Action-adventure games. It's pretty obvious. This is amateur stuff.⁹What are they then?
Action-adventure games. It's pretty obvious. This is amateur stuff.⁹What are they then?
But Lost Odyssey is? And Kingdom Hearts? Pokémon?I loved FF9 to death, truly, but it's far from the best FF let alone best jRPG list...
I'd take that for the older Yakuza games but come on, the last 2 mainline games are clearly JRPGs.Action-adventure games.
Nah, that's a stretch. Either way, too many all-time greats missing to include outliers.I'd take that for the older Yakuza games but come on, the last 2 mainline games are clearly JRPGs.
Can't speak about KH since I've never played those tho.
Yeah that's true, while I loved my time with the Yakuza games I don't think they stand a chance against other more deserving games.too many all-time greats missing to include outliers
03: Final Fantasy X
I never got the chance to play it, but was always interested in it. Why don't you like it?the only list nino kuni should be on is top 10 worst game of all time.
Same. It's absolute crap. I always thought, when does the game start? When does the real story start and then it was over. After like 25 hours. A completely linear RPG.I consider Final Fantasy X to be maybe the most overrated JRPG of all time.
Retarded unlikeable characters, retarded writing and direction, dumbass protagonist whose whole schtick is to loudly proclaim his ignorance so everyone has a reason to dump info on you.
Gameplay-wise it has that dumb character swapping mechanic so the only strategy, beginning to end, is "swap in whichever character can hit the enemy's weak point" which gets so old and tedious… especially since you're constantly swapping just so your party members can take some action and get AP for that battle.
Plus some of the worst, most infuriating minigames ever devised. So bad that whenever the topic of "worst JRPG minigames ever" comes up, it immediately turns into an argument about which one or FFX's minigames deserves that spot.
And the aesthetics.The top 3 are actually my top 3 in the same order however, expedition 33 now exists so it's hard tht the label not being jRPG there, considering it is a jRPG in everything except location it was made...
I agree with almost all of that, I only have one counter point:I consider Final Fantasy X to be maybe the most overrated JRPG of all time.
Retarded unlikeable characters, retarded writing and direction, dumbass protagonist whose whole schtick is to loudly proclaim his ignorance so everyone has a reason to dump info on you.
Gameplay-wise it has that dumb character swapping mechanic so the only strategy, beginning to end, is "swap in whichever character can hit the enemy's weak point" which gets so old and tedious… especially since you're constantly swapping just so your party members can take some action and get AP for that battle.
Plus some of the worst, most infuriating minigames ever devised. So bad that whenever the topic of "worst JRPG minigames ever" comes up, it immediately turns into an argument about which one or FFX's minigames deserves that spot.
Action-adventure games. It's pretty obvious. This is amateur stuff.
Sounds like you haven't played many jrpg all-time greats.Sounds like you haven't played Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth.
Sounds like you haven't played many jrpg all-time greats.
Xenoblade fans: Where is Xenoblade?
Also Xenoblade fans:
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This list is sacrificing higher quality games in the name of diversity. It should not have the title that it has.Every JRPG on there is a banger, but if this is supposed to be a list of the best JRPGs, then it's garbage because they were more concerned with diversity than quality. Of all the long running JRPG series in that list, they picked only one from each because they didn't want duplicates.
While I agree with you on Kingdom Hearts Like a Dragon is a JRPG 100%.Yakuza games are not JRPGs
Kingdom Hearts is not JRPG.
There. Needed to be said.
Also. Garbage list.
If you don't have the staff qualified to make an all-time list, then don't make the list.
I hate basically every list that put a limit on 1 per franchise. If a single franchise is so good that it takes up multiple spots then it should take multiple spots.Every JRPG on there is a banger, but if this is supposed to be a list of the best JRPGs, then it's garbage because they were more concerned with diversity than quality. Of all the long running JRPG series in that list, they picked only one from each because they didn't want duplicates.
I agree on FFX. I've tried multiple times and just can't get into it.I consider Final Fantasy X to be maybe the most overrated JRPG of all time.
Retarded unlikeable characters, retarded writing and direction, dumbass protagonist whose whole schtick is to loudly proclaim his ignorance so everyone has a reason to dump info on you.
Gameplay-wise it has that dumb character swapping mechanic so the only strategy, beginning to end, is "swap in whichever character can hit the enemy's weak point" which gets so old and tedious… especially since you're constantly swapping just so your party members can take some action and get AP for that battle.
Plus some of the worst, most infuriating minigames ever devised. So bad that whenever the topic of "worst JRPG minigames ever" comes up, it immediately turns into an argument about which one or FFX's minigames deserves that spot.
Agreed.I get the urge to limit the list to one entry per franchise, but it's obviously not the top 25 best JRPGs of all time with that rule in place, is it?
Final Fantasy VI and Skies of Arcadia's omission alone is a slap in the face.
I knew there would be some shit takes in here and I'm not disappointed.the only list nino kuni should be on is top 10 worst game of all time.
