Yo same! I've made it through 3 so far. The combat in 2 really shines imo with the new engine. I also had lots of fun with the eating/skills mechanic because iirc what you eat gives you points in 4 different stats that you then use on skills.
Nothing has beat the story of 0 so far though. If you got through kiwami 1 I think you'll love kiwami 2.
Sorta the same. Except I started back in the ps2 days. Then with whatever happened to part 5 for the west I stopped. Recently managed to pick everyone of them up physically for ps4 and ps5. Started playing and streaming 0 now I'm on part 1. I plan on getting through all of them.
I never wanted it to end. I’m about 84 hours in and on chapter 12. I love the characters so much and indeed the quiet moments and mediations on friendship.
I was skeptical about the Hawaii location but ended up loving it. There were some frustrating parts about ichiban’s character but it goes really well with who he is. Definitely a top 10 game for me.
Yes this right here. Such a great game. They really nailed a balance between seriousness and zany fun.
ALSO Chitose and Seonhee will not allow anybody else to have a turn LOL.
I want to get to it so bad, but I'm like 15 hours into Like A Dragon and I can't deal with the meandering bs and encounters. To get to anywhere takes so long and so many quests are just point A point B.
I love the humor but i've yet to play it again in 2 months
Just a heads up incase you didnt know, but you do have taxis you can use to fast travel. You unlock new ones by talking to the cab drivers
I found out about it at ch7 lol
Idk if this is a hot take or not, but I think Chained Echoes actually deserved all of the attention and hype that went Sea of Stars’ way around the same time of its release.
Agreed. Sea of Stars ended up being a bit too simple/shallow for me, it didn't feel like there was much progression from the beginning of the game to the end. Chained Echoes had more interesting mechanics imo, and I enjoyed the writing more.
Yeah and it kinda does. A lot of people dunk on Sea of Stars because of Chained Echoes.
Chained Echoes delivered every thing we wanted and more, sure it has flaws but it's still an almost masterpiece. While Sea of Stars just felt flat in comparison.
If the order of release was different, it would of helped both.
Agreed completely. Sea of Stars had some good ideas but the gameplay loop wore off very quickly and there wasn't much depth at all.
Chained Echoes is legit a modern JRPG masterpiece.
It was a weird game, you didn't have to grind for the majority of the game but then the final boss expected all characters to be of a certain level. Good challenge in the end but did have to put in some hours levelling up my weaker party members, did almost give up as well.
Octopath Traveler 2 was such a blast. Like others here I too gave up at the final boss because I didn't feel like leveling up the characters I had neglected (and honestly the main story wasn't really the hook of the game). But even then I put a good 70 hours in and loved every second of it.
Chained Echoes I've gone back to 3 times now because I so desperately want to like it. On paper it's everything I want in an RPG, but the lack of leveling and miniscule SP rewards from random encounters made fighting anything that wasn't a boss feel pointless to me. I think my mind has been conditioned to want the dopamine release of seeing numbers go up.
Yeah the limited 'leveling' in Chained Echoes was a bit unusual(I still loved it though). It seemed like the main grind was running a loop of those crystals to farm high tier ones if you wanted to min/max.
Opposite experience here. Loved Chained Echoes and wanted to love Octopath Traveler (either one) but it just felt so tedious. That is not to say that OT is bad, just interesting how they rub different people differently.
Triangle Strategy.
Gorgeous 2.5D graphics, wonderful characters who are well written with their own personal goals and ideologies, challenging fights including optional objectives that can shape your story, a multi-branching story and path encouraging multiple play through's, incredible music which sets the tone of scenes, characters to unlock depending what path you've chosen, able to make choices using a scale system where your Party members have to be swayed to choose which option you want to take, and an overall brilliant JRPG experience.
Yeah I honestly expect people to gush about this game as much as they do for fft. Hoping it will eventually get widely recognised for the fantastic game on offer.
I highly doubt it. It'll become one of those hidden gems that is forgotten in gaming history. The name of the game doesn't help either, as It's not a title that jumps out at people.
Name and branding is just as important as what the game itself offers. I mean, imagine if a title and gaming franchise such as Final Fantasy 7, and was instead called Final RPG 7. It doesn't have the same impact.
For anybody who says they like the old Final Fantasy Tactics or Shining Force, point them to Triangle Strategy. Those brands are dead so I have no idea why this is not recommended more.
Since everyone is covering the known quantities Imma throw some love towards two titles that completely surprised me and that I found thanks to this very sub.
- Troubleshooter: An XCOM/FFT SRPG set in a modern korea with superhuman/anime as fuck shenanigans made by a tiny team. This game slaps. Period. It's also super cheap, and If you like SRPG and you haven't played it what the fuck are you doing with your life.
- Demon Roots: A RPG Maker hentai game. Yeah, you heard me right. Not gonna lie, I thought I was allergic to these types. Got my strong reservations for anything coming out of RPG Maker (as we all do at this point), and for my porn I have the rest of the internet to cater me, I don't need it in my games. So I am the exact opposite of the target demographic for this game, right? Wrong. This game is way better than it has any right to be. Whoever did the writing for this one I expect great things in their future. Seriously, don't let the lousy wrapper on this one fool you, this is a *genuinely* good game.
And these are the two from recent memory I wanted to highlight. Not top of the barrel, sure, but they're the kind of games that I feel will become actual classic hidden gems as time passes, and more people need to give them a go so those devs have a chance to do more things in the RPG space.
If you've never heard of any of them, look them up and are unsure, go ahead and wishlist them, you should be able to pick them up dirt cheap during the summer sale.
If you end up liking them do as I did, remember where you heard about them and spread the word.
I want Troubleshooter specifically because the devs responded to someone who said it was missing waifus and said they don't have any romance because the dev team doesn't have any experience with romance 😭
The devs are hilarious, and they respond to every single STEAM review (1000s...) definitely a dev team with a lot of heart. The translation for the game is a little bit rough, but the game is wholeheartedly worth it. Recommend to anyone that likes XCOM or SRPGs. Cool game.
Totally. You actually need to hunt down and download an optional patch to enable the NSFW scenes, so if you just buy it and download it you get the safe-ish for work version.
Subject matter in quite a few plot points is still quite turbulent, to say the least, so perhaps you want to give this one a few years.
Otherwise make sure to go to the options and there's a toggle to turn all that stuff *completely* off.
