@OutofPrintArchive While the review isn't wrong about early RPG conventions, "Although in fairness we'd question exactly why you'd be interested in playing an RPG in the first place," reeks of bias against them. I don't know how you play DQ4 without any comment on Torneko Taloon.
As @bill pointed out, Nintendo of Europe didn't get many JRPGs in the prior decade. So, I'll speculate that Mathers' bias could be from lack of exposure, despite citing prior Dragon Quest.