gaming Western Developers should learn from Japanese developers more often

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

Western developed Video Games have always been stereotyped as generic Space Marine Zombie games, Sports simulators, or DreamWorks style kidware with talking animals. But I always feel this label is unfair. The indie scene alone destroys this argument, and there are some games in from the big publishers that break this mold as well. Which brings me to my point, Japanese style, Western developed games.

 

One thing I like about Japanese games and developers is that even if they reuse tropes and styles sometimes, they always feel very distinct and memorable. Which in turn, helps to foster strong, loyal fandoms, as well as allow potential for a broader market appeal. Recently we've seen this bleed into Western game development more and more. The Indie scene as I mentioned, but also one of the biggest success stories recently, Overwatch. If you didn't know about Blizzard, then at first glance, Overwatch will feel like it came from a Japanese developer. But I think that's a big reason why it's so popular. It's so quirky, distinct, and memorable that it managed to gain a strong fandom, as well as broader appeal, and I'm glad it's doing as well as it has.

 

And I feel we need more games like it. If Japanese developers need to learn some design elements Western developers do well, then Western developers need to learn a thing or two from Japanese developers too. Publishers like EA and Ubisoft need to learn that games are a fundamentally different medium from Film or Primetime television. Not everything has to be needlessly expensive "hard men, making hard decisions" all the time. Or, if you are going to do that, you can add some video game magic and charm to make it more memorable.

 

I think the popular Indie games and Overwatch are what we should see more of from Western developers. Japanese games, while don't always gain mainstream popularity, tend to have a certain charm and distinctiveness that I can usually go back to generations later if only for their charm alone. And they can be permanently engraved in gaming culture just for that. Barring a handful of exceptions, I don't usually get that from Western games. Most of them tend to fade in popularity after a generation or two. Either due to over-saturation, lack of memorability, or in some cases both.

 

Sure The Witcher 3 is awesome now. But is there anything that will make you want to return to it say, 20 years later? Granted, not all Japanese games age gracefully either, but they tend to have a certain magic that can make you want to return to them from time to time, even more Western-like series like Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil have enough quirk and charm to make you want to return to the games, even if time does effect them from a gameplay standpoint.

 

Ultimately, that's kind of what Western games tend to lack IMO, "Magic". A sense that regardless of time, you can go back and find something memorable about it. That's not to say Western developers are in-capable of such, far from it. Aside from the aforementioned Overwatch and Indie hits, Tomb Raider, God of War, and Mortal Kombat all tend to carry this magic that makes gaming special. But I just think they need to do more work in this era.

[The Coffee Pony 1,390]

*looks at AAA gaming over the past two generations* Not much difference to me!

[AEDAZ 176]

I just never much cared for Japanese games. Yeah, my avatar is a Persona character. And I'm big on Final Fantasy as well.

 

But really, I think the west does it much better - in pretty much all forms of entertainment. But I do have a bias. Growing up, my friends were hardcore weebs, and I got so, so tired of them constantly talking about anime and such. I'm at the opposite end where I get frustrated that some people can't see the "magic" in western entertainment. It's not as flashy or over the top as a lot of Japanese stuff, but that's what makes it better in my opinion. Ok, so we're responsible for releasing the same CoD every year. But most JRPG's since mid PS2 era have mostly just been fodder. Dark Souls is a JRPG. But DS uses a very westernized formula. And look at it's success. Make the same game with 2edgy4u anti heroes or cat girls with breasts that jiggle in a slight breeze and I'd want nothing to do with it.

 

But like I said, I have a bias...

[MoonStatue 26]

I think that eastern developers try to experiment alot and some fail and some succeed because of this its a huge risk when your making a game this costs millions of dollars in money and months of time to do so if you stick to the formality then you have a better chance of failing you mentioned overwatch the real difference in overwatch is the characters because not much is different in the play style besides having loads of classes so it still feels familiar but has a different personality to it which is not bad it plays well and is fun many diffrent games try new things some win some fail a game i would like to mention is dishonored this game took the formality of games like theif and then added more combat and magic also a big note is in the game there are usually at least 2 different ways of doing things usually more so its more of choice which i like but again if you stick to the formula you at least get some money but if you experiment then it goes 1 of 2 ways you either succeed or you fail horribly and new doesn't always mean good so its really a mixed bag 

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

 

 

If you didn't know about Blizzard, then at first glance, Overwatch will feel like it came from a Japanese developer. But I think that's a big reason why it's so popular. It's so quirky, distinct, and memorable that it managed to gain a strong fandom, as well as broader appeal

 

That's just Blizzard all over. I've never been as fond of their games, having always preferred the Command & Conquer games to Starcraft* and never getting into any of their other offerings apart from Hearthstone. I'm not sure if the reason I don't like them is a stylistic reason or just the particulars of the games they've made, though.

