10 Essential JRPGs You Need To Play Before You Die

There’s one thing a lot of us don’t realize before it’s too late: Life is oh, so short. So brief that it might be daunting to decide which games to use our precious time on.

While there are titles from all genres that deserve to be played, none beat the level of storytelling and satisfying gameplay as much as the JRPG.

This genre constantly pushes the envelope for what a story can and should be, giving us unforgettable characters, emotional moments that leave you in tears, and storylines that will leave you on the edge of your seat at all times.

The story is significant, but not only do these games give you unforgettable narratives, but also gameplay that satisfies your need to create powerful parties filled with mages and warriors that can decimate your foes with spells that instantly kill the final boss eight times over.

There have been so many JRPGs over the years that it’s hard to pick just a handful to call the ‘definitive role-playing experience’; however, even though Final Fantasy could quickly dominate this list, you’ll find games across all consoles you might not have heard of.

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.