The Best JRPGs That Focus On Friendship

Key Takeaways

• Some JRPGs excel at showcasing the power of friendship, adding emotional weight to climactic moments.
• Character bonds in games like Persona 3 Reload and Final Fantasy 15 enhance story experiences significantly.
• EarthBound, The Legend of Heroes, and other titles embrace the friendship trope to help heroes overcome powerful foes.

The power of friendship is a trope common in most JRPGs, with the heroes banding together to usually defeat an enemy that relies on their power alone instead of trying to open up to others. It’s so commonplace in this genre that most JRPGs are lampooned for relying on this narrative structure so often.

That being said, some JRPGs do a great job of doing justice to this trope by weaving its narrative elements brilliantly around this trope. It allows them to form a bond with their companions and adds a ton of emotional weight to a climax where the heroes rely on these friendships to turn things around and save the day.

8 Persona 3 Reload

The Feelings Of Loss Rampant Throughout This Game Are Overcome With The Warmth Of Meaningful Friendships

Fans were elated to enjoy a golden opportunity to check out one of the most important JRPGs Atlus has ever developed. Persona 3 introduced Social Links and life simulation elements that have become a mainstay of this series ever since.

The themes of loss are prevalent in an experience that can be rather morose at times, which is why the bonds shared between the main character and his friends are so important to the experience. In the face of overbearing adversity, the hero overcomes these negative feelings by calling upon his friendships and seals Nyx’s evil for good.

7 Final Fantasy 15

The Main Party Shares A Deep Bond That Enhances The Emotions Of The Ending

Final Fantasy 15 is a game that overcame a turbulent development process to let players enjoy a massive evolution for the series. One of the biggest strengths of this series is the effortless way in which the four members of the group communicate with each other, cementing their friendship.

Noctis may seem joyless at first glance, but the supporting cast does a great job of humanizing him with every moment of banter that players enjoy during their travels. This is precisely what helps the finale stand out in the eyes of many as one of the most emotional Final Fantasy endings of all time.

6 EarthBound

The Prayers Of Friends And Family Help The Party Beat Giygas

Even an anti-JRPG like EarthBound can’t shake away the power of friendship trope that runs rampant in this genre. Thankfully, this game does a great job of justifying this narrative structure by making the adventure seem as mundane as possible with a group of kids who are steadfast friends and band together to save the world from Giygas.

This malevolent force is so strong that players must travel back in time and fight him when he’s a mere infant. It’s a scary encounter in an otherwise lighthearted game where the heroes rely on their friends’ prayers (including the player themself) to attain victory.

5 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel

The Power Of Friendship Runs Rampant Across This Story Arc

The Trails of Cold Steel arc is arguably the most popular Legend of Heroes story that fans can check out. It may not be the best one according to fans, but the episodic structure of this narrative ensures that players won’t have a huge problem going through the title at their own pace.

A huge part of what makes these games so special is the bond shared between Class VII. Characters have differences that they must overcome in missions, strengthening their bonds before eventually taking on bosses and other nefarious villains with this newfound strength of friendship.

4 Octopath Traveler 2

Does A Way Better Job Of Showing The Bond Between The Main Cast Compared To Its Predecessor

The first Octopath Traveler is an excellent JRPG in many ways, but one area where it fails is selling the bond between the main cast. Attempts have been made to rectify this problem in the sequel that has been largely effective.

Travel Banter is more frequent, even if each character’s story feels like it takes place in a silo. This is amended with a final arc where all eight protagonists interact with each other in a meaningful manner, eventually letting them take on Vide as all eight members play their part and take down this wicked God.

3 The World Ends With You

Neku Must Overcome His Isolating Personality And Bond With His Partners Over The Course Of A Memorable Adventure

Neku can be rather insufferable at the start of The World Ends with You, even if his attitude is understandable given the amnesia he suffers. However, his tendency to be aloof in the early goings strengthens his character development as the game progresses.

He slowly opens up to the other characters who accompany him in this unique JRPG, allowing him to let go of his insecurities and form genuine friendships with his partners. This gives him the strength he needs to tackle the mastermind of the twisted game he’s trapped in.

2 Tales Of Graces F

The Game Is Overloaded With Themes Of Friendship

Out of all the Tales games that players can check out, Tales of Graces takes the cake for being a title that relies heavily on the trope of friendship making their bonds stronger. Asbel, the protagonist, suffers a terrible loss at the start of this game and decides to treasure the bonds he made after this moment.

This lets him tackle several powerful bosses and lend his friends the aid they need. He’s an effective protagonist who endears himself to the rest of the party and uses these bonds to strengthen himself time and time again.

1 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Ramps Up The Power Of Friendship Trope To The Max

Many people consider Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to be the weakest game in the series. A relentless focus on tutorials coupled with a story that isn’t as multi-faceted as other games in the series prevents this title from reaching greater heights than its predecessor.

However, that should take nothing away from the quality of this JRPG, with fans of the Xenoblade Chronicles formula loving what this title brings to the table. While the relentless focus on friendship can be tiresome after a point, players who like the main cast won’t mind Rex calling upon the bonds he’s formed time and time again to overcome adversity and come out victorious.