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Is Dark Souls a JRPG?

Is Dark Souls a JRPG?

  • Yes, Dark Souls is a JRPG

  • No, Dark Souls is not a JRPG

Results are only viewable after voting.

Deleted member 56266

Account closed at user request
Banned
Apr 25, 2019
7,291
I want to know what the people here think about this. Factually, Dark Souls is an RPG series made by a Japanese developer, but is it a JRPG? Why/Why not?

I won't be checking back on this thread in a while.....


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Lord Fanny

Lord Fanny

Banned
Apr 25, 2020
25,953
To me, a JRPG is just a rpg made from a Japanese company, so yes. I realize a lot of people have other definitions, though, but I just don't think it's worth getting into the weeds about.
 
Yuntu

Yuntu

Prophet of Regret
Member
Nov 7, 2019
10,667
Germany
JRPG at this point is a genre and not just a clarification on where a game got made.
 
SoulsHunt

SoulsHunt

Banned
Dec 3, 2019
3,622
RPG from Japan... so yeah J-RPG. Obviously.

A-RPG can be J-RPG, this just mean it's from Japan. Like, is FF7 also J-RPG, lol.
 
Zealuu

Zealuu

Member
Feb 13, 2018
1,179
For JRPG and WRPG to be meaningful terms today, they have to delineate genre and not just place of origin. So Dark Souls is not a JRPG.
 
wolffie

wolffie

Member
Dec 29, 2017
37
Nah, jrpg is a genre right now, not any rpg made in japan, i hate categorizing games by place of origin
 
dancingphlower

dancingphlower

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,053
Is it the anime aesthetic that makes action-RPGs like Ys, Trials of Mana, and FFVII Remake to be considered JRPGs? Versus action-RPGs like Dark Souls and Dragon's Dogma?
 
SoulsHunt

SoulsHunt

Banned
Dec 3, 2019
3,622
J-RPG is not a genre. It literally just mean it's a japanese RPG. A-RPG can be J-RPG too, when they come from Japan.
 
s y

s y

Member
Nov 8, 2017
10,427
jrpg might be the most contrived genre in gaming. Might be an anime aesthetic more than anything.
 
Ferrs

Ferrs

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
18,829
I'm divided. In one side, it doesn't have grunts, half of what makes an JRPG. On the other hand, it has waifus, which is the other half to be a JRPG.
 
Gnorman

Gnorman

Banned
Jan 14, 2018
2,945
I voted no but I can see both sides. All I know is if I'm in the mood for playing a jrpg I wouldn't play Dark Souls or Bloodborne.
 
Rodderick

Rodderick

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,667
Genres are only useful if they immediately communicate certain common identifiable attributes of the media you're describing. JRPG as a term cannot convey solely the notion of an RPG made in Japan, otherwise it'd be 100% useless. Something like Cosmic Star Heroine is a JRPG, while Dark Souls isn't. It's literally the only way to justify the existence of the genre. It's the same reason you can have a Polish band that plays Bay Area Thrash Metal.
 
Mentalist

Mentalist

Member
Mar 14, 2019
17,971
If an RPG is made in Japan, but does not feel "anime" , it is not a JRPG.

Dark Souls is (to me) it's own genre. But that's because I'm used to the world where ARPG meant "diablo clone" .
 

Deleted member 45130

Banned
Jun 17, 2018
3,244
No, Dark Souls is an Action RPG. A JRPG is more Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Although I'd argue that even newer Final Fantasy games are in a grey area between ARPG and JRPG.
 
litebrite

litebrite

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
21,832
Fans of JRPG's that wanted to play another JRPG would wonder why anybody recommended Dark Souls. I wonder why? Perhaps JRPG is more than an RPG made in Japan.
 
Bjomesphat

Bjomesphat

Member
Nov 5, 2017
1,819
I predict many in this thread don't understand how language evolves.

A JRPG can be made anywhere as it's understood to represent a certain type of game/genre. Just like a CRPG doesn't have to be exclusively on a computer.
 
Sorel

Sorel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,518
It's an action RPG.
HairyFist87 said:
No, Dark Souls is an Action RPG. A JRPG is more Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Although I'd argue that even newer Final Fantasy games are in a grey area between ARPG and JRPG.
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I would definitely put them in the action RPG category. Imo a JRPG "needs" to have instanced combat with some kind of abstract battle mechanics.
 
kennyamr

kennyamr

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,587
New York, NY, USA
Can you beat the last boss with the power of friendship? then no.


---
Edit: I stand corrected. Power of friendship confirmed. It's a JRPG.
 
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TransEuropaExpress

TransEuropaExpress

Member
Dec 6, 2017
10,985
US
JRPG clearly has connotations like any other genre and doesn't strictly mean the literal definition of the world. Dark Souls is nowhere near a JRPG.
 
Viale

Viale

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,614
JRPG is fairly meaningless as a minker, but it's literally Japanese Role Playing Game which Dark souls is. Otherwise, I'm not sure what the distinction would be. Does a JRPG need to be turn based or something similar? Like what separates dark souls from an action JRPG? Does it need to have an anime-esque aesthetic to be considered a JRPG (dark souls takes heavy influence from berserk, so I think it'd still qualify honestly) ? Personally, whenever this discussion comes up, it's always sounded like "I don't particularly like JRPGs, but I love dark souls, so clearly it's not a JRPG".


It's partly why I don't like the JRPG and WRPG monikers in general. They're labels with very little meaning now-a-days.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,483
Technically, it is. It's an RPG made in Japan.

But in practice, it isn't. It doesn't actually share any traits that JRPG fans actually care about.
 
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