JRPGs That Are Great Despite Frustrating Combat

JRPGs have been around for a long time, with many monolithic titles that have defined the genre as one focused on story, worldbuilding, and compelling characters. Most JRPGs are narratively minded in this way, especially the many fantasy titles that have been crafted to give players a sprawling world to lose themselves in, one with its own cultures and customs, as well as its own threats that the player must work towards defeating.

But across all JRPGs, whether they’re 16-bit titles on the SNES or fluid, dynamic releases on the PS5, gameplay and spins on typical turn-based combat have been paramount to a game’s success and longevity. Some titles incorporate new ways to utilize turn based combat, like timelines that reflect characters’ speed and mix up the order of allies and enemies, or a break from turn based combat altogether. Some titles, despite having excellent narratives and worlds to explore, have fallen short when it comes to iterating on classic JRPG combat.

8 Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time

An Interesting Story With Clunky Combat

The Star Ocean series has been a steadily thriving staple within the JRPG scene for decades now, with many consoles boasting one or two installments in this innovative sci-fi fantasy JRPG. This

game would be of particular interest to anyone who enjoyed Star Ocean: Second Story R as the game takes place within the same timeline though 400 years in the future.

Rather than traditional turn-based combat, this game allowed players to experience real time gameplay when fighting enemies. Unfortunately, using both HP and MP as resources for skills, alongside targeting enemies’ HP or MP, was a bit convoluted, and the game invited many criticisms that are uniquely centered around real-time action, such as the combat feeling weightless and awkward.

7 Paper Mario: Color Splash

Novel Changes To The Franchise That Fall Short

Today, players can find Paper Mario titles standing among the best JRPGs on the Switch combining a fantastic aesthetic with novel, interesting turn-based gameplay. In the days of the Wii-U however, Color Splash was panned by many fans, which is a shame considering the title’s vibrant world design is some of the best in the series.

There is some merit to fan complaints however, as the title doesn’t really know how to implement the new, confusing card system into its combat, and at a certain point of the game, the player is so inundated with resources, they basically never need to fight enemies besides the bosses needed to progress.

6 Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

A Fantastic Aesthetic, But The Combat Is Divisive

Ni No Kuni has two games under its belt now, and both of them are fantastic titles with much to offer. There are some changes to the JRPG formula that players will want to be aware of, but the game’s story and fantastic host of Ghibli-drawn familiars will inspire a level of wonder in fans that can last a lifetime.

This game does have a glaring issue with its combat to many players however, as trying to combine real time combat alongside the menu-based actions in this title is – in a word – overwhelming. Players who can look past this will discover a great game, but if people are having to ‘look past’ the combat in a JRPG, then something isn’t right.

5 Sands Of Destruction

An Excellent Story With Complex Combat

The Nintendo DS is home to some fantastic JRPG gems. People often underestimate the sheer volume of incredible titles that have been left on this console’s library, left behind while their comrades get sequels and Switch remasters. Sands of Destruction has the makings of this kind of JRPG gem.

What holds it back, however, is a combat system that’s very complicated, with four separate upgrade slots for players to put ‘quips’ in, as well as skills and normal attacks, but then special skills that activate after a certain number of attacks… it’s a bit much.

4 Lunar: Dragon Song

Enemies Are Automatically Targeted With No Player Input

A sequel to a much loved title, Lunar: The Silver Star, Dragon Song does its best to innovate on the JRPG formula, but it does fall short in a few areas, despite the same worldbuilding and narrative style that made the first game so well-remembered.

Perhaps the biggest gripe players have with combat is that they cannot target enemies. The AI automatically selects which enemies to target. This might work in games like Unicorn Overlord with skills designed around it, but this game was essentially just a standard menu based battle system but someone else got to play the game while the player watched.

3 Infinite Space

A Fantastic Sci-Fi JRPG, With Difficult Mechanics

Infinite Space has a cult following to this day for being a JRPG that takes on a fantastic sci-fi aesthetic and treats players to a space opera story seldom seen in this genre. The characters are all three-dimensional, and instead of recruiting them alone, players are recruiting their ships to add to a growing fleet among the stars.

The game’s combat does click eventually, but it only clicks once its many quirks have been identified and the player has gotten used to them. There are so many options in each battle and ship combat often gets cluttered with choices very quickly.

2 Diofield Chronicle

A Detailed World, But Combat Tries To Reinvent The Wheel

Square Enix are in their element with this wartime JRPG that has a unique setting, an interesting magical resource to push the plot along, and an overall unique story with characters that are more somber and amoral than players have come to expect from the JRPG scene.

The game’s most touted feature, the new real time spin on SRPG grid-based combat, is not up to scratch, however. Characters essentially walk around where the player dictates until they clash with an enemy, a bit like they’re saying “I’ll just spin my arms in the air, and if you get in the way, that’s your fault”.

1 Xenosaga 2

A Fantastic Game Let Down By Sluggish Combat

The Xenosaga series is a mainstay among fans of early PlayStation era JRPGs, and stands out with a few other titles in this list for an incredible subversion of the typical fantasy setting seen in JRPGs – opting instead for a slick sci-fi setting.

The game’s combat, however, is incredibly sluggish. Luckily, the graphics hold up surprisingly well, so the players will have some very pretty settings to admire as even the simplest of enemy encounters stretch on past the five or even ten minute mark.