Japanese and Western game design (1up essay)

[Blackmage]

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3155815

Really good article on the differences between Japanese and Western game design

[Silver Adept]

Good highlighting of what makes Japanese and American games different. I didn't realize it quite so much before, but I think in different terms and use different strategies depending on whether the games has a Western or Japanese feel to it. (In games with save points, I'm always scouting out one when in a difficult situation, and I only consider "safe" places when I need to make a levelgrind.) And of course, there's the art and character designs as well. As a person who likes story in his games, I suppose this is why I happen to like RPGs and Japanese RPGs more than other types of games.