10 Essential JRPGs You Need To Play Before You Die

10. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age

The Dragon Quest franchise practically invented the JRPG, creating a world based on the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop game and giving it a unique Japanese twist.

The original game in the series is iconic, making all the memorable tropes and characters that have become synonymous with the franchise; however, the series would peak with the latest game: Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age.

There are so many goofy and wacky monsters here; constantly, you’ll find yourself willingly running into battles to see the unique enemy designs by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, surprising you at all times with the sheer cheeriness of the game.

This game also has the most polished story, tying into the Erdrick trilogy of Dragon Quest games in a satisfying way while also giving you characters you will grow attached to and learn more of through each story arc.

The gameplay isn’t as demanding as in other JRPGs; the combat is much more forgiving, and the amount of grinding necessary to beat the game is considerably less than in most of the genre.

The goofiness and wacky nature of Dragon Quest are in full force here, alongside the gameplay and story that make it the definitive title in the franchise.