The Final Fantasy series is easily one of the most legendary gaming franchises of all time, starting as a last gasp of sorts for Square before evolving into a multi-million dollar series that is still going strong to this very day. There are several games that one can pick out when one has to choose the best game in the series, with a special mention going out to Squaresoft's final title on the PS2 before the company transformed into Square Enix.
Final Fantasy 10 is easily one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, without a shadow of a doubt. The characters are memorable, the setting is intriguing, the story is excellent, and the combat is perhaps the most enjoyable version of a turn-based system that the series has ever experimented with. So, it only goes without saying that people who finish Final Fantasy 10 will find themselves in dire need to fill up a void that this brilliant JRPG has inevitably left behind. Keeping this in mind, here are JRPGs worth playing for anyone who loved Final Fantasy 10 with all their heart.
Updated June 5, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: Final Fantasy 10 is touted by many to be one of the best games in the series, which is high praise given the pedigree of the franchise. The tale of Tidus and Yuna as they fall in love while trying to thwart Sin and save Spira from its loop of despair makes for a riveting tale that is still wildly enjoyable to this day. There are many reasons why fans love Final Fantasy 10 with a passion since everything from the combat to the story is world-class and displays the Final Fantasy franchise at the very peak of its powers.
So, it's only a given that players would want to check out some games that elicit the same vibes as Final Fantasy 10, which can be a pretty tall order indeed. Thankfully, the JRPG genre is populated with numerous amazing titles that are a blast to play in their own right. As long as players don't expect the exact same experience — which would be a rather unrealistic expectation to have — they'll have a ton of fun playing through the following games.
18 Omori
At a glance, Omori seems like a rather cute run-of-the-mill JRPG where players team up with their friends in a charming world that is filled with odd creatures, cute monsters...and something dreadful that is slowly revealed as players peek through the cracks and try to uncover the mystery that shrouds this perfect dream world.
As players go through the game, they'll explore the real world and witness the life of Sunny, who recedes into his shell and refuses to face off against the truth no matter how many times it haunts him. It takes a Herculean from both the protagonist and the player to finally confront the demons that have been plaguing Sunny, resulting in a one-of-a-kind psychological-horror JRPG that players should definitely check out...provided they have the stomach to bear the horrors that lie within.
17 Chained Echoes
Chained Echoes is a modern indie gem that serves as a love letter to JRPGs of the past, especially titles like Chrono Trigger. The game has a unique take on progression which negates the age-old grinding problem that has plagued the genre since time immemorial. This prevents combat from being trivialized, with players having to strategize quite a bit to deal with the many tough bosses in this engaging experience.
Fans of Final Fantasy 10 will love the modern innovations present in Chained Echoes, which is doubly impressive since the game still feels like a classic feel-good JRPG in many ways. It's easy to see why this title became such a massive hit in record time!
16 Final Fantasy 6
It's only fitting that a title that is perfect for fans of Final Fantasy 10...would be a Final Fantasy game itself! The sixth mainline entry was a massive step in the right direction for the series, featuring a new steampunk setting that would serve as the bedrock for the futuristic setting that the legendary Final Fantasy 7 would head in.
Final Fantasy 6 features a massive ensemble cast, one of the greatest video game villains of all time, and a major switch-up in the middle of the game that was truly mind-blowing for its time. To this day, there's something hauntingly beautiful about stepping into the World of Ruin and seeing just how badly Kefka messed everything up after altering the balance of the Warring Triad and ruining the world for good.
15 Golden Sun
The Game Boy Advance was graced with numerous stellar games that are a ton of fun to play even now. One such title is the underrated JRPG Golden Sun, which fans will adore for its charm and gameplay.
The title added its fair share of puzzles into the mix, making gameplay more complex and challenging than it had any right to be. This isn't a bad thing in the slightest, with this amazing game marking a great start for a series that has remained dormant for quite some time now.
14 Shadow Hearts: Covenant
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
The idea of a Lovecraftian JRPG sounds quite interesting, so it's a shame that not many people talk about the brilliant Shadow Hearts series. These games focused on a dark gothic fantasy setting, which is strangely uncommon in most JRPGs.
Out of all the games in the series, the second Shadow Hearts game is easily the best of the lot. It features a ton of improvements over its predecessor along with a brilliant story that is worth any player's time.
13 Tales Of Berseria
.jpeg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
The Tales series has seen its fair share of amazing titles that feature real-time action combat. Tales of Berseria is no exception to this rule, although this game is significantly darker than its predecessors.
