I think it's a combination of both. Cultural preferences definitely influence how people interpret humor, emotions, and character behavior, but the translation itself can also have a huge impact. When I replayed super bear adventure 1 in a different language, I noticed that some dialogue, jokes, and character interactions felt slightly different even though the overall story stayed the same. A skilled localization team doesn't just translate words. It adapts jokes, idioms, and references so they feel natural to the target audience while preserving the original intent. Sometimes a direct translation would sound awkward or lose its emotional impact, so changes are necessary, which is why players from different regions can have slightly different experiences with the same game.