You should play Fallout 1 before launching such assumption. I haven't played all FF but the III ie the VI in Japan if I remember well, the IV and the VII plus a bit of I&II.
A better story polishing just can't match a more adult story, plus alternate choices plus no random encounters that pop from thin air, plus no harassment of repetitive fights, plus no forced grinding.
You should perhaps not rely on tired stereotypes whilst attempting to bash jRpgs.
So ok, the original assumption (FF>Fallout/ES) is obviously flawed, as they`re equals, and thats only when we assume it makes sense at all to compare such different games competitively. Never even mind FF I-IV are old and truly hardcore. Try comparing Wizardry IV to Fallout (arguably pinnacle of the genre & from 97) , see what happens.
Complain about stories in jRpgs? Please do - but only if you understand Japanese psyche & are fluent in the language. As it is, translations kill/maim most of the subtleties+ main story too sometimes. I mean it - if you get a Western game translated badly, it`s awkward, but with Japan it becomes meaningless/ridiculous.
Of course you get truly bad ones too, but hey, Diablo & every other western one had Tolstoy-like writing, right? (try Digital Devil for adult themes, it runs circles around Fallout`s Mad Maxery)
Random encounters?- No sireee, we`ve never seen them in Western games oh no I swear, no no no!
Laughable.
Although, of course, they can be annoying. In some titles. In others - less or not at all because you got your fixed/visible ones. Alas, it`s easier to pretend there`s only one catch-all jRpg out there.
Repetitive fights? Matter of opinion. Again, in some games, yes, you press A all the way through - in others, you have to study FAQs because battle systems are so complex, Fallout`s a pre-school. Also, the simplistic ones usually make up for that with crazy ass monsters that differ from fight to fight.
Grinding? Mostly a myth (yeah, I said it
For the 3rd time; in some titles - yes- but in majority not at all. That is, if you explore & do side quests. But, you do that , right? And what, you never did some sweet grindin` in a western game?