The trajectory of the JRPG genre in modern gaming is a fascinating one to witness. After becoming prevalent on classic consoles, the release ofFinal Fantasy 7cemented the genre as a profitable one in the eyes of many, turning the PS1 into a hub for these amazing experiences.
However, the allure of this genre dwindled over time, only for modern players to integrate everything from visual improvements to gameplay innovations, ensuring that JRPG fans can enjoy a wealth of games in this genre once again. Some of the best JRPGs are ones that took massive risks and ended up paying dividends.
The story of an April Fools' joke dictating the gameplay shift fortheYakuzaseriesmay be overblown, but this rumor proves just how risky this move was. The real-time combat of theYakuzaseries was a joy to experience, and fans wanted to see how the Dragon Engine could enhance the action gameplay.
However, the mainline series decided to make a dramatic swerve with a new protagonist and battle mechanics that turnedYakuza: Like a Dragoninto a classic turn-based JRPG, coupled with a job system. In hindsight, perhaps it shouldn’t have been surprising that an accomplished and efficient developer like RGG Studio did justice to this gameplay shift and let players enjoy one of the best modern JRPGs of all time.
Final Fantasy 7is hailed by many as the first-ever AAA game in the industry, and it’s easy to see why this is the case. Before this title’s release, JRPGs occupied a small niche in Western markets and didn’t exactly appeal to gamers across Japan’s borders.
However, SquareSoft was so confident in this title that the marketing budget ballooned to let everyone and their mothers know about the epic adventure thatFinal Fantasy 7could take players on. It was a risky strategy that ultimately paid off whenFinal Fantasy 7broke all recordsto become one of the most popular PS1 titles of all time, ushering in the golden age of JRPGs on Sony’s console.
Persona 5was doing something special with the many previews that players got to enjoy. The art style was amazing and the gameplay looked snappy, but the game’s ambition led to it facing so many delays that fans wondered if the end product was worth this financial strain on Atlus.
It’s abundantly clear at this point thatpolishingPersona 5was a smart decisionthat helped this JRPG break new ground for the genre on modern consoles. The amazing visual flair, snappy gameplay, addictive life-sim elements, and a memorable cast of characters ensured that players will rememberPersona 5long after the adventures of the Phantom Thieves draw to a close.
Players need only look atEarthBound’s marketing strategy to see the risky game Nintendo was playing. The lack of any high fantasy elements coupled with the message that players will hate this game was a bold way to market one of the most innovative JRPGs of all time.
EarthBound’s sales were pretty lukewarm when the game initially launched, but it was only a matter of time before more and more players would experience its brilliance firsthand. This anti-JRPG was revolutionary and continues to influence modern gaming, with titles likeUndertaleandOmoribeing inspired by this masterpiece.
It’s a shame thatVagrant Storywas released so lateinto the PS1’s lifespan that most players never got to experience this amazing title for themselves. It expands the lore of Ivalice and lets players control a single character in a JRPG without traditional leveling mechanics or party members.
Instead, players only controlled Ashley Riot and used powerful equipment to ensure that they could take on powerful enemies without feeling like they’re a step behind their opposition. Lackluster sales were a disappointment, but players need only hear the bountiful praise thrown towards this title to realize how ahead of its timeVagrant Storywas.
Real-time combat in a JRPG can always be a sore point for fans who find these systems to be a bit too button-mashy and random at times. However,The World Ends With Youshowedhow innovative such a combat system could be when it tried something different.
Battles inThe World Ends With Youtook place on both the DS screens, with players using buttons for one character and the touchscreen for the other. It was a chaotic yet satisfying combat system that paired well with the game’s stylish presentation, turning it into a beloved JRPG that continues to receive updated releases on modern consoles (even if these re-releases have to make compromises to make the combat system easier to play on a single screen).
It’s easy to labelXenogearsas a failure, with the game promising the moon in the first disc only to force players through excruciating paragraphs of text in the game’s second half. It was both a product and victim of Tetsuya Takahashi’s ambition, whose inexperience as a video game developer meant thatXenogearsfell flat long before its ending.
However, the game was still a massive success for theXenoseries, with its ambitious creator never giving up and creating his own company to make this vision a reality. Fast-forward to today, and it’s clear thatthe risksXenogearstookset the foundation forXenoblade Chroniclesto flourish as a must-play first-party title on Nintendo’s hardware.
Final Fantasy 12is a game that took huge risks, serving as the first mainline single-playerFinal Fantasygame after SquareSoft and Enix merged. It used the lessons it learned fromFinal Fantasy 11’s development to let players enjoy a hybrid combat system where deciding the priorities of party members with the Gambit system was imperative for players to come out victorious.
Final Fantasy 12may feel daunting to get into at first glance, but the world of Dalmascia is so beautiful and immersive that fans will lose themselves in these vast environments with ease. The epic story and ensemble cast ensure that the central conflict is never overshadowed by a single party member, emulating a lot of what madeFinal Fantasy 6such a special title.
