200°

Ten Modern JRPGs Worth Playing

Jason Schreier: ''Let's make something clear. Japanese RPGs are not dead. They have never been dead. They will not be dead any time soon.

I've written about this subject before, but every day it seems like there's a new screed, a new attention-grabbing editorial or essay. "Are JRPGs Obsolete?" "Do JRPGs No Longer Matter?" "Has The Age Of JRPGs Passed?" No. Shut up. "Will Xenoblade Revitalize The Japanese RPG?" "Will Ni no Kuni Revitalize The Japanese RPG?" "Will Persona Revitalize The Japanese RPG?" No. Nothing needs revitalizing. Shut up.

Allow me to prove my point. I've put together a list of ten JRPGs—all modern, all different, all excellent, all worth playing today. They represent every major console, Wii U aside, and they were all released within the past five years. All ten are worth your time.''

Snookies124086d ago

Wait a minute, wait a minute.... So Mario & Luigi gets in (not saying it's not a great, game, I had a lot of fun with it), but there's no mention of Xenoblade or Tales of Graces?

raWfodog4086d ago (Edited 4086d ago )

The author didn't say it was a "Top 10" list. Just that it's a list of 10 jrpg's worth playing. We all know there are more...

Edit: spelling

Sexius Maximus4086d ago

Exactly. It's just a list of 10; there are more out there. However, Lost Odyssey was far and away my favorite JRPG this gen. Xenoblade and Tales of Vesperia are tied for 2nd. (note: haven't played Ni No Kuni yet; that's next on my list)

animegamingnerd4086d ago (Edited 4086d ago )

i am glad i saw last story on a list of best JRPG'S but where is tales of graces and xneoblade? those games in my opinion are up there with last story for best JRPG this gen

knifefight4086d ago

Is it a list of the best?
It doesn't say that it's a list of the best.
But you're calling it a list of the best?
I'm not sure that's accurate. This features 10 modern JRPGs the author feels are worth playing, in his words, his qualifications being that they are worth your time and released in the last 5 years.

It doesn't say "best." Not every feature has to be about the "best."

Son_Lee4086d ago

It's criminal how overlooked Nier is.

4086d ago Replies(1)
Canary4086d ago

I don't know.

I wrote a FAQ/Guide for it and I still get people emailing me questions about it. So while it may not be talked about much, there does seem to be a steady stream of people 'discovering' it.

Given how few JRPGs there are, period, on PS3/360, it seems like it would be monumentally difficult for anyone to overlook any of them.

Though I suppose there -are- people who don't know Valkyria Chronicles or Disgaea exist.

...

Anyway, my own personal picks for "most overlooked RPGs of this generation" would probably be Dragon Quest VI's remake on the DS (one of the best games ever made); Infinite Space, also on the DS (an incredible 'Space Opera' style RPG); and Eternal Sonata, on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Of course, it helps that I'm a sucker for Chopin.

Chrono4086d ago

Needs more Dragon Quest IX.

Kratoscar20084086d ago

Growlanser WoT is the best JRPG i have played this gen.

Wrightylfc884086d ago

Ni no kuni is easily best RPG of this gen

WeAreLegion4086d ago

WHO would disagree with that?!? It is!

Show all comments (16)
210°

Lost Odyssey Is Still One Of The Best Xbox RPGs Ever

17 years later, it still stands out.

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shinoff218370d ago

I liked blue dragon more. Lost odyssey is the shit though.

jznrpg70d ago

Two of the few games I still own for Xbox360 . I have Magna Carta 2 , Last Remnant but also have the PS4 version so I may have got rid of it and I have the DS version of Blue Dragon. I think and a few others but I forget what they are since I don’t dust them off. that’s about it.

shinoff218370d ago (Edited 70d ago )

Another one I still havent got to try is infinite undiscovery. I read it was pretty linear but I usually fk with tri ace(star oceans are great).

Really my only issue with lost odyssey was the level cap they hit you with throughout the game. I enjoy just relaxing and doing some grinding every once in awhile. Could've atleast given the option. Other then that. Excellent game.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The 360 imo had atleast half or more that Gen of being the better jrpg system. I bought one earlier then I normally would have for some, and Alan wake. Japanese devs really got in their feelings that Gen and dropped the ball(thanks Phil phish, cocky ass ign, etc)

darthv7269d ago

You'd be better off playing Lost Odyssey on an XBO or Series X as no disc swapping and it looks and plays much better. Same with Blue Dragon. I still keep my 360 hooked up for games not on the bc list. for everything else, I use the series x now. Just last night I installed arkham origins as there is no 8th gen version like asylum/city.

I love having bc on xbox one/series hardware.

shinoff218369d ago

Darth

When I bought the the Xbox one off a couple worker. That was the first thing indid. Bought blue dragon and lost odyssey. Been waiting to catch infinite undiscovery on sale but I forget to check.

I used to own the 360 versions but I bought these digital. I'd like to track down the 360 ones again but no huge deal. I was actually playing through lost odyssey waiting for starfield to drop.

