There are many titles that come to the minds of fans when the topic of the best Final Fantasy game is brought up, but there’s one particular title that’s always unfairly excluded from this conversation — Final Fantasy VIII. The hype for this game was understandably through the roof, mainly due to the fact that Final Fantasy VII sold a massive number of units on the PS1 and is still considered to be one of the best games ever released on this platform. So, it was only a given that Final Fantasy VIII simply wouldn’t be able to meet the lofty standards set by its predecessor and would be unfairly dissected by fans and critics alike. However, over time, fans have realized that Final Fantasy VIII is actually an excellent game in its own right that deserves way more praise — something that is ensured with the release of the Remastered version.
For the people who loved Final Fantasy VIII and wish to play more JRPGs like it, here are recommendations that will definitely be worth their time.
10 Parasite Eve
The graphics of Final Fantasy VIII was one of its biggest selling points, and Squaresoft used this art style in great effect across numerous games, including Parasite Eve.
Unlike the somewhat light-hearted tone of Final Fantasy VIII, Parasite Eve is an incredibly dark and bleak game that’s full to the brim with disturbing imagery and grotesque monsters. Gamers who wish to get into this title should be ready to deal with these unsettling images… but once they do, they’ll definitely be able to enjoy this underrated gem.
9 Xenogears
Speaking of excellent titles by Squaresoft, it would be impossible to not mention the masterpiece that is Xenogears. This mecha-JRPG is everything one could ask for when it came to merging these two genres.
It’s a shame that the second half of Xenogears turned into a visual novel with intermittent dungeon exploration and boss battles since the game was truly on track to become the greatest JRPG Squaresoft had ever made by the time the first disc was done with all its content.
8 Shadow Hearts
A JRPG series that most people don’t know about — which is quite a shame indeed — Shadow Hearts is a trilogy of Lovecraftian JRPGs that one should definitely check out, especially if they loved Squall’s character development across Final Fantasy VIII.
The lack of any conversation around Shadow Hearts is quite disheartening indeed since these games are genuinely excellent JRPGs in their own right.
7 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky
The Legend of Heroes is considered by many to be one of the most underrated JRPG franchises around, and one need only take a look at the sheer quality of their Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel story arcs to understand why this is the case.
While the latter of the two may have more modern nuances, it’s Trails in the Sky that slightly edges out its counterpart by telling an amazing story that will surely tug at the heartstrings of even the most stoic of individuals.
6 Octopath Traveler
For people who wish to enjoy the good old days when Final Fantasy games — and most other JRPGs, for that matter — functioned on a 2D plane, Octopath Traveler is the definitive title for them to try out.
The 2.5D art style is truly breathtaking, and it certainly helps that the story, characters, music, combat, and boss battles are the stuff of legends. Any player who enjoys some good old-fashioned JRPG goodness will definitely enjoy Octopath Traveler.
5 Chrono Cross
The graphical upgrade of Final Fantasy VIII was truly breathtaking for its time, which is what makes Chrono Cross such an easy recommendation in this regard — it definitely looks similar to Final Fantasy VIII in a myriad of ways.
Of course, it’s not like Chrono Cross can only be recommended because of its graphics — the gameplay, story, and characters (of which there are a ton) are also standouts in their own right. That being said, it would be impossible to talk about Chrono Cross without mentioning another legendary game in the series…
4 Chrono Trigger
Pretty much every person even remotely familiar with JRPGs has heard the word Chrono Trigger at some point. After all, the fact of the matter is that this legendary JRPG is widely considered to be the finest representative of its genre, if not one of the greatest games ever made.
Any self-respecting JRPG fan worth their salt should definitely play Chrono Trigger as soon as possible if they haven’t already — the game is an absolute gem of a title that simply cannot be ignored.
3 Kingdom Hearts II
The Kingdom Hearts series might’ve had a ton of mixed reception over time, but there’s no denying the fact that Kingdom Hearts II was an undeniable high point for the series.
Everything from the combat to the story had been refined to a T in Kingdom Hearts II, enabling an experience that is enjoyable and memorable in every manner possible.
2 Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
The Shin Megami Tensei series is notorious for being one of the harder JRPG series out there, and there’s no better way to experience these digital hardships than through Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.
The fact that this game is notorious for being extremely challenging yet was the first candidate from the franchise to receive an HD Remaster is a testament to just how beloved Nocturne really is.
1 Persona 4 Golden
While Persona 5 Royal may be one of the more accessible titles in the series, most series veterans will agree with the fact that Persona 4 is a better package due to its superior story and characters — both of which are the beating heart of all Persona games.
Persona 4 Golden is an excellent package that improves upon the base game while adding a fair share of content to the mix as well. It’s an excellent title that no one should miss out on, regardless of whether they’re a JRPG fan or not.
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