The JRPG genre is daunting, as it is known for long play sessions, plots of epic proportions, and its occasional anime aesthetics.
However, as the genre has garnered more attention over the years, there are more beginner-friendly titles; even some older titles are much more beginner-friendly than they let on. You might ask yourself, what’s the best JRPG for beginners?
Where should you start if you’re interested in the genre? These musings can be alleviated by the recommendations below!
Pokémon
Even though Pokémon isn’t talked about as a JRPG series, it definitely is one of the best known ones out there.
With a legacy that has spanned well over two decades, there’s many titles to pick from.
As recently as 2020, there are 893 Pokémon to pick from over various games. As far as what game you should pick, the most recent title Pokémon Sword & Shield is a good starting point.
However, if you want some more straightforward gameplay, older titles such as Ruby and Sapphire are also good picks.
The core gameplay of collect pokemon and train them accordingly has not changed much over the years, but the complexity increases as each game introduces new types and battle mechanics.
Regardless of what you choose, Pokemon is a revered series with years of iteration, and there’s bound to be a title that will appeal to any JRPG newcomer.
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Final Fantasy
The premier JRPG franchise that is receiving its sixteenth entry sometime soon (hopefully). With a history of vastly different entries, you have many entries to pick from.
While you wouldn’t be wrong in choosing some of the earlier entries, you could definitely choose some of the later (and more popular) entries, such as Final Fantasy 7 or 10.
Both of these entries are not only popular, but feature easy to understand game mechanics while also having just enough depth to make every playthrough different.
In addition to the fun gameplay, both of these entries are also known for their fantastic stories and memorable characters.
If you really want to try any of the retro titles in the series, Final Fantasy 4-6 are as easily available on on modern systems and even mobile phones.
These games feature straightforward, retro gameplay that are compounded with interesting mechanics such as flexible classes and intuitive magic systems.
Persona
Do you miss high school? Probably not if you had a rough time like many. But if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have the perfect high school experience, then maybe the Persona series would be for you.
Each game has you star a high schooler, sometimes a transfer student, that gets wrapped up in supernatural shenanigans.
In addition to battling supernatural forces alongside friends you make along the way, you still have to balance your social life and school life.
The games are well made and incredibly easy to get wrapped in for hundreds of hours; plenty of side activities, dungeon crawling, and captivating story beats will keep you hooked for as long as the game goes on.
If you wanted to play the more accessible titles in the series, you have between Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal to choose from.
Anything before Persona 4 is still fantastic, but the older titles show their age a little with some outdated design and intense difficulty spikes.
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Dragon Quest
If you thought Final Fantasy was the only series with decades of iteration to choose from, you haven’t heard of Dragon Quest.
Preceding Final Fantasy by only a year, Dragon Quest is a hallmark of JRPG design, as it is deeply entrenched in the conventions of the genre.
Every main title in the series is turn-based, but each one has its own unique mechanics that differentiate it from the last, much like Final Fantasy.
The games also go out of the way to immerse the player in the world, as they ensure that the player is made to feel like the protagonist of the story.
Even though the silent protagonist trope feels overdone these days, its become an iconic part of the series. Dragon Quests 1-8 are all available on mobile phones, and are very playable on the go; however, the newest entry in the series, Dragon Quest 11 is available on modern consoles and is incredibly newbie-friendly.
Lost Odyssey
Only JRPG faithful will know of this hidden gem, as it released to minimal attention from the general public. As the years have gone by though, Lost Odyssey has received the attention its deserved all along, and is now hailed as a cult classic.
You play as an immortal being named Kaim, who undergoes a journey alongside other immortals and mortals to protect the world from growing threats.
The gameplay is a classic turn-based system that you’d see in other games, with some added twists such as the “Aim Ring System,” which allows you to hit a button mid-attack to amplify it.
The story is incredibly well written, with characters that struggle with the realities of being immortal.
In addition to the main story, the game is supplemented with the well written sides stories titled “A Thousand Years of Dreams.”
These stories supplement the world of Lost Odyssey and give more insight into some of the main characters.
With an engaging world and simple to understand game mechanics, Lost Odyssey is a perfect introductory title for anyone interested in JRPGs.
A Final Note
Depending on your tastes, maybe you’ll find a game outside of this small list that’ll catch your attention.
The world of JRPGs is vast and ever changing with the times, so chances are if you aren’t immediately drawn in by these games, you’ll be drawn in elsewhere.
Aesthetics, gameplay, and stories are incredibly varied, and while there’s sometimes some overlap with other games in the genre, you’ll almost never find the same kind of game more than once.