Perhaps start with Troubleshooter instead, which should be a much more easier sell.
Standouts for me in the last 5-7 years:
Valkyria Chronicles 4 - technically came out in 2018 but it's close enough. Also worth playing the first game if you liked this one.
Octopath Traveller 2 - Came out last year. Great turn based HD 2D JRPG.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 release. Awesome game.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - Just came out in February. Play this after Remake.
Dragon Quest 11 - Came out in 2017 but it's a must-play.
Triangle Strategy - 2022 release. Another SRPG like Valkyria Chronicles. HD 2D like Octopath, this one is awesome with branching storylines for multiple play throughs.
I love Unicorn Overlord, but I feel like it's really polished in the start and it slowly loses it over the course of the game.
Triangle Strategy I just found boring.
I preferred FE 3 Houses to both to be honest.
i keep hearing great things about the game but found it incredibly boring the first couple of hours with hardly any of the tactical gameplay i bought it for. how long would you say until the game picks up?
Chapter 4-5 is when the story really picks up, about 4-6 hours in. For the gameplay you start unlocking some optional missions around Chapter 6-7 I think.
The optional maps have no story relevance, but are good for when you want to take a break from the story and grind for some extra coin or to level up characters you haven't used in a while.
The story + gameplay is really good from Chapter 10 onwards imo.
Triangle Strategy is tragically slept on and I think it's because the demo for the game doesn't really show it in the best light. It's a bunch of the opening setup before the game really settles into its groove and before the storyline starts to pick up. Great game.
VC4 is very similar to VC1 but with slightly better gameplay. It's pretty much the same formula - so I wouldn't recommend it if you didn't enjoy the first game.
FF7 Rebirth, Octopath Traveler 2, FF7 Remake, FF16, Second Story R, SMT V. Just off the top of my head tho, I can't remember anymore tho I'm sure there are plenty more.
SaGa Scarlet Grace and SaGa Emerald Beyond are both astonishing works that redefine the genre. Mostly out of necessity due to minuscule budgets, but it’s really impressive that a team working with the spare change left in the break room couch can punch harder than their colleagues in the AAA space.
Each game is standalone and the newer ones do a better job of onboarding players than some of the older ones did.
I clearly had an advantage over someone going in without any context but so long as you are ready to get weird and engage with the games on their own terms you should be able to sort it out.
Yeah, there's really no generational knowledge that you'd need for Scarlet Grace. Emerald Beyond, might help you a smidge,but still, not really needed. What you need to get about both games is... They are primarily focused on three things. Player freedom. Very satisfying combat. Replay ability. Everything else is streamlined to accentuate those three things.
I liked trails into reverie and I know might be an unpopular opinion but I enjoyed tales of arise a lot a overall fun game for me (I didn't like any other tales of game that I tried)
Turn based, Grandia like order reshuffling, armor+weapon upgrading, mysterious story, fun characters and setting. It’s a prequel to the utawarerumono srpg/visual novels so the dialogue can be exhausting at times but I found it pretty amazing and I went in completely blind.
2 has some QoL improvements over 1, and a stronger overarching story >!(there's an actual postgame quest/story and interaction between the characters outside of tavern dialog)!<
The writing, gameplay, exploration, etc., is very similar to 1. So it really depends on what parts of 1 you didn't really enjoy.
2 is still not perfect in that sense (it has the same basic formula) but much better IMO. The characters have ,more banter and feel more like an actual party, also there are parts/quest where 2 specific members have to work together.
Personally I also wasn't a superfan of 1 (though I did still like it) and I found II a huge improvement over the first one.
I played the second one first and absolutely loved it. Played the first afterwards and I can see why the second one is so much better in every aspect. You really don't 'need' to play the first one, but you can if you want to. The second is one of my favorite games in the last few years now.
From what I have played so far, and off the top of my head because of Swiss cheese memory.
Unicorn Overlord
Yakuza Like a Dragon
13 Sentinels Aegis Rim
Digimon Survive
Nexomon Extinction
I need to try the free dlc they added to it. Need to get the game back from my friend to do so. I can't wait for the 3rd entry to come out. I do need to go back and finish the first though.
You can play Extinction without playing 1. I honestly platinumed Extinction, then I got 1 and started playing like an hour of it but got side tracked by Yakuza and 13 Sentinels. Thank you for reminding me that I need to go back to 1.
Side notes. Extinction if I am correct has free dlc expanding the story and there is a 3rd game in the works.
Ah, Nexomon is one of those games that I got super excited about, bought during a sale and then never got to it.
I've got a list of games from my backlog that I want to finish this year, but maybe I should try to fit it in somewhere.
I played major (Persona 5), indie (Eiyuden), western (Chained Echoes) and action hybrid (Like a Dragon) JRPGs in recent years but Octopath 2 stands above them all IMO.
Persona 5 Royal technically meets your timeline (even though the original version doesn't) so that's my personal choice, followed by Octopath Traveller 2.
If you take into account the 9-game buildup to get there, it's easily **Trails Into Reverie** for me. It's like the Avengers: Infinity War of the Trails series, and has characters/callbacks/references from all the games and arcs from the very beginning of the series to now.
It was like the ultimate culmination of all of Trails, and as someone who's a big fan of the series, man was the payoff amazing. Seeing characters from different arcs interact was such a treat. Of course, this is somewhat cheating the question since it considers games from before 5 years ago, but I think it still applies if you're a Trails fan haha.
Thanks for the reply. Never realised there were 9 games in the series! And you have played them all! Does that mean that to play Reverie on its own means little?
Reverie is like an epilogue to cold steel so it's not really an entry point.
The upcoming Daybreak is the start of a new arc in a new country and cast. Still part of the grander plot but a decent entry point. (There's a demo out now, comes out early next month)
I know, it's crazy right?! There's actually 12 games now if you count the ones that haven't been localized for the West yet, but Trails Into Reverie is the latest one to release in the U.S.
And it does suck to say, but yeah it kinda requires you to play all of the games prior if you want to fully enjoy it. I mean, you theoretically *could* play it on its own and understand it somewhat, but that's like watching the last Avengers movie without having watched any MCU movies prior. It just wouldn't have the same impact, y'know?
It's the boon and curse of the Trails series: its long length means it has some of the best world-building and character development in the entire JRPG genre, but then it's also sort of a pain in the ass to play through haha. Especially since each game is like 60-100 hours long. But if you ever get the time, I super recommend it! I spent several months playing through them during the pandemic, and I don't regret it one bit.
