Summary
Most JRPGs entice players to check out the many games in this genre with the promise of a compelling narrative that will keep them busy for ages. While this is a huge draw of the genre, not every Japanese role-playing game needs to place an overt focus on the story.
Sometimes, a solid gameplay loop is all it takes for fans to invest hours upon hours perfecting their party tactics to tackle a wealth of challenging bosses. These JRPGs must make it a point to make their turn-based combat as tactical as possible if the story isn’t a major focus for them.
Games will be ranked based on the overall quality of their combat systems.
FromYs 8onward, the stories in the series were given the same level of love and care as the gameplay. This isn’t a bad thing in the slightest, but long-timeYsfans miss the times when the franchise used the plot as a flimsy excuse to let playerssmash and slice their way through foestime and time again.
Ys: The Oath In Felghanais a remake of the third game that is more accessible for the masses while also retaining the gameplay-first focus of the title. Players will love optimizing their playable character’s loadout to dish out as much damage as possible with a suit of powerful attacks.
7Etrian Odyssey Nexus
One Of The Most Polished Games In A Series Known For Its Dungeon Crawling
Etrian Odysseyis a seriesknown for spending as little time as possible setting up the story before letting players enjoy some engaging dungeon-crawling. These games let players combine jobs in their party to make combat manageable as they beat the toughest foes after grueling battles time and time again.
Many people considerEtrian Odyssey Nexusto be one of the most polished games in the series, and players on the fence about getting into this series or not can test the waters with this title. If the gameplay-first approach works for them, then they can get into a series known for its hard-as-nails gameplay that can be frustrating yet rewarding at the same time.
Most people will have no idea what the story is all about when they playResonance of Fate. The game takes many hours before bothering to give players some context for the state of the world and the main cast’s actions, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
After all, combat inResonance of Fateis so challenging that players must spend all their brainpower to try and wrap their heads around the many systems governing this experience. The story becomes something that’s unfolding in the background as players take on wave after wave of enemies, managing numerous metrics at once as they help their party members execute stylish moves in combat.
Pretty much everyMariogame prides itself on prioritizing gameplay over story, andSuper Mario RPGis no exception. This remake of a classic JRPG looks easy on the eyes while paying respect to the legacy of the original game.
It’s a faithful remake that is perfect for players who want to check out a JRPG that is all about quality over quantity. The story is just another elaborate excuse for Mario to embark on another grand adventure with his friends as he engages in classic turn-based combat against iconic foes.
The GameBoy Advance was graced with some of the best video games ever made for a handheld, andPokemon Emeraldis no exception. This definitive versionofPokemon Ruby & Sapphireis a treat to play through as players get invested in the timeless loop of defeating all gym leaders before eventually becoming the Pokemon Master.
As one would expect, the story is not the focus ofPokemon Emeraldat all. Catching powerful Pokemon and preparing a team to tackle every Gym Leader makes for a fun gameplay loop that players will adore.
ThemainlineShin Megami Tenseigamespride themselves on a hardcore gameplay loop where players recruit monsters to join their team and aid the protagonist against certain challenging boss fights.Shin Megami Tensei 5is no exception, with the tantalizing history surrounding the game’s post-apocalyptic setting being relayed in no time.
Players will be thrown into the action in no time as they struggle to defeat basic enemies. Exploiting weaknesses and using buffs is a must to come out victorious in tougher encounters, especially when it comes to the game’s many challenging boss fights.
The firstOctopath Traveleris one of the best JRPGs players can get lost in. The idea of choosing a protagonist out of the eight available characters may make it seem like the story is a huge priority, but players will find out in no time thatthe game’s strongest aspect is the gameplay.
The story took a backseat more often than not as players explored dungeons and fought against tough bosses. The sequel addressed many complaints regardingOctopath Traveler’s narrative, but this meant that both story and gameplay played an equal role in dictating the enjoyment of a player. Meanwhile, the first game was confident in its gameplay loop as players took on tough bosses with bombastic soundtracks, using every powerful ability in their arsenal to come out victorious.
Final Fantasy 5boastsone of the best job systems in the seriesby a country mile. This is a fact that the game is aware of, given that the story takes a backseat to this gameplay more often than not.
This isn’t a problem in the slightest, since the game’s story beats can afford to be funnier and make players chuckle before they enjoy more of the captivating gameplay. Mastering jobs and optimizing parties never gets old in aFinal Fantasygame that is one of the rare examples of a game in this illustrious series prioritizing the combat system over a riveting story.
