JRPGs are loved all over the world for their challenging gameplay, rich stories and unforgettable worlds. It’s a genre that produces great video games every year, but the real question is, which JRPGs should fans be playing in August 2022?
As expected, there are thousands to choose from for both modern and retro consoles, as well as PCs. With that in mind, this list is the opinion of a writer with a deep love for JRPGs. Obviously, these choices can vary from player to player depending on what they already play and what they prefer in their games.
Which JRPGs should fans play in August 2022?
Some readers may notice that there are reruns of last month’s list of JRPGs and that’s because those games are still excellent and still worth replaying. Fortunately, there are plenty of great games for players to enjoy in the month of August 2022.
While many of these games are classics from earlier consoles, all of them are easily accessible on more modern platforms, making them easier to acquire without spending a fortune.
10 JRPGs Worth Replaying
- Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
- Persona 4 Golden
- Dragon Quest 3
- Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
- Final Fantasy X
- Yakuza: like a dragon
- Star Ocean First Departure R
- Chrono trigger
- Stories of Vesperia
- Yakuza 0
10) Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Now that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is fully available on the PlayStation Plus system, it’s a great time to pick it up if fans haven’t already done so by July. It’s the definitive way to play the game, and while it only covers time in Midgar, it’s still a memorable adventure.
Furthermore, the characters from the original Squaresoft game have more time on screen and have more depth and personality. While the action-RPG gameplay was a big adjustment, fans really worked on it.
With tough optional encounters and the fun Yuffie DLC, it’s a great time to play this title, making it one of the JRPGs to revisit this month.
9) Final Fantasy X
While the PlayStation 2 version of Final Fantasy X is billed as one of the best JRPGs of all time, the HD Remake is much easier to pick up and play. It comes with some quality of life improvements apart from the improved visuals and remastered score.
The innovative turn-based combat returns in Final Fantasy X, and also has the added benefit/challenge of the Expert Sphere Grid. It completely reshapes the sphere grid, allowing players to try different approaches to the game. In addition, it also includes FFX-2, making it a two-for-one in JRPGs.
8) Persona 4 Golden
While Persona 5 is one of the best games in the entire franchise, never underestimate the power of a good whodunit. Persona 4 Golden is a murder mystery and is available on PC as well as classic PlayStation consoles.
When it comes to JRPGs, this title is a masterclass in telling tragic stories, even compared to other Persona titles. The turn-based combat is crisp, and it’s strangely satisfying to assemble a crew of powerful demons to draw strength from. All in all, it’s a game that really performs on every level.
7) Dragon Quest 3
As the godfather of JRPGs, Dragon Quest 1 first came to North America with the name ‘Dragon Warrior’ in August 1989. With that in mind, why not play one of the greatest Dragon Quest games of all time, DQ3? It is available on both mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch and brings a lot of challenges and sharp gameplay.
The port has updated graphics and allows players to experience a classic NES RPG wherever they go. Players control the son of the legendary Ortega and must face their father to seal an evil force once and for all.
Players have great customization options when choosing the kind of party they want, from wizards and soldiers to goof-offs and merchants. It’s a great game that still holds up decades later.
6) Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
While not traditional in terms of JRPGs, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a Metroidvania/Action RPG from the creator of Castlevania. Legendary producer Koji Igarashi (IGA) has developed the game himself and created a ‘Metroidvania’ that is definitely worth exploring.
The images are sharp and dark and are accompanied by a fantastic music score. Players explore a huge castle similar to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and defeat enemies to collect shards that grant a variety of useful demonic powers. It also comes with several built-in optional modes and characters, such as Randomizer mode.
5) Yakuza: like a dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is still worth playing as it is considered one of the best games in the entire Yakuza catalog. As Ichiban Kasuga’s first appearance as the protagonist, the shift to a turn-based RPG was one that was initially controversial. That said, it was received positively by critics and fans alike.
Not even counting the main story, it has tons of side quests to take on, mini-games to play, and one of the better collections of karaoke songs to play when it comes to Yakuza.
4) Star Ocean: first departure R
Interestingly, Star Ocean 1 is a game so good that it has been remade several times. While it can be found on the PSP alongside a remake of Star Ocean 2, Star Ocean: First Departure R was later ported to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
It’s a game that many JRPG players may have missed that has become more accessible than ever. It tells a classic story that combines futuristic technology with fantasy characters and races, with excellent action-based combat.
Star Ocean is a classic franchise and it’s a great time to take a trip back in time to where it all started.
3) Chrono trigger
It’s not a controversial statement to say that Chrono Trigger is one of the best JRPGs of all time. The classic Squaresoft RPG from the ‘Dream Team’ (consisting of legends Akira Toriyama, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Yuji Horii) is truly an exceptional game. While not a cheap game to buy for the SNES, it is also available on the Nintendo DS and more recently for mobile and Steam releases.
While the Steam release didn’t start out as an enjoyable playthrough, it was updated and fixed, making it worth a try here in August 2022. With over 10 endings, a beautiful score and top-notch gameplay, there’s never a bad time to play Chronotrigger.
2) Stories of Vesperia
For this writer’s money, the best game in the Tales franchise, Tales of Vesperia is a must-play. Originally released in the United States on the Xbox 360, it was remastered and given a definitive edition on more modern consoles.
The story of these unlikely heroes who come together to form the Brave Vesperia Guild and try to save the world is without a doubt unique in the Tales franchise. It also has one of the best JRPG characters ever, in the very good dog Repede.
1) Yakuza 0
While the latest Yakuza game is the start of Kasuga Ichiban’s career as a protagonist, Yakuza 0 is the start of Kiryu Kazuma’s. A prologue to the Yakuza franchise, the title is set in the late 1980s. It features some of the best music tracks, side missions, and antagonists in the Yakuza franchise as a whole.
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It gives a fantastic view of Japan in the late 1980s, during the economic boom that the country was experiencing at the time. It also gave players the first chance to really experience Goro Majima’s story and see what shaped him into the man he would become.
There will never be a shortage of exceptional JRPGs to play. For the month of August 2022, this is just a selection of some of the writers of some games that are sure not to disappoint, however often they are played.
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