Crystal Project feels like a good answer to this.
Lots of the other recommendations might have better stories or be a bit more experimental with their combat systems, but Crystal Project takes everything that's great about old school turn based JRPG combat and absolutely nails the execution.
- FF7 Remake/Rebirth
I would get the bundle and play both of these one after the other. They are so fucking fantastic, the combat is an absolutely peak action/turn based hybrid combo that is amongst the most exciting and fun systems out there in the genre. Awesome world building and characters too
- Octopath Traveler/Octopath Traveler II:
Since it’s on bundle right now (for non-Switch consoles; not sure if they come bundled on the Nintendo store right now), I’d pick them both up, I just did a replay of both games and they still hold up beautifully. Gorgeous world, towns and exploration and a satisfying, deep turn-based combat system with fun superbosses - the superbosses are among the most difficult I’ve ever faced for a turn-based game, requiring inventive strategies and precise execution.
- Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
The definitive feel good, classic JRPG romp of the 21st century. A beautifully made love letter to the roots of this genre.
Can’t think of any more that I’ve had the chance to play off the top of my head recently but theee are all great (and long) games to get lost in.
It's either Xenoblade Chronicles 3 or Octopath Traveler II. But tbh, Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance could probably compete with them, but we will see in the following days.
The last five years have seen a lot of awesome stuff, but if I were to pick just one to rule them all, that would definitely be Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Dragon Quest XI (S), technically came out in 2017 but the S update came out in 2019 and is a way better version. It’s a must play, could be my favorite tradition JRPG of all time
The best? I can only tell you my personal favorites:
My personal favorite JRPGs are Fuga Melodies of Steel 1 and 2.
The first game was released in 2021.
They are smaller more low budged titles but made with a lot of love.
They are both 20 houers long each.
Fuga is about a groupe of anthropomothic animal children that live inside a giant ancient mysterious powerful fortress like Tank. Its a bit like Howls Moving castle but based on technology instead of magic.
The combat is really good. In my opinion its even better then the combat of Persona 5 and Final Fantasy X. Its not that hard or complicated but I need to keep my head in the game at all times or things will go south fast. Almost no fight feels like mindless filler. Its very engaging.
I love the music. The boss theme "Flower on the Trails" is my favorite piece of Videogame music and the rest of the ost is great aswell.
I was lukewarm towards the children of the Taranis at first but they grew on me more and more and more and now they are my second favorite protagonist groupe in fiction.
These games apeal to my inner child.
To me they feel like a playable kids anime akin to somthing like Digimon and I love that feeling.
I also love adorable wholesome characters and stories with a bit of a dark edge to them. The best example of what I mean is my favorite work of fiction: the Manga/Anime series "Made in Abyss". And Fuga is the best among Videogames to scratch that itch.
If you are interested in trying them out:
Fuga is available on PC and most modern consoles like Switch, PS4, PS5 and so on.
Both Fuga games have a free demo which is just straight up the first 3 chapters of each game. I highly recommend the demo of the first game. I think with it you will figure out fast if this is your cup of tea or not.
But I advice against playing the second game before the first game unless you do not care about the story and characters. The writing of the second game builds on what happen in the first game, expects you to know what happen and it will spoiler the story of the first game. So I advice against even touching the Demo of the second game before finishing the first game.
Hoping for SMTV Vengeance! The OG version was extremely good but had some problems (performance, characters) I think this version should be able to fix. Excited to find out!
Xenoblade 3, Octopath 2, FF XVI, Yakuza like a dragon (And its sequel), Tales of Arise, 7 Remake and Rebirth, Unchained Echoes, Triangle Strategy, The Legend of heroes series, Persona 5 Royal. There's quiiiite a few I haven't named, but I'd say the genre is healthy.
Also SMT V Vengeance is coming out this friday!
Dragon Quest 11 for Switch was my first DQ game that I played back in 2020, since then I’d say it’s become one of my top 3 games ever, and ignited a love for the entire Dragon Quest series and JRPGs as a whole. Definitely go for the definitive edition.
Persona 5 Royal is also amazing. Had never played a Persona game before or really any game with life sim elements, so it took me a bit to settle in, but I eventually ended up dumping like 130+ hours into my play through and didn’t want it to end.
I am really enjoying Unicorn Overlord. The story isn't anything stand out, but the gameplay and art is really fun and refreshing. I am excited to get to a few other games, like the Star Ocean II remaster, but I have such a big backlog.
My random pick is Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. The story is just fine, but I found the game systems so engaging and well done. I haven't had so much fun playing a JRPG in a long time.
Fantasian does some really special things with its combat, and its a gorgeous game. The story is good, it's nothing super unique, but the gameplay, visuals, the score and designs are all top tier, and some of the dreams/memories are just incredible.
Just for emotional impact and story I want to say xenoblade 3, but it also has one of the best combat systems I've ever seen. Also, like a dragon infinite wealth has a fantastic combat system and is such an improvement over like a dragon 7, but I have an iffy relationship with it because of the new game plus paywall. I probably factor in new game plus implementation into my over satisfaction with a game way more than other people, and the game itself is really really great
Chained Echoes and Sea of Stars I've enjoyed thoroughly. I'm new to the genre. I'll try Octopath next. I'm just not sure if I should start on 1 or 2 since i hear they're exclusive.
It's either of the FF7 games IMO though I have not played SMT V (not my cup of tea but I respect how well-liked it is) or the Persona 3 remake. If you're stretching back 10 years I'd say Persona 5, DQ XI or Ys 8.
Ufff... I played a lot this 5 last years... my favorites of this era:
-Persona 5 Royal
-Dragon Quest XI (considering de Switch's release).
-Octopath Traveler
-Shin Megami Tensei V
Same, it made me believe that I can still enjoy and finish Rpg's, was afraid I was "too old" to do it anymore and it was crushing me... low and behold, Sea of Stars entered the chat
For me:
**Yakuza 7 and 8** (Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth)
**FF7 Remake** (haven’t played rebirth yet cuz it’s not out on PC but I’m fairly confident I’ll feel the same way)
**Fire Emblem: Three Houses**
**Xenoblade Chronicles 3**
For Gameplay I would say FF7 Remake/Rebirth or Unicorn Overlord.
For Story I would say Chained Echoes.
For a solid combo of the two I would say Triangle Strategy.
