There have been some great JRPGs for the past few years, but some leave a bigger impression on the player than the others. Here's my Top 10, in no particular order:
1&2- Utawarerumono - Mask of Deception and Mask of Truth
The game is defined by a mixture of Slice of Life, Fantasy, Isekai, Strategy, Sci-Fi Mystery and genuine Japanese sense of Comedy. I can see why some people were struggling during some of the character building scenes, notably the BL obsessions for one of the female characters, but overall, Utawarerumono is on par with some of the best ancient fantasy novels ever written, even for Chinese fans who are well used to what the mightly 金庸 has to offer.
You were left wondering with the suspense of what happened to humanity and fantasising most of the time, what happened to the main character and what is about to happen; the game is a rare treat for people who have no problems with longer dialogues.
The fights on the other hand, are far from the laid-back atmosphere the main story has fostered, especially at hard-mode. But at no point does it feel like a never-ending grind to beat the boss, which is the downfall for many of the contemporary games.
The cast is, at first glance, cliche-ridden but as the story develops, you feel a sense of attachment for most of them and start to appreciate their idiosyncrasies. Even for Anju, once you discovered how frustratingly powerful she is at the second game, Utawarerumono Mask of Truth.
3- Persona 4 Golden
For some of the fans who started with Persona 5, the art, the music, and the game play of Persona 4 must seem slightly dated, but it is imperative to remember that, for the time, Persona 4 was truly ground-breaking. One of the few games where you could inadvertently game over due to the incorrect choices you make, either due to the over-immersion of the tiny town of Inaba, or be unable to figure out the true culprit at the right time. The whodunnits crossover with Slice of Life, cross over with multi-dating routes made this game an outstanding affair.
4&5- The Legend of Heroes: The Trail of Cold Steel 1&2
Where shall one start with The Trail of Cold Steel? Firstly, I had not played the prequels such as Trail in the Sky or nor the Trails from Zero, but Trails of Cold Steel expertly guide you to the expansive world of Zemuria, without the need of knowledge of the prerequisites. Having said that, I have since played Trail in the Sky and it is remarkable how familiar names such as the Reinford family came up in both worlds; one has to wonder, how far had the writers envisaged this world? It is all very, very J.R.R. Tolkien in the way the Zemuria history and universe is constructed.
Secondly, the game is FUN. The way you manipulate the Orbments to suit your combat style can be daunting at first, but once you spend time thinking about it and see them executing to perfection, the satisfaction is so great that you actually enjoy clearing dungeons where most other games dungeons are but a traipse.
I loved the characters and loved the dating routes. Some people dislike the dating but it makes me feel more in control of the character. Let's face it, some main heroines in other games can be antagonising, you would never have talked to her, let alone gotten close with her if you were the main character, so with the option of dating routes, it is endlessly satisfying that you are able to put yourself in the shoes of the main character and choose what you yourself really would have done.
Despite its greatness, the game has one major flaw: The voice acting. Now there is a market and indeed a necessity for dubs but in this case, the final result is nothing short of cringe-worthy. (The emotional subs vs dubs debate will be discussed elsewhere). The game only became playable after I muted the Voice Volume.
The third and forth instalment of the series have not yet been released worldwide when this article is written, perhaps we could look forward to re-arranging the Top 10 orders when they are.
6- Tales of Berseria
I had a tough time deciding to play this game simply because the previous offering, Tales of Zestiria was such a disappointment. And so the chance came with a lull period where I had no other appealing games on the pipeline and the game happened to be on sale on PSN. And my God am I glad I gave it a go.
Our main character is as unconventional as it comes, a daemon who seeks revenge on the supposedly righteous Sheppard who seeks to free the world from suffering. Her adversary, who has noble aspirations, is not as a clear-cut evil as many of the other JRPG has to offer. It is refreshing change and one should welcome it with open arms. If you had fun with Batman, Spawn and Ironman, then Tales of Berseria has something in store for you.
7- If My Heart Had Wings +18 Version
This is not a very mainstream choice, especially if you were an avid Steam player and only had access to the All-Age version. I played both and the All-Age Version has butchered and sliced the very soul and enjoyment of a Visual Novel, the endings are boring and the dynamics between the characters are completely different. I have no problems with games designed to be under 18, as with the case of most PS4 games, but I have a problem with games who try to cater to the masses by removing some of the elements which made the games so appealing to begin with.
Warning: If you are not into reading, the game is definitely not for you. I don't profess to be an avid reader but I will soldier on if the story is interesting enough, this is where the +18 and All-Age differs, one has interesting and exciting intermissions and the other is just a long trudge into the unrewarding inevitable.
In the end, the story is beautifully written and sends an apt reminder of what hard-work and defiance of the normal order is all about. Himegi Ageha is a loyal friend and a fantastic lover anyone should be happy to have
8- Yakuza 4
I specifically picked Yakuza 4 in spite of the more well-rounded, snazzier, newer offerings, such as Yakuza 6 where the characters and the cities are so well rendered that at times you feel these are real people wandering (or picking fights!) in your real cities.
Yakuza 4 has everything, from the fantastic-intertwining stories you come to expect with the Yakuza series, the great and enjoyable fights and best of all, the quirky and at times, downright ridiculous side missions. From going to Mixers(合コン) to help your friends getting laid, to women bathing in piles of of cash borrowed from you, it is the Yin of the hilarious distraction to the Yang of the serious main story, they are all perfectly balanced and enjoyable to the very end.
After Yakuza 4, the other games feel a little stretched and laboured, which is a shame. Like some musicians, once you become successful, you stick to a formula in fear of losing sales, but in doing so, alienating the fans who made you what you were to begin with. In music you could argue that it is an artistic choice, but in games it becomes staid and boring after a while.
9- Final Fantasy XIII-3
It is hard to compile a list of JRPGs and ignore Final Fantasy. But since 7&8, most the series have not really set the JRPG world alight. You could argue with sales numbers, or how FFXV become a ground-breaking and truly immersive experience, but as you play through most of the adventures, the majority of the time it feels like you do it because you started the game, rather than something you truly look forward to, or are addicted to it. The stories or the character interactions are simply not as interesting.
XIII-3 has enough tension, excitement and beautiful graphics to warrant a place in the Top 10, but really, if I could, I would put 8 and 7 first.
10- Clannad
The game first released in Japan in 2004 and recently Sekai Project released the English translated title. Unlike the problem with If My Heart had Wings, Clannad never had adult content to begin with, so whilst I am not a big fan of Sekai's other works, this time they deserve full credit for bringing one of the masterpieces to the Western audience.
The art is dated but that should not be a reason to not try one of the most iconic and enduring games in our lifetime.
Comments welcome, but as you can appreciate, how much you enjoyed a game can depend vastly on personal preference and sometimes even the period when you played the game. If your list is different to the above, feel free to let me know but no need to get excited over it. :D