Best Pre-Rendered Backgrounds in JRPGS

As JRPGs exited the fourth generation of consoles and entered the new, exciting world of 3D gaming, something became very obvious right away. These games were huge, ambitious and full of what felt like unlimited imagination for environments.

New 3D hardware could do a lot back in the 1990s, but it still couldn't keep up with the scope of these games. Smart developers managed to find a workaround in the form of 2D pre-rendered backgrounds.

These simple, 2D images had 3D polygonal characters superimposed over them. It's a fairly low-tech solution, but one that has created countless memories for an entire generation of gamers.

Pre-rendered backgrounds aren't as in vogue as they were back in the day, unfortunately. While it's true that modern hardware has exceeded far beyond those limitations, as an aesthetic choice, they are still absolutely beautiful and worth taking a trip down memory lane to remember.

7 Shadow Hearts

Gorgeous Darkness

Although the PS2's improved hardware made it entirely possible for developers to produce seamless 3D worlds, many teams stayed with pre-rendered backgrounds for a bit. Even Final Fantasy 10 used a mix of 3D environments and 2D pre-rendered backgrounds.

Another JRPG that decided to stick with what worked last generation was Shadow Hearts, a sequel to the PS1 classic Koudelka. Like Koudela, Shadow Hearts is a gothic horror JRPG with all the dark, sinister charm to prove it.

The scope of Shadow Heart's backgrounds is truly impressive. Often times, you will feel like an insignificant little speck compared to the huge castle that you are exploring. It really makes great use of angles and shot composition in ways that a lot of other JRPGs of this era don't.

6 Final Fantasy 7

Mosey Across These Pre-Rendered Beauties

The traditional fantasy trappings that had defined Square's iconic JRPG franchise for an entire console generation weren't just slowly phased out. With Final Fantasy 7, Square completely scorched the Earth and created a sprawling, enormous world that felt more like a William Gibson cyberpunk dystopia than a Tolkien novel.

The backgrounds in FF7 are so intricately detailed, with loving attention to detail paid to every inch of them. Some of the highlights include the town of Nibelheim and the haunting, doomed feeling of dread that the Forgotten Capital gives off so eloquently.

When most people think of 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, the ones featured in Final Fantasy 7 are easily the ones that spring to mind first. It wasn't the first to do it, and many games superseded it later, but what's on display in this timeless classic is breathtakingly beautiful.

5 Chrono Cross

Travel Through Dimensions with These Masterful Pre-Rendered Backgrounds

As sad as it is, Chrono Cross remains the last official entry in the beloved JRPG series. Despite how long it's been since a new entry, Chrono Cross came out at the perfect time for JRPGs.

The genre was booming in a big way, and Chrono Cross was happy to follow the trends of the day. Fortunately for Chrono Cross, the artists at Square had become certified professionals at creating these backgrounds by the time it launched in 2000.

Chrono Cross felt similar to more of the classic JRPGs from Square's past outings. The vibrant colors, intricate detail and more traditional fantasy aesthetics are so warm and pleasing to the eye even all these years later.

4 Final Fantasy 8

Whatever

After abandoning knights and wizards in exchange for super soldiers and guns with Final Fantasy 7, Square was keen to continue that trend for the eighth entry. By this time, they had become rather adept at the concept of creating impressively detailed pre-rendered backgrounds.

While the first PS1 entry went for more of a cyberpunk vision, Final Fantasy 8 focused on more of a pure science fiction setting. It almost has the feeling of an old Syd Mead painting, steeped in a sort of 80s-esque scifi aesthetic.

And the deeper into the game you get, the more bizarre and outlandish Final Fantasy 8's backgrounds get. Once you get to locations like Esthar and the Lunar Base, the game really starts to expand its wings in some beautiful ways.

3 Parasite Eve

The Cinematic RPG

Survival horror JRPGs aren't nearly as prominent these days as they should be. It's still such a brilliant mash-up of two distinct genres, and one that the 1998 classic Parasite Eve did to spooky perfection.

What really stands out about the backgrounds in Parasite Eve to me is the detail. Many of these backgrounds have a lot of fine details, but it's the way that Parasite Eve uses them to build out its world in both small and big ways that is so impressive.

They also make use of some incredible angles. It's not called 'The Cinematic RPG' for no reason, as this haunted masterpiece feels like the perfect blend of film and video games in a way that no game quite has ever since.

2 The Legend Of Dragoon

Sony Got in on the Fun

It wasn't just Final Fantasy and Resident Evil using pre-rendered backgrounds back in the day. Sony wanted in on some of the action, putting Japan Studio on their very own epic JRPG with pre-rendered backgrounds.

The end result was The Legend of Dragoon, an absolutely magnificent JRPG that I just recently had the chance to go back and replay. In addition to its spectacular combat holding up, it has some of the most lushly detailed, beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds ever seen.

What really stands out about the backgrounds in The Legend of Dragoon is the variety. Navigating its world map is delightful, and each area brings something new to the table.

You'll go from huge capital cities to a dragon-infested cave, all the way to underground caves. It has some of the most varied environmental design I've ever seen in a JRPG.

1 Valkyrie Profile

These Backgrounds Will Take You to Valhalla

To this day, there's no JRPG that I've played that hits the same notes that Valkyrie Profile did. Nor any JRPG that features the same level of beautiful, wonderfully detailed pre-rendered backgrounds.

The whole game really feels like an ancient painting brought to life. Wandering the environments just feels so alluring, as each new area promises something gorgeous to stare at.

It also makes use of background visual effects and looping elements to bring the environments to life even more. Gentle snow falling, animated clouds and flickering fire sprites all just look so lovely in motion.

Valkyrie Profile is still one of the most brilliant, amazing-looking JRPGs you can find today. It is in desperate need of a re-release on modern hardware, as everyone needs to experience the unparalleled beauty that this game's backgrounds create so effortlessly.