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[Bumblebeetuna]

Rules:

It can’t be centered around kids or school
Prefer classic turn based
Prefer not open world

I have extended time off work because of an injury. So length isn’t much of an issue.

I have Metaphor in my Amazon cart right now overnight shipped for $50. Should I just go with that?

Also, are there any cool mature JRPG’s with blood or gore? I know that isn’t typical.

Thanks GAF

 

[KimDongHwan]

I think you probably peaked with FFVIII, you probably won't find something better!

Jokes aside, for me FFVIII was the best until I played FFX. After that maybe Persona 5?


Edit: re-read the post, scratch Persona 5. But I do feel you will love FFX Remaster

 

[bundylove]

Xenogears.

 

[bundylove]

I think you probably peaked with FFVIII, you probably won't find something better!

Jokes aside, for me FFVIII was the best until I played FFX. After that maybe Persona 5?

I think ff8 was one of the weaker ones.
Rather ff9 ff10 and of course the top of the top ff12

 

[RoboFu]

If you like FF8. Then you will probably like the persona series.

 

[od-chan]

It can’t be centered around kids or school

hag lover spotted

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Yakuza Like a Dragon. <-- Mature theme, mature situations, awesome turn based combat and job systems.
Plus if you love it (and you liked FF9 better than FF8 so clearly you have superb taste) you can roll into the sequel right away.

I think it is on GamePass or PS Plus, but its worth the full purchase imo.

Obviously FF Remake and Rebirth would be great as well. If you are married to the old story in 7 then skip them...totally worth a play through but some folks like their FF7 like it was the first time.

 

[Mister Wolf]

 

[//DEVIL//]

The amazing FFX

 

[Northeastmonk]

Lost Odyssey is a good one. If you want classics there’s Wild Arms 2 and numerous JRPGs to choose from. Metaphor would certainly be good. I liked Metaphor more than Persona.

I was going to say Lunar, Grandia, and Star Ocean. You said no kids.

 

[jshackles]

Xenoblade Chronicles
Trails (skip the Cold Steel series if you don't want school kids)
Octopath Traveler

 

[adamsapple]

If you can wait till April, Clair Obscure is releasing.

 

[Beechos]

Child of light.

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

Lost Odyssey was one of the greatest jrpgs ever even to this day

 

[Guerilla Munch]

Dragon Quest XI ticks all those boxes and is an absolute delight

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

I tried to rekindle my childhood love of the genre with Octopath II recently. I assume it's my tastes having changed drastically but I was bored to absolute tears and gave up after about 8 hours total. I've become Action Bro...

 

[PhillyPhreak11]

Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Persona 3 Reload

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Dragon Quest XI ticks all those boxes and is an absolute delight

And only $20. Sold!

 

[Calico345]

Trails (skip the Cold Steel series if you don't want school kids)

Which specific Tales games then, if we are skipping kids or school? I am not familiar with the series.

 

[Calico345]

Dragon Quest XI ticks all those boxes and is an absolute delight

What is the difficulty like? I'm not looking for anything too difficult.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Dragon Quest XI is a good choice.

Metaphor is a good choice.

Depends on what kind of JRPGs you like though. Metaphor is kinda unique given its structure like a Persona game, but LOTS of downtime/text heavy. Dragon Quest can be a bit of the same way, but I don't remember it being as bad. The combat in Dragon Quest is pretty basic and nowhere near as interesting to me as Metaphor which had an outstanding battle system.

I don't really think any modern JRPGs have that same level of maturity/polish of FF7 or FF8. I would recommend FF7 Rebirth, it's semi-turn based / action based, and it is open world but not really that massive of an open world. It's probably my favorite modern JRPG to date

FF16 is probably the most mature JRPG out there, but it's more of an action game with really light RPG elements, but there's no open world.

I believe there are Demos for both Metaphor and FF16 if you are curious

 

[RavageX]

The only ones I've finished lately...

Tales of Berseria...the only tales game I've every actually finished. Vesperia I am at the end. Persona 4 Golden....I don't really like kid based stuff either, but this game really, really hooked me. Dragon Quest XI is ok, but I have to take breaks from it. I'm at the end of it too but can't be bothered.

FF7 Remake is ok, Rebirth I'm taking a break from until the next one has a release date. FF16 I find interesting, but not wanting to play it right now.

Octopath Traveler was a waste of my time. If you want a game where the "true" ending requires a bunch of BS boss fights, then that's your game. The story wasn't that great regardless.

Metaphor is interesting, but to me it is just Persona with a different coat of paint.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Not interested in the FF7 remake at all, at least not until the full game is out.

 

[KàIRóS]

Rules:

It can’t be centered around kids or school
Prefer classic turn based
Prefer not open world

I have Metaphor in my Amazon cart right now overnight shipped for $50. Should I just go with that?

Also, are there any cool mature JRPG’s with blood or gore? I know that isn’t typical.

