Fans of the Japanese RPGs often look back at the Super Nintendo, PS1 and PS2 as being the standout eras for Japanese RPGs. However, there have been some true greats that have appeared on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One in the last ten years that can easily stand among the greatest RPGs of the past.
Some of these games stuck defiantly stuck to traditional RPG mechanics, while others blended several genres to come up with something completely new. Whatever one’s preference, it is impossible to deny that the last ten years have gifted gamers with some of the most influential and unique JRPGs ever developed. Here’s how Metacritic ranks the top ten JRPGs of the decade.
10 Grandia II (Metascore 90)
Grandia II was originally released on the Sega Dreamcast in 2000 and was later ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2002. The game was recently released together with the first game as part of the remastered collection on the Nintendo Switch in 2019.
It’s still heralded as one of the best Japanese RPGs of all time. It not only has a great story with fun characters, but has one of the best turn-based battle systems on consoles. It’s a more serious RPG than its predecessor and widely considered the best in the series.
9 Monster Hunter: World (Metascore 90)
Released in 2018, Monster Hunter: World is an action RPG that was released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The series began in 2004 and originally attracted a niche audience that enjoyed its difficult brand of monster hunting.
However, Monster Hunter: World finally took the series mainstream by being the most accessible game in series. It is also the best-received game in the series, both critically and commercially, and has become one of Capcom’s flagship titles. This year, Monster Hunter received an expansion taking the player to an ice-covered island in Monster Hunter: Iceborne.
8 Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition (Metascore 91)
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age was originally released on the PlayStation 4 in 2017. The game was very well-received with fans and critics for successfully blending old-school Japanese RPGs with modern gaming mechanics.
However, it was the definitive edition released on the Nintendo Switch in 2019 that received the most praise. The Switch version of the game included an orchestral soundtrack, 16-bit inspired mode, an expanded story, and all of the DLC.
7 NieR: Automata Game Of The Year Edition (Metascore 91)
Released in 2017 on the PlayStation 4 and PC then 2018 on the Xbox One, NieR: Automata was a sequel one of the most underrated RPGs of all time in NieR. The first game was considered something of a diamond in the rough.
The first game had an acceptable if not spectacular mash-up of different genres, but its amazing story and beautiful music were better than the sum of its parts. NieR: Automata, however, was developed by PlatinumGames ,who are experts in blending genres to create compelling gameplay mechanics. And that's why NieR: Automata found its rightful place in the top ten JRPGs on Metacritic.
6 Dark Souls II (Metascore 91)
Developed by FromSoftware, Dark Souls II was originally released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in 2014. It would later get a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One update with Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin.
Despite being the least popular entry in the Dark Souls series, the second game has a higher Metacritic rating than its predecessors, which include Demon’s Souls and its successor Dark Souls III. It’s still a great action RPG and is challenging for even the most season SoulsBorne players, and with the addition of the DLC and enemy positioning Dark Souls II is still worth a revisit.
5 Xenoblade Chronicles (Metascore 92)
Xenoblade Chronicles was released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010. It was developed by Monolith Soft, which includes most of the same team that worked on the RPG classics Xenogears and the Xenosaga trilogy.
At the time of its Japanese release, there was no confirmation on whether there would be a western release. As a result, fans launched a campaign called Operation Rainfall which helped gain a lot of publicity for Xenoblade. Its eventual launch on western shores was met with critical acclaim, and it has become favorite among JRPG fans.
Furthermore, there is a Nintendo Switch Definitive Edition featuring an updated graphics engine and is scheduled to be released in 2020. It received a sequel with Xenoblade Chronicles II, and a spin-off, Xenoblade Chronicles X.
4 Fire Emblem: Awakening (Metascore 92)
Fire Emblem: Awakening was released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012. It was the first game in the series to be released on the 3DS, and was developed with the intention of making it the last game in the series.
Awakening was so well-received that it is now hailed one of the best strategy RPGs ever developed, and it deserves its place in Metacritic’s top ten. Fire Emblem finally became one of Nintendo’s flagship series (getting the recognition it deserves) and was followed up with Fire Emblem: and Fates, Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
3 Bloodborne (Metascore 92)
Bloodborne was released exclusively for the PlayStation 4 in 2015 and was developed by FromSoftware the same developers for the Dark Souls series. It’s an action RPG in the same mold as the Souls series with a Gothic, Lovecraftian-inspired setting.
The combat in Bloodborne is faster than Dark Souls, and the player attacks with two weapons. It means that there is more emphasis on dodging and speed, and a completely new approach to the combat that feels fresh to even the most hardened Souls veterans.
2 Persona 4 Golden (Metascore 93)
Persona 4 was originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2008. The game received huge critical acclaim, winning awards from Famitsu magazine and the Japan Game Awards 2009. It’s an RPG set in a modern-day Japanese town and places the player’s character in the middle of a murder mystery.
Social interactions and developing relationships with NPCs in a high school setting plays a key role in the game’s story and gameplay. Persona 4’s setting and gameplay made for one of the most unique RPGs of a generation, and was expanded further in the enhanced Vita version called Persona 4 Golden. This version of the game featured expanded story elements, a new protagonist, new Personas, and additional anime cutscenes.
1 Persona 5 (Metascore 93)
Persona 5 was released on the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4 in 2016. The game is once again set in a modern-day Japanese town where the protagonist has transferred to a new school. And once again, developing relationships at school have an effect on the protagonist’s personal development as well as the development of the NPCs and their backstories.
Just like Persona 3 and Persona 4, Persona 5 is going to receive an updated and enhanced version with new characters, additional story, new cutscenes, and more. Persona 5 Royal will be released in the second quarter of 2020.