The end of the year is a time to reflect on an individual’s personal and professional decisions.
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Sometimes, gimmicks and spectacles are just as memorable.
But here, on a gaming outlet, it’s also a cue to look back at all the video game releases that have come and gone and assess how the year shaped the gaming industry.
At DualShockers, we’ve already made our predictions and picks for theGame of the Year Awards 2024, but we wanted to go a step further and pay tribute to titles from a specific genre because we believe every game deserves its moment in the spotlight.
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JRPG characters like Professor Hojo or Preceptor Seluvis are so absolutely awful that you’re able to’t help but love them.
Here, our staff revisited most of theJRPGsreleased in 2024, and after an incredibly tight race, we tallied up the votes to curate this list of the best among them.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that 2024 was one of the best years for JRPGs. Beyond the titles featured here, countless other noteworthy releases undoubtedly earned a spot in players' backlogs worldwide.
The entire DualShockers staff listed their favorite JRPGs of the year, and after tallying the votes, we arrived at the following list. Some games listed here lean more JRPG-adjacent than strictly JRPG, but since the genre’s definition can get a little convoluted, we honored the results as they stood.
10Visions of Mana
Return Of The Franchise
Visions of Mana
The first JRPG on the list feels like a homecoming for Square Enix, which decided to release a mainlineManaseriesgame after 15 years, staying true to its roots.
Visions of Manafeatures series staples like elementals, recurring characters, the Ring Menu, and an optimistic and vividly colorful atmosphere.
The biggest shift in this entry is how much more narrative-drivenVisions of Manais compared to its predecessors.
It follows Val, a Soul Guard tasked with protecting and guiding chosen individuals called Alms to offer their souls to the Tree of Mana and restore elemental balance to the world.
This action JRPG delivers everything Square Enix does best.Visions of Manaboasts a class system, skill customization, combat leveraging elemental resistances and weaknesses, and Metroidvania-esque exploration that expands as you acquire new tools. Plus, it offers a wealth of side content that delves deeper into its mythology.
After so many remasters and remakes, we genuinely hopeVisions of Manahas propelled theManaseries to a new audience and that Square Enix doesn’t shelve it again.
Although the studio responsible for the game was ominously closed on launch day, let’s keep Val’s optimism and hope for a bright future.
9Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Arriving At The Big Leagues
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Cygames broughtGranblue Fantasy: Relinkto dedicated gaming platforms like consoles and PCs, proving mobile games can hold their own in the big leagues—no shade intended for mobile titles.
It’s just that the leap in development scope from a mobile game to a full-scale action RPG is monumental.
Granblue Fantasy: Relinkis a delight and one of the most entertaining JRPGs of 2024. TheGranblue Fantasyseries began in 2014 on mobile devices and web browsers.
After massive success, it set its sights even higher, reaching new Skydoms with such distinction that it broke records upon release.
In this action RPG, you start your journey as either Gran or Djeeta, but you’re not limited to them.Relinkintroduces over 20 playable characters (including DLC), each with unique weapons, skills, and specialties. Most battles feature a party of four characters, either controlled by AI offline or by other players online.
The major caveat is that whileGranblue Fantasy: Relinkoffers a standalone story, it still references events from the mobile game. Character episodes introduce and summarize their pasts before the main narrative, but it’s still just a recap.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that caution is needed before diving into the JRPG. My 130 hours of gameplay taught me one thing: farming to upgrade weapons and finding new sigils is incredibly addictive.
8Dragon’s Dogma 2
Bigger, Better, And Stronger
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2took everything the original did and made it bigger, better, and more fun.
The firstDragon’s Dogmawas a Capcom cult classic, initially flying under the radar but eventually capturing gamers' hearts worldwide. Fans eagerly waited 12 years for this sequel.
Despite some controversies surrounding microtransactions and FPS issues, the game was a phenomenon.
The sequel introduced new vocations, a larger and more dynamic world filled with massive living creatures, a revamped pawn system, and a stronger narrative focus.
Dragon’s Dogma 2is the kind of open-world RPG you can restart countless times and still have a distinct experience thanks to its systemic design.
The game doesn’t hold your hand, and there will be moments when you’ll want to give up, lost in the pitch-black night far from safety. But enduring and surviving another day is anunmatched experience onlyDragon’s Dogma 2can deliver.
7Rise of the Ronin
Shaping Japan’s History
Rise of the Ronin
Rise of the RonintakesTeam Ninja’s expertise fromNiohand transforms it into a sprawling open-world game where your choices carry weight and consequences, both narratively and gameplay-wise. The RPG also offers significant player freedom and rewards exploration and completion.
Set during the Bakumatsu period, when Western nations were granted access to Japan,Rise of the Roninis surprisingly choice-heavy in its main story, altering its ending based on your decisions. Players must align with one faction at one point, inevitably clashing with the other.
Combat draws inspiration fromNiohandWo Long: Fallen Dynastybut introduces unique mechanics, like a stealth system for gaining an edge and varied combat stances across nine weapon types.
One of the best aspects ofRise of the Roninis unveiling the map, resolving disputes, hunting criminals, and growing your karma while journeying through historical Japan.
6Unicorn Overlord
Tactical Excellence
Unicorn Overlord
Vanillawareis a studio that believes in its potential. Despite almost going bankrupt after developing13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, it took another bold step with the strategy RPGUnicorn Overlord.
Ultimately, everything paid off, and the game was a massive hit.
Unicorn Overlordis a strategy RPG in the vein of the belovedOgre Battle. Players dive into a tale of political intrigue after the protagonist’s kingdom is betrayed by his generals and conquered by enemies. Ten years later, now at seventeen, it’s up to Prince Alain to reclaim his throne by rallying allies across the land.