I'd go with Yakuza Like a Dragon, ticks all your boxes

 

[Fbh]

Turn based limits it a bit.

DQXI S is a lot of fun. Doesn't center around kids but it is pretty lighthearted in tone and writing. Fun classic combat and nice visuals.

SMT (Nocturne, 4 or 5) are great if you want something with a darker theme and more focused on the gameplay than story. The protagonist is usually a teen but the story and setting doesn't revolve around highschool like Persona.

Triangle Strategy is a great SRPG (think FF tactics) with fun challenging battles and an engaging story with some really tough decisions that can alter the story in big ways. The writing also felt a bit more mature and grounded than many JRPGs but be ready for a LOT of reading though (specially during the first few hours)

Yakuza 7 is a good option if you want something different. Set in modern day Japan without supernatural elements (though plenty of silly and over the top stuff) and centered around the Japanese Mafia.

Chained Echoes is an awesome SNES JRPG inspired RPG. It has really fun combat, a world that's a blast to explore and a fun story.

 

[od-chan]

I don't really like kid based stuff either, but this game really, really hooked me

This plays into why I was making fun about that denominator earlier. Outside of like Pokemon or other other stuff clearly targeted at children, it doesn't really matter how old the characters themselves are. There were mentions of Dragon Quest, Xenoblade and Metaphor: Lots of the characters there are either "kids" themselves (Dragon Quest XI I think it's like 16 specifically?) or they maybe upped the number but kept the chararcters pretty much the same way they would be in like Persona anyways.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Rules:

It can’t be centered around kids or school

 

[Pejo]

Second one had gameplay improvements, but the cast and story was better in the first, in my opinion. Either one of them, you can't go wrong though.

Plus, you can play as much or as little of the game as you want. If you just wanna do a solo run, you don't have to pick up any party members/do any side stories. Or you can collect them all and do all the stories. Very customizable just by normal playing.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I’ve tried Yakuza, didn’t care for it.

 

[IAmRei]

FFIX
Vagrant Story
Parasite Eve 1
Xenoblade chronicle 1-3
Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey
Shin megami tensei nocturne
Shin megami tensei V
Dragon Quest VIII and XI
Bravely Default 1-2
Digital Devil Saga 1-2
yakuza Like a dragon
I can go on, but im tired writing more.

That list are my opinion, far better than ffviii. That viii was never amazing rpg for me. But the OST BGM, are the best. Even one of the most played since 98 In my opinion

FFXI, XII, XV, XVI, Type Zero, VI, and Tactics, are the best in my opinion

 

[jshackles]

Which specific Tales games then, if we are skipping kids or school? I am not familiar with the series.

If you don't mind the older games / engine, check out Trails in the Sky and it's sequel. The good news is that later this year we are getting a full 3D remake that looks amazing. Next is the Crossbell duology, Trails from Zero followed by Trails to Azure. The next series is the four games covering the Erebonia arc, Trails of Cold Steel 1-4.

However, probably the best place to start these days is the newest arc, the game is Trails Through Daybreak. It has a sequel coming out next month too!

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Octopath Traveler does many things right.

Great production values
Epic Music
Well done turn based battle system


Having to play all 8 players may be a chore to some but I found the game and the story engaging. I hear part 2 is a magnitude better but I’m not sure it is on P5eris X

 

[Melfice7]

FFX of course

 

[.Xeno]

FFIX
Vagrant Story
Parasite Eve 1
Xenoblade chronicle 1-3
Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey
Shin megami tensei nocturne
Shin megami tensei V
Dragon Quest VIII and XI
Bravely Default 1-2
Digital Devil Saga 1-2
yakuza Like a dragon
I can go on, but im tired writing more.

That list are my opinion, far better than ffviii. That viii was never amazing rpg for me. But the OST BGM, are the best. Even one of the most played since 98 In my opinion

FFXI, XII, XV, XVI, Type Zero, VI, and Tactics, are the best in my opinion

Digital Devil Saga was such a great series they need to bring them back. I think a remaster would sell very well, its a crime they are still stuck on the PS2.

 

[IAmRei]

Digital Devil Saga was such a great series they need to bring them back. I think a remaster would sell very well, its a crime they are still stuck on the PS2.

Yes yes, i like the theme and the graphic is very atmospheric at the time. Such a shame, they are leeft at the ps2. Even rerelease is fine for me.

 

[rubik's dude]

Maybe No No Kuni? The main characters are kids, but the game was made by Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, so it feels like a Ghibli movie with Dragon Quest gameplay (i.e. traditional turn-based combat).

 

[Kings Field]

DQ11
Octpath 1 and 2
Xenoblade 1-3
Triangle Strategy

 

[kevboard]

-Turn Based
-World Map, not Open World
-Set in a dystopian world where the world is polluted and everyone lives in a giant tower city that is build around an air purifier



Traversing the world map is done by moving an icon across a hexagonal grid.

