How about Deus EX 1, although not a traditional RPG its a great mix of FPS great story and some impressive rpg elements. It has a linear story but there are multiple ways to complete each section and depending on your choice of upgrades how you play, either stealth'em'up or guns blasing doom style.
Personaly i liked becomes the ultimate sniper and just running around getting head shots.
It truly is one of the best cross genere games ever, although the second was a disapointement.
As for the japanese vs 'traditional' rpg, each to their own but the jap ones seem to lead you by the ear (like your on rails and can only go forward or back in a set path) while the more traditional ones have a large amount of freewill and choices.
Also check out the little known Gothic series, great grapghics (still good today) and a world so large its the closest thing to a single player MMORPG. You walk around the town and people are talking to each other (actual voices in an rpg
)what they talk about also changes as you do stuff. This is a third person over the sholder game, the combat is a bit tricky but again the story is top notch, and has so many little touches its amazing.
Another one is Vampire The Maskerade Redemption (the origional, posibly availible on budget) amazing story, somewhat linear but it never feels it plus the ability to run around new york as a someone who looks and sounds like the highlander cutting up vamps is fun
You get to lead a small team in this one, but once you've played it through a few times (and you will
) you just leave them to get all the xp for the main char
All those games are pretty old, maybe even 5 years so eye candy has aged but the game play, story and sheer adiction is un matched. You could probably pick them all up for £10 for 3. Also they all have unusual views unlike the tradition isometric top down view which is refreshing.