Best JRPGs You Need to Play This Winter

Every year I find myself in the middle of winter without much to play, and it makes me want to dive into a lengthy and nostalgic type of journey. While many games can deliver that feeling, I don't think any genre nails it better than the JRPG.

There are many variants, but something about a JRPG's music, the visuals, and the adventure takes me back to a simpler time in life, and they provide a sort of emotional warmth that other genres don't quite affect.

We're going to check out some JRPGs that fit the winter months perfectly, in their tone, atmosphere, and overall feel.

8 I am Setsuna

The Beginning of the New Era

While it may not be the best JRPG, I am Setsuna is a powerful journey and one of the first games of the new golden era of JRPGs that was powered by nostalgia for those hoping to see Chrono Trigger in a new outfit. The story is much different, with you playing as Setsuna, who is chosen to perform a sacrifice for the good of her people, and the whole game is a slow march to that moment.

This game world is covered in snow, and it's both beautiful and sad as you take on this dreaded adventure with various party members to support your trek. The combat is ripped straight from Chrono trigger, but that's not a bad thing, as that combat just doesn't get old. Here, it's just wearing some new clothes.

There is incredible music, some nice vistas, and a cozy sort of feeling that snowy areas in JRPGs often summon in people. The whole thing is pretty much drenched in snow and ice, so it's a perfect game to play when temperatures drop outside.

7 Octopath Traveler 2

The Path is Filled with Snow

Octopath Traveler 2 is one of the better JRPGs of the past decade, and it does so by being a blast from the past in its aesthetic and overall feeling. In particular, the snow-filled areas are an absolutely gorgeous depiction of winter that just gives you that old-school JRPG feel in a way I can't quite explain.

Of course, the whole game isn't drenched in snow, but the sections that are make for some of the most easy on the eyes scenery you'll find in the genre. When you're not soaking in the awesome scenery, you've got 8 compelling tales to play through, each with a unique character whose story you get to learn.

They all converge eventually, and between the great writing, great voice acting, and amazing boss fights, this is a great game to play with a side of hot cocoa.

6 Valkyria Chronicles 4

The War in the Cold

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a game that takes real-life wars and throws them into anime form. The 4th game in particular, though, is filled with snowy levels and two of the later chapters are in some gorgeous icy battlefields that show off the dichotomy between the game's beautiful graphics style and the harshness of the war they're involved in.

The gameplay is great here too, with tons of unit types, unique strategies to use, some great characters, and a compelling story that sees plenty of loss and some unique twists and turns along the way.

The gameplay is largely fighting, though, and the mix of real-time and turn-based combat works perfectly, testing everything from your battle planning to your third-person shooter aim. It's a great time and a really fitting game to take you through the winter.

5 Parasite Eve

Happy New Year

Parasite Eve actually starts on a winter evening on New Year's Eve in New York City, and from there, you embark on a journey that takes place as the snow falls during a plague-ridden winter in NYC. That's a cool enough setting for a JRPG as is, and the pseudo Resident Evil meets JRPG gameplay is something that only Square really attempted in the mid-90s, and it stands up as a classic today.

The whole game just has a cold feeling to it, too, with an eerie and quiet atmosphere only broken up by the roars of the terrifying creatures you'll encounter. I remember playing this one after renting it at my local video store during Christmas break in 1998, and while it terrified me, it was the perfect companion to the changing weather.

The controls are a bit clunky for today's standards, but its influence is still felt throughout the gaming world, and with the upcoming Parasite Mutant, you can tell this genre has never lost its grip on the gaming world.

4 Tales of Symphonia

Throwback Power

Tales of Symphonia is one of the true JRPG classics, and it not only is a fantastic adventure, but it's got some of the best scenery in any game in terms of winter areas. Flanoir is a gorgeous city that is covered in snow and even has fun cold-themed weapons and equipment to find throughout this amazing-looking area.

Aside from the obvious winter-themed locations, though, the game itself is just great, with a somewhat mundane story at the start quickly turning into something far more interesting and unique. It's got the sort of charm that only early 2000s JRPGs had access to, and, as far a game that you can easily get lost in for the winter months, Tales of Symphonia is an awesome choice.

3 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

The Journey of a Lifetime

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is one of the more profound journeys in JRPG history. It's a hard shell to crack to get to the real meat of the story here, but once you do, it's a wild adventure with a great cast of characters, gorgeous visuals, and one of the more complex and rewarding combat systems out there.

The reason it's perfect for winter is because it's a coming-of-age story in many ways, which I think is a perfect thing to get you through the months when you're inside. And months it will take you, because this is a heck of a lengthy journey, but it's one that will get you snuggly into the springtime and keep you gripped along the way.

Plus, you've got Torna The Golden Country as a fantastic expansion DLC, which really functions as its own game and only adds to all of the great lore that the actual game builds up.

2 Final Fantasy 8

College Kids Against the World

With a main character dressed for winter, amazing environments, and a really cool snow area, Final Fantasy 8 is the perfect lengthy JRPG to dive into this winter. You play as Squall as he and his fellow military students fight in a war to defeat an evil sorceress. On the surface, that sounds like a weak plot, but it definitely goes some wild places to make things a lot more than what they seem.

It's got one of the best JRPG parties around, and the sarcastic and youthful energy brims through them throughout the game without managing to be cringeworthy in the process, which is a rare feat in this genre. The battle system is innovative as hell on top of that, with some really cool, interactive limit breaks and some of the best summons in the series.

I love a good nostalgic journey, and this one involves growing up, losing your memories, and fulfilling chosen and predestined destinies. It's one of the best Final Fantasys out there, and I'll champion it until the end of time.

1 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Taking Down the Beautiful Ones

Clair Obscur is one of the most stunning-looking journeys ever created in a game. It's simply a work of art come to life, and for those looking for some incredible winter areas, Clair Obscur has an entire map to explore that is full of them, including some optional areas with snow-themed enemies that make up for some incredibly challenging fights. Unlike some of the other entries on this list, this is a modern game in the Unreal 5 engine, and it shows as the snow-covered mountains and ravines burst off the screen and bring that chill right into the room with you.

There is a nostalgic power that comes from this game that is pretty much hard to ignore as well, and winter always brings out that feeling for me, whether it's watching old TV shows or playing games from my childhood. Clair Obscur just makes me feel like I'm back in the golden era of JRPGs. It's got an incredible story, fantastic writing, and for my money, the most fun a turn-based combat system has ever had on top of all that.