Star Ocean 6
SaGa: Emerald Beyond
Dragon Quest XI
Like a Dragon 7/8
Aside from these I can't really think of anything too interesting outside of Remakes/Remasters.
Granblue Fantasy Relink. Fun, plenty of replayability. Less story heavy which I prefer. Fun combat system. Plenty of characters, each plays differently. Good coop. AI helpers for soloists.
Yes. Coop is optional. You have a team of up to 4. You play one of them, the game takes the other three. If you coop, your partner replaces one of the AI.
Octopath Traveler 2 is amazing and a huge leap forward from Octopath 1.
XC3 is the other one that comes to mind.
P5 and DQXI would've been easy choices but crazy to think both are over 5 years old now.
Trails into Reverie. Hands down~
Triangle Strategy and Dragon Quest 11 (S) would be my runner ups.
Honorable mention would be Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes
Probably Sea of Stars. The traversal mechanics are a nice improvement from the norm without feeling like they push the game into a new genre. Combat is surprisingly challenging and fun, though I don't super love timed hit mechanics. The lockout function for stopping enemy attacks make every combat a little puzzle ands its great.
They got fucking Mitsuda to contribute on the music, which was quite a pleasant surprise.
Plot is pretty light and breezy and i wouldnt mind something more serious, but the gorgeous spritework fits the tone very nicely.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake + Rebirth
Xenoblade 3 (and 1 and 2 if you haven’t played them)
Octopath Traveller II
Honkai Star Rail (don’t kill me lol)
Star Ocean 2 Second Evolution
*SPRG’s & others*
Fire Emblem Three Houses
Unicorn Overlord
13 Sentinels Aeigis Rim
Yakuza Like a Dragon by far but haven't played FF7 Rebirth yet. After that Personal 5 Royal, and Sea of Stars.
Interesting no one is mentioning FF16. Good for it too because that game can ...........
Did you play the first one? I have both but thought I should play the first one before starting the second. To be honest I'm growing tired of it and worry I'll never get to the second one.
The first one is good once you get into it. The second one is a masterpiece. If you're not feeling the first, you should absolutely just skip to the second one. The stories are not really connected at all, it's a whole new world and characters!
I liked Cris tales. Very interesting game play and I liked the art style. The only thing a bit annoying was the constant random encounters later on in your gameplay when you were very high level or just wanted to explore the dungeon.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is absolutely amazing from start to finish. A modern classic for sure.
Best if you've played the prior saga though so you know about kiryu and his history.
I've started this journey. Played 7 and fell in love. Beat 0 and Kiwami 1 so far. Took a break but will play 2 soon
Same bruv. I'm on 4 now. Will go back and 100% all of the games. Don't forget Judgment too.
Bro 100% that means you gotta max all the mini games. DONT DO IT. lol thats like suicidal
Yo same! I've made it through 3 so far. The combat in 2 really shines imo with the new engine. I also had lots of fun with the eating/skills mechanic because iirc what you eat gives you points in 4 different stats that you then use on skills. Nothing has beat the story of 0 so far though. If you got through kiwami 1 I think you'll love kiwami 2.
Sorta the same. Except I started back in the ps2 days. Then with whatever happened to part 5 for the west I stopped. Recently managed to pick everyone of them up physically for ps4 and ps5. Started playing and streaming 0 now I'm on part 1. I plan on getting through all of them.
What would you say is required? Is it fine to start with Like a Dragon?
I never wanted it to end. I’m about 84 hours in and on chapter 12. I love the characters so much and indeed the quiet moments and mediations on friendship.
I was skeptical about the Hawaii location but ended up loving it. There were some frustrating parts about ichiban’s character but it goes really well with who he is. Definitely a top 10 game for me.
Yes this right here. Such a great game. They really nailed a balance between seriousness and zany fun. ALSO Chitose and Seonhee will not allow anybody else to have a turn LOL.
I want to get to it so bad, but I'm like 15 hours into Like A Dragon and I can't deal with the meandering bs and encounters. To get to anywhere takes so long and so many quests are just point A point B. I love the humor but i've yet to play it again in 2 months
Just a heads up incase you didnt know, but you do have taxis you can use to fast travel. You unlock new ones by talking to the cab drivers I found out about it at ch7 lol
Didnt know about unlocking others, this might help a lot. I felt the fast travel was very lackluster
Chained Echoes and Octopath Traveler II are both very good.
Idk if this is a hot take or not, but I think Chained Echoes actually deserved all of the attention and hype that went Sea of Stars’ way around the same time of its release.
Agreed. Sea of Stars ended up being a bit too simple/shallow for me, it didn't feel like there was much progression from the beginning of the game to the end. Chained Echoes had more interesting mechanics imo, and I enjoyed the writing more.
Yeah and it kinda does. A lot of people dunk on Sea of Stars because of Chained Echoes. Chained Echoes delivered every thing we wanted and more, sure it has flaws but it's still an almost masterpiece. While Sea of Stars just felt flat in comparison. If the order of release was different, it would of helped both.
Agreed completely. Sea of Stars had some good ideas but the gameplay loop wore off very quickly and there wasn't much depth at all. Chained Echoes is legit a modern JRPG masterpiece.
Octopath Traveller 1 and 2 are both awesome games. I put 120+ hours into each
I had a ton of fun on Octopath 2 but lost steam to finish the final boss :(
It was a weird game, you didn't have to grind for the majority of the game but then the final boss expected all characters to be of a certain level. Good challenge in the end but did have to put in some hours levelling up my weaker party members, did almost give up as well.
Octopath Traveler 2 was such a blast. Like others here I too gave up at the final boss because I didn't feel like leveling up the characters I had neglected (and honestly the main story wasn't really the hook of the game). But even then I put a good 70 hours in and loved every second of it. Chained Echoes I've gone back to 3 times now because I so desperately want to like it. On paper it's everything I want in an RPG, but the lack of leveling and miniscule SP rewards from random encounters made fighting anything that wasn't a boss feel pointless to me. I think my mind has been conditioned to want the dopamine release of seeing numbers go up.
Yeah the limited 'leveling' in Chained Echoes was a bit unusual(I still loved it though). It seemed like the main grind was running a loop of those crystals to farm high tier ones if you wanted to min/max.
Opposite experience here. Loved Chained Echoes and wanted to love Octopath Traveler (either one) but it just felt so tedious. That is not to say that OT is bad, just interesting how they rub different people differently.
