Everyone wants the chance to be someone else. Regardless of how happy we are or how comfortable in our skin, sometimes, we want to see the world with different eyes. That's probably why role-playing games are so appealing in the first place — we can be someone else, even if it's just for a few hours.
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Japanese role-playing games, or JRPGs, are part of the bedrock of video games as a medium. What would the world be like if we never got to suplex a train in Final Fantasy 6? Far less rich, that's for sure. While JRPGs used to be mostly relegated to consoles, now we can find them everywhere and anywhere. So, if all you have is a PC and a Steam account, don't worry — you can get in on these iconic titles, too.
9 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Really, all the Yakuza games belong here. However, Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a great jumping-in point if you're a newbie to both JRPGs and the series. You don't need prior knowledge of the games to enjoy this entry, as it has an entirely new protagonist who is wholly unlike his predecessor.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon is the first game in the series to use turn-based combat, though that doesn't make it any less exciting. Like A Dragon's humor and zany antics, coupled with a charismatic lead, make for a great experience.
8 Dark Souls
Listen. Dark Souls is an RPG, and FromSoftware is a Japanese developer — by definition, that makes it a JRPG. It may not have the traditional turn-based combat system we traditionally associate with JRPGs, but it generally fits the bill. Notoriously tricky but infinitely rewarding, Dark Souls' popularity has created a new subgenre of its own — the Soulslike.
If you're into item descriptions, a bleak atmosphere, and the chance to engage with some deep lore, Dark Souls is the game for you. Requiring both patience and determination, pushing your way through this world-changing game may seem daunting, but the experience will prove rewarding when you look back at it.
7 Final Fantasy 7: Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy 7 is cited by many folks as the thing that got them into Final Fantasy, if not JRPGs themselves. It's a great game, though the early PS1 graphics, while impressive for the time, strike modern audiences as endearingly goofy. They do kind of look like block-people, after all. So, if you've wanted to experience the story of this timeless mega-hit, but found the graphics to be a stumbling block, then Final Fantasy 7: Remake Intergrade is for you.
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Not only is it unspeakably pretty, with impeccable character designs, but it's also just… fun. Its combat is fast-paced and engaging, the world is great to explore, and, somehow, Square Enix managed to actually remake one of the most beloved games of all time and make it better.
6 Octopath Traveler
A throwback to the JRPGs of old, if there ever was one, Octopath Traveler garnered attention the moment it was announced. Developed by Square Enix, a studio that has released countless iconic JRPGs since the 1980s, Octopath Traveler toes the line between nostalgia and innovation.
Allowing you to choose from several adventurers (don't worry — whoever you don't choose will be recruitable later), Octopath Traveler presents you with enviably rich narratives for each character. It makes sense — any of them could have been your protagonist, after all. This unique approach is only one example of the game's good qualities. The rest are waiting for you to discover them.
5 Persona 5 Royal
Half social simulation, half dungeon crawler, Persona 5 Royal is full of intriguing possibilities. You play as a high school student best known by his codename, Joker, as he goes to school, works part-time jobs, hangs out with his friends… and travels into a supernatural realm full of dungeons to fight shadowy beings who possess ill-intent in their hearts.
All an ordinary day for our protagonist and his vigilante gang, The Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Harness your Personas, and take a trip into the Metaverse — no, not that one.
4 Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata is as stylish as it is thought-provoking. Taking place in the distant future after human civilization collapsed because of endless war with alien invaders, those who remain shelter on the moon send androids down to fight in their stead. You are one of these androids fighting for humanity's freedom.
The truth of Nier: Automata is far more complicated and requires a lot of time and patience to truly unravel. As you wrestle with the question of what makes a being, you watch the characters do the same. This is the kind of game you can really sink your teeth into. And you should. You really should.
3 Nioh: Complete Edition
Set in a fantasy version of Japan in the 1600s, Nioh places you in the shoes of an Irish samurai named William as he pursues the villain throughout the nation. Efforts to unify Japan are proving difficult — demons and monsters are on the loose, and William finds himself serving a crucial role in the shifting politics of Japan.
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While you are fighting demons and monsters, hack-and-slash style, Nioh also uses historical events to serve as focal points of both the story and gameplay. Totally unbelievable though it may be, that historical context may incite an interest in history. Just, you know, take the literal monsters out of the equation.
2 Yakuza Kiwami
Our man Kiryu has it really rough. In Yakuza Kiwami, the remake of the original PS2 game, we meet our iconic series protagonist, fresh from a ten-year prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit. Attempting to put the pieces of his life back together, Kiryu finds himself embroiled in conspiracies and mysteries, meeting countless exciting characters along the way.
Yakuza is a somewhat niche but highly beloved series for a reason. It blends absurdity with seriousness deftly. Nothing proves that more than Kiryu's severe, stoic demeanor as he performs some bizarre tasks. Yakuza Kiwami is simply a must-play.
1 Final Fantasy 6
Sometimes, you want to go back to basics. While Final Fantasy 6 isn't the beginning of JRPGs as we know them, it's an undeniably important entry in the Final Fantasy series and the genre itself. With beautiful art design and an unforgettable, compelling ensemble cast, there is a reason this is many people's favorite Final Fantasy game.
The aesthetic of Final Fantasy 6 remains one of the best, not just in the series but in video games in general. Even when rendered in pixel art, you can see how much thought when into every character, place, and thing. It's a beautiful game that is well worth your time. Also, you get to suplex a train full of ghosts, which rocks.
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