Back in the PS3 era, JRPGs were in decline. The genre faced prejudice and mockery, and its developers struggled to pivot to Unreal Engine, which was widely used on consoles at the time. It was a bleak outlook.
JRPGs began to see a resurgence a few years ago and are stronger than ever nowadays. Not only are titles produced in Japan stealing the spotlight, but many others inspired by them are dominating the market, as seen by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s sweep at the 2025 TGAs.
8 Most Revolutionary JRPGs Every Fan Needs to Experience
These are games for those who want to dig deeper into the genre.
While countless titles are receiving remasters and ports riding the JRPG resurgence, some modern JRPGs prove the genre is better than ever, whether by adapting modern conveniences or staying true to what makes them JRPGs in the first place. This list showcases some of those titles.
I won’t include ports or remasters, but rather remakes that adapted their original works to modern devices and quality-of-life standards.
8 Unicorn Overlord
Strategy JRPGs Live On
Unicorn Overlord had a very different, extremely risky development: after all, Vanillaware had burned through its financial reserves to create the game. Luckily, it paid off: Unicorn Overlord had sold 1 million units by September, despite the game having no PC version.
Behind Vanillaware’s impeccable artistic style lies a very classic strategy RPG, shaped by references like Ogre Battle and other 90s tactical games. Producer Yamamoto calls Unicorn Overlord a natural evolution of RTS, a genre that, mind you, had been missing in action for a long time.
And that’s the beauty of Unicorn Overlord. Vanillaware proved that a good game transcends genres, trends, and the ghost of the zeitgeist. It simply exists and naturally attracts new players and fans.
I was drawn to Unicorn Overlord because I already knew the developer and trusted their work, but what kept me glued to it for hours and hours while chasing its platinum was the highly tactical battle system, the insanely rewarding exploration, and the mature story shaped(-ish) by my decisions, something predominantly seen in JRPGs.
7 Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
In With The Old and With The New
Dragon Quest is considered the forefather of JRPGs. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of how there were Japanese RPGs before Dragon Quest, because there were, but Yuji Horii’s game was the one that popularized the genre and proved that consoles could support JRPG systems, as long as they were streamlined for the time.
Years went by, the series grew immensely, but those who grew up with it know that revisiting the past is always a good idea. That’s why the HD-2D remakes of the first three Dragon Quest games were born. And although I personally prefer the duology containing the first and second games, I chose Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake because it was the pioneer that proved the genre, with a pixel-based artistic presentation, is still kicking nowadays.
Within a month of its release, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake reached 2 million sales. That is an impressive feat, especially for a JRPG that carries mechanics considered old-fashioned today, like random battles and inventory limits. It showed not only that the Dragon Quest IP remains strong, but also that fans still sincerely appreciate JRPGs rooted in the past.
6 Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Deserving Of Way More Success
To me, it’s mindblowing that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 didn’t break records by selling millions of copies in a couple of months. This game is a technological marvel from any perspective you look at it. It cemented Monolith Soft as wizards of development, making this huge sprawling open world JRPG run on Nintendo Switch, but also showed that JRPGs can, in fact, feature great sidequests.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s the third game of a series, the anime aesthetics, or the daunting combat system, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 deserved way more love than it received. All the previous Xenoblades were already excellent titles, but the fourth one in the series learned from every past feedback to forge the most refined and engaging gameplay system here. The battle is strategic and responsive, the sidequests are among the best in the genre, and the plot is just bonkers (granted, ok, I don’t like the main antagonist as much as the others).)
We can’t even use the excuse of “it launched on a failing console” because the Nintendo Switch is one of the best-selling video game systems ever, and people like to play JRPGs on it! I know I’m sounding like a nag, but it’s for a good reason. Xenoblade Chronicles’ whole series hasn’t yet sold 10 million, where every single title has the potential to hit that alone. It’s one JRPG that stays true to the J while elevating it to the nth degree.
Atlus Keeps Rocking
If there is one developer that never betrayed its own blueprint, it is Atlus. Ever since it struck gold with the release of the original Persona 3, introducing Social Links, one of the most iconic mechanics in the developer’s JRPGs, Atlus kept doubling down on it. Persona 4 was also a success, and Persona 5 became not only one of the best-reviewed JRPGs in the world, but also sold over 10 million units.
Today, however, I want to shine a spotlight on another title, also produced by Persona veteran Katsura Hashino, but set in an entirely new setting: Metaphor: ReFantazio. Metaphor spent years in development, but once it launched, it took the JRPG world by storm. It featured all the mechanics that made Atlus a renowned JRPG developer, with a fresh coat of paint, delivering an incredible fantasy world and impeccable storytelling.
Even though it was a new IP and its developers already had a proven pedigree, launching a brand-new title is always a daunting task, but Metaphor: ReFantazio did it with flying colors. The game has already surpassed 2 million sales and reinforced Atlus not only as a powerhouse but also as proof that the JRPG genre still has plenty of room to innovate and surprise.
