The Best Indie Games Inspired By Classic JRPGs

Key Takeaways

• Indie games offer unique experiences inspired by classics, like
  Sea of Stars, Omori,
  and
  Undertale
  .
• Chained Echoes
  and
  Cassette Beasts
  bring fresh takes on traditional JRPG mechanics and themes.
• Titles like
  Cris Tales, CrossCode,
  and
  Lisa: The Painful
  provide engaging stories and gameplay.

Indie gaming is a great way for players to enjoy titles that aren’t afraid to take risks, avoiding the problem of cookie-cutter experiences that most AAA titles suffer from. The sheer variety of new and unique experiences fans can enjoy is limitless, especially for fans of the JRPG genre.

Numerous amazing indie games do a great job of channeling the spirit of classic JRPGs, featuring everything from endearing pixel art to tantalizing turn-based combat that fans will have a great time with until the very end of these magical adventures. These indie games wear their JRPG inspirations on their sleeves, and help refine the genre by bringing their own innovations to the table.

8 Sea Of Stars

Inspired By Chrono Trigger, Illusion Of Gaia

One of the most beautiful indie RPGs players can get their hands on, the Chrono Trigger inspirations are clear from the very moment that players start their journey in Sea of Stars. The colorful pixel art looks amazing, and the game’s amazing lore took a lot of notes from how Illusion of Gaia handled its worldbuilding.

The combat uses timed button presses and other such minigames in the same vein as Super Mario RPG. All of this combines to help Sea of Stars stand out as a polished experience, even if the game itself may feel a bit cliched at times.

7 Omori

Inspired By EarthBound

Fans of EarthBound who loved that JRPG’s unique nature and want to witness a darker take on this concept should give Omori a shot. This psychological horror RPG lulls players into a false sense of security before revealing the darkness plaguing Sunny’s mind.

Headspace is a beautiful realm to explore, providing enough mysteries to keep fans guessing as they live out a few days as Sunny before he’s supposed to move out. The game’s story is undoubtedly the best part of the experience, with its plot twist arriving like a gut punch that contributes to the game’s emotional ending.

6 Undertale

Inspired By Mother, Brandish, Shin Megami Tensei

An indie darling that needs no introduction, it’s clear as day that Undertale is inspired by EarthBound in more ways than one. After all, Toby Fox had worked on EarthBound ROM hacks before trying to develop a game of his own, and it shows.

The charm of this game is heightened by a unique combat system that lets players converse with monsters to talk them down, a mechanic that fans of the Shin Megami Tensei games will be familiar with. The game’s endearing nature rewards players for sparing the creatures of the Underground, while sadistic players who kill everything in their path can unlock an alternate ending that turns Undertale into one of the hardest indie RPGs players can get their hands on.

5 Chained Echoes

Inspired By Xenogears, Terranigma, Secret Of Mana, Suikoden 2, Breath Of Fire, The Legend Of Dragoon, Final Fantasy 6, Chrono Trigger

From the very moment Chained Echoes was released, its similarities to most classic JRPGs were clear as day. Matthias Linda, the developer, was a fan of many beloved games in this genre and had experience working on RPG Maker before going all out in the development of Chained Echoes.

The epic story and brilliant combat pay homage to several amazing titles in the genre without leaning too heavily on those inspirations. By paying homage to the genre while doing something original at the same time, Chained Echoes stands out as one of the best indie RPGs that many fans consider to be a must-play.

4 Cassette Beasts

Inspired By Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest

Players who want to enjoy a fresh take on Pokemon in the realm of indie gaming will find Cassette Beasts to be right up their alley. The game allows players to turn into certain monsters with a cassette player, serving as a fresh take on GameFreak’s iconic template.

Along with this, the combat systems present in Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest led the developer to focus on status effects that help battles feel as dynamic as possible. Players who want to check out a quirky indie JRPG with familiar gameplay mechanics will have a great time with Cassette Beasts.

3 Cris Tales

Inspired By The Final Fantasy Series, Chrono Trigger

A beautiful indie RPG that pays homage to the greats of the genre, Cris Tales may have its fair share of problems, but it still stands out as an amazing game that fans will adore if they give it a chance. The unique time manipulation mechanics add another interesting layer to this experience.

It’s a shame that the game’s combat is a bit too monotonous for its own good, but players willing to give these more dated systems a pass will have a great time with Cris Tales. The art style and visual design alone are enough to convince players to give this title a shot.

2 CrossCode

Inspired By Chrono Trigger, Terranigma

CrossCode is a unique indie RPG where players find themselves trapped inside an MMO with an amnesiac character who is unable to form words. One look at this game will make it clear how its visuals were inspired by games like Chrono Trigger and Terranigma.

As long as players don’t mind optional content that intentionally replicates the grind-heavy quest structure of most MMORPGs, CrossCode is a beautiful game to play through. The JRPG genre isn’t the only inspiration for this game, with the classic 2D Zelda games, Yoshi’s Island, and the Xenoblade series also guiding the structure of this title.

1 LISA: The Painful

Inspired By EarthBound

Despite taking place in a dark and depressing post-apocalyptic world, LISA: The Painful helps make this experience more tolerable with hilarious writing that lends a ton of character to the many unique personalities that Brad will encounter during his journey to save his adoptive daughter.

Players who want to check out a realistic RPG like EarthBound with a gritty atmosphere will love what LISA: The Painful has to offer. The huge cast of playable characters coupled with a deceptively riveting plot makes it clear why Dingaling’s game was praised to the moon and back upon its release.