For years now JRPGs are among the most popular video game genres and played by many fans. Since the 80s and 90s, JRPGs have greeted the publication of real masterpieces, milestones that have remained forever imprinted in the history of video games. In recent years, and in particular during the eighth generation (that of PS4 and Xbox One, whose video games are also usable on the new consoles in backwards compatibility), the Japanese role-playing game genre has experienced a new period of rebirth and rediscovery by the public, also thanks to its ability to modernize considerably over the last decade, thanks to various hybridizations with other types of video games (mostly action games, but also more niche genres such as visual novels or sim games).
Among its main strengths, the JRPGs they have always been able to boast an excellent character design, exciting and long-lived stories and in general an exceptional relationship between their price and content, rarely equaled by other video game genres. In the following list, therefore, you will find all the best of what JRPGs can offer nowadays, transporting you to wonderful and maniacally cared for worlds, and characterized by a visual and aesthetic sector that is often out of scale. Before starting, we remind you that on our pages you will also find a guide dedicated to the best western RPGs (complementary to the one you are about to read), one dedicated to the best metroidvanias and one to the best anime-style games. Having said that, let's embark on a journey to discover the best that "role" Japan can offer!
The best JRPGs
- Shin Megami Tensei V
- Pokémon Violet / Pokémon Scarlet
- Tales of Arise
- Triangle strategy
- Yakuza Like a Dragon
- Person 5 Royal
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Star Ocean The Divine Force

Shin Megami Tensei V

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Pokémon Violet / Pokémon Scarlet

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Tales of Arise

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Triangle strategy

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Yakuza Like A Dragon

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Person 5 Royal

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3

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Final Fantasy VII Remake

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Star Ocean The Divine Force

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How to choose the best JRPGs
Choosing a JRPG is certainly not very simple and in fact there are many variables that can lead to one title or another. It is, after all, about one of the most diverse video game genres out there, capable of transporting to countless worlds seen under different optics. Just to help you orient yourself in your choice, we have therefore compiled a list of tips, which will allow you to take as considered a decision as possible.
What is a JRPG?
The first question that could come naturally to everyone is certainly one: what is a JRPG? JRPG is the acronym of Japanese Role Playing Game, i.e. gods Japanese role-playing games. Unlike "traditional", or rather Western, role-playing games, they are generally distinguished by common characteristics that are more or less always present in every exponent of the genre. The first clearer and more visible feature is the graphic sector, characterized in most cases by a Japanese style, for example with swords and armor with disproportionate dimensions, very colorful hair and a typical narrative of anime and manga.
Another characteristic inherent in the best JRPGs is the division between game map exploration screens (overworld) and fight screens: in recent times this component is gradually disappearing, but it is still possible to find it for example in games such as Pokémon, where battles are conducted in separate screens after the player's avatar comes across a wild creature in the tall grass. Finally, another non-mandatory but very common feature is the presence of turns within fights, a component that adds strategic depth to the game and which depending on the titles can have different variations on the theme: let's think for example of the combat system of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, a hybrid between real-time action and turn-based strategic thinking.
Our pick of the best JRPG games
The world of JRPGs is rich and varied. Since the 80s with the first Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, the genre had its exploit in the 90s to then have a slow but inexorable evolution up to the our days with a new and intense flowering. To date, the availability of ever-changing JRPGs is remarkable, from the more strategic and thoughtful titles such as Pokémon to the more frenetic and action ones such as Tales of Arise, without missing important historical sagas such as Final Fantasy and Shin Megami Tensei.
There truly is a JRPG for every taste, from the more traditional and heartwarming stories filled with greatswords, magic and technology, up to titles rich in monsters and monsters to fight or collect. In this guide to buying the best JRPGs we have decided to also include some particular variations, such as the JRPG twist that the Yakuza action saga had with its spin-off Like A Dragon, a situation that also happened to the Persona saga with Persona 5 Royal and Monster Hunter with the Stories saga.
Setting
One of the main aspects to take into great consideration is definitely the setting: do you prefer something more modern, such as Final Fantasy VII Remake, for example, or do you want an experience with fantasy styles like Bravely Default? Are you sure you aren't looking for something even different like Star Ocean The Divine Force instead?
To make a JRPG, as well as any other game, even more interesting is in fact the setting, that is the setting of the title. Immerse yourself in some adventure with scenarios and themes in your own ropes, in fact, greatly increases the appeal of a game, making it more attractive to look at and fulfilling to play. In addition to gameplay, graphics, plot and so on, in short, the setting is also something to take into great consideration when choosing your next JRPG. After all, if you hate science fiction and space travel, why should you launch yourself into a title with such themes and not looking for a game that best suits your tastes?
Price
Of course, a self-respecting buying guide cannot lack a paragraph dedicated to queen of features to take into consideration, ie the price. In fact, it is evident that even a few tens of euros of difference can lead to one side or the other in the choice of some JRPG and, precisely for this reason, we have decided to include only video games of this genre in this list with excellent value for money. All of this, obviously, without forgetting the latest releases, which, although characterized by a higher cost, are usually equipped with more successful technical systems and the latest technologies on the market.
In our list of the best JRPGs, you will therefore be able to find a bit of everything, starting from the historical glory that you cannot not play up to some more recent works, which landed in shops only a short time ago. All, of course, always with quality first, to avoid making you spend money on not so convincing titles.
Game platform
One last aspect that we would like to underline in this guide to the best JRPGs on the market is that relating to the gaming platforms for which they are available. PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC: as you may have understood by now if you love video games, not all JRPGs, as well as titles of other genres, may be available for every platform. Some, such as Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet are only available for some of them, in this case Nintendo Switch, while others, see Star Ocean The Divine Force, can be played with both Xbox and PC or PlayStation.
The JRPGs that you will decide to buy, as well as any other type of video game from the dawn of time, they must therefore be purchased for the console in your possession. An Xbox, for example, is not able to run a PlayStation title, while on Nintendo Switch you will not be able to enjoy a PC exclusive JRPG in any way, and so on. We are sure that for many of you everything will be trivial and almost obvious, but it is good and right to keep it in mind, especially if you haven't dabbled in the world of video games for a long time.