 

 

 

Japanese games, while don't always gain mainstream popularity, tend to have a certain charm and distinctiveness that I can usually go back to generations later if only for their charm alone. And they can be permanently engraved in gaming culture just for that. Barring a handful of exceptions, I don't usually get that from Western games.

 

Now that's just personal taste. I still play my old RTS games regularly, and even in other genres going back over a really good older game such as Republic Commando is still good fun.

 

Thinking back, F.E.A.R. is quite good and clearly drew inspiration from Japanese horror, but that's the only one that springs to mind. It's always good to learn from others, but as it is there are plenty of good Western games to draw inspiration from that I'm not too worried if the 'Japanese style' isn't paid much attention.

 

 

*despite my belief that most of the Starcraft games are better, mechanically speaking, than their C&C counterparts, I just enjoyed C&C more. 

[whitetiger187 197]

True. The Japanese made a game about an Italian plumber who could jump really high, and this was a massive success. It still blows me away that a game about collecting diverse little creatures by throwing balls had made such a splash.

 

Buy like others have stated, the Japanese seem to be more willing to go out on a limb to be creative with something, where as the west has a more restrictive view.  

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

I just never much cared for Japanese games. Yeah, my avatar is a Persona character. And I'm big on Final Fantasy as well.

 

But really, I think the west does it much better - in pretty much all forms of entertainment. But I do have a bias. Growing up, my friends were hardcore weebs, and I got so, so tired of them constantly talking about anime and such. I'm at the opposite end where I get frustrated that some people can't see the "magic" in western entertainment. It's not as flashy or over the top as a lot of Japanese stuff, but that's what makes it better in my opinion. Ok, so we're responsible for releasing the same CoD every year. But most JRPG's since mid PS2 era have mostly just been fodder. Dark Souls is a JRPG. But DS uses a very westernized formula. And look at it's success. Make the same game with 2edgy4u anti heroes or cat girls with breasts that jiggle in a slight breeze and I'd want nothing to do with it.

 

But like I said, I have a bias...

I see what you mean. Like I said, Western Developers are more than capable of adding "magic" to their games. I already listed quite a few examples. My problem comes from the fact that publishers act like bloated budgets and grizzled gruff guys are what sells to their target demographic. It's a case of publishers acting like they know what their audience wants, instead of what gamers actually want.

 

Japanese developers can be just as guilty at times too. And I agree with what you said about Dark Souls. It may not be blatantly Japanese, but it has just enough Japanese design elements to help make it a memorable experience, without overpowering it. That's what I like to see more of in the industry. A sort of , give and take style of learning. Japanese and Western developers/publishers should both be learning from eachother, and if that happens, the industry will be a better place for all.

[Ankha 35]

Yup, focusing more on boobs, being cute for the sake of being cute, and having the same character archetypes in every story they make is just what western games need.

[Kagami-sama 319]

tl;dr But I'm pretty sure Japanese people think the same way but the other way around.

 

Both western and Japanese games are unique, and sometimes cliche, in their own little way.

[Twilight Dirac 720]

Honestly I don't see Japanese developers as being any more innovative the Western developers, if anything they feel even more stagnant.  The only Japanese developer that comes to mind when I think innovation is Nintendo, but they recycle there own IP just as aggressively as any Western AAA developer.  Oh look another Legend of Zelda, will it be an Ocarina of Time clone of more of a Windwaker clone?  Among some more of the recent Western releases are Overwatch, Stellaris, Heroes of the Storm, Kerbal Space Program, Gnomoria, Battlefleet Gothic and X-Com 2.  These titles cover everything from superheroe shooters to turn based tactical combat to space program management to managing and interstellar empire.  Just avoid titles from long standing franchises if the stagnation is getting to you, if you purchase another Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, Uncharted or the like don't be surprised if its the same bloody thing.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Twilight Dirac

[cider float 2,535]

I have to agree, a lot of these new western games are so bad, generic and seem like the same thing again and again. People bash on Anime for having the same damn artwork but western games almost all have the same artwork to me.