Five Japanese RPGs You Must Play
Make sure to put these at the top of your list
If you’re like me, you love JRPGs. You yearn for a new one to play through, and become disappointed when one fails to deliver. There are many games in the genre, and it can sometimes be overwhelming to know what’s exactly a life-changing game.
Lucky for you, I am here.
While there are many notable titles in the JRPG library, there are 5 “tent poles” that I feel will make your journey on this rock all the better. Let it be known, I do not think these are the 5 “best” JRPGs, although some enter that realm. I think these are the 5 that one should play to truly experience what the genre has in store for them.
One more note, these are not in any order. I may prefer some over the others, but feel free to start this list wherever you want.
Let’s go!
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger is based on the art style of famed manga artist/writer Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball. It’s very noticeable by the box art (and the animated scenes that were on the Playstation 1 version).
What starts off on what seems to be a fairly straightforward adventure soon turns into a time-traveling (it really works!) journey to save the world in the past, present, and future. The music is unforgettable. With Frog’s Theme, Memories of Green, and so much more, the soundtrack for Chrono Trigger is one of the tops in my book.
Listen to the entire soundtrack (for the DS version) here.
The battle system makes for something different where positioning on the screen, and timing can make all the difference in a fight. Attacks that link together can really change the gameplay. One thing to also note is that Chrono Trigger does not have random encounters, so rejoice!
The art style is tremendous, as stated before, and the story holds up since its inception. Chrono Trigger might be one of the greatest games of all time, not just one of the top JRPGs you need to play.
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII is not my favorite Final Fantasy. That goes to VI, but Final Fantasy VII is the best Final Fantasy ever made.
What starts as a crusade to take down an evil all-encompassing corporation grows to a scale of epic proportion. The characters are amazing, the story pushes you for more, and the battle system is simple enough, yet complex if you want it to be. I remember staying up late in high school training my chocobos to obtain a specific kind of materia to help my party defeat the end game. I would go to school on 3 hours of sleep and regret nothing.
The music, composed by the famed Nobuo Uematsu, is truly one for the ages. If Chrono Trigger was S tier, then Final Fantasy VII is S+ tier. It’s that good. Go listen to it right now. I’ll wait here. Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack — Listen here
One final note: the best stories told are character-driven. For example, Game of Thrones was at its best when the characters moved the story and not the plot. Final Fantasy VII does just that with Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and the rest of the crew. You might ask whether you should play the original first or the remake. I’d recommend going with the original, and if you enjoy it, boot up the remake whenever you’re ready.
Final Fantasy VII is a tour de force, and just like Chrono Trigger, is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, games of all time.
Breath of Fire II
This one might spark a discussion, there are a lot of people who prefer Breath of Fire 3, but Breath of Fire II includes a whole arsenal of different features that I think you should truly consider. The art style and battle system are top-notch. You’ll have no problem diving in and enjoying the visuals and battle elements, as they aren’t overly complicated/simple.
The story, once again, was like an onion and built itself until you were staring at what you truly had to do. It’s magnificent and the pacing is perfect. The cast is completely varied which makes it feel so much more unique for games in the SNES era.
Multiple endings! This game had those and it was really cool to see them. They range from the best, to the worst, and it made you feel like you truly had agency in that. The soundtrack is fine. It’s not as good as the previous games, but it’s still really good.
You can’t go wrong with Breath of Fire II, and with everything that’s included in the game, it makes it one of the 5 JRPGs you have to play.
Grandia II
I freakin’ love Grandia II. I remember seeing the review for it on ZDTV (then TechTV then G4) and WOW. It blew my mind. As the owner of a Dreamcast, I needed it, and when my parents came home with it, I devoured it the same as one would a gourmet pizza; zestfully. But why should you?
The battle system is the best of the games mentioned here. You can see when enemies will attack and have options of how to react or counter them. This makes for such a cool system. In the middle of fights, certain moves would turn in to an anime cut scene, such as this:
Grandia II: Millenia’s Fallen Wings — YouTube
The story? Oh, c’est ci bon! What starts as the life of a mercenary soon takes the path of good versus evil, and even beyond that. Wondering where all the shades of grey come from? I’m certain it’s from Grandia II. The soundtrack is good, and on top of that, it has dedicated voice acting! So novel an idea for the time!
Listen, this game is what all JRPGs should aspire to be. Seriously. Go play Grandia II. Right. Now. You can on Steam!
Earthbound
Earthbound is such an awesome game. I’ve previously written about how I obtained it for the low, low fee of $8 (you won’t find it for that anymore). The game itself hides behind a bubblegum exterior but the sci-fi/horror aspect of this JRPG cannot be ignored. It all culminates into a must-play experience.
The music is truly memorable, and the story truly spans the test of time. While the battle system is a bit rudimentary, it still keeps you enthralled with a varied cast of enemies. For instance, here’s a fan-created music video demonstrating it all (beware of spoilers).
While there’s no hard turn from the story from the beginning, it’s still a story worth telling, and the characters are memorable. You must save the world from the evil Giygas, and the journey to do that is capturing.
I love Earthbound. One aspect of the game is when you call your Dad, he’ll offer to save and wonder if you want to rest. At 36, this hits home. I call my father once a week, and sometimes, life is scary. Years later after my first playthrough, it’s hitting this note constantly.
Earthbound might represent one of the greatest JRPGs of all-time, and it definitely is one that you MUST play.
There you have it, the top 5 JRPGs you must play! These games all offer something different than the other, and more than most. Take your time, experience the lives of the characters. Enjoy the story, cry for the losses, and know that it’s always darkest before the dawn. I hope you enjoy all of these games as much as I did.
Did I miss one that you love? Let me know in the comments!
