20-Year-Old JRPGs That Still Hold Up

Summary

• Final Fantasy 12 was ahead of its time, offering unique gameplay systems and a politically focused plot.
• Valkyria Chronicles combines tactical combat with a heart-warming story set in a fantasy World War II.
• Digital Devil Saga is an underrated gem with a great story and challenging battle system, making it a remaster-worthy classic.

Even though 20 years seems like a long time ago, especially in the world of video games, some of the most classic or entertaining JRPGs were released during that time. Whether they had an engaging story, an interesting battle system, or a phenomenal soundtrack, a lot of games from two decades prior still hold up in today's day and age.

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Provided you manage to actually find some room in your ever-growing backlog of games to play, make sure to check out some of these classics. They all have something unique about them that makes them worth it to revisit after so many years, even for new players to JRPGS.

10 Final Fantasy 12

A Bold Direction For The Series

Many players considered Final Fantasy 12 to be "ahead of its time" when it was first released. It featured a lot of unique systems new to the series at that point, like the gambit system and job boards.

The game is still worth playing through 20 years later, and has been made even more accessible by Square Enix through its relatively recent remaster. If you like games with a focus on party setup, unique jobs and roles, and a politically focused plot, this classic is for you.

9 Valkyria Chronicles

Love On The Battlefield

Valkyria Chronicles is a unique tactical JRPG that has you take command of a squad of soldiers during a fantasy world equivalent of World War II. You will find yourself fighting for your national sovereignty as the Principality of Gallia as you fend off the advances of the Imperial Alliance in the east.

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Combat is conducted by selecting units from a birds-eye tactical map and then controlling said units live on the battlefield during an action round. Units can even be selected multiple times, though this has diminishing returns. All in all, a great tactical game with a heart-warming (and wrenching) story to follow along with fun combat.

8 Ar Tonelico: The Melody of Elemia

A Delight For Your Ears

If you're a music lover, then the Ar Tonelico series is for you. Featuring some of the most unique and hauntingly beautiful songs in JRPGs, the soundtrack is loaded with entries that really make your emotions soar during key moments throughout the game.

The combat is a relatively simple turn-based system, but with a twist. Your team consists of a vanguard of three fighters with one magic caster in the back, called a Reyvateil, that must be protected as she sings songs to cast spells. While you keep your Reyvateil partner safe, she will dole out huge amounts of damage or large party buffs in return.

7 Dragon Quest 8

A Classic Adventure

Dragon Quest 8 is one of the most stereotypical JRPGs you will find. Being part of the long-running Dragon Quest series, there is plenty of history and refinement in every game they release, and Dragon Quest 8 is no exception.

It features a fun and memorable cast of characters, out to save their cursed kingdom and fight a lot of monsters along the way. It was also the first game in the series to use fully 3D environments and cel-shading, making it still hold up graphically today compared to other titles. A great game to sink many hours into.

6 Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

Fun And Challenging

For the more hardcore players out there, it's hard to beat a mainline Shin Megami Tensei game at difficulty, and Nocturne is the classic example. Despite being over 20 years old, the game is still notorious for its difficulty and, sometimes, its unfairness. Truly a game made for those looking for a challenge.

8 JRPG Bosses With Impossibly High HP

Boss fights are often used to test your skills in the game, but some are closer to being a war of attrition.

Utilizing the press turn system, taking advantage of enemy weaknesses or critical hits grants your party an extra turn to use before the enemies move. Enemies, however, can also do the same to you. This can lead to the hilarious, if not painfully cruel, result of enemies wiping out your whole party because of one mistake or an unfortunate enemy advantage.

5 Final Fantasy 10

A Timeless Classic

Final Fantasy 10 was a hallmark JRPG right at the beginning of the PlayStation 2's life-cycle back in the day. It featured some of the best graphics of any game at the time of release and a moving story that has managed to stick in the minds of JRPG fans for years after.

While the combat is turn-based, and doesn't feature the active time battle system the series was known for up to that point, it managed to achieve a sort of elegance in its simplicity. The combat can be a strategic challenge later on, but offers the player every opportunity to plan and strategize before and during major fights, making it an almost relaxing experience.

4 Kingdom Hearts

Dearly Beloved

It's almost easy to forget that the original Kingdom Hearts is over 20 years old by this point, given how many times the game has been remastered or re-released by Square Enix. Kingdom Hearts 2 is also just about two decades old as well and both of these games are still very much worth your time.

Great JRPGs Without Turn-Based Combat

Turn-based combat is synonymous with JRPGs, but the genre has proven to be more than willing to focus on real-time action. These games highlight that.

The action combat is still as snappy and compelling as always, and offers plenty of opportunity to master and get the most out of it. If you can stomach the sometimes confusing plot, Kingdom Hearts still remains a great game and series to dive into today.

3 Suikoden 3

A Slept On Gem

The Suikoden series has seen a recent resurgence with the announcement of remasters of the first two games and the release of games like Eiyuden Chronicle. Suikoden 3 built on the systems of its predecessors and almost perfected it, making it a great game to play.

It features well over 100 party members to recruit and follows a split narrative between three (technically four) protagonists that you switch between at the end of chapters. While the graphics are not too impressive or pretty, the story and the gameplay more than make up for it, and the characters are incredibly memorable.

2 Wild Arms: Alter Code F

New And Familiar Together

A remake of the original Wild Arms game, Wild Arms: Alter Code F is about as classic JRPG as you can get, despite the obvious old western atmosphere. It features a straightforward turn-based battle system with three protagonists out to save the planet from dying, with puzzles to solve, dungeons to clear, and bosses to kill.

While pretty typical for the time, the game is a joy to play. Great music, a fun and satisfying combat system, and an interesting enough plot that has enough twists and turns to keep you invested. The cast of characters are also fun to watch develop over your playthrough, so there's something for everyone in this game.

1 Digital Devil Saga

A Remaster Worthy JRPG

One of the most underrated gems of two decades ago has to be Digital Devil Saga. Building off of the systems made for the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games, Digital Devil Saga also uses the press turn battle system and practically perfects it, giving you plenty of challenge, but keeping it more balanced.

On top of a great and fun battle system, the game also has a fantastic story, keeping you invested and engaged all throughout your journey in this post-apocalyptic world filled to the brim with devils and demons to fight. The sequel, Digital Devil Saga 2, is also just as equally enjoyable, so you can't go wrong with this series. Atlus will hopefully make the series more accessible with remasters in the future.

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