Sometimes it can feel like a marathon to get through a game. Some players like to bounce around between games, which is a fine play style, but it’s harder to do with a lengthy game. That’s why a lot of JRPG fans in particular like to focus on one experience, playing through it to the very end.
8 Forgotten JRPGs That Deserve To Be Rediscovered
These more obscure JRPGs are in dire need of gamers rediscovering their charm.
Scratching a game off the to-do list and taking it away from the backlog can be a big relief. However, some games are so good, even though they can be taxing, that players will be compelled to start again. The following JRPGs are good examples, and the reason why they are worth replaying right away differs between each title.
Persona 5 Royal
The Ultimate Lengthy JRPG
Persona 5 Royal
- Released
- March 31, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Persona 5 Royal, and the original version, is one of the longest JRPGs ever made, which is seemingly impossible to speed through. This is because players will have to go day by day with a set schedule that they cannot break away from. That said, this structure helps keep the pace great as players go from story segments to more interactive ones, from diving into dungeons to fighting in turn-based battles.
By the end, players will feel like they have gone through a journey. However, players can begin a New Game+ option to carry over most of their data, including their social stats like Knowledge or Guts. If players didn’t max them out the first time, then they can try again, and if they did, then they can access content earlier and effectively change how some things play out.
NieR: Automata
Getting To THE End
NieR: Automata
- Released
- March 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
NieR: Automata is built around the idea of players restarting their journey. The game will begin with players controlling 2b, who is accompanied by her partner, 9s, in an action JRPG adventure that can feel like a full experience.
However, that’s only about a third of the journey, as players can restart immediately after as 9s to witness a different perspective on the story. Finally, players can assume control of A2, and this will all lead to the true finale. Players could stop after 2b’s campaign, but that would be unsatisfying as it wouldn’t answer most of the game’s questions.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Make Your Choice Byleth
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Released
- July 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Intelligent Systems
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
Fire Emblem: Three Houses presents players with a big choice early on. As the character Byleth, players will have to choose one of three factions to side with during their military academy days. This includes the Leicester Alliance, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Adrestian Empire.
10 Old-School JRPGs That Are Perfect From Start To Finish
These old-school JRPGs represent the best the genre had to offer before the 2010s, with no drops in quality during their playthrough.
Aiding one nation will give players a different cast of playable characters to march into tactical battles with, and it will also change up the story, as the other two nations will become political rivals. To get the full scope of the story, players could replay the other two factions, making for one lengthy but satisfying tactical JRPG experience.
Final Fantasy 10-2
What Can I Do For You?
Final Fantasy X-2
- Released
- November 18, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
Final Fantasy 10-2 is a direct sequel to the original game and the very first mainline Final Fantasy game to feature a direct game sequel, thus changing the franchise forever. The game begins with Yuna receiving a mysterious video of what appears to be Tidus in jail, crying for help. Fans of the original game know that this scenario seems fishy, as does Yuna, but she decides to investigate it anyway, along with her cousin, Rikku, and newcomer Paine.
The game has a percentage meter that will increase the further players get in the game, including going after side content. It’s impossible to 100% the game the first time through because there are three factions players can side with on the journey. This includes the Youth League, the New Yevon Party, and the Machine Faction. To see what really happened to Tidus, players need to 100% the game, meaning they must replay it.
Scarlet Nexus
Future Love
Scarlet Nexus
- Released
- June 25, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Scarlet Nexus gives players a choice right away on whether they want to start as Yuito or Kasane. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic future wherein hunters are trained to defend the last city on Earth from being taken over by mutated creatures called Others. Yuito and Kasane are part of the group of hunters and start as allies, but soon after the game begins, their paths diverge, making one effectively hunt the other.
Both characters get their own set of allies that can accompany them on missions, and they can link attacks with allies in the action combat. To get the full scope of the story, both campaigns must be completed, and the mystery is strong enough to urge players to do so.
Triangle Strategy
The Scales Of Justice
Triangle Strategy
- Released
- March 4, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Tactical
Triangle Strategy is another tactical JRPG with branching paths. The game begins with the neutral territory, House Wolffort, being pulled into a war over salt. What makes this game different is that players don’t pick one of the three nations, the Kingdom of Glenbrook, the Grand Duchy of Aesfrost, or the Holy State of Hyzante, to follow continuously.
The 10 Most Timeless Classic JRPGs, Ranked
From the SNES to the 3DS, these JRPGs remain timeless in quality and have earned their spot as genre classics.
Instead, there are times in the campaign where players have to vote, and if they want to proceed a certain way, then they have to convince their allies to side with them. Replaying the game will help players see different sides of the war, but more so than that, there are exclusive characters to each side. If players want to collect every party member in the game, then they must replay it.
Chrono Cross
Dimensional Rifts
Chrono Cross
- Released
- August 15, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
Chrono Cross is a PS1 classic turn-based JRPG that doesn’t get as celebrated as its predecessor, Chrono Trigger, even though it does some interesting things with the campaign. Instead of time travel, players can swap between two alternate dimensions to see how each world is different.
By completing tasks a certain way, they can gain new party members. It’s impossible to get them all in one playthrough, along with getting the right materials to get the true ending. Thankfully, there is New Game+ to let players try again, and funnily enough, Chrono Trigger is credited with perfecting how New Game+ works in games.
Front Mission 1st: Remake
See The Other Side
Front Mission 1st: Remake
- Released
- June 30, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Forever Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Forever Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Strategy
Front Mission was released for the SNES in 1995 in Japan and with only one campaign. It followed Royd Clive, who was part of the OCU, but when the game was remade for the PS1 in 2003, also in Japan only, there was a second campaign added. Players could choose to play as the OCU or the USN, starring Kevin Greenfield.
The first time players got to enjoy the game was the 2007 DS version, and Front Mission 1st: Remake is a remake and the most accessible version to date as of 2022. Both campaigns are completely separate, allowing players to see how each side of the war plays out. Because this is a game about mechs and two sides of a war that have justifiable means, it’s a bit like the original Gundam series, which also showed the good and bad of both sides of the war.
10 Underrated Nintendo Switch JRPGs Deserving A Huge Comeback In 2025
These underrated Japanese role-playing games deserve a comeback on Nintendo Switch in 2025.