The JRPG genre is gaining popularity after the release of some praise-worthy titles like Persona 5 and Undertale. The JRPG moniker refers to RPGs that are made in Japan or that incorporate a Japanese animation style. This causes the definition of JRPG to be quite loose.
There have been plenty of Western studios making JRPGs. In the end, it’s about sharing the love for the genre and making efforts to promote it to others. One thing JRPGs are famous for is their long playthrough time. This does not mean that there are no short, fun JRPGs. Actually, there are quite a lot of them that can be finished overnight.
10 Shortest: Dragon Quest 1 ~ 8 Hours
If anyone really wants to travel back to the ’80s, then Dragon Quest 1 is the game to play. It was the start of the JRPG genre and many next-generation games took inspiration from it. The story is of a cliched hero, Erdrick, who sets out to save the princess from the evil confinement of a villain.
But the fun lies in completing the side quest and talking to townsfolk, that comes after the 8-hour grind of defeating the boss. It sold 2 million copies and hailed as a classic even today.
9 Longest: Trails Of Cold Steel 1 ~ 60 Hours
Want something with more fantasy than Persona? Then head over to Trails Of Cold Steel series. The first part revolves around Rean Schwarzer, who is a student of Class VII at Thor’s Military Academy, where both high-class and low-class society are forced to study.
The game is about class conflicts and terrorist activities in the Erebonian Empire. The combat is turned-based and the game requires little to no grinding as it focuses more on the story and the characters, which can be a turnoff for many. It takes an average of 60 hours to complete the game.
8 Shortest: Parasite Eve ~ 12 Hours
Parasite Eve is a very short game as compared to other Square games. It incorporates JRPG with survival, horror elements. It has a turn-based combat system. The players control a female officer, Aya Brea, who tries to stop the destruction of mankind as anyone who comes into the contact of a woman named Eve incinerates.
The game is a 90’s JRPG classic, that caused a surge in the popularity of the horror genre. The game is clocking in at about 9 hours and can be 8 hours if the players rush. Fans of the horror genre need to give it a try.
7 Longest: Dragon Quest VIII ~ 62 Hours
Dragon Quest VIII was a unique experience for the fans of the franchise as the game broke the barriers of 2D and featured 3D world exploring. With its vast environment, extensive story, and cool characters, Dragon Quest VIII can become a time drain.
62 or more hours are required only to complete the main quest. Releasing in 2004, it was considered the best RPG of its time, and even today, it is a source of hours of entertainment. Fans of Final Fantasy and Xenoblade Chronicles will love it.
6 Shortest: Ys 1 ~ 10 Hours
The Ys 1 is from the CD-ROM era, releasing in 1989. More specifically, it was one of the first games to be released on a CD-ROM and featured better gameplay and graphics than many games of its time. Due to the hardware limitations, all the bloated stuff was removed from the game; therefore it can take about 5 to 10 hours to complete the main story.
It follows the story of a swordsman, Adol Christin. He has to collect the six Books of Ys, that have clues about the vanished land of Ys and help him in his fight against an evil that is destroying the kingdom of Esteria.
5 Longest: Trails Of Cold Steel 3 ~ 80 Hours
This part performed considerably better than its ancestors, raking in impressive ratings on multiple sites. This time, Rean Schwarzer, is responsible for training new recruits at a new branch campus as he uncovers a threatening scheme about his homeland.
Trails of Cold Steel 3 is better than anything that has come before. There are a few shocking moments that leave the players in tears and pain. The main story is 61 hours long, with the 100% completion taking 134 hours. You’ll end up spending even more while exploring its vast world.
4 Shortest: LiEat ~ 4 Hours
LiEat is a combination of two words “Lies” and “Eat”. It symbolizes the main story of the game about a special girl named Efina. She is a dragon, who has the ability to give physical form to her lies, then she eats those beings to sustain herself.
Pretty weird, right? Efina is accompanied by a con artist, Theo, and they both go around different towns to solve problems. The game is mostly story-driven and there are a few puzzles here and there. 4 hours are enough to beat it. The game is available on steam and has a 10/10 score.
3 Longest: Persona 5 ~ 80 Hours
Persona 5 features a lengthy main story, comics-inspired graphics, and catchy music. The game is full of engaging and mysterious characters. The sheer amount of plot-twists in the story makes it worthy of an Oscar.
Persona put JRPG on the map and has set a new standard for the overall RPG genre. Roaming through the streets of Tokyo, watching a movie, or interacting with others is where the real fun lies. But that all comes after the hours of the main story. The lengthy cutscenes do not feel hindering because the story is filled with humor and interesting dialogues
2 Shortest: Helen’s Mysterious Castle ~ 7 Hours
This is another one with a simple plot and easy going. It’s about a young girl, Helen, who forgets everything about her past and goes on an adventure to find out more about it. It has a classic, retro feel to it. Despite a few shortcomings, this game is an absolute banger, with great mechanics and lovable characters.
It takes almost 7 hours to end the main story. There is good replay value in the game, which is pretty neat for a $1.29 game.
1 Longest: Xenoblade Chronicles 1 ~ 70 Hours
Xenoblade Chronicles is already a popular JRPG. And when mentioning long games. This is the first one that comes to mind. The main story takes at least 70 hours to complete. The cinematic cutscenes and the immense landscape, which the player spends most of their time exploring, hooks the players.
The story is about two gods Mechonis and Bionis, who fight for eternity. They both die in the duel, but their fight is carried on by their descendants. It has a steep learning curve, but it’s worth it.
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