The JRPG genre is known for many things, and complicated plotlines are certainly one of them. The narrative in these games is almost always ambitious... perhaps to a fault. That being said, many people love this genre for featuring such awe-inspiring stories, with the vast majority of JRPGs having plotlines with a ton of layers that are quite engaging to uncover.
There are many games that have such ambitious storylines and gameplay that they demand a lot from the player to uncover the full picture. Sometimes players have to invest time in another playthrough to uncover every bit of content in the game, and the following games are well-known for this approach to their design. For the most part, these games do justify a new playthrough since players get to uncover new dungeons, bosses, story content, and everything else along the same lines.
10 Final Fantasy Type-0
Final Fantasy Type-0 is an excellent spin-off title in this legendary JRPG series that takes on a more mature tone. The horrors of war are on full display in this title, with its tear-jerker ending still making many fans emotional to this day.
The New Game+ mode of this game is pretty great, featuring new story cutscenes, different events, Expert trails, and a lot more content to explore. Given how complex the game's narrative is, hardcore fans would want to initiate a new playthrough as soon as possible.
9 Persona 3 Portable
Persona 3 Portable makes a very unique and interesting change that is great for both new and returning fans. It adds a female protagonist with different bosses, Social Links, new story events, a new UI, higher difficulty, and exclusive romance paths!
All of those points are enough for many players to check this game out once again. Despite lacking some features, the Portable version of this beloved JRPG has more than enough changes to satiate most fans of the title.
8 Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger is one of the best JRPGs ever made, featuring a wealth of content and one of the most beloved cast of characters in JRPG history. This game is notable for letting players tackle the final boss whenever they wish, leading to a wealth of different endings depending on when players chose to tackle Lavos.
Of course, the final boss of the game is quite tough, and most players will only be able to defeat him in New Game +. There are many endings in Chrono Trigger, including a secret developer room ending that is unlocked when players defeat Lavos using only Crono and Marle!
7 Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata is a unique JRPG that more people need to check out. Fans can only sit and hope that this game is ported to modern systems, although the lack of any news regarding the same has been quite disheartening.
This journey through the mind of Frederic Chopin moments before his demise is a great one, and players unlock Encore Mode after beating this game the first time. This mode makes enemies harder and unlocks a bunch of sidequests as well!
6 Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story is one of the most underrated JRPGs around, with this game going under the limelight after releasing at the tail end of the PS1's run. The game is a blast to play through, with its focus on targeting enemy limbs and appendages being quite a blast.
In this new playthrough, players can unlock the rood inverse doors to gain access to new dungeons. These areas feature end-game enemies, and players should be quite wary while traipsing down these corridors.
5 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is a great game with a rather emotional ending. Going through this harrowing experience twice can make for a tough watch, but this New Game + does unlock the game's hardest superboss.
The side mission involving Minerva is no joke, and players must prepare themselves for one of the longest and most challenging bosses in the entire game. Thankfully, with all the equipment and experience players have gained across multiple playthroughs, this battle of attrition can definitely be won.
4 Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve is one of the best JRPGs on the PS1, with its take on a survival horror turn-based game being quite engaging indeed. The body horror present in this title is disgustingly hypnotizing, and the game's short length means that players won't get exhausted by this fast-paced story at any moment.
The second playthrough for this game, called EX Mode unlocks the Chrysler Building. This endgame dungeon boasts 70 floors and is quite the challenge, boasting a superboss that hides the true ending of the game.
3 Persona 5
Persona 5 is one of the greatest modern JRPGs of all time, with its wonderful cast, engaging story, and amazing art style turning the game into a masterpiece. Even with the immense length of this game, most players won't find a single playthrough enough... and they'll be right.
A second playthrough of Persona 5 unlocks two superbosses, the best Persona in the game, and some special Confidant events as well. These bonuses may not be massive, but players who loved the game will buy into any excuse to check out this masterpiece once again.
2 Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross is a beloved sequel to Chrono Trigger that features a wealth of party members to recruit. The sheer number of these recruits is quite impressive and reaches Suikoden levels at times.
In fact, players who want to enroll every possible party member in their squad need to do two whole playthroughs for the same! This is on top of the exclusive bosses as well, making Chrono Cross one of the most ambitious JRPGs around that players can finally check out with its recent re-release on modern consoles.
1 Final Fantasy 4
Final Fantasy 4 is an excellent title, with the character development of Cecil Harvey being one of the best parts of this experience. The DS Remake ups the difficulty and adds a new and unique reason to replay the game.
Players can carry over all their items from their first playthrough, and stealing the item Dark Matter from Zeromus — the final boss of the game — unlocks a post-game dungeon with some of the hardest enemies and bosses in the entire game. Given how challenging Final Fantasy 4 already is on the DS, it's easy to see that players need to be really strong and well-equipped to get through this tough post-game area.