Most people assume that the JRPG genre is slowly dying out since people perceive the combat and structure of these games to be a product of the past and unable to evolve with the times. However, modern releases like Persona 5 and Dragon Quest XI have quite definitely proven this statement to be completely false. JRPGs are more than capable of making most of the latest technology and innovations to deliver an experience that can be truly sublime, and the fact that these games have witnessed a high level of sales proves once and for all that the fanbase certainly won’t let the JRPG genre become obsolete any time soon.
That being said, the complaints that most people have against this genre is certainly justified to an extent. There are several annoying mechanics in these games that still grind the gears of anyone who has to power through these annoyances. Keeping this in mind, here are ten of the most annoying mechanics in JRPGs that should become obsolete sooner rather than later.
10 Grinding
One of the biggest annoyances of the genre that still plagues games to this day is the act of grinding in JRPGs. This practice has been frowned upon constantly from the get-go.
While some modern JRPGs have managed to curb this problem somewhat, one can’t deny that hitting a level wall of sorts and having to grind to prepare for a fight is still not fun in the slightest.
9 Random Encounters
Another aspect of JRPGs that can grind anyone’s gears are the random encounters that players are barraged with while navigating a dungeon.
While these encounters can be somewhat manageable early on, it slowly becomes more and more irritating over time… especially when players are forced into fighting weaklings time and time again.
8 Uninteresting Side Quests
JRPGs might have a great main story that keeps players hooked for the longest time, but there’s no denying the fact that most of the side quests present in these titles serve as nothing more than awful busywork.
Games in this genre should look at titles like The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt and integrate quests that are actually worth the player’s time and attention.
7 A Meandering And Confusing Story
The stories of JRPGs might be one of their biggest strengths, but one absolutely has to admit that some of the overarching themes and motifs in these stories can be a bit too overbearing for one’s liking.
It’s all fine when the main aspect of the story drives the motivations and questions the ideologies of the main characters — something that most major JRPGs manage to pull off with surprising deftness. However, all the additional stuff on top of this plot mostly serves to be completely unnecessary and not required in the slightest.
6 Unnecessary Sexualization Of Characters
Another thing that JRPGs — and most games from Japan, in general — should be criticized for is the manner in which they needlessly sexualize some of their female characters, whether for comedic or lecherous purposes.
Persona 5 is a fitting example of a great game with this annoying inclusion — Ann Takamaki is a great character for the most part, but the unnecessary manner in which she’s sexualized throughout the game is simply ridiculous and hampers her character somewhat.
5 Unwinnable Battles
There are times in JRPGs when players are forced into battles that seem quite challenging and force the player into using valuable items and techniques in order to get the upper hand… only for the game to declare that this battle was unwinnable from the get-go.
It’s still fine when players are put into a situation where the damage they incur is so immense that it becomes clearly apparent how futile this endeavor really is… however, some games have the gall of making a fight be hard, but not so hard that the player thinks it’s impossible. It’s these kinds of unwinnable battles that need to go away sooner rather than later.
4 Hamfisted Minigames
JRPGs have a bad habit of integrating minigames at literally every step of the way to diversify the gameplay. While the attempt to break the usual flow of gameplay should certainly be lauded, there’s no denying that some of these minigames feel completely out-of-place and nowhere near as fleshed out like the contents of the main game.
This becomes especially annoying when completing these games becomes a necessity to progress the main game, which is a cardinal sin that every game should be shamed for if they include such a needlessly annoying segment in a game that’s been pretty great for the most part.
3 Maze-Like Dungeons
Exploring dungeons is the bread-and-butter of most JRPGs, and — for the most part — exploring these dungeons is very much a blast in its own right.
However, whether or not a dungeon is fun is dependent on whether the design of said dungeon is great, and some areas that end up following the layout of a maze end up being anything but. After all, the combination of dead ends, similar-looking hallways, and excessive random encounters can end up being grating for pretty much any player.
2 Party Members Losing Out On Experience Points When They Die
Now, at a glance, this mechanic might seem completely fair. After all, it’s only the members who managed to stand till the very end of a battle that should gain all the experience from finishing said battle. However, in practice, this mechanic ends up being extremely frustrating.
After all, there are some party members that either have low defenses and HP or end up dishing out the most damage but get taken out right before the end of the battle because of poor RNG. For these party members to be shafted from gaining anything by fighting a grueling battle is just unfair and frustrating.
1 The Tired Trope Of Friendship Defeating Everything
JRPGs might be entertaining to play through since they adopt a certain distinct formula… but there’s no denying the fact that some of these tropes and mechanics can be quite tiring to play through over and over again.
One of the biggest tropes that most JRPGs fall prey to is the idea that any higher power can be defeated with teamwork and friendship. While this is certainly an enjoyable trope that makes victory even sweeter, one can’t deny that this has been done to death over and over again.
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