Both Shin Megami Tensei and Persona have been met with rising popularity over the years, especially with the recent release of Persona 5. Both the main SMT series and its spinoff Persona have similar elements, while being different experiences. SMT has always been known for its intense difficulty and engaging monster collecting system. Meanwhile, Persona blends dungeon crawling with real-life simulation. Both options have quite a few stellar JRPGs to choose from.
The Tales series has been running for over 20 years, and has seen an entry on nearly every system since the PS1. It’s known for its vibrant anime art style, fast-paced action combat systems, and superbly fleshed out characters. On its face each Tales game uses tropes to establish its characters and world, before putting a unique spin on those tropes to surprise players.
Dragon Quest is basically the granddaddy of JRPGs, with the first title in the series even releasing before the first Final Fantasy. With characters designs by Dragonball creator Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest has always had its own distinct style. Each entry in the series has grown and advanced the formula, with Dragon Quest VIII generally regarded as the finest in the series, and one of the finest JRPGs of all time. Turn based, quirky goodness awaits you with Dragon Quest.
Another RPG series from Square Enix, Star Ocean is an odd blend of sci-fi and fantasy. Each entry deals with advanced beings making contact with beings from a primitive planet, along with some kind of larger universe-wide conspiracy. Every entry features an exciting action-packed combat system that lets you switch between the entire party, and there’s plenty of dungeon crawling to be had as well. These aren’t short game either, so dig in if you pick one up.
The Legend of Heroes has become more and more known in the west, with entries like Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel. The older games on PSP feel a bit dated, but the new Trails entries are marvelously written games that really focus on character development. There’s also an engaging battle system that focuses on battlefield placement and enemy weaknesses. Both Trails in the Sky and Cold Steel are easy games to sink yourself in.
The Valkyria series is entirely unique, both in aesthetic and gameplay. The series is set in a fictional pseudo-earth where special soldiers known as Valkyria exist, during the equivalent of World War II. Each entry, features a tactical combat system that has you moving one unit at a time with an action gauge, before aiming in real time. The gorgeous storybook presentation gives it an even more charming air, on top of the very human characters. The newest title Valkyria Revolution releases this summer, and ditches the tactical combat for a more action-oriented approach, although many of the series’ story themes remain.
The first NieR was one of the most overlooked titles on PS3 and Xbox 360, while NieR: Automata has certainly made its mark. Both games feature incredibly dark themes and stories, that easily hook you in emotionally. With Platinum helping develop Automata, the combat of the first game was kicked up a notch, and flows perfectly. One of the other unique aspects of both NieR titles lies in their multiple endings, where each one peels back another layer of story and lore. They’re certainly both experiences that should not be missed, and hopefully we can see another NieR at some point.
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Shin Megami Tensei/Persona
Both Shin Megami Tensei and Persona have been met with rising popularity over the years, especially with the recent release of Persona 5. Both the main SMT series and its spinoff Persona have similar elements, while being different experiences. SMT has always been known for its intense difficulty and engaging monster collecting system. Meanwhile, Persona blends dungeon crawling with real-life simulation. Both series have quite a few stellar JRPGs to choose from.
Tales of Series
The Tales series has been running for over 20 years, and has seen an entry on nearly every system since the PS1. It's known for its vibrant anime art style, fast-paced action combat systems, and superbly fleshed out characters. Taken at face value, each Tales game uses tropes to establish its characters and world, before putting a unique spin on those tropes to surprise players.
Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest is basically the granddaddy of JRPGs, with the first title in the series even releasing before the first Final Fantasy. With character designs by Dragonball creator Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest has always had its own distinct style. Each entry in the series has grown and advanced the formula, with Dragon Quest VIII generally regarded as the finest in the series, and one of the best JRPGs of all time. Turn-based, quirky goodness awaits you with Dragon Quest.
Star Ocean
Another RPG series from Square Enix, Star Ocean is an odd blend of sci-fi and fantasy. Each entry deals with advanced beings making contact with beings from a primitive planet, along with some kind of larger universe-wide conspiracy. Every entry features an exciting action-packed combat system that lets you switch between the entire party, and there's plenty of dungeon-crawling to be had as well. These aren't short games either, so dig in if you pick one up.
The Legend of Heroes
The Legend of Heroes has become more and more known in the west, with entries like Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel gaining popularity. The older games on PSP feel a bit dated, but the new Trails entries are marvelously written games that really focus on character development. There's also an engaging battle system that focuses on battlefield placement and enemy weaknesses. Both Trails in the Sky and Cold Steel are easy games to sink yourself in.
