The Xbox 360 was a great console. I have a lot of memories with my 360, even if I got way late into that console generation. One of them was of me accidentally breaking my ceiling fan while playing a Kinect game. True story.
10 Most Addictive JRPGs
When that “just one more quest” becomes a hundred hours more.
My 360 narrowly dodged the start of me starting a deep dive into my love for a good JRPG. It’s probably a good thing, too, because there weren’t many JRPGs on it when all was said and done. I’d have probably run out of games to play sooner or later.
Instead, my PS4 became my JRPG machine. I spent my time with Kingdom Hearts III and Tales of Zestiria instead of playing Russian Roulette with what the 360 had. I could have possibly soured my love for the genre prematurely if I somehow ran into one of the games on this list.
7 Spectral Force 3: Innocent Rage
Perfect For The Anime Fan Stuck In The Early 2000s
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Released |
July 29, 2008 (NA) |
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Developers |
Idea Factory, XPEC Entertainment |
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Publishers |
Idea Factory, Atlus USA |
The idea of a sort of Fire Emblem game coming from Atlus probably sounds like a worthwhile endeavor to some. Too bad it wasn’t developed by them. Spectral Force 3: Innocent Rage has merits to it, but it really depends on the type of person you are if those positives are something you’ll enjoy. Spectral Force 3 doesn’t really rock the boat for the genre too much, and it certainly illustrates where it used to be. If you grew up when anime started getting huge with western audiences, though, this game is a perfect time capsule for you.
It has everything. Hammy voice acting that made me cry with laughter, an over-the-top and weird story, and character designs pulled out of an anime that’d air on Toonami. Basically, what I’m saying is that Spectral Force 3 might be one of those “so bad it’s good” games with worthwhile strategic gameplay for the right people. If you’re not into that, then this game will be a total waste of time.
6 Infinite Undiscovery
Could’ve, Would’ve, Should’ve.
I don’t think I could’ve gone through this list without featuring at least one Tri-Ace game. Infinite Undiscovery is that very title, though whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on who you ask. It’s mostly remembered for being a bit bizarre and is typically seen as a good example of the slippery slope JRPGs were facing at the time with balancing development struggles with developers’ ambitions. Tri-Ace experimented with forcing the player to make real-time permanent decisions with this game, but the gimmick was eclipsed by how good or bad its basic mechanics were.
The crafting was enough to give plenty of players gray hairs, and some people hate the way the game’s poorly balanced systems force you to grind for cash in a way that almost feels like padding. Despite that, the story sticks with some people and Infinite Undiscovery’s more lofty goals pay off in surprising ways at times. At the end of the day, its flaws make it hard to recommend, so those who might not be too patient with an older game may want to find something else to play.
5 Blue Dragon
One Confusing Exclusive
If you’re looking for a new game that represents the late Akira Toriyama’s wonderful legacy, I suggest you look elsewhere. While the character designs and art direction are without a doubt great examples of Toriyama’s work, they’re not written very well with very little development to make the story matter in the 3 discs that Blue Dragon had. If that doesn’t deter you, it also runs poorly on the 360, even though that’s what it’s built for and still trapped on.
10 Hard To Beat JRPGs
These JRPGs will either test your skills, patience, or even both.
If nothing else, I’m personally convinced this game is cursed. A friend of mine played through this game and dealt with all kinds of issues, from corrupted save data all the way to having two different Xbox 360 red rings in her journey to experience it. And to add to that, my computer froze and had to be shut down in order to keep writing this. Yeah. This game must be cursed, right?
4 Operation Darkness
You Know What World War 2 Needs? Vampires, Zombies, and Werewolves.
Operation Darkness is a strategy JRPG like Spectral Force 3: Innocent Rage, but with several different twists to the genre and what you might expect from it. First off, it takes place in World War II. Secondly, the maps you play in adjust to match the gunfire and range abilities a real battlefield would ask for. Thirdly, the Nazis use zombies, and they also have vampires in their higher ranks. Did I mention the main character can become a werewolf?
If you think this game sounds cool, then I’m going to have to break your heart by saying that it falls victim to familiar flaws from this console generation. The camera is your worst nightmare, Operation Darkness doesn’t communicate about important mechanics like permadeath, and it’s one of those games that starts tough and only gets better the more you go out of your way to keep playing it. You have to be very forgiving to try this game and like it.
3 Magna Carta 2
I Played MagnaCarta 2 And All I Got Was This T-Shirt
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Released |
October 13, 2009 (NA) |
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Developers |
Softmax |
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Publishers |
Namco Bandai Games |
Let’s be honest, I wasn’t going to get through this list without mentioning a weirdly numbered standalone game, either. Yes, MagnaCarta 2 is a standalone title, so you don’t need to play the other two games to understand anything. What you might need, if you want to try this game out, is a lack of experience with JRPGs. MagnaCarta 2 deals with the same stories we’re already used to: a boy with amnesia bonds with a girl who dies, and he swears to get revenge for her. MagnaCarta 2 breaks through these tropes, but subverting them has become its own expectation if you’ve played enough JRPGs.
It isn’t entirely a bad game, but considering the small number of JRPGs on the Xbox 360, you might enjoy your time with plenty of other games on the console more than with MagnaCarta 2. There aren’t many things that MagnaCarta 2 does that other games don’t also do in general, if not better. If you’ve overturned every other rock first and have a JRPG itch to scratch, though, have at it.
2 Culdcept Saga
Brings A Whole New Meaning To “Longplays”
Alright, I’m aware this one is a bit of a stretch. Take that up with the drought of JRPGs for the Xbox 360, not me. Culdcept Saga is a boardgame with deckbuilder mechanics. If you ask me, it reminds me of some of the Yu-Gi-Oh games from back in the day in the way the board and cards look and act.
Culdcept Saga certainly looks like a very intriguing game from the box art, screenshots, and any gameplay footage you might stumble onto. In fact, card development took over a year because the Culdcept Saga developers allowed all sorts of artists from across Japan to make art for the cards with very little restrictions. Unfortunately, the game’s held back by its own mechanics as the boardgame card battles can take over four hours at its absolute worst. If you’ve got no issues with spending an entire gaming session playing one round of Magic The Gathering Monopoly, this might be a hidden gem for you. Otherwise, there’s nothing to see here. Move along.
1 Enchanted Arms
And The Award For Worst JRPG Soundtrack Ever Goes To…
I could probably save you some time and take everything I said about MagnaCarta 2, put it here, and say “but worse” and call it a day. That wouldn’t be a fun, informative read, but Enchanted Arms pretty much is that, though. The battle system is entertaining to use, but that’s where it all stops. The plot deals with history repeating and a high school student is left to deal with a revolt of golem slaves happening again after it has faded into myth. Now, picture that with bad presentation, voice acting, and a horribly stereotypical gay character thrown on top.
This game is pretty much everything JRPG players hate. It hasn’t aged well, the battle system has mechanics and grinding that shoots itself in the foot, the characters feel like cardboard cut-outs, bad music, the works. It’s the epitome of being a game that you should avoid. I already have three better recommendations off the top of my head: Tales of Vesperia, Bastion, and Final Fantasy 13.
Yeah. It’s bad that I’m saying you should play Final Fantasy 13 over this.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
