Summary
- Visions of Mana blends nostalgia with modern design, offering a semi-open world and dynamic soundtrack.
- Final Fantasy 16 reinvents the series with technical boss battles and exploration, perfect for Fantasian fans.
- Romancing SaGa 2 offers tactical combat and impactful choices in a dense, class-based JRPG experience.
Despite sneaking out at the end of the year, Fantasian Neo Dimension was one of the best JRPG of 2024. Being a legendary collaboration between JRPG icons Hironobu Sakaguchi and acclaimed composer Nobuo Uematsu, it is a huge dream come true for JRPG fans both young and old.
Whether it’s turn-based combat, tactical mechanics or more narrative-driven game design, JRPGs have had quite the renaissance over the years. If you loved Fantasian, be sure to check out these eight top-tier JRPGs that prove this timeless genre has still got it.
8
Visions of Mana
Much like Fantasian Neo Dimension,Visions of Mana does a great job of blending nostalgia with modern sensibilities. Though the themes of the story may be familiar to older fans of Mana, the semi-open world design and cel-shaded art style will feel fresh.
One of the coolest things about Vision of Mana is its highly dynamic and diverse soundtrack. With over 100 songs spanning this 30+ hour adventure, exploring with tunes that are shaped to fit the mood of any situation makes this game particularly fun to get lost in.
7
Final Fantasy 16
If you happen to be a Fantasian Neo Dimension fan, but have never played a Final Fantasy game before, especially one of the newer ones, you owe it to yourself to start somewhere. It might as well be with Final Fantasy 16, as it’s loaded with flair and spectacle, just like Fantasian.
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Though it may be the 16th official mainstream game in the series, Final Fantasy 16 goes well out of its way to reinvent one of gaming’s most legendary series, as well as its sidequests. The boss battles, exploration, movesets and swordplay are all more technical and epic than ever before.
6
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Originally released in 2010 and remastered nine years later, the original Ni No Kuni is perhaps one of the most underrated JRPGs out there. It has a spectacular story that’s very original, a great cast of characters and an art style that combines the best elements of children’s fairytale books and anime.
What really makes Wrath of the White Witch so special is its incredible overworld. Not only is it still one of the most stunning in JRPG history, but it helped to further popularize game design that focused on exploration over random encounters.
5
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…
The NieR games have gotten a lot of hype since the release of Nier: Automata. It was by no means the first game in the series, but it was clearly a landmark hit. NieR Replicant, its prequel, takes everything that everyone loved about Automata and expanded on that, including an emotional story and an emotional soundtrack.
Gameplay wise, it is very different from Fantasian. It’s more of a hack and slash reminiscent of the likes of Bayonetta or Metal Gear Revengeance. But the characters, art design, story and sense of progression all scream JRPG. Don’t miss out on this one just because it’s more fast-paced than you might expect.
4
NEO: The World Ends With You
Games like Persona 5 have proven that style can be the priority in a JRPG, but there was once a game before that which was already working on such a philosophy: The World Ends With You. It’s sequel, NEO, takes that philosophy even further.
It may look more like a comic book than an anime at times, but NEO stays true to its JRPG roots through its level progression and existential story. If you’ve played Kingdom Hearts before, you’re already aware of what’s in store for you.
3
Kingdom Hearts III
But if you haven’t played Kingdom Hearts yet, getting into the series after beating Fantasian would be an excellent idea. The third game in the series is the most convoluted and elaborate one yet. If the creators of amusement park Disney World made a JRPG, this would be it.
Like the other Kingdom Heart games, Donald Duck and Goofy are your main sidekicks. They’ll be adventuring and exploring alongside you as you encounter the casts of many classic Disney series like Tangled, Hercules, Toy Story, Pirates of the Caribbean and Monsters Inc.
2
Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
It took a few years for Dragon Quest to gain major popularity outside of Japan, but we’re grateful it happened sooner than later. The eleventh game in the main series is accessible enough to be a great treat for players who are all new to the franchise.
Because Dragon Quest games have been around for a long time, like Pokémon or Final Fantasy, Square Enix has had decades to fine tune this series, both in terms of mechanics and presentation. The final result is an exceptionally polished JRPG that, while isn’t reinventing the wheel, is providing a game that feels simultaneously retro and futuristic.
1
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
Like Fantasian Neo Dimension, one of 2024’s absolute best JRPGs came out near the end of the year. Not as many people have heard of it, but Romancing SaGa 2 is a shining example of a turn-based, class-based and party-based combat.
Not only is this game much more tactical than the average JRPG, but it also has a free-form story that dynamically responds to your actions. In other words, choices matter. It can take nearly 100 hours to complete everything it has to offer, so if you’re looking for something dense, this is it.
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