The combat is more refined than ever before and can allow for endless entertainment and joy. It's a great title that deserves a lot of praise for being a perfect modern Tales game that does justice to the series.
12 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch
Fans of Studio Ghibli films will have a blast with Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. This cute and endearing JRPG features great gameplay and a fun story that is worth sticking with to the very end.
The first game might have its issues but it's a solid title and shouldn't be skipped in favor of its sequel. Revenant Kingdom might feature a bunch of improvements and is technically better, but the first game's charm is something that is hard to replicate.
11 Eternal Sonata
The idea of exploring the mind of a legendary dying musician is a fever dream that only video games could do justice to. This is precisely the case in Eternal Sonata, where players are tasked with exploring the mind of the imaginative Frederic Chopin.
It's a charming and innovative title with some incredible music as well. Eternal Sonata might not be the most well-known JRPG around, but a PC port can surely fix that notion!
10 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel
When one talks about some of the most underappreciated JRPGs around, then it goes without saying that The Legend of Heroes series would be a major part of this conversation at some point or the other.
Out of the three story arcs present in this series, Trails of Cold Steel is arguably the most accessible and modernized version of the lot. The fact that this arc spans four games as well means that gamers who get hooked into this series will find a wealth of content at their behest.
9 The Legend Of Dragoon
The Legend of Dragoon was one of the best JRPGs on the original PlayStation that slowly faded into obscurity over time, which is a shame.
While the game doesn't really break new ground, the mechanics, gameplay, and story are more than good enough to warrant spending a ton of hours on it, making for a wholly enjoyable experience throughout.
8 Dragon Quest 11: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
When one talks about legendary JRPG franchises, there are only two names that have stood the test of time — Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The latter might not have achieved a ton of popularity in the West... but Dragon Quest 11 seems poised to change that perception once and for all.
Any fan of excellent JRPGs should definitely give Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age a shot. It's an excellent title, and the release of the Definitive Edition on PC means there's no better time to get into this amazing series.
7 I Am Setsuna
For players who actually want to play another game that has similar story beats to that of Final Fantasy 10, then one can't really go wrong with I Am Setsuna.
Featuring a similar story of a person being sacrificed after a pilgrimage to appease an unseen power, I Am Setsuna is best described as a competent combination of Chrono Trigger's mechanics along with Final Fantasy 10's story to deliver a great experience.
6 Earthbound
Even a person who actively shies away from JRPGs would've heard of the legendary game that is Earthbound. Also known as Mother 2, Earthbound is easily one of the most unique games on this list, featuring a surreal story that is very much grounded in reality... and yet, is weirder than most of the other JRPGs on this list.
Earthbound is credited as one of the major inspirations for Undertale, which should be more than enough to illustrate just how iconic this JRPG is.
5 Xenogears
Xenogears is one of the best JRPGs of all time, and it's a shame that the studio didn't have the time to focus more on the second half of the game.
However, even after this hiccup, the first half of the game is excellent enough to warrant labeling Xenogears as one of the greatest JRPGs on the PlayStation, and an absolute must-play for anyone even remotely invested in the genre.
4 Persona 5 Royal
It would be impossible to talk about JRPGs that are worth playing without mentioning the Persona series. Out of all the games in the series, Persona 5 Royal is easily the most accessible one of the lot, featuring several engaging mechanics that are coupled together with an engrossing story to deliver a mesmerizing experience.
There's no denying the fact that Persona 5 Royal is easily one of the greatest video games of all time and will prove to be a memorable experience for most players.
3 Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve is easily one of the best RPGs ever released by Squaresoft, serving as another highlight on the PS1. Taking on the role of Aya Brea and fending off a bunch of mutated enemies is extremely enjoyable, mainly due to the unique combat system featured in the game that kicks things up a notch.
2 Octopath Traveler
For people who want to enjoy a game in the vein of the 2D title that Final Fantasy was known for before the seventh mainline title was released, Octopath Traveler is the game to play.
The 2.5D art style is brilliant, the combat is exhilarating, the boss fights are the stuff of legends, and the soundtrack is truly excellent and keeps on changing as the player progresses through each story, making for a brilliant experience indeed.
1 Chrono Trigger
It's only a given that a game that features the talents of Hironobu Sakaguchi (the creator of Final Fantasy), Akira Toriyama (the creator of Dragon Ball Z), and Yuji Horii (the creator of Dragon Quest) would be something truly special, and that is exactly what Chrono Trigger was.
Even the most casual gamer can attest to the fact that they've heard of Chrono Trigger and the massive hype around it, which is only a given since it's widely considered to be one of the greatest games of all time.