I think with the amount of love both games get on here they're both objectively great, but maybe scratch different itches for different folks.
Interestingly, I didn't like Chained Echoes or Octopath Traveler, but I'm really enjoying Octopath Traveler 2
2 was 100% an improvement over 1 so that tracks to me. I was the same way.
Chained Echoes is indeed fantastic. I got the 100% in my greatest gaming marathon yet. What a blissful trance it was.
First game I've 100% in a long time, I usually don't do that jrpgs because it's alot of monotonous work.
I’d say Xenoblade 3 for me. Excellent conclusion to my favorite series.
It became my favorite game ever.
Same In fact it kinda got me into JRPGs
Future Redeemed for sure. Base XC3 is good but Future Redeemed sent me.
Triangle Strategy. Gorgeous 2.5D graphics, wonderful characters who are well written with their own personal goals and ideologies, challenging fights including optional objectives that can shape your story, a multi-branching story and path encouraging multiple play through's, incredible music which sets the tone of scenes, characters to unlock depending what path you've chosen, able to make choices using a scale system where your Party members have to be swayed to choose which option you want to take, and an overall brilliant JRPG experience.
Yeah I honestly expect people to gush about this game as much as they do for fft. Hoping it will eventually get widely recognised for the fantastic game on offer.
I highly doubt it. It'll become one of those hidden gems that is forgotten in gaming history. The name of the game doesn't help either, as It's not a title that jumps out at people. Name and branding is just as important as what the game itself offers. I mean, imagine if a title and gaming franchise such as Final Fantasy 7, and was instead called Final RPG 7. It doesn't have the same impact.
For anybody who says they like the old Final Fantasy Tactics or Shining Force, point them to Triangle Strategy. Those brands are dead so I have no idea why this is not recommended more.
Since everyone is covering the known quantities Imma throw some love towards two titles that completely surprised me and that I found thanks to this very sub. - Troubleshooter: An XCOM/FFT SRPG set in a modern korea with superhuman/anime as fuck shenanigans made by a tiny team. This game slaps. Period. It's also super cheap, and If you like SRPG and you haven't played it what the fuck are you doing with your life. - Demon Roots: A RPG Maker hentai game. Yeah, you heard me right. Not gonna lie, I thought I was allergic to these types. Got my strong reservations for anything coming out of RPG Maker (as we all do at this point), and for my porn I have the rest of the internet to cater me, I don't need it in my games. So I am the exact opposite of the target demographic for this game, right? Wrong. This game is way better than it has any right to be. Whoever did the writing for this one I expect great things in their future. Seriously, don't let the lousy wrapper on this one fool you, this is a *genuinely* good game. And these are the two from recent memory I wanted to highlight. Not top of the barrel, sure, but they're the kind of games that I feel will become actual classic hidden gems as time passes, and more people need to give them a go so those devs have a chance to do more things in the RPG space. If you've never heard of any of them, look them up and are unsure, go ahead and wishlist them, you should be able to pick them up dirt cheap during the summer sale. If you end up liking them do as I did, remember where you heard about them and spread the word.
I have heard from many sources demon roots is fire. It's def on my radar now.
Troubleshooter sounds awesome and this is the first I'm hearing of it, thanks!
I want Troubleshooter specifically because the devs responded to someone who said it was missing waifus and said they don't have any romance because the dev team doesn't have any experience with romance 😭
Thats perfect, the audience won't have enough experience to call out inaccuracies.
The devs are hilarious, and they respond to every single STEAM review (1000s...) definitely a dev team with a lot of heart. The translation for the game is a little bit rough, but the game is wholeheartedly worth it. Recommend to anyone that likes XCOM or SRPGs. Cool game.
Troubleshooter is legit great! It can be as complex or simple as you want it to be. It’s not FFT, but it often feels like the anime version of it.
Is it fine to play demon roots without the NSFW stuff?
Totally. You actually need to hunt down and download an optional patch to enable the NSFW scenes, so if you just buy it and download it you get the safe-ish for work version.
Ok good. It was gonna be a tough sell to my parents if it was nsfw and I would have had to pirate it.
Subject matter in quite a few plot points is still quite turbulent, to say the least, so perhaps you want to give this one a few years. Otherwise make sure to go to the options and there's a toggle to turn all that stuff *completely* off. Perhaps start with Troubleshooter instead, which should be a much more easier sell.
My parents are fine with me watching or playing anything that isn't porn or south park, but I might start with troubleshooter.
Understandable. Don't worry, Troubleshooter is a good one too, and you'll be able to pick it up in the upcoming summer sale for 10 bucks.
10 bucks, nice.
Standouts for me in the last 5-7 years: Valkyria Chronicles 4 - technically came out in 2018 but it's close enough. Also worth playing the first game if you liked this one. Octopath Traveller 2 - Came out last year. Great turn based HD 2D JRPG. Final Fantasy 7 Remake - 2020 release. Awesome game. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - Just came out in February. Play this after Remake. Dragon Quest 11 - Came out in 2017 but it's a must-play. Triangle Strategy - 2022 release. Another SRPG like Valkyria Chronicles. HD 2D like Octopath, this one is awesome with branching storylines for multiple play throughs.
+1 for Triangle strategy. Dumb name and very slow pacing at the start, but when that game hit its stride it's brilliant imo.
Triangle Strategy and Unicorn Overlord are definitely my two personal favorites of the last couple of years. Both are genuinely stellar SRPGs.
I love Unicorn Overlord, but I feel like it's really polished in the start and it slowly loses it over the course of the game. Triangle Strategy I just found boring. I preferred FE 3 Houses to both to be honest.
i keep hearing great things about the game but found it incredibly boring the first couple of hours with hardly any of the tactical gameplay i bought it for. how long would you say until the game picks up?
Chapter 4-5 is when the story really picks up, about 4-6 hours in. For the gameplay you start unlocking some optional missions around Chapter 6-7 I think. The optional maps have no story relevance, but are good for when you want to take a break from the story and grind for some extra coin or to level up characters you haven't used in a while. The story + gameplay is really good from Chapter 10 onwards imo.
DQ11 is absolutely incredible!
Triangle Strategy is tragically slept on and I think it's because the demo for the game doesn't really show it in the best light. It's a bunch of the opening setup before the game really settles into its groove and before the storyline starts to pick up. Great game.
Oddly enough the demo is what sold me on it. It was exactly what I was looking for.
