I happen to be one of the lucky gamers out there who grew up in the golden age of JRPGs, an era where everywhere you turned, there was a brilliant turn-based gem vying for your attention. You had stalwarts of the genre, likeFinal Fantasy, constantly hitting the mark with sequel after sequel. You had a wealth of games taking aim at the champ in the form ofChrono Trigger,GrandiaandWild Arms, and then you had hidden gems worth unearthing, likeLegend of Legaia,Parasite EveandThousand Arms.And the latter is what I want to focus on here, but with a modern twist.
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If you’re looking for something that will scratch that Persona itch, these games have got you covered!
In 2024, there is still a cavalcade of incredible JRPG gems just waiting to be unearthed, meaning that if you’ve only playedPersona 5orFinal Fantasy XVIand want to dive a little deeper into the JRPG well, there are plenty of options waiting for you. You just need a helpful dude like me to highlight them. So, let me do just that!
10In Stars and Time
Insert Disc 5
Metacritic Score
Let’s get things started with a game that I never tire of recommending, as it truly is an indie marvel.In Stars and Timeis atime-looping JRPGwhere you play as Siffrin, master of puns and leader of a band of heroes aiming to save the world from The King, an evil force that has trapped Dormont in time. This leads to Siffrin being trapped in a perpetual time loop, and in true JRPG fashion, you need to use this looping ability, along with the power of friendship, to kill God.
The game immediately sinks its hooks in and gets you invested in every member of your party’s background and the world around you. Plus, the game satirically pokes fun at traditional JRPG combat, literally boiling down the encounters to glorified games of rock, paper, scissors. Which, when you think about it, is exactly what JRPG combat is, just with some fancy words like ‘Omnislash’ or ‘Limit Break’ to shroud it a little. It’s an indie masterpiece that is so criminally overlooked, so do me a favor and play this one.
9Eternights
Studio Sai
I mentionedPersona 5earlier, a game that has become so popular that it transcends the JRPG scene, and has acted as many people’s gateway into the genre with its blend ofPokemon-style creature taming, and Life-Sim gameplay. But chances are that you have playedPersona 5to death and need a new game to fill the void. So, if you want a like-for-like replacement, I would urge you to considerEternights.
What’s different about this one is that the combat is a real-time hack-and-slash format, akin to games likeFuri,Code VeinorScarlet Nexus. But whatPersonafans will immediately find familiar is the calendar system, the theme of teenagers banding together to find supernatural beings, and, of course, the obligatory Waifu dating component. It’s not as polished asPersona, but then, to be fair, what is? It’s a brilliantPersona-like that often gets overlooked, but hopefully you won’t do that.
8Terra Memoria
La Mourarde
If you, like me, feel like there just haven’t been enough modern attempts to capture the magic of the 1990s golden era of JRPGs, then I have the medicine you need.Terra Memoriais a game that uses the same central premise as everyFinal Fantasytitle out there. You live in a world where crystals are the hottest commodity and make the world go round, and as you would expect, they are in short supply, leading to division, wars, and evil entities rearing their ugly heads.
So, in steps you and a merry band of followers, who will travel through the fabric of time to find out how this scarcity came to be, and hopefully, you’ll be able to make these crystals abundant again when you return to the present. It’s a typical, cozy turn-based JRPG that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but through interesting writing, a unique construction/terraforming system to solve puzzles and gorgeous pixel graphics, this game does more than enough to warrant a playthrough.
The Game Bakers
I’m a huge fan of theGame Bakersas a studio because of their ability to take an established sub-genre and flip the script to offer something truly unique. They managed this with their boss gauntlet title,Furi, and they’ll probably knock it out of the park with their punishing mountain climber simulator,Cairn. But, with reference to JRPG’s, I want to talk about their unique game within the genre,Haven.
Haven is a game that does something a lot of games shy away from and showcases a loving, healthy, and established relationship between two star-crossed lovers on the run from the Apiary. It’s a brilliant, focused narrative with plenty of fun JRPG-inspired themes and mechanics that will make long-time fans of the genre feel right at home. Yet, due to the big swings the game takes, it’ll also feel like a breath of fresh air. So stick on your anti-gravity boots and glide into this one.
6Cris Tales
Dreams Uncorporated
It seems that JRPGs where you can alter the fabric of time are a theme on this list.Cris Talesis our next time-hopping entry which you take control of Crisabell, an orphan hero who must use her time-bending powers to take down the empress of time. The time manipulation is a key aspect of this game’s story, but what makes it such a standout gesture is that it also makes this a primary feature of the exploration and combat mechanics.
This not only allows you to change the fates of those around you, but in battle, it allows you to go back in time to give yourself more time to defend yourself from incoming attacks. Or alternatively, give yourself the ability to strike fast with the hop forward in time. It’s a brilliant mechanic that makes every battle a time-based puzzle to solve, and this, along with excellent world-building, visuals and writing, makesCris Talesa must-play for avid JRPG fans.
