There is some contention around the terms “JRPG” and “WRPG” in Japan.
In Japan they don’t really make the distinction and just call both “RPGs”. However in the west there is a distinct genre difference between the character-focused, often anime-themed, story driven games that we call JRPGs and the more world-focused, free-form, choices-matter games we call WRPGs
There were a surprisingly large amount of Japanese developers that felt slighted because at a glance it seems like there are a ton of people that profess their love for RPGs but don’t like RPGs made in Japan.
I’ve always heard CRPG as a genre in reference to the more tactical, top-down RPGs, like NWN, Baulders Gate and the first 2 Fallout games. Whereas WRPGs refer to the more action-oriented games like Elder Scrolls, The Witcher, and Dark Souls(this one is especially relevant as it was also made in Japan)
There is some contention around the terms “JRPG” and “WRPG” in Japan.
In Japan they don’t really make the distinction and just call both “RPGs”. However in the west there is a distinct genre difference between the character-focused, often anime-themed, story driven games that we call JRPGs and the more world-focused, free-form, choices-matter games we call WRPGs
There were a surprisingly large amount of Japanese developers that felt slighted because at a glance it seems like there are a ton of people that profess their love for RPGs but don’t like RPGs made in Japan.
They’re called CRPGs, not WRPGs.
I’ve always heard CRPG as a genre in reference to the more tactical, top-down RPGs, like NWN, Baulders Gate and the first 2 Fallout games. Whereas WRPGs refer to the more action-oriented games like Elder Scrolls, The Witcher, and Dark Souls(this one is especially relevant as it was also made in Japan)
Those are action RPGs.
“Action-RPG” or ARPG is a moniker more closely associated with games like Diablo and Path of Exile, really.