Most Common Biomes Found in Nearly All JRPGs

In our JRPG journeys that start by killing a rat and eventually lead us to face an almighty deity, we cross through various distinct biomes that better illustrate the world we traverse.

It is an elegant and subtle way to deliver environmental storytelling. Maybe that verdant and peaceful plain at the start doesn't show the horrors of that JRPG world, like the blackened mountains that lead to the villain's castle, for instance.

After going through hundreds of JRPG journeys, I started noticing that some environments repeat themselves, either because they are common to any heroic adventure or because they offer engaging thematic variety to the player.

In today's topic, I will bring the 10 most common biomes found in JRPGs, the kind that, no matter how often we see them, never get old and are always a delight to explore.

10 Volcano

Hot, Hot, Hot

Volcano, lava, and even the Fire Cavern where we get Ifrit in Final Fantasy VIII apply here. You know that hot place usually filled with lava jets that damage the entire party if we walk in carelessly? Yeah, that one.

No matter how lush or refreshing an area is, just cross one screen, and suddenly we are inside a volcanic zone in a JRPG. No complaints here, because as someone who always has a soft spot for the fire element, this only means these biomes will give me some fire-based weapon.

Besides that, volcanic biomes are packed with fiery enemies, which means that using and abusing water or sometimes ice magic is an effective strategy to steamroll all of them.

9 Snow

Snowboarding Time

When I am walking through a zone and suddenly start seeing traces of snow up ahead, I already know what awaits me: an ever-snowing region is coming. That is curious, right? It is not that the area is in winter, but that it is always cold and snowy.

What I like most about this biome is that it usually swings to two extremes. It is either a melancholic, isolated place, forgotten by the world, like a Russian prison, or a welcoming, holiday-tinged area that offers a gentle chance to warm up our weary party. Rarely is it something in between.

If you really love snowy regions, I recommend I Am Setsuna. The whole world is covered in snow, which does not exactly scream creativity, but it is still pretty. It feels like a white sheet has covered the entire JRPG world.

8 Swamp

Yuck, I Stepped On Something

I must confess I was a bit surprised to see that swamps are not as predominant in JRPGs as I thought. We have some famous areas, like Satorl Marsh in Xenoblade Chronicles or the Hydra Marshes in Chrono Cross, but in general, they are relatively scarce.

Lucky us, I guess. Swamps, both in games and in real life (never been in one, actually), are not among the most hospitable biomes out there. They look humid, mucky, and full of venomous creatures that would love to drain our HP, and in games, that is precisely what happens.

On top of that, it is common to find enemies with a penchant for poison attacks or other debuffs, as well as terrain filled with harmful traps. In hindsight, I am glad we do not have that many swamps in JRPGs, and even when we do, none is as insidious as Blighttown.

7 Desert

Time To Get Lost

If there is a biome I hate more than swamps, it would be the desert. Or any sand-based environment, really. In real life, I avoid beaches because I hate sand sticking to me, so this dislike reflects in games as well. And in JRPGs, this is even more warranted because the desert often means "you will get lost, loser."

Maybe this is Breath of Fire III's Desert of Death PTSD talking, but come on, what a sad, pitiful biome. It is sand after sand and more sand with the occasional oasis and maybe a traveling caravan of gypsies to keep our items stocked. It is really underwhelming.

The worst part is that some JRPGs decide to crank up the hate factor by adding pitfalls or even the notoriously painful quicksand that drags you to a secluded zone and forces you to redo the desert from the start. Ok, granted, there are a few interesting deserts in some games, like the Crystal Desert in Trials of Mana. But the rule of thumb? They will suck.

6 Mountain

Don't Look Down

Mountains in JRPGs often mean we are climbing somewhere to find a winged creature that will serve as a flight mechanic in the overworld or a long-lost relic. We rarely enter a mountain and exit on the other side; it is more often a one-way trip.

It is a pretty standard biome not only in JRPGs but in games in general. Mountains are almost symbolic of adventure, and that is exactly why we like them. Some of them test our patience a bit, like Mt. Scurvy in Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song, which requires a high proficiency level to explore, but in general, they are pretty straightforward.