RaidenBlack69d ago

Is Lost Odyssey coming to PS, too?

cthulhucultist70d ago

The game was indeed amazing. Great characters, gameplay and story!

But the dream sequences penned by Shigematsu were sublime.

I still remember many of these stories and I have integrated in the past in my D&D campaign many years ago.

RpgSama70d ago

I'm not going to lie, I cried on more than on a couple of them

Dabigsiebowski70d ago

Microsoft should have just kept pumping money into these guys. Same with a lot of the other studios... the blundered hard.

Lost Odysee deserved a franchise even though development wasn't smooth

Michiel198970d ago

Am I the only one who doesn't wanna see every good game get sequel after sequel? It was a great game, but sometimes it's better to just make a one off and then create a new universe. Sadly that costs a lot more money and publishers don't wanna risk it, but I would definitely prefer it

shinoff218370d ago

I'm fine with sequels in jrpgs, even in the vain of ff sequels, all new stories and characters. It does get old in other genres though sometimes. For the most part I just game by game basis it all.

FinalFantasyFanatic69d ago

They could have done it like Final Fantasy, kept the title name and just start with a new world/characters, it's not like the creator isn't familar with that.

Concertoine70d ago

Idk, Japan never bit for Xbox despite their best efforts around this era. Mistwalker never exploded either, despite future partnerships with Nintendo whichhad a much better chance at success

BrainSyphoned70d ago

It's not like it has had any competition since 2007. Would really like to own the short stories from it in book form.

PapaBop69d ago

360 had some amazing JRPGs in it's early days, Blue Dragon, Eternal Sonata, Tales of Vesperia off the top of my head were all amazing games.

jznrpg70d ago (Edited 70d ago )

The problem with most MS games on 360 was they didn’t make the games they paid for them and that makes you less money in the long run and isn’t something you can continue to do especially with declining sales of consoles. MS should have been starting and growing studios from the beginning but they went for paid games and it leaves them without the knowledge and culture of making games.

shinoff218370d ago

Good points. Never thought of that like that back then.

Sgt_Slaughter69d ago

Not to mention killing the Japanese market that had all sorts of crazy and fun releases up until 2009-2010. They could have gained momentum on Nintendo and kept that going into the Xbox One era, but decided to "unify" efforts and that all but ended their presents in the country. Now, PS4's outsell the Xbox Series S three years into the new system's life cycle, and the 2/3DS at one point was doing the same.

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130°

Where the Heck is Ni No Kuni 3, Mun?

Matt from We Game Daily writes: "Cross Worlds isn’t going away. It’s making a small fortune, particularly in Asian markets, so there’s no reason for Level-5 to pull the plug. That said, there’s no real reason why a full PC/console sequel can’t be developed alongside efforts to support Cross Worlds."

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Relientk77100d ago

While Ni no Kuni 3 would be cool, if it was like the first game, where is Dark Cloud 3 and Rogue Galaxy 2?

phoenixwing100d ago

I thought the dev recently went mobile and Japan only. They shut down their American offices. So don't expect anything for consoles

shinoff2183100d ago (Edited 100d ago )

I swear they just announced a few new games.

https://www.nintendolife.co...

phoenixwing100d ago

I stand corrected then. Never heard about these games and also i just remember ni no kuni online being mobile only.

Michiel198999d ago

they said a loooooong time ago that Level 5 was working on a new installment but there has been no news since afaik. I just hope that they take more inspiration from 1 than 2, especially when it comes to the story.

thorstein99d ago

Ni No Kuni Cross Worlds is the mobile game you're thinking of.

It looks amazing but I don't like to play mobile games.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 99d ago
-Foxtrot99d ago

Yeah the sequel was okay but had nothing on the first game, especially the battle system.

The story just didn't have that charm and even the twist at the end of the game wasn't really anything cool like Wrath of the White Witch.

Also the fact there was like ZERO mention of Oliver or his adventures in the game, no references, nothing was such weird. It's set a hundred or so years after but still, I'd have expected to seen some throw backs. I think we just got like a temple with his statue in it or something.

goldwyncq99d ago

If you want more Oliver, just watch the movie.

shinoff2183100d ago

Fking word. I've been hoping for this for quite some time.

melons99d ago

The premium games didn't sell amazingly, right?

shinoff218399d ago

Not to sure. They should of though. They were pretty good. I like both.

Michiel198999d ago

yeah, especially outside of japan. They should have released on pc at the same time as the ps3 version or a short time after.

Inverno99d ago

They should've worked with Ghibli to put out a proper movie. Should've also made a Pokemon-esque spin-off rather than make Yokai Watch. If they do make a third game they gotta work with Ghibli!

60°

SEGA / Atlus Holiday Switch sale: lowest prices for Valkyria Chronicles, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

SEGA / Atlus Holiday 2023 Switch eShop sale live featuring lowest prices ever for Valkyria Chronicles, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and more.

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