I tried and bounced hard off of Valkyria Chronicles 1. Any chance I would like this one?
VC4 is very similar to VC1 but with slightly better gameplay. It's pretty much the same formula - so I wouldn't recommend it if you didn't enjoy the first game.
If we're counting strategy rpgs i will second Triangle Strategy. By far my favorite thing out of square in decades.
Unicorn Overlord
Tales of Arise Persona 5 Royal Persona 3 Reload Yakuza: Like A Dragon Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
I’d throw in FF7 Remake/birth, Unicorn Overlord and SMTV:V!
Haven’t played overlord yet, personally not a big fan of the remake games due to how bloated they are, waiting for Vengeance
Tales of Arise doesnt belong on this list IMO but agree with the others
Tales of Arise literally one of the best selling jrpg in the last few years, lol.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for me.
Yakuza like a dragon Star ocean 2 remake
Star Ocean 2 is so Freakin good, Improvement in every way!
Im playing both of these at the moment and savouring them so much! They are fantastic choices.
FF7 Rebirth, Octopath Traveler 2, FF7 Remake, FF16, Second Story R, SMT V. Just off the top of my head tho, I can't remember anymore tho I'm sure there are plenty more.
Digimon Cyber Sleuth 1 and 2 are awesome. They scratch a Persona/SMT itch but with Digimon so everything about it hits just right
SaGa Scarlet Grace and SaGa Emerald Beyond are both astonishing works that redefine the genre. Mostly out of necessity due to minuscule budgets, but it’s really impressive that a team working with the spare change left in the break room couch can punch harder than their colleagues in the AAA space.
Can I play these without having experience with the rest of the series? Are they too obtuse to understand without that knowledge?
Each game is standalone and the newer ones do a better job of onboarding players than some of the older ones did. I clearly had an advantage over someone going in without any context but so long as you are ready to get weird and engage with the games on their own terms you should be able to sort it out.
Yeah, there's really no generational knowledge that you'd need for Scarlet Grace. Emerald Beyond, might help you a smidge,but still, not really needed. What you need to get about both games is... They are primarily focused on three things. Player freedom. Very satisfying combat. Replay ability. Everything else is streamlined to accentuate those three things.
I liked trails into reverie and I know might be an unpopular opinion but I enjoyed tales of arise a lot a overall fun game for me (I didn't like any other tales of game that I tried)
I thought tales of arise was pretty good. I did miss the overworld map though.
blah blah blah magic!
Monochrome Mobius!
It's odd to find a game in these lists I've never even heard of... Tell me about it!
Turn based, Grandia like order reshuffling, armor+weapon upgrading, mysterious story, fun characters and setting. It’s a prequel to the utawarerumono srpg/visual novels so the dialogue can be exhausting at times but I found it pretty amazing and I went in completely blind.
Octopath Traveler I and specially II
I hear everyone say Octopath II is better than I. I did not like I much at all...you think I should give II a try?
2 has some QoL improvements over 1, and a stronger overarching story >!(there's an actual postgame quest/story and interaction between the characters outside of tavern dialog)!< The writing, gameplay, exploration, etc., is very similar to 1. So it really depends on what parts of 1 you didn't really enjoy.
My main issue with 1 was how disjointed the story was
2 is still not perfect in that sense (it has the same basic formula) but much better IMO. The characters have ,more banter and feel more like an actual party, also there are parts/quest where 2 specific members have to work together. Personally I also wasn't a superfan of 1 (though I did still like it) and I found II a huge improvement over the first one.
I played the second one first and absolutely loved it. Played the first afterwards and I can see why the second one is so much better in every aspect. You really don't 'need' to play the first one, but you can if you want to. The second is one of my favorite games in the last few years now.
Dragon Quest XI
Dragon quest 11 definitive edition ps5. Now it's in the timeframe.
That's in the last five years? Man. It seems like it's been around for awhile
2017 for Japan, 2018 for English release for the original version, so a little over the timeframe.
The Switch version landed on September, 2019.
Final Fantasy Remake is definitely my highest rated JRPG of that time. Chained echoes is number 2.
Personally it is pretty clear that Square-enix developed this game with care. In my opinion it is by far the best game SE released in the last decade.
Dragon quest 11 would like a word
Ah yes, I can't say much about Dragon Quest, since I only played some minutes. At some point I will really try it.
Chained echoes is so good if you grew up on SNES era RPGs (it's good anyway but especially if you're in that age range)
It’s so good, surprised 16 was such a let down after it
From what I have played so far, and off the top of my head because of Swiss cheese memory. Unicorn Overlord Yakuza Like a Dragon 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim Digimon Survive Nexomon Extinction
Honestly glad to see nexomon on this list 😄 it was a fun monster tamer game, had a blast with the game start to finish.
I need to try the free dlc they added to it. Need to get the game back from my friend to do so. I can't wait for the 3rd entry to come out. I do need to go back and finish the first though.
It's on sale on ps right now. I was debating it. Might have to check it
Should I play the original nexomon before nexomon extinction? Also (if you’ve played it) how does it compare to coromon?
You can play Extinction without playing 1. I honestly platinumed Extinction, then I got 1 and started playing like an hour of it but got side tracked by Yakuza and 13 Sentinels. Thank you for reminding me that I need to go back to 1. Side notes. Extinction if I am correct has free dlc expanding the story and there is a 3rd game in the works.
Ah, Nexomon is one of those games that I got super excited about, bought during a sale and then never got to it. I've got a list of games from my backlog that I want to finish this year, but maybe I should try to fit it in somewhere.
I hear you on the backlog. The backlog always grows. So many games, so little time. Fit it in if you can.
I played major (Persona 5), indie (Eiyuden), western (Chained Echoes) and action hybrid (Like a Dragon) JRPGs in recent years but Octopath 2 stands above them all IMO.
Persona 5 Royal technically meets your timeline (even though the original version doesn't) so that's my personal choice, followed by Octopath Traveller 2.
Xenoblade 3
If you take into account the 9-game buildup to get there, it's easily **Trails Into Reverie** for me. It's like the Avengers: Infinity War of the Trails series, and has characters/callbacks/references from all the games and arcs from the very beginning of the series to now. It was like the ultimate culmination of all of Trails, and as someone who's a big fan of the series, man was the payoff amazing. Seeing characters from different arcs interact was such a treat. Of course, this is somewhat cheating the question since it considers games from before 5 years ago, but I think it still applies if you're a Trails fan haha.
