Why do some people call this game a JRPG?

[Huntson]

This game has been amazing, but I see some people calling it a JRPG. As far as I understand. A JRPG is usually given to game when it is either made in Japan, or has an anime art style.

[jbkilroy]

Western RPGs tend to have character customization and nonlinear gameplay. Like Oblivion.

JRPGs often have a fixed protagonist and a linear story. Like Persona.

These are generalizations, but I think those are the two main criteria.

[Zero Hour 17]

From the devs own mouth this is based on old JRPGs they grew up with. The combat is their own twist on things like the Mario RPGs and legend of dragoon. They also have a scaled world map like old Final Fantasy's. The turn order is directly out of FF10.

Obviously the J in JRPG stands for Japanese, so technically it isn't, but people call it that because the inspirations are clear from both what the devs said and just by playing the game.

[Thorstorm]

Because it does look like the Japanese style RPG, linear and boring characters lol

[MancSoulja]

JRPGs focus on story telling and well-established character design with deep background stories where as WRPGs focus on allowing the user to role play and "build" their character,, also, the main protag usually have little to no background.

It has nothing to do with where is is made, Dark Souls is a WRPG made in Japan.

[SeraphLance]

Originally posted by Huntson:

This game has been amazing, but I see some people calling it a JRPG. As far as I understand. A JRPG is usually given to game when it is either made in Japan, or has an anime art style.

JRPGs are games that follow the conventions of the originators of the genre, such as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. This game very much does that. It has nothing to do with whether the game is made in Japan. Wizardry: Tales of the Forsaken land for example plays like pretty much any other Wizardry game, only made in Japan by a Japanese developer. it is not a JRPG.

The J stands for Japanese, but that's because the genre came out of Japan. That's all. If the genre had been invented in the 2000s, we might have been calling them Dragon Quest-likes instead.

[Stoibs]

JRPG hasn't meant literal 'Japanese' game for quite a long time now.

[Kapika96]

It's a genre. Country of origin/art style don't matter. The mechanics, story, characters etc. are what makes it a JRPG.

[SeraphLance]

Originally posted by Stoibs:

JRPG hasn't meant literal 'Japanese' game for quite a long time now.

I'm not sure it ever really did. Septerra Core released in 1999 and Anachronox in 2001, both games the RPG community widely considers JRPGs. Japanese WRPGs go even further back than that, with stuff like King's Field and arguably Drakkhen 2. Then you've got companies like Nihon Falcom making WRPG-esque games all the way back in the 80s.

[Huntson]

Originally posted by Huntson:

This game has been amazing, but I see some people calling it a JRPG. As far as I understand. A JRPG is usually given to game when it is either made in Japan, or has an anime art style.

Thank you everyone for explaining it more. I kinda assumed the J in JRPG met it was developed in Japan. I was confused since the developers who made this game are based in France.

[jack_of_tears]

I played the game for two hours and the jrpg inspirations were unavoidable. That's not a bad thing, I like what they've done with the formula but once you notice you can't unsee it.

[lekayrnthon]

The vast majority of this games mechanics are lifted from or variations on mechanics first seen and most popular in JRPG's. Its a love letter to the genre, in fact, but maybe a bit of admonishment as well.

[Insert Bronze Name]

Like others have said, its a genre. A genre that has its origins in japan. Thats all the japanese part of the name is now and has been for a long time. Elden for example, is a "Japanese" action rpg, not a JRPG. that is an RPG from japan but doesn't fall into the genre of a JRPG. Ofcourse the region it origionated from makes most of the JRPGs in the world, but not all. JRPGS generally have a mostly linear story (vs choices matter in western ones), strong emphasis on pre made characters (compared to most not all western RPGs having char creation). Also party based team building. and Story is usually somewhat similar to Anime/Japanese storytelling, usually good vs evil at least from the start.
Also genres can blend, doesn't have to exclusive. it can have elements of JRPGs and western, and others. We've seen many genres blend and get muddy over the years.

[Asher]

It's persona made by white people. That sums it up honestly lol

[Xhyra]

4 individuals in a row = JRPG

[Goribal]

Lol, the developers themselves presented it as "in the style of jrpg".

Quote from one interview "JRPG classics reimagined through the prism of the author's vision"