Light-Grey spaces need to be unlocked by placing modules that fit into the grid, like puzzle pieces. there are plain ones and ones that give the area they are placed at special modifiers.
when moving your cursor across dangerous spaces on the grid there is a chance to get a random encounter, while on safe spaces you won't get random encounters.

there are also places you enter run around in, like dungeons and parts of the city where shops are etc.

Weapon Upgrades, like unlocking the map, also has Puzzle elements.

you buy or find parts, and these parts have certain fittings that fit onto other parts. in the image above is a what a well modified weapon can look like
yea, that dude put a dozen or so barrels on his gun, and 2 hand grips... and a bunch of scopes.
all those parts affect the stats you see at the bottom (how fast you lock onto enemies, how far away you can be until it gets too slow to lock on etc.



the Combat is both turn based, but also has a real time element.

you either stand still and shoot at an enemy, or you can spend a hero point (the orange things on the bottom) to run in a straight line of your choosing across the arena.
while standing and charging your attacks, enemies can move and even attack, and thereby counter you.
you can throw them into the air by hitting them while being on the ground, and bounce them against the floor once they are airborne by jumping and hitting them. or you can just juggle them as long as possible.

there's also 2 types of damage, the blue "Scratch" damage, and direct damage. once the health or shield bar of an enemy is damaged by scratch damage (blue bar) and they get hit by direct damage, the entire blue part of the bar will be taken away in an instant.



these are the basics I guess... there's more to it all but this doesn't need to turn into a guide lol

 

[Esppiral]

Lost Odyssey, thanks me later.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I own Lost Odyssey from the 360 days but never played it. I will play DQ11 and then Lost Odyssey.

 

[Jaguar Victory]

Final Fantasy XV isn't turn based but after all the updates it's an excellent JRPG. Dont let people scare you off. It's great.

 

[Coconutt]

This is gonna be recency bias but I would strongly recommend metaphor refantazio, it's got personas and shin megamis awesome gameplay with its own twists. No open world you go around exploring dungeons, main cast are primarily young adults with a couple being on the older side. I enjoyed the story of essentially your character trying to be the next king of this world.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

FFX

 

[GateofD]

FFVIII was definitely one of the greats.
forget FF7R, give me FFVIII.

I recommend another Legend of Heroes title, but starting with Trails to Zero since I think most of the characters are working members of society in that one.

Baten Kaitos if your interested in card-based rpg battle systems, I think there was a remaster or port recently

 

[SkylineRKR]

Metaphor, FFX, Lost Odyssey, DQXI are all good picks. Lightning Returns as well if you have a PC or Xbox. Underrated.

 

[StereoVsn]

I’ve tried Yakuza, didn’t care for it.

Did you try the turn based RPG ones or action combat ones? Series completely changed with Yakuza 7 Like A Dragon.

SMT V Vengeance could be a good pick if you want something darker. It can be a bit tough but there are bunch of guides and there are DLCs that can help.

DQ XI, Metaphor are good.

For something completely different, have you played Baldur’s Gate 3, Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous or Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader?

These are all Turned Based RPGs with great characters, story and combat.

 

[TheGreatMusashi]

I agree with pretty much everything said. For a JRPG on PS5, I'd recommend Persona 3 Reload. I'm sure you'll be good with Metaphor but I haven't played it.

It's not a JRPG but if you're into tactics games, I really enjoyed Disciples Liberation. It's pulp, classic, comfort fantasy with a lot of elements not really seen in console RPGs. Gameplay is similar to the Heroes of Might and Magic games.

 

[Neilg]

I tried to rekindle my childhood love of the genre with Octopath II recently. I assume it's my tastes having changed drastically but I was bored to absolute tears and gave up after about 8 hours total. I've become Action Bro...

I've been on a huge jrpg kick recently, hitting everything from the modern takes to the remasters of the classics and everything in between. playing star ocean 2 right now. I've played around 12 jrpgs in the last 18 months, finished and loved all of them except for one - octopath 2. It's super slow. I played for 40 hours and finished 3 of the characters stories but couldn't bring myself to power through the others. Could've done with the length cutting in half.

It might not be you.

 

[JimboJones]

If you like FF8. Then you will probably like the persona series.

I like FF8. From what I played of Persona 4 , I hated it.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Did you try the turn based RPG ones or action combat ones? Series completely changed with Yakuza 7 Like A Dragon.

SMT V Vengeance could be a good pick if you want something darker. It can be a bit tough but there are bunch of guides and there are DLCs that can help.

DQ XI, Metaphor are good.

For something completely different, have you played Baldur’s Gate 3, Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous or Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader?

These are all Turned Based RPGs with great characters, story and combat.

It was a turn based one. I’ve actually tried a few of the ones that have hit GamePass. I started DQ XI.

I wasn’t even aware there was a Warhammer CRPG and it seems pretty good. I’ll check that one out after DQ.