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These JRPGs only exist thanks to the collective funding of a passionate community.
4 Digimon Story Time Stranger
Creature Collectors With Mature Themes
I don’t want to badmouth Pokémon, but for a long time, the series reigned supreme simply because it had no heavyweight competitor in the creature-collecting space. The thing is, despite the criticism, Pokémon Legends: Z-A still sold extremely well. However, the release of Digimon Story Time Stranger showed that it is possible to combine creature collecting with a more mature story and ambitious visuals.
Games in the Digimon Story series have always been fundamentally different from Pokémon, with the main similarity being turn-based battles led by creatures. All other mechanics diverge, from the execution of combat, with Digimon being closer to SMT than traditional turn-based systems, to the digivolution system itself.
Best of all, Digimon Story Time Stranger gave hope to fans of creature collectors who, for a long time, relied almost exclusively on Pokémon and a handful of amazing but scattered indie games. If future Digimon titles follow the blueprint set by Time Stranger, I see a very positive future for JRPGs featuring creatures and perhaps even a positive influence on the Pikachu-led franchise.
3 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Propelling Other JRPGs
I was hesitant to include Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 because I know there is discourse around it not being a “true” JRPG, as well as a vocal cult trying to undermine all past JRPGs, including those that directly inspired the creation of Expedition 33. But we should not give in to this loud minority of nuisances; instead, we should acknowledge Expedition 33’s influence on the genre.
As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 gained more spotlight, the developer and its creator, Guillaume Broche, naturally received more attention as well. This allowed Broche to express his love for JRPGs, highlighting long-forgotten titles such as Lost Odyssey and Shadow Hearts. The mere fact that Broche is in the news, openly praising these games, is enough to propel them toward a new audience.
You and I know that Expedition 33 is a masterpiece, as proven by the sweep it pulled off at TGA 2025. But today’s topic is modern JRPGs that prove the genre is still alive and kicking, and if there is one thing this French RPG has in abundance, it is inspiration drawn from games born in the Land of the Rising Sun. The game is unapologetically a passion project made by developers who love the genre, showing that if Expedition 33 wins, the entire JRPG genre wins alongside it.
2 Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
The Epitome of Remakes
I dove into the Trails franchise this year. I played the first two games as soon as Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter was announced, because I like to see the technical and graphical evolution of a work when comparing it to its remake. I do not regret that decision and, of all the remakes released so far, I consider Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter the ideal JRPG remake.
First, the remake changes absolutely nothing in the script. It couldn’t, after all, since the Trails series has an interconnected narrative throughout its mainline, and any text alteration would result in a severe retcon. Even so, it is impressive how each set piece is practically identical to the original, which gave me a comforting sense that Estelle and Joshua’s incredible story would remain untouched.
That doesn’t mean the remake failed to innovate. It introduced changes and improvements where appropriate, especially in gameplay. The original was released in 2004, and both veteran players and newcomers are now accustomed to modern approaches. Knowing this, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter introduced a new action-based combat layer while blending it with the classic turn-based system.
It does so in a seamless, polished way that almost feels unreal, yet it works beautifully. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter manages to be both an action JRPG and a turn-based one, although it remains primarily turn-based, especially in boss battles. The progression and equipment systems were also refined to further enhance this revamped battle system, proving that staying authentic to the past while innovating where necessary is the perfect formula for a modern JRPG remake.
1 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
I Still Believe In Final Fantasy
The Final Fantasy franchise has increasingly sought to appeal to a global audience rather than rely solely on its Japanese roots. This is no secret, as evidenced by countless interviews Yoshida gave ahead of Final Fantasy XVI’s launch, as well as the strategies Square Enix has adopted over the past few years.
To me, JRPGs have always been more creative, whimsical, and dreamlike than their Western counterparts, while still delivering mature narratives with a strong focus on character development. Square Enix has always excelled at this, even when its marketing efforts aimed to please a worldwide fanbase.
However, after playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and seeing just how unabashedly goofy and fun it is, I regained hope that the series can still deliver that childlike wonder while tackling serious, adult themes. And in the end, that is precisely what I want from a JRPG.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has become one of my favorite Final Fantasy entries in recent years. As a modern installment, it delivers a revamped combat system powered by ATB and countless minigames that are ridiculously amusing (even if they overstay their welcome a bit), all wrapped in a stunning visual presentation and engaging storytelling. I don’t have the numbers, and I doubt some sketchy activist shareholders do either. Still, I can say with absolute certainty that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth proved JRPGs can occupy the AAA space while remaining true to what they set out to be.
10 JRPGs Reviewed Better Than Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII paved the way for the genre, and these JRPGs made the most of that opportunity.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
