JRPGs That Are Quality Over Quantity

Summary

• JRPGs with great pacing and quality content are more memorable and engaging.
• Shorter JRPGs like Parasite Eve and Vagrant Story offer rich experiences without padding.
• Games like EarthBound and The World Ends With You provide rewarding gameplay without overstaying their welcome.

The JRPG genre has been fighting against padding accusations for a long time, and it’s easy to see why this is the case. Some people feel that these games are loaded with too much content that isn’t of the highest quality and force people to spend more hours than required in these titles.

This is why JRPGs with great pacing and interesting content end up being so memorable. Instead of forcing players through an experience that can take hundreds of hours, these games are brimming with quality and don’t overstay their welcome.

8 Parasite Eve

A Short And Intense JRPG That’s Full Of Body Horror

Parasite Eve is the poster child of how effective a JRPG with a short runtime may be. This mature title features some disturbing imagery and a captivating story that revolves around human evolution and how one sadistic entity is hell-bent on making humanity evolve as soon as possible.

Aya Brea is an excellent no-nonsense protagonist who is dedicated to her job as a detective. She puts her body on the line numerous times in a short yet rewarding JRPG as she tries to stop Eve from causing people to burst into flames.

7 Chrono Trigger

A Legendary RPG That Respects The Player’s Time By Letting Them Enjoy A String Of Incredible Set Pieces

It’s a testament to Chrono Trigger‘s brilliance that the game has such an impressive reputation despite not being all that long. Rather, it’s the amazing pacing and unique gameplay elements of Chrono Trigger that have turned it into one of the best JRPGs players can get their hands on.

The incredible story of Chrono Trigger whisks players away on a series of engaging set pieces that feel unique and meaningful every single time. Even with the introduction of time travel, there’s barely any frustration involved as players explore the game’s side content before eventually preparing themselves to deal with Lavos itself.

6 The World Ends With You

A Modern-Day Action JRPG With Amazing Style And A Riveting Story

One of the most unique games on the DS that used a stylish art style and unique combat to keep fans engaged, the twisted game that Neku and the others are trapped in is a constant source of intrigue that never gets tiring to unravel.

With its fair share of plot twists coupled with combat that’s a blast to engage with, it’s easy to see why exploring Tokyo in The World Ends With You feels rewarding every single time. The game doesn’t waste a player’s time and boasts a reasonable runtime where players will engage with a ton of interesting content before reaching the end.

5 Vagrant Story

Players Control A Single Character In A Focused Adventure With An Amazing Localization

Vagrant Story is one of the most underrated and intriguing video games on the PS1 that didn’t get the love it deserved. The high-quality localization makes every interaction worthwhile as players explore the decrepit city of Lea Monde and fight several enemies in a complex yet stimulating combat system.

What makes Vagrant Story such a memorable game is its insistence on going against the tropes plaguing most JRPGs. There’s no leveling in the game, with equipment dictating Ashley’s effectiveness in battle. He’s the only playable character in battles where different enemy parts can be targeted for tactical advantages, which never gets old as players coast through the game and experience the rich worldbuilding of Ivalice before reaching Vagrant Story‘s conclusion.

4 Final Fantasy 4

For The Sheer Amount Of Story Developments That Take Place, This Game Is Surprisingly Short

Final Fantasy 4 boasts one of the best stories in the series that does justice to the series’ recurring elements. Fans will be shocked to see how long it takes to beat the game, especially given the numerous story events that take place as Cecil makes amends for his actions and tries to save the world from a mysterious threat.

Party members come and go as certain characters either die or leave the party, and it takes a while before players get to control the final party that will stick with them till the end of the game. It’s a game loaded with content that is a fan favorite for its ambitious storytelling, arguably paving the way for narrative-heavy experiences to become the norm in Final Fantasy 4.

3 Shadow Hearts

A Gothic Adventure Full Of Memorable Characters And Fun Combat

Shadow Hearts is one of the most unique JRPGs players can check out for themselves. The focus on a gothic atmosphere in the early 1900s lends a unique feel to the game’s atmosphere as Yuri, Alice, and the rest of the party try and stop Roger Bacon from destroying the world.

Yuri fails in this goal once but is brought out of his reverie by his friends, with the shapeshifting fighter using his powers to stop the villain one final time before the entire world is obliterated. Given the sheer number of things that happen in this game, it’s hard to believe that Shadow Hearts‘ runtime is so reasonable.

2 EarthBound

An Anti-JRPG That Goes Against Numerous Tropes In The Genre, Ensuring That A Player Is Entertained All The Time

EarthBound kickstarted the trend of anti-JRPGs that the indie genre has rolled with in style. Instead of controlling warriors destined for greatness, players control a group of kids who just want to have a good time, only to be roped into a quest where they must stop Giygas from decimating the world.

Everything from the enemies players face to the environments they traverse is quite normal and makes for a sobering experience after players have explored way too many fantasy and sci-fi worlds that try to distance themselves from reality as much as possible. It’s a memorable journey full of iconic moments that doesn’t feel the need to pad out its runtime.

1 Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake

Modern Advancements Help This Classic Game Fly By At A Breakneck Pace

Dragon Quest 3 is one of the most important games in the genre that blew up in Japan. So, it’s easy to see why the HD-2D remake of this title was a source of great interest for new Dragon Quest fans who got a taste of what this legendary series has to offer with the eleventh mainline entry.

Modern advancements ensure that players can go through this engaging title without feeling like the dungeon crawling or random encounters are wasting their time. The runtime of Dragon Quest 3‘s remake is reasonable and ensures that players can get into this legendary JRPG with ease.