Since we are constantly climbing, we often encounter flying enemies. Just make sure to bring some Archers or lightning-aspected spells to deal with them. Yeah, I did not make the rules, but wind is usually weak to lightning. It is a Square Enix thing, I believe.

5 Sewer

Yuck, Something Stepped On Me

I know sewers are not considered a natural biome, but they are too memorable not to include on this list. By the way, sewers can be regarded as an artificial biome and, from my perspective, a sort of human-made swamp. Does it make sense? Certainly not, but there are some common denominators.

It is also moist, disgusting and filled with enemies that will cripple us slowly with their venomous fangs and claws. Unlike swamps, though, sewers do not present many traps. Still, you will definitely find some mechanical apparatus involving endless levers that will either open a locked door or lower a bridge.

The biggest problem is that the sewer environment is very tedious and easy to get lost in. Take Grancel Sewers in Trails in the Sky, for instance. It is split into three different zones, but they all look the same, and that applies to most sewers in JRPGs. Still, I accept that we need a bit of discomfort in our heroic JRPG adventure.

4 Ocean

Hoist Your Sails

One of the greatest joys in old-school JRPGs was exploring the overworld. First, we went on foot, then maybe on a mount that sped things up, and eventually got a ship to reach other continents before getting an airship. The ship, however, was the first time the world truly opened up to us, allowing us to expand our adventure considerably.

In some JRPGs, sailing through the ocean is not peaceful because random battles continue, as in Dragon Quest. In others, it is even possible to go underwater and explore new regions, potentially increasing the overworld's scope overnight.

Regardless of whether you like the ocean as a biome in JRPGs or not, it is present in practically all games, even if it is not possible to traverse it. Oceans and seas also mark the continent's boundaries and, in some games, serve as hooks for sequels that continue the journey into new regions.

3 Grasslands

As Far As The Eye Can See

There are two areas that usually work as the starting place in most JRPGs. One of them is grassland, a vast open plain that introduces the world to the player. Usually these grasslands are full of life, with harmless animals and monsters that pose no trouble to the player.

There are some exceptions, such as the Calm Lands in Final Fantasy X, which is an intermediate area with stronger enemies (but let us be honest, the biggest challenge there is the Chocobo minigame). But in general, these plains are the invitation to adventure and therefore do not present a particularly dynamic environment.

And let us be honest, we don't need them to be mindblowing. The plains are merely setting the stage for our long journey, and there is nothing better than starting with the cleanest and most straightforward location before seeing the danger and challenge level rise.

2 Caves

Hope You Brought a Torch

Nine out of ten times, a cave will be the first dungeon of a JRPG. I am kidding, I have no statistical data to back this up, but it feels quite believable, right? Because, in fact, caves are one of the main biomes in all JRPGs and, more often than not, the first one you delve into.

There is probably some game design reasoning behind why caves are usually the first major challenge in a JRPG. This biome gives me the impression of being threatening enough for a first-time adventurer hero while still being a challenge suited for a beginner. It also helps that caves are home to monsters or bandits, which justifies some plot point.

It is even hard to give a standout example of a cave in JRPGs because there are so many. But the one that marked me the most for being annoying is Mt. Moon in Pokémon Red due to the sheer number of Zubat trying to swarm me when I didn't have a single safe tile to avoid random battles.

1 Forest

The Most Prolific Biome

I mentioned that grasslands are one of the biomes that serve as a starting place in most JRPGs, with the other being forests. I don't think there is any environment more predominant, varied, and never tiring than forests. No matter if it is a sci-fi JRPG like Phantasy Star or even a dungeon crawler, we will always have a predominantly green, wooded area.

Often, the same JRPG features more than one forest, and while the first tends to be more traditional, subsequent forests offer creative iterations and visuals. Halure in Tales of Vesperia is a village built around a forest, and it is gorgeous. There is also Macalania Woods in Final Fantasy X, with its beautiful, luminous nighttime aesthetic.

Besides that, forests are usually home to distinct races, such as elves or fairies, which strengthen a JRPG's mythology. On the dangerous side of the biome, we always face flora-like enemies, with the occasional giant carnivorous plant as a boss. There is nothing more nostalgic in JRPGs than camping in a forest with your party.