Turn-based JRPGs have been around almost as long as consoles, which means that developers have had decades to polish them and come up with new ideas to present to fans of the genre. Throughout the years, some timeless classics have been released to the public, giving players hours of fun and delivering on the promise of a quality game with engaging mechanics, compelling characters, and unforgettable settings.
7 JRPGs With The Best Character Customization
JRPGs usually have a pre-designed player character, but these JRPGs allow players to design and customize their avatars themselves.
That said, either due to nostalgia or simply because of development costs and other environmental factors, for many, the PlayStation 3 era of JRPGs was the golden age for this genre. To support this claim and take a walk down memory lane, here are the best turn-based JRPGs on the PlayStation 3.
6 The Legend Of Heroes - Trials Of Cold Steel
Metacritic Score: 77
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
- Enticing story touching on social class divides
- Fun gameplay
Set in the Ereborian Empire, right after the Trials in the Sky trilogy, The Legend Of Heroes - Trials Of Cold Steel is centered around Rean Schwarzer, a student at the Thors Military Academy. With his fellow students, Alisa Reinford, Elliot Craig, Laura S. Arseid, Machias Regnitz, and others, his task at the academy is to learn about the abysmal disparities between the working class and the aristocracy.
However, an unexpected assassination will have Rean and his fellow students trapped in the middle of a Civil War between the Elites and the proletariat, forcing them to become involved and witness the conflict first-hand. This game's combat is exactly what players would expect from a JRPG; nothing more, and nothing less. That said, the story plays a critical role in how the characters develop and adds greatly to the overall experience.
5 Eternal Sonata
Metacritic Score: 79
Eternal Sonata
- Original concept involving a famous pianist
- Action-style combat elements
Few games dare to take on such a unique concept as Eternal Sonata, and even fewer manage to pull it off well. This game is centered on the final hours of the famous Polish pianist Fréderic Chopin, as he dreams of a fictional world influenced by his life and music. Besides its original concept, one of the greatest parts about this game is that players can play as the deceased pianist if they so wish, making him an important player in his own fever dream.
Best JRPGs With Complex Crafting Systems
Crafting as a mechanic has made many appearances in JRPGs, but the following games undoubtedly did the best job of creating a complex system.
Eternal Sonata has a very interesting combat system, as it has all the elements players would expect to find in a turn-based JRPG while also incorporating action-style combat that involves a limited amount of time to make a decision or choose a combat strategy. This makes every decision made by players much more significant and adds a sense of urgency and quick thinking when fighting an enemy.
4 Final Fantasy XIII-2
Metacritic Score: 79
Final Fantasy 13-2
- Released
- January 31, 2012
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Plot that involves time travel
- Well-designed characters
The game begins with Lightning awakening in Valhalla, a world between the mortal realm and the physical universe. There, she finds a suit of armor that makes her the protector of the dying goddess Etro. A stranger named Noel appears to help Lightning and her companions fight the monsters attacking the world they live in. This game has a very strong time travel element that it exploits to the fullest in order to tell its intricate story.
The combat is very similar to other Final Fantasy installments, and as always, the story is captivating and the characters are quite likable and well-developed.
3 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch
Metacritic Score: 85
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
- Released
- January 22, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Level 5
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Beautiful art style
- Sad story with a noble goal
Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch's main character, Oliver, is a young boy from Motorville who valiantly goes on a journey looking to revive his deceased mother. To accomplish his goal, Oliver must travel to another world where he'll find many broken-hearted people who've been cursed by an evil wizard named Shadar. Oliver will have to help the inhabitants of this new world to recover the broken pieces of their hearts to restore them to full health. Along the way, Oliver will learn many things about himself and, more importantly, about his late mother.
In terms of combat, this game doesn't innovate much, as it feels very similar to other JRPGs; however, its compelling story, noble end goal, and beautiful Studio Ghibli art direction more than make up for that.
2 Valkyria Chronicles
Metacritic Score: 86
Valkyria Chronicles
- Combat and vehicles are heavily reliant on World War II history
- Demands great strategic planning and complex military tactics
Set in 1935, in the fictional world of Europa, Valkyria Chronicles tells the story of a military conflict between the neutral nation of Gallia, the East European Imperial Alliance, and the Atlantic Federation — all in hopes of gaining control over the abundant and rare Ragnite Ore.
8 Best Linear RPGs With Almost No Exploration
Not everyone has 100+ hours spare to finish the latest open-world RPG. Thankfully, there are some RPGs that keep things linear and story-focused.
When the East European Imperial Alliance attacks the town of Bruhl, Welkin Gunther, the son of a late Gallian national hero, will have to fight against the invading forces to survive and defend his beloved country. As opposed to other JRPGs, it's quite evident that this game in particular relies much more heavily on military tactics and cold, calculated moves, as victory is almost impossible without a strategic mind. While the game's undertones are reminiscent of World War II, its art style and sometimes cartoonish animations help relieve the tension of such an important historical conflict.
1 Persona 5
Metacritic Score: 93
Persona 5
- Continuation of a long-established franchise
- Re-released for newer consoles
Set in modern-day Tokyo, Persona 5 follows the story of a high school student (who eventually goes by the code name "Joker"). After being falsely accused of assault, Joker has to transfer to a new school and start a new life. However, this tumultuous life change doesn't stay boring for long, as he and other students gain special powers and form a secret society of vigilantes, known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
With their new powers, Joker and his peers explore the Metaverse, a realm that came into being from humanity's desires and now poses a threat to the survival of mankind. The game is heavily centered on role-playing and dungeon crawling, and it has been re-released for newer consoles with the greatly expanded Persona 5 Royal version of the game. This partial life-sim, partial fantasy dungeon crawler serves for many as the pinnacle of the JRPG genre.
8 Best Open and Semi-Open World JRPGs, Ranked
Open-world games and JRPGs are two of gaming's most popular genres. Combine them, and you can get something truly special.