5Chained Echoes
Matthias Linda
I feel a bit weird includingChained Echoesin a list of underrated JRPGS because, critically, this game was adored. But the reason why I feel it’s apt is that this game never gets the love I feel it deserves from the greater JRPG community. Much like the critically-acclaimed hit of last year,Sea of Stars, this game aims to offer a modern take on the golden age of JRPGs by providing nostalgia-inducing SNES-style visuals but the overall refinement of a current-generation title. Then, it adds the cherry atop the cake with an interesting world where mechs and monsters are commonplace.
It’s an SNES RPG that cuts out all the unnecessary fluff to provide a story that will be well-paced. Combat and exploration is fluid and rewarding without feeling like a slog, and the music is also top-notch. The biggest compliment I can pay to this game is that it feels as much like a modern re-imagining ofChrono TriggerasSea of Starsdid.And if you know how much I loveSea of Stars, then you’ll know, that’s high praise. So, for a blast from the past with a modern edge, Chained Echoes is the one.
4I Am Setsuna
Tokyo RPG Factory
I was never a massive fan ofI Am Setsuna, until I heard someone say it was their favorite game of all time, and this comment prompted me to rewind the clock and give it a real go, and honestly, I’m glad I did. It’s a game that plays rather like a mash-up ofFinal Fantasy XandChrono Trigger, with the story and writing feeling more in line with theSquare Enixtitan, whereas the combat is more in line withChrono Trigger. Which honestly, is the right way round, at least in my opinion.
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The game has a stunning soundtrack and sticks rigidly to its somber and thoughtful tone to deliver a story that is more than just ‘Through the power of friendship; the heroes kill god.’ Plus, the combat, while basically ripped note for note fromChrono Trigger,feels fluid and fun to engage with. The main deterrent here is that the downcast atmosphere is unpalatable for those who aren’t immediately invested, and the game plays out in one dominantly snowy biome, leading to critiques like ‘Snow, snow, and more snow.’ But, if you get past this sea of white, under the powdery snow, you’ll find an indie JRPG gem worth playing.
3Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
Nippon Ichi
A lot of JRPGs out there are focused on ramping up their difficulty as the adventure goes until you are juggling a multitude of systems seamlessly. Then, these same JRPGs tend to start with a jovial and lighthearted tone and eventually build to a grand evil on the precipice of destroying the world as we know it. Well,Rhapsody: A Musical Adventureis a salve to that, offering a precursor adventure to theDisgaeaseries, which tells a fairytale story in JRPG form, with plenty of musical numbers along the way.
The game essentially plays out like a classic Disney princess fairytale, where an evil entity has cast your prince charming in stone, and you, along with your sentient puppet pals, must find a way to break the spell and revive them. It’s a game with simplistic RPG systems that focuses on wholesome fun and pageantry above all else but still has all the JRPG staples needed to feel familiar and engaging. So, for a JRPG with difficulty in line with Mario RPGS likeSuper Mario RPG, but with charm and silliness in spades to make up for it, this is a top choice.
2Born of Bread
WildArts Games
There have been a lot of games that have found success recently by using a picture book cut-out sort of art style for their games. Titles likeTinykin,Echoes of Plum Grove, and the much anticipatedThe Plucky Squirespring to mind. But within the JRPG scene, there’s one game that takes a swing at it, and does a surprisingly good job.Born of Breadis a game where you play as Loaf, a sentient baked good who finds himself embroiled in a conflict that will see you fighting to save the world from ancient beings of the past who want to reclaim their kingdom once again.
The game is at its best when you’re exploring this picture-book world and engaging with different NPCs and party members, as the writing of this game is as charming and comical as they come. Plus, there are a lot of fun gimmicks baked right into the bread here, like a Twitch-esque streaming mechanic that will ask you to battle in certain ways to appease an audience, and surprisingly tight platforming too. I will concede that as the game goes on, the combat never grows in scope and can be seen as bland and repetitive, but in this rare occurrence, the writing and charm carry this one through. It’s not perfect, but it sure is underrated.
1Indivisible
Lab Zero Games
Then, to wrap things up, we need to give mention toIndivisible, a wonderful little JRPG that sees you play as Ajna, a small-town girl who is thrust into an adventure where she will learn a lot about the world beyond her humble village, and in turn, learn a lot about herself in the process. This game takes some big swings by offering a mix of precision platforming and real-time JRPG combat. But by far, the most incredible thing that will draw fans to this game is the hand-drawn anime cutscenes and in-game visuals.
It really feels like you are playing through one of your favorite animes and get to shape your own adventure by being an active participant. Plus, if you’re a fan of crossovers, this game has content that features known entities likeSkullgirls, Shovel Knight, Guaccamelee, Hyper Light Drifterand more. It’s a game that takes a lot of risks, and in most cases, those risks pay off. But don’t take my word for it. Go play this one and see for yourself!
