At the opposite end I find most western RPGs (bar the Fable series) just take themselves far too seriously. Even if the plot has some japes, the combat can be monotonous or average NPC conversations take forever. I wanted to love Baldurs Gate 3 and Dragon Age but I just couldn’t.

JRPGs, even the more serious ones still somehow retain a sense of fun and don’t have NPCs that take 2 hours to ask the weather.