Best of
The best JRPGs
Huge worlds, turn-based battles and stories that are allowed to take their time. JRPGs ask for patience and pay it back with characters you still remember years later. From the classics that shaped the genre to modern takes that rethink it.
This list in numbers
- 57 games in this category
- 90 average rating of the top 30
- 43 median playtime in hours
- 32 release years covered (1993 to 2025)
- 2 of 30 playable in co-op
- 7 of 30 are cheap or free
Why these three lead
Metaphor: ReFantazio takes the top spot with 94 out of 100, followed by Persona 5 Royal at 94 and Chrono Trigger at 93. All three clear the 90 point average of this list, and the gap to the rest of the field is small enough that your own taste matters more than the ranking.
How this list is put together
I start from every game in the database that fits this category, currently 57, and sort them by the aggregated critic rating. The 30 highest scoring titles make the list. No publisher can pay to appear here, and the affiliate links have no effect on the order. The full method is explained under how I pick.
- 01 94/100
Metaphor: ReFantazio Details
From the creators of Persona comes a fantasy world full of prejudice, where a young outcast runs for the throne while unlocking archetype classes for his party. It blends political themes with stylish, fast-paced turn-based combat.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 02 94/100
Persona 5 Royal Details
A group of Tokyo high schoolers become Phantom Thieves at night, stealing through the surreal palaces of corrupt adults. It blends stylish turn-based combat with a deep social-simulation daily life.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 03 93/100
Chrono Trigger Details
A group of adventurers travels through different eras to prevent an apocalypse triggered by an alien parasite. Considered one of the most influential JRPGs of all time, complete with multiple endings.
PCMobile - 04 93/100
EarthBound Details
This cult classic SNES role playing game transplants the JRPG formula into a quirky present day suburbia and is playable today through Nintendo Switch Online. Its dry humor and unconventional storytelling earned it a devoted fanbase.
- 05 93/100
Fire Emblem: Three Houses Details
As a teacher at a military academy, players instruct one of three houses and later lead their students into a devastating continental war. Turn based tactical battles interweave with relationship building and several distinct story paths.
- 06 93/100
Persona 4 Golden Details
In a sleepy Japanese small town, students investigate a murder series while diving into a surreal television world full of Persona demons. The mix of school life, friendship stories and turn based combat made the title a cult hit.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 07 92/100
Final Fantasy VII Details
The classic tale of mercenary Cloud Strife battling the megalomaniac Shinra Corporation is considered one of the most influential role playing games ever made. Turn based combat, an iconic story about environmental destruction and identity, and unforgettable characters like Sephiroth still shape the genre today.
PCPlayStationSwitch - 08 92/100
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Details
The journey continues as Cloud and the party leave Midgar and explore the original's open world map in stunning detail. It packs in countless minigames alongside the emotional core story of Aerith and Sephiroth.
PlayStationPC - 09 92/100
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Details
Cloud and his companions fight the mega-corporation Shinra in the dystopian metropolis of Midgar, in an elaborate reimagining of the 1997 classic. Real-time combat with a tactical ATB gauge forms the core of the battle system.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 10 92/100
Final Fantasy XVI Details
A grim power struggle over thrones, wars and gigantic summoned beings called Eikons stands at the center of this action heavy installment. Combat resembles character action games, punctuated by spectacular titan sized duels between Eikons.
PlayStationPCXbox - 11 91/100
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Details
On the petrified bodies of two gigantic titans called Bionis and Mechonis, an ancient conflict rages that a young warrior with a talking sword tries to end. Massive, freely explorable areas and a tactical real time combat system define this modern classic.
- 12 90/100
Kingdom Hearts III Details
Sora travels alongside Donald and Goofy through colorful Disney and Pixar worlds to prepare for the final battle against Organization XIII. Spectacular real time combat featuring Disney park inspired attractions delivers unique action moments.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 13 90/100
Pokemon Rot und Blau Details
These original Game Boy titles started the global Pokemon phenomenon and are playable today through the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy library. Collecting, training and trading monsters were established here as the core formula.
- 14 90/100
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Details
Soldiers from two warring nations with limited lifespans discover together a third way beyond the endless war. A vast, seamless world with a deep class and fusion system in combat.