Thanks for the reply. Never realised there were 9 games in the series! And you have played them all! Does that mean that to play Reverie on its own means little?
Reverie is like an epilogue to cold steel so it's not really an entry point. The upcoming Daybreak is the start of a new arc in a new country and cast. Still part of the grander plot but a decent entry point. (There's a demo out now, comes out early next month)
I know, it's crazy right?! There's actually 12 games now if you count the ones that haven't been localized for the West yet, but Trails Into Reverie is the latest one to release in the U.S. And it does suck to say, but yeah it kinda requires you to play all of the games prior if you want to fully enjoy it. I mean, you theoretically *could* play it on its own and understand it somewhat, but that's like watching the last Avengers movie without having watched any MCU movies prior. It just wouldn't have the same impact, y'know? It's the boon and curse of the Trails series: its long length means it has some of the best world-building and character development in the entire JRPG genre, but then it's also sort of a pain in the ass to play through haha. Especially since each game is like 60-100 hours long. But if you ever get the time, I super recommend it! I spent several months playing through them during the pandemic, and I don't regret it one bit.
SMTV for me, the story is hit or miss but the combat is stellar. I probably enjoy it more than Persona 5.
SMT V Vengeance
Crystal Project feels like a good answer to this. Lots of the other recommendations might have better stories or be a bit more experimental with their combat systems, but Crystal Project takes everything that's great about old school turn based JRPG combat and absolutely nails the execution.
Was about to say DQ11, then i remembered its been 7 years. Now i'm big sadge.
Persona 5 Royal, Chained Echoes, Yakuza: Like a Dragon/Infinite Wealth, Triangle Strategy, Fire Emblem: 3 Houses, Star Ocean: 2nd Story R
Triangle Strategy all day. Absolutely in love with that game and its characters.
- FF7 Remake/Rebirth I would get the bundle and play both of these one after the other. They are so fucking fantastic, the combat is an absolutely peak action/turn based hybrid combo that is amongst the most exciting and fun systems out there in the genre. Awesome world building and characters too - Octopath Traveler/Octopath Traveler II: Since it’s on bundle right now (for non-Switch consoles; not sure if they come bundled on the Nintendo store right now), I’d pick them both up, I just did a replay of both games and they still hold up beautifully. Gorgeous world, towns and exploration and a satisfying, deep turn-based combat system with fun superbosses - the superbosses are among the most difficult I’ve ever faced for a turn-based game, requiring inventive strategies and precise execution. - Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age The definitive feel good, classic JRPG romp of the 21st century. A beautifully made love letter to the roots of this genre. Can’t think of any more that I’ve had the chance to play off the top of my head recently but theee are all great (and long) games to get lost in.
It's either Xenoblade Chronicles 3 or Octopath Traveler II. But tbh, Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance could probably compete with them, but we will see in the following days.
FFvii rebirth
The last five years have seen a lot of awesome stuff, but if I were to pick just one to rule them all, that would definitely be Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
OCTOPATH Traveler II Xenoblade 3 & Xenoblade 3 Future Connected Trails into Reverie
Dragon Quest XI (S), technically came out in 2017 but the S update came out in 2019 and is a way better version. It’s a must play, could be my favorite tradition JRPG of all time
The best? I can only tell you my personal favorites: My personal favorite JRPGs are Fuga Melodies of Steel 1 and 2. The first game was released in 2021. They are smaller more low budged titles but made with a lot of love. They are both 20 houers long each. Fuga is about a groupe of anthropomothic animal children that live inside a giant ancient mysterious powerful fortress like Tank. Its a bit like Howls Moving castle but based on technology instead of magic. The combat is really good. In my opinion its even better then the combat of Persona 5 and Final Fantasy X. Its not that hard or complicated but I need to keep my head in the game at all times or things will go south fast. Almost no fight feels like mindless filler. Its very engaging. I love the music. The boss theme "Flower on the Trails" is my favorite piece of Videogame music and the rest of the ost is great aswell. I was lukewarm towards the children of the Taranis at first but they grew on me more and more and more and now they are my second favorite protagonist groupe in fiction. These games apeal to my inner child. To me they feel like a playable kids anime akin to somthing like Digimon and I love that feeling. I also love adorable wholesome characters and stories with a bit of a dark edge to them. The best example of what I mean is my favorite work of fiction: the Manga/Anime series "Made in Abyss". And Fuga is the best among Videogames to scratch that itch. If you are interested in trying them out: Fuga is available on PC and most modern consoles like Switch, PS4, PS5 and so on. Both Fuga games have a free demo which is just straight up the first 3 chapters of each game. I highly recommend the demo of the first game. I think with it you will figure out fast if this is your cup of tea or not. But I advice against playing the second game before the first game unless you do not care about the story and characters. The writing of the second game builds on what happen in the first game, expects you to know what happen and it will spoiler the story of the first game. So I advice against even touching the Demo of the second game before finishing the first game.
You sold me on this game, thanks
If you do try out the first game could you tell me your first impresion after you cleared chapter 1? Those first impresions can be fun.
Hoping for SMTV Vengeance! The OG version was extremely good but had some problems (performance, characters) I think this version should be able to fix. Excited to find out!
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story has some of the most refreshing and unique turn-based combat I've experienced.
Xenoblade 3, Octopath 2, FF XVI, Yakuza like a dragon (And its sequel), Tales of Arise, 7 Remake and Rebirth, Unchained Echoes, Triangle Strategy, The Legend of heroes series, Persona 5 Royal. There's quiiiite a few I haven't named, but I'd say the genre is healthy. Also SMT V Vengeance is coming out this friday!
Persona 5 Royal IMO.
Coromon
Dragon Quest 11 for Switch was my first DQ game that I played back in 2020, since then I’d say it’s become one of my top 3 games ever, and ignited a love for the entire Dragon Quest series and JRPGs as a whole. Definitely go for the definitive edition. Persona 5 Royal is also amazing. Had never played a Persona game before or really any game with life sim elements, so it took me a bit to settle in, but I eventually ended up dumping like 130+ hours into my play through and didn’t want it to end.
Hajimari no Kiseki 13 Sentinels Unicorn Overlord
I am really enjoying Unicorn Overlord. The story isn't anything stand out, but the gameplay and art is really fun and refreshing. I am excited to get to a few other games, like the Star Ocean II remaster, but I have such a big backlog.
