Why is this genre so polarized between east and west? I do not like that this genre has to either be:

* Padded out with sidequests with too little of a main plot with overly simple interaction and a big, largely empty world with no sense of direction.

Or...

* Linear with an overwrought narrative and an overcomplicated interaction system that requires long tutorials.

Can we please have more games like Xenoblade and Dark Souls that combine the best of both?