Suikoden
Each Suikoden game contains similar themes of politics, corruption, and revolution, with a ton of different party members featured. Each game has "108 Stars of Destiny" to recruit, which results in 108 party members. The first five games on PS1 and PS2 keep advancing the battle system, and the series as a whole has an interesting ancient Chinese aesthetic to it. The most recent title was Suikoden Tierkries on DS, which had a smaller, more focused party.
Mana
The Mana series actually split off from Final Fantasy, with the first title even bearing the name Final Fantasy Adventure. As time went on, however, the series developed a distinct identity of its own. Each game focuses on a young hero cast out of their home in some way, and the games are played from a top-down perspective in real time. Engaging stories, varied gameplay, and fantastic soundtracks are just a few of the things you can expect.
Xenoblade
Xenoblade is still a relatively new series, but boy has it made an impact. The first Xenoblade Chronicles quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed JRPGs of all time on the Wii, giving players a fascinating and gigantic world to explore built on top of two massive robots. The combat is inspired somewhat by MMOs, while the story and characters are well voiced and deep. Xenoblade Chronicles X didn't make quite the same impact, but is still a massive and deep JRPG. With Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on the way for Nintendo Switch, this series is going strong.
Golden Sun
It's been years since the last Golden Sun game on DS, but the series still remains one of the most unique experiences on the Game Boy. Golden Sun, and its sequel Lost Age, focus on a group of teenagers that possess psychic powers. A brilliant equipment system had you assigning creatures called Djinns to each character, granting them different elemental attributes and abilities. Golden Sun definitely helped set the standard for what a handheld JRPG can be.
Lunar
It has unfortunately been years since the release of a Lunar game, but you can still find entries on older systems, like Lunar Silver Star Harmony on PSP and Vita. Besides having absolutely incredible soundtracks, the Lunar games take place on an inhabitable moon and always tell epic stories about good versus evil. The best game in the series Lunar Silver Star has some strong characters, backed up by an exciting turn-based battle system.
Valkyria
The Valkyria series is entirely unique, both in aesthetic and gameplay. The series is set in a fictional pseudo-earth where special soldiers known as Valkyria exist during the equivalent of World War II. Each entry features a tactical combat system that has you moving one unit at a time with an action gauge, before aiming in real time. The gorgeous storybook presentation gives it an even more charming air, on top of the very human characters. The newest title Valkyria Revolution releases this summer, and ditches the tactical combat for a more action-oriented approach, although many of the series' story themes remain.
Grandia
The last official Grandia game released back in 2005, but they still remain some of the best JRPGs around. The games generally focus on youths with dreams of adventure and grandeur, with an aesthetic that combines magical fantasy with futuristic technology. While battles are turn-based, they're extremely focused on timing and positioning, requiring a lot of strategy on the player's part. The Grandia games are tried and true JRPGs that any fan shouldn't miss out on.
Wild Arms
Wild Arms is yet another JRPG series that's been around since the early days of the PS1. Wild Arms stands out from the pack due to its interesting Wild West aesthetic, along with a host of varied races. Each game takes place on the world of Filgaia, and often features an environmentalism theme. The western motif seeps into every part of the series from soundtrack to the turn-based battle system, making Wild Arms one of the more unique JRPG series around.
Breath of Fire
Breath of Fire actually shares quite a bit in common with the older Final Fantasy games, down to general look and themes. Each game is technically unrelated, though they feature some recurring characters and continuity. The turn-based battles make you take advantage of the talents of each of your characters, while the story focuses on a young man named Ryu who can shapeshift into different types of dragons. The series has enough different to separate itself from Final Fantasy, but enough similar to attract fans.
NieR
The first NieR was one of the most overlooked titles on PS3 and Xbox 360, while NieR: Automata has certainly made its mark. Both games feature incredibly dark themes and stories that easily hook you in emotionally. With Platinum helping to develop Automata, the combat of the first game was kicked up a notch, and flows perfectly. One of the other unique aspects of both NieR titles lies in their multiple endings, where each one peels back another layer of story and lore. They're certainly both experiences that should not be missed, and hopefully we can see another NieR at some point.
About the author
Hayes Madsen
A connoisseur of all things RPG related, and always looking for the artistic expression in gaming. His love of Gundam is only matched by his love of Pizza. Playing Games Since: 1991 Favorite Genres: RPGs, JRPGs, Strategy,