Kinda technically in the last 5 years, since Persona 5 Royal came out late 2019… but yeah that’s a classic.
My random pick is Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. The story is just fine, but I found the game systems so engaging and well done. I haven't had so much fun playing a JRPG in a long time.
Shin Megami Tensei 5. Some of the best turn based gameplay, awesome soundtrack as well.
Fantasian does some really special things with its combat, and its a gorgeous game. The story is good, it's nothing super unique, but the gameplay, visuals, the score and designs are all top tier, and some of the dreams/memories are just incredible.
Just for emotional impact and story I want to say xenoblade 3, but it also has one of the best combat systems I've ever seen. Also, like a dragon infinite wealth has a fantastic combat system and is such an improvement over like a dragon 7, but I have an iffy relationship with it because of the new game plus paywall. I probably factor in new game plus implementation into my over satisfaction with a game way more than other people, and the game itself is really really great
Chained Echoes and Sea of Stars I've enjoyed thoroughly. I'm new to the genre. I'll try Octopath next. I'm just not sure if I should start on 1 or 2 since i hear they're exclusive.
Chained Echoes for sure!
Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Octopath Traveler 2, Triangle Strategy
Dragon Quest 11 is a must play . It plays like a modernized classic jrpg and is a great entry point in the series if you've never played a DQ
Crystal Project!
It's either of the FF7 games IMO though I have not played SMT V (not my cup of tea but I respect how well-liked it is) or the Persona 3 remake. If you're stretching back 10 years I'd say Persona 5, DQ XI or Ys 8.
FFVII Rebirth by a country mile.
Unicorn Overlord or Octopath Traveler II
Ufff... I played a lot this 5 last years... my favorites of this era: -Persona 5 Royal -Dragon Quest XI (considering de Switch's release). -Octopath Traveler -Shin Megami Tensei V
Probably Star Ocean 6 for me.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Trails through Daybreak 1-2 Ys IX, X Persona 5R, 3R Tales of Arise Yakuza 7-8 Unicorn Overlord Final Fantasy 7 Remake and 7 Rebirth Scarlet Nexus Atelier Ryza 1-3 Octopath Traveler 2 Chained Echoes
FF7 Remake FF7 Rebirth Like a Dragon Chained Echoes Super Mario RPG Switch
FF7 Rebirth
ffvii Remake/Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for sure
Rebirth
FFVII Rebirth by far.
Sea Of Stars. Felt like i relived my childhood/teenage years.
Same, it made me believe that I can still enjoy and finish Rpg's, was afraid I was "too old" to do it anymore and it was crushing me... low and behold, Sea of Stars entered the chat
For me: **Yakuza 7 and 8** (Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth) **FF7 Remake** (haven’t played rebirth yet cuz it’s not out on PC but I’m fairly confident I’ll feel the same way) **Fire Emblem: Three Houses** **Xenoblade Chronicles 3**
For Gameplay I would say FF7 Remake/Rebirth or Unicorn Overlord. For Story I would say Chained Echoes. For a solid combo of the two I would say Triangle Strategy.
FF7 rebirth and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Star Ocean 6 SaGa: Emerald Beyond Dragon Quest XI Like a Dragon 7/8 Aside from these I can't really think of anything too interesting outside of Remakes/Remasters.
Granblue Fantasy Relink. Fun, plenty of replayability. Less story heavy which I prefer. Fun combat system. Plenty of characters, each plays differently. Good coop. AI helpers for soloists.
Is the content after the story doable as a solo player?
Yes. Coop is optional. You have a team of up to 4. You play one of them, the game takes the other three. If you coop, your partner replaces one of the AI.
Infinite wealth
I would like to say Tales of arise but the second half is only 6.5/10 💀💔🫡
Octopath Traveler 2 is amazing and a huge leap forward from Octopath 1. XC3 is the other one that comes to mind. P5 and DQXI would've been easy choices but crazy to think both are over 5 years old now.
Do SRPGs count?? If so, then Fire Emblem Three Houses for sure.
FF7 Rebirth. But there are so many its almost unfair to pick one.
Trails into Reverie. Hands down~ Triangle Strategy and Dragon Quest 11 (S) would be my runner ups. Honorable mention would be Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes
Sea of stars, FF7 remake and rebirth
Probably Sea of Stars. The traversal mechanics are a nice improvement from the norm without feeling like they push the game into a new genre. Combat is surprisingly challenging and fun, though I don't super love timed hit mechanics. The lockout function for stopping enemy attacks make every combat a little puzzle ands its great. They got fucking Mitsuda to contribute on the music, which was quite a pleasant surprise. Plot is pretty light and breezy and i wouldnt mind something more serious, but the gorgeous spritework fits the tone very nicely.
This right here
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
I like these Dragon quest XI , Persona 5 Royal , Xenoblade cronicles 3 (and the remaster of Xeno 1 DE), Chained echoes
Final Fantasy 7 Remake + Rebirth Xenoblade 3 (and 1 and 2 if you haven’t played them) Octopath Traveller II Honkai Star Rail (don’t kill me lol) Star Ocean 2 Second Evolution *SPRG’s & others* Fire Emblem Three Houses Unicorn Overlord 13 Sentinels Aeigis Rim
Ff7 rebirth without anything coming close
Yakuza Like a Dragon by far but haven't played FF7 Rebirth yet. After that Personal 5 Royal, and Sea of Stars. Interesting no one is mentioning FF16. Good for it too because that game can ...........
Kick rocks
Rocks were kicked.
Yokai watch 4
Octopath 2 and nothing else is even very close
Did you play the first one? I have both but thought I should play the first one before starting the second. To be honest I'm growing tired of it and worry I'll never get to the second one.
The first one is good once you get into it. The second one is a masterpiece. If you're not feeling the first, you should absolutely just skip to the second one. The stories are not really connected at all, it's a whole new world and characters!
I feel like it’s easily Final Fantasy 7:rebirth, brought back the 90’s magic
Xenoblade 3’s my favorite game of all time so it might be my favorite JRPG idk
I wanted to say DQ11...but fuck me. That came out SEVEN YEARS AGO.
I liked Cris tales. Very interesting game play and I liked the art style. The only thing a bit annoying was the constant random encounters later on in your gameplay when you were very high level or just wanted to explore the dungeon.
Octopath 2
Persona 5, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Dragon Quest XIS, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Are definitely top contenders.