JRPGs Where You Don't Play a Set Character

One of the defining characteristics of JRPGs is the use of a fixed cast of characters. We rarely have agency over narrative outcomes and often act more like spectators to their adventures. Because of that, the RPG elements usually come from progression systems, leveling, exploration, and other details.

However, occasionally, some JRPGs emerge without a set character. Instead, we must create one from scratch using the game's specific character creation system. That doesn't mean the story isn't fixed, because it is, but it does mean we can create a protagonist based on our image.

Still, there are some JRPGs where, even with a character made according to our preferences, completely silent and often blending into the background during cutscenes, we are still pivotal to the story's resolution. Here, I'll list a few JRPGs where, despite the lack of a set character, they may still remain quite good and coherent with their narratives.

8 Etrian Odyssey

Create a Whole Party from Scratch

If you want a JRPG where you don't just create your main character but your entire party, Etrian Odyssey is the way to go. If any series can be called Japanese Wizardry, it's this one. To keep things grounded, I'll use the recently released Etrian Odyssey 1 HD Remaster as the basis for my argument.

As soon as you start Etrian Odyssey 1 HD Remaster, you need to name your guild and then register adventurers. You choose a class, a premade portrait, name your adventurer, and that's it, they join your guild. It's not exactly cutting-edge innovation in character creation, but the point is that you can recycle and recreate your party at any time.

And that's actually encouraged in Etrian Odyssey. Using new classes, testing different formations, exploring and re-exploring dungeons, that's what makes the series beloved by players who prefer exploration and challenge over story-heavy JRPGs. And yes, even more so for the masochists who refuse to use auto-mapping.

7 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

Square Returns to Nintendo

One of the conditions for Square to bring its games back to Nintendo consoles was to produce a new Final Fantasy series. That's how Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was born. Its mythology draws heavily from classic Final Fantasy elements, but with new settings, races, and a different gameplay style.

At the start of the game, we choose an avatar from one of four races, pick a hairstyle, and that's it. Soon after, we're introduced to a world filled with miasma and taught how to traverse it, a lesson that also summarizes an essential aspect of the gameplay. We alternate between action combat and monster slashing while carrying a vessel that protects us from the dangers of the miasma.

The biggest highlight of Crystal Chronicles is multiplayer, which makes protecting players from the miasma while fighting enemies far more engaging. There are also systems like overlapping magic to unleash stronger spells that work best online. Don't expect an ambitious mainline Final Fantasy, but rather a fun, cozy experience.

6 Monster Hunter Stories

Riding into the Wild

Although we create characters in Monster Hunter games, I prefer going with Monster Hunter Stories because it follows a more traditional JRPG blueprint. We play as a custom-made Rider who finds a Rathalos egg that, once hatched, imprints on the player like a baby turkey. From there, and through increasingly dire situations, a bond forms between humans and monsters.

The entire gameplay loop of Monster Hunter Stories revolves around befriending monsters, usually by shamelessly stealing their eggs, and using them to explore, battle, and more. Battles follow a rock-paper-scissors system, where one option always trumps another.

The joy for fans lies in seeing the Monster Hunter mythology presented in a new format. Instead of repeatedly killing the same monsters and carving them to the bone, we tame them and live alongside them, nurturing and customizing each one. Still, don't expect a flamboyant plot, as the narrative follows a more traditional JRPG structure and focuses on telling a straightforward story.

5 Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

A Novelty for the Franchise

Dragon Quest is one of the few JRPG franchises that has followed the same formula since its inception, introducing innovations one feature at a time. Dragon Quest IX brought custom-created characters as its main novelty, which doesn't significantly impact the narrative since our protagonists are silent blank slates. Still, it greatly supports another new feature, multiplayer.

We also create our party from scratch, much like in Dragon Quest III. From there on, we embark on a quest to restore our protagonist's Celestrian powers and defeat the evil forces threatening the Realm of the Almighty.

As mentioned, one of the reasons for having a custom character in Dragon Quest IX is multiplayer. You can take your hero into a friend's local multiplayer session and play together from there. You're free to explore the entire world the host has uncovered and even fight separate battles. It's a really neat gameplay feature that later served as the foundation for Dragon Quest X's MMO experience.

4 Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road

A Generational Talent

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road was released recently and surprised the JRPG fanbase, and by that I mean me. Not only did it sell 500,000 units in less than a week, but it also reached a peak of over 50,000 concurrent players on Steam. For a football-based JRPG, that's nothing to sneeze at.

And yes, it feels like I'm cheating a bit here, because in Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, you do play as a set character, at least in Story Mode. We follow the journey of Destin Billows (Sasanami Unmei in Japanese), a boy who can't play football and decides to start his own club. And who can join that club? That's right, your custom-made avatar.

While Destin handles everyday matters and rock-paper-scissors-style battles, our avatar participates in football matches (after completing a side quest in later Chapters). We can also use our avatar in every other mode. At first, it might feel like Victory Road has everything except football, but trust me, there's so much enjoyment packed into it that it's bound to win you over. Expect a content-rich game perfect for players who love surprises around every corner.

3 Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Prepare to Immerse Yourself for Hundreds of Hours

Level-5 is one of the few developers that consistently opts for custom-made characters in its JRPGs. I just mentioned Inazuma Eleven, but in the same year, they also released Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, a beautiful sandbox JRPG.

You create your character as soon as you start the game, and after some story events, you find a deserted island that's up to you to restore to its former glory. You do this by changing your Lives, a fancy name for classes, something you'll be doing constantly. One moment you're fighting monsters, the next you're mining, fishing, completing a daily task, and then repeating the cycle.

Every single thing you do in Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is accounted for, leveling you up and encouraging deeper engagement with its systems. The game will completely devour your free time as you explore its sprawling open island, shaping it to your liking either alone or in four-player multiplayer.

2 Code Vein

Most Important Player-Created Avatar

I'm not the biggest fan of Soulslikes, but I do love JRPGs. So when I saw Bandai releasing a kind of JRPG Soulslike, I had to give it a shot, and I liked it. Code Vein features all the standard Soulslike mechanics, but with a presentation and narrative far more rooted in JRPG traditions. Yes, that means there's a proper story in my Soulslike.

Like most Soulslikes, we create a character from scratch using a surprisingly robust customization system. From the get-go, we learn that despite being silent and having the facial expressions of someone who overdid the Botox, we're an essential character to the plot, arguably the most important one.

That's what sets Code Vein apart, not just from other player-made character JRPGs, but from Soulslikes in general: we actually matter in the central conflict. Sure, the gameplay may not be on par with more recent Soulslike releases, but that's precisely why you should keep an eye out for Code Vein II, which will undoubtedly raise the bar to match its contemporaries.

1 Xenoblade Chronicles X

World Explorer

I first played Xenoblade Chronicles X on my Wii U right after finishing Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. The systems felt familiar, so it didn't take long to grasp the combat. The narrative, however, was entirely different. Going from the charismatic and talkative Shulk to a blank-slate custom character was quite the whiplash.

The thing is, I never really felt like the protagonist in Xenoblade Chronicles X. That role belonged to Elma. Our purpose was simply to explore and nurture (conquer) the world of Mira, and I was perfectly fine with that. Sometimes it's okay to be just another cog in the machine that keeps the world spinning. All that changed with Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition release.

The new storyline gave our character more importance, and while the ending was quite divisive, I enjoyed it. It finally felt like an actual Xenoblade moment, if you know what I mean. And even if you prefer the original ending, don't worry, it's still there. Or you can just keep exploring and dominating Mira aboard your Skells and ignore everything introduced in the Definitive Edition altogether.