am a decidedly Western gamer. While I enjoyed some of the Japanese RPGs from the previous generation, games like Xenosaga, I've only liked one, Lost Odyssey, from the current. Is this a problem with me, an older gamer who grew up on computers not consoles, or is there something about the modern JRPG that just makes it hard to understand?

It's not Western versus Japanese RPGs it's the heritage of PC versus console.

JRPGs are often lambasted for their frequent cliches. Is this a healthy form of game criticism? And is there a greater, less conspcious threat?

Professional game reviewers suck. I aim to explain how you can write your own reviews for a minimum of effort (and make a minimum of money in the process, just like the pros!)

With Etrian Odyssey 3 being in the works, I talk about how much the series has been of significance to me.