By Murillo Zerbinatto
Thread 2
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When Japan began developing its own RPGs, developers like Yuji Horii, the father of Dragon Quest, aimed to create something more accessible for players.
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Dragon Quest was inspired by Wizardry and Ultima but didn't include fully customizable characters, countless attributes, large parties, and branching narratives.
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This streamlined approach, combined with inherently Japanese characteristics like anime-inspired art styles, dramatic storytelling, and a focus on character development, earned these games the title of JRPGs.
As JRPGs gained popularity, other games began paying tribute to them. Many developers sought to create their own interpretation of JRPGs, even if they weren't Japanese.
We've decided to highlight the best JRPGs not made in Japan that could easily pass as works of the old-school Japanese RPG wizards.
8 Earthlock
The Festival of Magic

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Earthlock is a humble indie game by Norwegian studio Snowcastle Games. Its story takes place in a world where the planet has stopped spinning, causing weather cataclysms across various regions—some are scorched by constant sunlight, while others are frozen in perpetual darkness.
Snowcastle draws inspiration from classic Squaresoft games featuring turn-based combat. Each party member fights in pairs, altering their abilities and taking two different stances. Amon, for example, can switch between ranged and melee attacks, each with distinct advantages against certain enemies.
On the right-hand side of the screen, a timeline displays the combat order, helping players strategize. Earthlock is an unambitious, cozy game that delivers on its promises. The first game must have been relatively successful since Snowcastle announced Earthlock 2 in 2020.
7 Fallen Legion
A Vanillaware-esque Game

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At a glance, Fallen Legion might seem like a Vanillaware production due to its striking visuals, but that's not true. The two games, Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire and Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion, along with their compilation Rise to Glory, were developed by Indonesian studio Mintsphere.
Each game is set in the Empire of Fenumia and features a different protagonist. While not precisely masterpieces, they have their own charm. The combat resembles Valkyrie Profile, where each face button triggers an attack from a party member.
Battles feel like mini-gauntlets comprised of several stages. After each victory, players can choose buffs to strengthen their team for the next challenge.
Outside of combat, Fallen Legion plays out on a map reminiscent of tactical games, where clicking on an area triggers cutscenes, battles, or both. It isn't the most awesome game, but it scratches the itch for something new but familiar.
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6 Child of Light
The Only Child
OpenCritic Reviews- Top Critic Rating:83/100 Critics Recommend:80%
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch , Nintendo Wii U , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , PC , Stadia
- Released
- April 30, 2014
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- UbiArt Framework
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- How Long To Beat
- 11 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Ubisoft Montreal's Child of Light has more in common with JRPGs than Western RPGs. In this artistic game, players follow Aurora, who dies in her sleep and awakens in the world of Lemuria, where she must restore light to the land to return home.
Child of Light is steeped in artistry. Its narrative is almost entirely in rhyme, which might be a gripe for some players. The art style draws inspiration from historical illustrators and even Yoshitaka Amano, renowned for designing Final Fantasy logos and several of the series' characters and monsters.
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The combat uses an active turn-based system similar to Grandia, where a timeline determines action order. Depending on the commands chosen, players can interrupt or cancel enemy turns. Only two party members participate in battles, making the encounters more streamlined and strategic. Child of Light is deemed one of the best PS3 RPG.
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5 The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
The Fellowship Of The Final Fantasy

Who would have thought Electronic Arts would practically copy Final Fantasy X's blueprint to create a The Lord of the Rings game? That's what happened with The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age.
The combat plays out nearly identically to Final Fantasy X's Conditional Turn-Based Battle system. A queue displays the order of combatants, and this order can be altered using abilities that speed up allies or stun and slow down enemies. Each party member has unique specialties and learns new abilities through leveling up or equipping Elf Stones.
The game's protagonist is Berethor, a captain of Gondor. The story unfolds during The Lord of the Rings trilogy but is non-canonical. This creative freedom allowed the game to include epic boss fights, such as battling the Balrog alongside Gandalf.
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Berethor and his group operate behind the scenes under Gandalf's guidance to aid Frodo and the Fellowship in their quest to destroy the One Ring.
4 Battle Chasers: Nightwar
An American JRPG