Persona 3 and 4 are both much better than 5. Better characters, story, music, and atmosphere. The core gameplay is the same in P5 as P3/4 it just has more intricate and elaborate dungeons. That's the ONLY thing 5 does better then 3/4.I like almost every FF game prior to FFX more than FFX. I really just don't get it.
Also, Persona 5 number two?? That game had serious writing and pacing issues (granted, I didn't play Royal, but I'm guessing Royal didn't cut out the last 20 hours of P5). P4 was much better, I thought.
Points for Dragon Quest XI though, that game rules.
Thank you! The Mother series is so boring to me. I've never been able to make it more than a couple hours.It's as if the people who made this list just started playing JRPGs in the last couple years. On that note, I never understood the love of Earthbound/Mother. Those games always bored me.
I haven't finished Metaphor yet but there is no chance it needs to be that high on the list.Metaphor Refantazio being that high on the list and even being on the list should be crime against humanity![]()
I disagree on your first part. There are just as many all time greats as other genres.I've played literally thousands of jRPGS, and to be quite honest, outside of the top 10 or so games it's a vast ocean of slop and mediocrity.
I would go as far as saying that if you remove Atlus and Square games from the picture, there are only a handful of other games I would consider 'great / masterpiece'.
JRPGs are easily the most homogenized genre in gaming right now.. constant recycled familiar plot structures and tropes, the "chosen one" narrative, amnesia-based protagonists, evil empires, and ancient prophecies. This has led to quite frankly depressing levels of narrative stagnation. In fact, the only jRPGs that have released in the last 7 or so years which made me enjoy the genre again were Persona and admittedly, the FF7 remakes and there is quite a drop in quality compared to titles that came out 15-25 years ago.
I edit this to mention that Metaphor Refantazio is also a very strong game. Atlus gives me hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Yay diversity.Looks to me that they were told only one title in any given franchise.
Not including FF7, the game that put JRPGs on the mainstream map is an interesting choice.
Metaphor was IGNs Goty last year as far as I remember. I'm currently playing it, I've never played a Persona game and I'm still waiting to get hooked.I love the Persona games. Metaphor:RE doesn't belong that high on the list.
No Persona 3 or 4? Looks like they tried to pick single representative games from franchises. Otherwise a certain series might dominate the list.
14: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
I disagree on your first part. There are just as many all time greats as other genres.
I don't think there is anymore slop or mediocrity then any other genre.
EarthBound is, in my opinion, one of the most overrated games of all time. Its current popularity owes a lot more to Super Smash Bros. exposure and the meme culture of the early 2000s than to its actual gameplay or design merits. Without that cultural boost, it likely would have remained a niche or obscure franchise.
From a technical standpoint, EarthBound falls short in several areas. The combat system is a fairly standard turn-based RPG mechanic with minimal innovation, especially when compared to other titles of its era like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI, which offered more dynamic or visually engaging battle systems. The inventory management is clunky and limited, often forcing unnecessary micromanagement. The user interface is unintuitive, with multiple nested menus for simple actions, which can feel tedious and outdated.
While the game's quirky humor and satirical tone are often praised, the narrative pacing is inconsistent, and character development is minimal. Nostalgia often plays a large role in its reverence, overshadowing the game's mechanical shortcomings. In short, EarthBound is more celebrated for its cult status and aesthetic uniqueness than for solid game design or depth.
LOL at Final Fantasy X. It's a painfully linear game with barely any real exploration, relying heavily on cutscenes and narrow paths. The Sphere Grid gives a false sense of customization, and the CTB battle system, while strategic, lacks the urgency and dynamism of earlier titles. Tidus is one of the weakest protagonists in the franchise, and the story leans into melodrama and clunky pacing. Most of its praise comes from nostalgia, voice acting novelty, and flashy visuals, not because of any standout gameplay or depth.
Ok. Either way, and not to be rude, who gives a shit? Garbage list.While I agree with you on Kingdom Hearts Like a Dragon is a JRPG 100%.
You probably didn't bother to check the exact title as while Yakuza 0,1-6, Kiwami 1/2, Ishin and the other JP only title aren't JRPGs Yakuza 7 and Infinite Wealth are.
I hate basically every list that put a limit on 1 per franchise. If a single franchise is so good that it takes up multiple spots then it should take multiple spots
Persona 3 and 4 are both much better than 5. Better characters, story, music, and atmosphere. The core gameplay is the same in P5 as P3/4 it just has more intricate and elaborate dungeons. That's the ONLY thing 5 does better then 3/4.
Persona 5 is vastly overrated and is only beloved because it was most people's first foray into the franchise
Thank you! The Mother series is so boring to me. I've never been able to make it more than a couple hours.
I haven't finished Metaphor yet but there is no chance it needs to be that high on the list.
It's an easy pick due to recency bias and inexperience in the genre.
And FF X at #3?No Phantasy Star IV? No Final Fantasy VI? Xenoblade Chronicles 3 instead of Xenoblade Chronicles: DE?
This list is all kinds of fucking garbage.