The Best JRPGs Released in the 2020s

RPGs in general have been experiencing an incredible decade, and JRPGs have had several notable releases in that mix with more to come over the next few years. While this subgenre hasn't yet had a game released this decade that created the same level of buzz as classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 (I know some consider Expedition 33 a JRPG-adjacent), there are plenty of must-play new titles if you like JRPGs, or if you're just now getting into the genre.

When you feel like the world is against you, few genres provide more comfort than JRPGs. I always love seeing characters fight against fate and win, and experiencing that kind of journey often leaves you with a bit more determination to survive your current problems in real life.

10 Super Mario RPG

A Classic JRPG Updated for the Switch

Originally released in 1996 and created in partnership with Square, the company that would later become Square Enix, Super Mario RPG received a remake that was released on the Nintendo Switch. Not only is it a classic JRPG from the past, it's now the perfect JRPG if you're just getting started in the genre.

Mario doesn't have to go on his adventure alone this time, and instead, you build a team of familiar characters with a few new characters to help Mario out. It's not too long of a game, which adds to it being a great starter JRPG, but it has the hallmarks of the genre combined with a familiar universe, making it hard not to enjoy Super Mario RPG.

9 Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

Final Fantasy's Sister Series

SaGa was created by the game designer behind the first two Final Fantasy games, and both series have some similarities, as you'd expect. Romancing SaGa 2 is the second game of the Romancing SaGa series, but you can play it without playing the other games and not lose context from it. While the original game was released in the 90s, it received a remake in the 2020s.

The SaGa games were designed to be more difficult than Final Fantasy, making them perfect if you want a challenge. However, you have the same blend of science fiction and fantasy, which makes it surprising that SaGa games seem to be forgotten when compared to Final Fantasy, but the release of a polished version of Romancing SaGa 2 makes it a must-play JRPG, especially if you enjoy the classics.

8 Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The End of the Trilogy

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 brings the trilogy's story to an end after unlimited hours of gameplay among the three games, with each entry containing over a hundred hours each if you explore everything they have to offer. The overall story is a rather classic JRPG setup with a war going on and the mystery of both the reason the war is being fought along with the nature of the world the characters live in.

If you want a game world that you can get lost in, then any Xenoblade is perfect for you. Each area is beautiful, and you can do so much side content along with just exploring. Then, you realize that it's been hours, and you've made no progress on the main quests because the characters and their world distracted you so thoroughly.

7 Persona 3 Reload

Only Missing One Thing

Persona, as a series, includes a blend of genres that lead to you spending more time than expected playing the game, especially because of the social simulator features they include. By the time you get to Persona 3, the series has come into its own as games about identity and coming of age.

While Persona 3 Reload remains a remake of one of the best JRPG series, I will forever be upset that this remake didn't include the female protagonist you could play as in the Persona 3 Portable. This is the only Persona game that offers a female protagonist option, giving you two perspectives to explore in the narrative, but for some reason, she didn't make it into the remake.

6 Triangle Strategy

A JRPG for Strategists

Many JRPGs focus on the characters who are part of the story being told, using their positions and motives to drive the narrative forward. Triangle Strategy instead has more of a story-driven style where the characters feel like they're part of the ride rather than the drivers of it.

However, the world is interesting and the focus on strategy for gameplay makes you think. In that way, it feels like Final Fantasy Tactics, and since each character has limited abilities, you have to figure out how to build and use them in the most effective way, and that feels like its own game.

5 Octopath Traveler 2

Eight Stories in One

Octopath Traveler 2, like the first game, uses the HD-2D style that Square Enix developed, which is a beautiful style that blends pixel graphics with a more 3D setting. You don't need to play other Octopath games to jump right into this one, and honestly, all of them are worth playing. I think that this is going to be known as one of the best JRPG series as new games continue being made for it.

The star of Octopath Traveler 2 is the cast of characters. There are eight playable characters, giving you a diverse party to work with in combat that lets you experiment and find the combination that works for your playstyle. Each character has their own story, and learning about them is a huge draw for the game.

4 Yakuza: Like a Dragon

The Strangest JRPG You'll Play

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the seventh entry (eighth if you consider Yakzua 0) of the Yakuza series, and in these games, Kiryu isn't the main protagonist. Instead, you follow Ichiban Kasuga on a journey that can only be described as complex in a way that's difficult to explain without essentially writing an entire novel instead of just playing the game, which is much easier to do and more fun.

Like a Dragon is ridiculous in the best way, making it a perfect option when you want a lighter JRPG instead of ones where you have to save the world. There are some serious moments, but a lot of humor and side content that's going to keep you occupied for dozens of hours.

3 Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

A Straightforward Persona-Like Game

Shin Megami Tensei V, like Persona, puts you in the role of a high school student who ends up in the middle of fantastical circumstances. In this case, you end up in the middle of a war between angels and demons. Without the social simulator features or an open world, SMTV gives you a stripped-down experience that's more straightforward compared to many JRPGs.

Vengeance is the definitive version of Shin Megami Tensei V, and the improvements make it the better version of an already great game. While SMTV is one of the best JRPGs of this decade, you'll find that it's not an outlier in the series, and the older games are definitely worth playing if you enjoy this one.

A New Hit From Atlus

Atlus is usually known for the Persona series, but the studio released a new IP with a similar style in a brand-new setting, and that's Metaphor: ReFantazio. The world is a fantasy setting with medieval inspiration that mirrors the real world, and the story starts with the classic problem of a king being assassinated and the subsequent fallout.

Metaphor was a pleasantly surprising release, and it has all the traits of a classic JRPG with the polish that comes from a team familiar with the genre. If you enjoy the Persona games, then you'll definitely enjoy this game that is, hopefully, the start of a new franchise.

1 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

A Retelling of a Heartbreaking Tale

As the middle portion of Final Fantasy 7’s remake trilogy, Rebirth has the most memorable moment of the game included as you reach the end of it. Whether you played the original game or the remake is your first time playing FF7, Aerith’s death hits hard. I knew it was coming and still cried because I maintained hope that her fate could change.

That aside, the entirety of FF7 Rebirth lets you explore Gaia in a way you never could in the original game. Every area has been expanded on and given new life, making it feel fresh even for seasoned players. In many ways, FF7 is helping redefine what a remake can be.

JRPGs come with expectations about what the gameplay and story usually include, but the overall genre offers a lot of variation that sometimes gets overlooked when you have only a few franchises that spill over and are picked up by players who don't usually pick JRPGs. With the number of remakes and remasters being released, this decade feels light on original titles in JRPGs so far, but at the same time, being able to replay classic JRPGs is its own joy.