JRPGs For Players Who Love Persona, But Want Something Different

The Persona franchise has always had a cult following of its own when introducing players to their first-ever JRPG or leaving them with an absolute devious case of post-game depression once they roll credits on the whole journey.

And once the dust settles, those same players often look for something that can satisfy their desperate taste buds, or possibly, something even better to help them broaden their horizons a bit. The rich and vast genre of JRPGs is genuinely filled with something for everyone, and some games that fans of the genre really should feel obligated to experience at some point.

Which is exactly why I've taken the opportunity to showcase my picks for the best JRPGs for Persona players who want something a bit different. Whether it's their core gameplay elements or unique mechanics, they carry that standout trait with pride.

8 Scarlet Nexus

High-Octane Brainiac

Kicking us off with something truly unique is an action JRPG that some might say got swept under the radar due to some generic bits, but let me say from the bottom of my apologetic heart, that Scarlet Nexus is worth your time.

Unlike Persona’s turn-based battles, Scarlet Nexus is an action RPG with real-time combat that feels closer to traditional action games, like DMC or Nier. You’ll use psychokinetic powers to throw objects, combo attacks, and combine abilities with your teammates, which, if given time, can slowly become satisfying and creative to use once the system opens up later in the game.

The two protagonists, Yuito and Kasane, both share similar story beats with their respective campaigns. Still, the bond episodes are where it truly shines, with interactions that reward you with combat perks—similar in concept to Persona’s Social Links shtick, just without the time management and dialogue choices.

7 NEO: The World Ends with You

Run it Back in Shibuya

Speaking of titles that flew under the radar, NEO: The World Ends With You not getting the attention it deserved from audiences was a shame. And hey, you can partly blame Square Enix for the awful marketing in this case.

NEO: TWEWY is essentially a soft reboot. You do have the option of playing the original game on the Nintendo DS to get some emotional impact from returning characters, but it isn't mandatory per se. The Reapers’ Game, combat rules, and core concepts of the world itself are reintroduced to you naturally.

Plus, the pin-based abilities encourage a gameplay flow where you're dishing out real-time combos and managing a strategic pin setup for almost every encounter. If you want something distinct, with a unique setting and tons of style, NEO: The World Ends With You is worth the curiosity. Just make sure to watch a recap or a story summary of the first game if you'd rather not play it for the optimal experience.

6 Star Ocean: The Second Story R

Freedom To Approach

Rarely comes a time when your choices seem consequential to the branching narrative or gameplay in a JRPG. But that's where Star Ocean: The Second Story R shines more than most JRPGs.

The game gives you total player agency when it comes to choosing your companions or party members for the adventure ahead of you. And that aspect gets further amplified when the romance options get into play, some of which romance each other, should you choose not to go after them yourself.

The choice-based approach aside, you've also got an energetic combat system that's a mix of real-time action incorporating fundamentals like positioning, dodges, counters, and skill combos. It's also got a gorgeous HD-2D visual style that can give any Persona game's flashy UI/UX a run for its money.

5 Sakura Wars

Care For a Round of Koi-Koi?

The 2019 soft reboot of Sakura Wars reimagined the series as a whole with a fresh cast of characters. And being the game where I felt like the only one out of my friend circle who knew about it, it goes to show how underrated it was and still (obviously) is, much like a couple of other games on this list.

The game is a mix of part dating-sim, part mecha-musou as you undertake missions and fight alongside allies by clearing multiple waves of enemies throughout each encounter. The overall narrative is pretty decent. It's nothing too special or anything, but the main charm or appeal is the characters. As Kamiyama, you can develop a liking for each of the five main girls and follow an individual ending route for them.

The interactions with them and other characters via the LIPS system are vividly entertaining, almost like a cheesy romcom anime. It also adds a replayability layer to get their ending sequence, but only if you do not get tired of replaying that final mission repeatedly, which, unfortunately, is mandatory for the Platinum Trophy grind.

4 Fire Emblem: Three Houses

A Teacher's Life For Me

One title that easily lives up to the statement of being akin to Persona, but simultaneously feeling completely different at the core, is Fire Emblem: The Three Houses. It's also a game that's heralded as one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo Switch.

And that's mainly because the game has a strong social-sim aspect: you spend time between battles teaching, exploring the monastery, engaging in activities, and building relationships with NPCs and students from each faction. There’s even a calendar/time management rhythm that might feel familiar to Persona players.

Most importantly, the game is largely accessible for newcomers to the series or for anyone who's not (typically) a fan of the tactical grid-based combat of these games. Plus, you can easily sink a ton of hours here due to the replayability factor, as each playthrough requires you to choose and align yourself with a specific house early on for their leader's route.

3 Octopath Traveler 2

A Journey You Won't Forget

If you love the branching narrative style of the Persona series, then surely you must've heard or seen the praise for Octopath Traveler 2. It was the game that truly perfected Square Enix's modern 2D-HD presentation and formula.

There’s much less focus on social sim elements—no calendars, no daily schedules, and no relationship building with NPCs. But to compensate for that, you've got eight different playable characters whose storylines intertwine for the penultimate payoff. That story model was present in the first entry, too, but this sequel executes it seamlessly and has more character interactions at each interval.

The story can take a while to click due to the overarching narrative across all the characters. Still, once you get the ball rolling, it's a JRPG that honors the classical foundation of strategic turn-based combat and a beautiful HD pixel art style.

2 Trails In The Sky: 1st Chapter

A Cult Classic's Makeover

The 2025 remake of Trails in the Sky won over the JRPG community, proving to be one of the best modern JRPGs, with a fantastic makeover that makes it insanely accessible and refreshing to play.

My co-worker and fellow JRPG connoisseur, Murillo, did a fantastic job in gushing about the game in his review, going as far as to make me invest in a PS5 copy for myself. And I can confidently tell you that if you love character depth and world immersion like in Persona, it's all here. Just be ready for a slower, more grounded pace, especially if you want to understand the engaging hybrid combat system.

There is more character chemistry than ever between the main cast, along with a latter half that makes you anxiously await the second chapter's release. Moreover, the highlight here is the plethora of QoL improvements that make the playing experience even more enjoyable, such as high-speed mode, a trifecta of BGM types, and a dual-voiceover option.

1 Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Because Ichiban's Number One!

The best way to sell this game to anyone is to imagine a typical cast of JRPG characters, preferably youthful ones, but the twist is just to see them as your everyday working adults, going through a midlife crisis. And that's part of what I love so much about Yakuza: Like a Dragon and its main cast.

Ichiban is one of the most endearing (yet also intentionally goofy) protagonists you'll ever see in a video game, with an intense, happy-go-lucky personality that'll make you forget any of the main protagonists in the Persona titles.

It's got the same heart and soul as previous Yakuza games. But the side content and the overall comedy factor are dialed up a notch with various mini-games like Dragon Kart, Can collecting, as well as the usual fan-favorite, Karaoke!

The turn-based combat that only manages to improve itself with the Infinite Wealth sequel still feels like a treat here, with QTE-based attacks and environmental interaction that make each encounter more vivid than the last, especially with the boss fights.

Most of all, you don't even have to play any of the previous Yakuza titles for this one, since it is generally considered a great entry point. But hey, experiencing Kiryu's rollercoaster saga isn't a crime either, since you'll come out as a changed human being by the end of it. Oh, and possibly having more post-game depression like Persona as you search for something else to fill the void afterward. .