Playing a Role, or Does the Role Play You? #2 @ eToychest

eToychest continues their ruminations on roleplaying in the RPG genre with Playing a Role, or Does the Role Play You? (Part 2):

A commonly held distinction is that the Asian-influenced RPG features a pre-determined protagonist, while the Western style leans towards a customized character. The former offers an ability to let the gamer play a greater role in the plot of the game, but the latter is where we can find actual personal involvement and emotional attachment. Sure, on the average customization boils down to a handful of numbers with no inherent meaning, but those are our numbers, and it does imbue the title with a sense of personal investment.

Wouldn't it be great if we had both?