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Recruiting new membersgreatly expands the strategic combat, thanks to the many classes each character offers.
Unicorn Overlordfeatures a robust system of strengths and weaknesses, where one class outshines another. Combine that with incredibly modular tactics, and you’ve got not just one of the best JRPGs of 2024 but one of the finest strategy games in recent times.
5Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
A Classic Remade
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
Dragon Quest 3was so impactful that the Japanese government struck a deal with Nintendo to avoid releasingDragon Questgames on weekdays, to prevent mass absenteeism from school and work.
That alone speaks volumes about the game’s legacy. The classic JRPG sold millions of copies and elevated the franchise to new heights.
Unsurprisingly, it was Square Enix’s first choice for a remake using the HD-2D graphical engine—and for good reason, as it serves as the prequel to the Erdrick trilogy.Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakeis an almost mandatory JRPG for longtime fans and nostalgia-seekers.
It preserves the original mechanics while adding modern quality-of-life features like auto-save and an expanded backstory for the protagonist’s father, enriching the narrative.
The fact thatDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakedidn’t need many changes proves the original was ahead of its time. It’s not the most narrative-driven game and may not be everyone’s cup of tea if they prefer story-focused titles.
But if you’re looking for an old-school, turn-based JRPG with a customizable class system, relatively high difficulty, and impeccable exploration,don’t sleep on Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake.
4Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Holidays In Hawaii
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
We’re off to Hawaii inLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the sequel that puts us back in Ichiban Kasuga’s shoes after his debut as the main character inYakuza: Like a Dragon.
Kasuga heads to Hawaii for personal reasons but quickly gets entangled in the intricate schemes the series is known for, alongside former protagonist Kazuma Kiryu.
Infinite Wealthretains the turn-based combat introduced in its predecessor, which left behind the beat ‘em up genre, but it brings numerous improvements.
For instance, character positioning and follow-up attacks are no longer random. Each character has its own movement range in battle, adding a strategic layer. Some jobs, the character classes, return, while new ones expand the progression system’s scope.
Minigames, a staple of the series, make a strong comeback.Infinite Wealthfeatures some robust minigames that could be standalone games, such as Crazy Delivery,Sujimon, andDondoko Island, which, truthfully, parody other games.
The highlight, however, isMiss Match, a dating app Kasuga can join, showing thatLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthisn’t afraid to lean into its zaniness for the sake of player enjoyment.
3Persona 3 Reload
The Best School Life
Persona 3 Reload
Persona 3was the JRPG that put the series on the map with its innovative calendar system, a school life filled with social activities, meaningful NPC interactions, and, of course, the classic turn-based combat involving collecting and fusing new bizarre creatures.
If you enjoyedPersona 3, it’s impossible not to lovePersona 3 Reload. It improves on everything the original offered.
Graphics are enhanced, the combat and progression systems are more tactical and less RNG-dependent, and character development for party members and NPCs remains top-notch while delivering one of the most psychologically deep main stories in JRPGs.
Even Tartarus, the original game’s main point of contention, received a visual revamp and added party banter to keep things fresh.
It’s still a bit of a slog, but the overall package makesPersona 3 Reloadone of the best JRPGs of the year and a perfect entry point for newcomers to the series.
2Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
The Most Ambitious
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirthhad a monumental task: continuing the legacy ofFinal Fantasy VII Remakewhile reintroducing players to the world of Midgar, all without losing what made Cloud and his crew’s journey so iconic. And I can proudly say thatRebirthnailed it.
The sequel brilliantly captures everything from the classic game while adding layers of lore, gameplay, andmany minigames—whether you love them or hate them.
Exploring vast open areas rewards players with numerous activities and enriches the broaderFinal Fantasy VIIbackstory.
The gameplay is even more refined, featuring aerial combat, introducing two new characters, and Synergy Attacks, a type ofteam-based movescombining allies’ abilities.
A skill tree system also adds light customization for each party member. Although the narrative stumbles slightly toward the end, it’s still endearing.
Recreating the magic of a 1997 game with modern graphics, motion capture, and voice acting is harder than starting from scratch.
Thankfully, Square Enix delivered, earningFinal Fantasy 7:Rebirthawards left and right, including here at DualShockers. The game is so polished that most complaints center around its minigames, which is a minor gripe considering all the JRPG achieves.
1Metaphor: ReFantazio
The Best JRPG of 2024
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Every company should take a page from Atlus’s book. Not only does the studio maintain a steady stream of releases, but it also consistently delivers excellent titles that break records.
This year alone, Atlus launchedPersona 3 Reload, the expandedShin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, publishedUnicorn Overlord, and ended the year on a high note withMetaphor: ReFantazio, a new IP from Studio Zero led by the acclaimedPersonadirector.
Metaphor: ReFantaziois the culmination of everything that makes Atlus JRPGs exceptional. It blendsShin Megami Tensei’sPress Turn combat system with a modular progression system for all characters while incorporating the calendar-based structure and Social Links fromPersona, resulting in a masterpiece.
The main story is brilliant and slightly unsettling in how accurately it mirrors reality. The game’s central theme is political, unflinchingly addressing perjury, discrimination, glaring social inequality, and other daily struggles. It crafts an intelligent metaphor within its JRPG fantasy setting.
Crowned as thebest JRPG of 2024here at DualShockers,Metaphor: ReFantaziois a testament to balancing tradition with innovation to deliver an unforgettable experience.
Its minor flaws are far outweighed by its countless strengths, proving it’s possible to stay true to a formula while redefining excellence.
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The JRPG subgenre is no longer tied to its geographical origins.
