Post

jrpg isn't a real genre. its a useful shorthand and comparative term (i.e. if you like tales games you'll probably like falcom games) but when more academically discussing things like whether the genre has "evolved" enough or not it becomes tautologically useless

by which i mean like. souls games and monster hunter games are both rpgs made in japan that have evolved and experimented in unconventional ways and then people just start saying well they're not jrpgs anymore so its like ok this discussion is pointless then lol

rpgs have always been a popular genre with worldwide cross pollination and different evolutionary lines. jrpg style games made in the west growing in popularity is just another extension of wizardry style games blowing up in japan in the 80s. everyone's in conversation with each other

'useful shorthand and comparative term' is all any genre has ever been!