We've seen people frame the "oldschool vs. newschool" debate in plenty of different ways. The fans of next-gen RPGs cry out against the oldschoolers for being addicted to nostalgia, and the oldschool folk attack the new kids on the block for being bandwagon-jumping losers that know nothing of a series' history.

And, of course, the debate is regularly centered around the Final Fantasy series.

Today, John P. Hussey brings you an interesting perspective to these perennial debates. There are certain characteristics that older RPGs have, but newer RPGs have forgotten. No one expected "lack of customization" to be a point one should argue for, but JP makes a good case for it by turning the tables on things like the materia system or the grid sphere.

Click the link below to read more.

• The Modern RPG and the Perils of Customization