- 15 89/100
Dragon Quest XI S
A classic, heartwarming JRPG adventure about the Chosen One who must fulfill his destiny against a dark ruler. Charming Toriyama art and an approachable turn-based combat system make it perfect for newcomers to the genre.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 16 89/100
Persona 3 Reload Details
A remake of the classic where students climb Tartarus tower at night to battle Shadow creatures, while daytime school life revolves around friendship and death as its central theme. It's darker and more melancholic in tone than its successors.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 17 89/100
Sea of Stars Details
A lovingly crafted retro JRPG with turn based combat built around timing and combo attacks. Two young heroes travel through a colorful fantasy world to break a dark curse.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 18 88/100
Child of Light
A young princess awakens in a dreamlike fantasy world told entirely in rhyme and must reclaim the stolen light of sun, moon and stars. Turn based battles meet picturesque, watercolor style visuals.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 19 88/100
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
In Ivalice, Vaan and his companions fight their way through the political intrigue of two warring empires using the Gambit system, which largely automates combat commands. The Zodiac Age polishes the 2006 title with a new job system and reworked visuals.
PCPlayStationSwitchXbox - 20 88/100
Octopath Traveler II
Eight travelers with their own stories cross paths in a gorgeous HD-2D world full of turn-based battles built around a break-and-boost system. Every character has unique field skills for interacting with the environment.
PCPlayStationSwitchXbox - 21 88/100
Secret of Mana
This action role playing game set new standards with real time three player combat and its ring menu and is playable today through Nintendo Switch Online as well as a standalone Steam release. Its colorful world, catchy soundtrack and cooperative play keep it popular today.
PCPlayStationSwitchMobile - 22 87/100
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Details
A French inspired Belle Epoque world is culled by one year every year, at the hands of a mysterious painter. The turn based combat demands far more real time reflexes than classic JRPGs, thanks to parries and dodges.
PCPlayStationXbox - 23 87/100
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
The 1988 classic shines in HD 2D style with pixel characters set against detailed 3D backgrounds and tells the origin story of the entire series. A freely customizable party of heroes and a vast world map invite classic exploration.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 24 87/100
Final Fantasy VI Details
This SNES role playing game is regarded as the peak of the classic Final Fantasy era and is playable today as a pixel remaster on PC, consoles and mobile devices. A large ensemble cast and a darker, more mature story set it apart within the series.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 25 87/100
Kingdom Hearts II Details
Sora, Donald, and Goofy return with a more fluid combat system and even more Disney worlds to stop Organization XIII and its dark plans. The 2005 sequel is considered by many fans the series' high point and is part of the modern HD collections.
PCPlayStationXbox - 26 87/100
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Ichiban and Kazuma Kiryu join forces between Yokohama and a brand-new Hawaii setting to uncover a family secret. It deepens the previous game's turn-based combat and packs in even more heartfelt side content.
PCPlayStationXbox - 27 87/100
Tales of Arise
An enslaved warrior and a mysterious masked woman fight together to free their planet from an oppressive alien race. Fluid real time combat and a noticeably more mature anime art style define this series highlight.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 28 86/100
Fire Emblem Engage
The hero Alear allies with Emblem Rings representing past Fire Emblem protagonists to stop an awakened dragon god. The ring system brings fresh tactical options to the series proven turn based battles.
Switch - 29 86/100
NieR: Automata
Android fighter 2B battles machine lifeforms on an abandoned Earth, while the story raises ever deeper philosophical questions across multiple perspectives and endings. Fast-paced action combat meets one of the medium's most moving narratives.
PCPlayStationXbox - 30 86/100
OMORI Details
An introverted boy shifts between a colorful dream world and the real world, where he must confront his past and trauma. Turn based battles meet an increasingly unsettling psychological story.
PCPlayStationSwitchXbox
Worth reading on this
Common questions
- How many games of this kind are in the database?
- There are currently 57. This page shows the 30 with the highest critic rating, so nothing below that cut is missing by accident, it simply scored lower.
- What is the single best pick right now?
- Metaphor: ReFantazio, with 94 out of 100. That said, the top of this list sits within a few points, so the second or third entry may fit your evening better.
- How much time do these games ask for?
- The median across this list is about 43 hours. 1 of the 30 entries are finished in fifteen hours or less if you are short on time.
- Can I play these with friends?
- 2 of the 30 entries support co-op. The rest are built as single player experiences.
Prefer a recommendation tailored to tonight instead of a list? The finder takes three minutes.
Find your next game →