OpenCritic Reviews- Top Critic Rating:80/100 Critics Recommend:75%
- Platform(s)
- Android , iOS , Nintendo Switch , PC , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One
- Released
- October 3, 2017
- Publisher(s)
- THQ Nordic
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Alcohol Reference, Blood and Gore, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- How Long To Beat
- 30 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- PC Release Date
- October 3, 2017
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- May 15, 2018
American studio Airship Syndicate developed Battle Chasers: Nightwar, an RPG based on the fantasy comic book of the same name. Unlike other games on this list, the studio never explicitly cited JRPG inspirations, though players and some pundits often label it an "American JRPG"—as odd as that might sound.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar follows a diverse cast of characters tasked with protecting Gully as they travel to the Capital Lands. When their airship is shot down, they must escape a mysterious island teeming with deadly foes.
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The game features an isometric view reminiscent of Diablo as players explore both dungeons and the world map. Dungeon difficulty can be set before entering, and layouts are procedurally generated, keeping exploration fresh.
Its turn-based combat is straightforward but introduces a few twists. Regular attacks allow party members to generate Overcharge, a surplus of mana usable only during that battle. Some abilities have a charge time, pushing the member's turn further down the timeline. Enemies operate similarly, giving players time to brace themselves before a devastating blow lands.
3 Cris Tales
Time Travel In Battle

OpenCritic Reviews- Top Critic Rating:74/100 Critics Recommend:46%
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- July 20, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Dreams Uncorporated , SYCK
- Publisher(s)
- Modus Games
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- How Long To Beat
- 22 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
Dreams Uncorporated, a Colombian studio, developed Cris Tales as a love letter to JRPGs like Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and Persona.
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The game's theme revolves around time travel but with a unique spin. Protagonist Crisbell can jump through time on the map and during battles, triggering various effects. For example, Crisbell can leap into the past to move objects, removing them as obstacles in the present.
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Her time-jumping ability is pivotal in combat as well. Crisbell can send enemies into the past, making them weaker, or plant a poison attack that takes effect when they're thrown into the future, dealing severe damage. This mechanic is essential for resolving some conflicts.
The entire design of Cris Tales hinges on its time-jumping system, particularly the narrative. After gaining her powers, Crisbell witnesses her home destroyed by the Empress of Time. Determined to stop the villain's empire, she sets out to master her time magic and rewrite her world's fate.
2 Chained Echoes
A Mix of JRPGs Homages

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OpenCritic Reviews- Top Critic Rating:90/100 Critics Recommend:95%
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- December 8, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Matthias Linda
- Publisher(s)
- Deck13 Interactive
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- M17+ For Mature 17+ Due To Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 35 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
German solo developer Matthias Linda is the mastermind behind Chained Echoes, a turn-based indie RPG inspired by 1990s JRPG classics. Fans of games like Final Fantasy, Suikoden, and the masterpiece Chrono Trigger will find a lot to love here.
In Chained Echoes, players follow Glenn as he embarks on a mission with the Iron Bull gang. He inadvertently activates a mysterious stone during the mission, triggering a massive explosion and tragic deaths, setting the stage for the game's intricate narrative.
The story is full of twists—sometimes too many—but JRPG fans will easily recognize its influences. The game offers numerous features, including base building, giant robot battles, a class system, and robust turn-based combat.
A standout feature of the combat system is the Overdrive Gauge. During battle, actions raise or lower this gauge, and its position determines whether allies deal more damage or take more. This forces players to approach encounters strategically rather than relying on spamming basic attacks.
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1 Sea of Stars
The Best Non-Japan JRPG

OpenCritic Reviews- Top Critic Rating:89/100 Critics Recommend:97%
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch , PC , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One
- Released
- August 29, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Sabotage
- Publisher(s)
- Sabotage
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
- How Long To Beat
- 28 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
- Number of Players
- 1-3
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- PC Release Date
- August 29, 2023
- PS5 Release Date
- August 29, 2023
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- August 29, 2023
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- August 29, 2023
Canadian studio Sabotage Studios created the stellar Sea of Stars, a modern RPG with the heart of a classic JRPG. According to director Thierry Boulanger, the inspirations behind Sea of Stars include Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, and Illusion of Gaia, and the final result truly shines.
The story follows Solstice Warriors Valere and Zale as they embark on a lifelong mission: to defeat The Fleshmancer. Along the way, they meet a colorful cast of companions, each driven by their own motivations.
The turn-based combat introduces several creative gimmicks. Each ability includes a unique interactive element to enhance its power. Players can also use time button presses to reduce damage from enemy attacks, and party members can combine their abilities to create devastating team attacks.
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Sea of Stars' standout combat mechanic is the Lock system. When an enemy prepares an attack, lock icons appear above them, representing specific elemental types. Hitting all the required elements before the enemy's turn cancels their attack, encouraging players to carefully strategize their actions instead of mindlessly attacking.
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- Video Games
- JRPG
- sea of stars
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