JRPG games are known for their vast, high fantasy settings. Many titles in this genre thrive on creating sprawling fantasy worlds that serve as the setting for grand epics and journeys, usually with a dark knight or evil wizard who must be slain along the way but, in recent years especially, the genre has been rocking. These particular tropes.
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No matter how deep or elaborate the story of a JRPG, it's a genre of games where titles can live or die by their setting. If a setting is well-written and attractive, the story seems to fit naturally into that world. One of the many ways JRPGs can contribute positively to their settings is by featuring non-human races, showcasing cultures and societies cut from a different cloth than standard high fantasy tropes. These JRPGs typically include animal and anthropomorphic races to diversify their settings.
7 Breath of Fire 4
Capcom's JRPG Marvel
Breath of Fire 4


The breath of fire The series is an unfortunately obscure entry in Capcom's backlog, but one that has had a handful of absolutely stellar entries (and the failed 2016 MMO that we never saw, ever talk about). It is a series of fascinating but generally linear games starting on the SNES and ending in the early days of the PlayStation, with the rare feat among game series of an almost linear increase in quality with each game, said to have peaked around the series. This listed entry, four, or the fifth title after.
There are plenty of animal races in this game. The Creeping Clan are the elite frogs, while the Garbage Clan are the Mole People, and the Forest Clan are the Wolves. The protagonist's ability to shapeshift into various dragons lends them a semi-bestial race in their own right, and animal-folk make up a large portion of the playable characters as NPCs not only in this title but in all of them. breath of fire Games.
6 Suicoden 2
A classic JRPG with a variety of races
Suicoden 2


- issued
- September 29, 1999
Suicoden 2 A classic among JRPG fans, the same respect as its predecessor. These two titles both have incredible stories and an extensive roster of characters, and make for some great high fantasy JRPGs in their own right. It's quite a prestigious title, considering how popular this subgenre is among developers and fans alike. The unique combat and leveling system requires no grinding, allowing both human and non-human characters to shine in any combat situation.
Kobolds (who look like awesome dog-people, not your scaly D&D gremlins) and duck people are just a few of the animal races players can encounter and recruit fighters from within. Suicoden 2This is definitely a stellar party based JRPG players won't want to miss. Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming remasters of both 1 and 2 in this series!

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5 Final Fantasy 12
The age of the zodiac lives up to its name
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings

- issued
- November 20, 2007
- developer
- Think and feel, Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age is a masterful JRPG, known for its engaging open-world exploration, its massive skill trees, and the abundance of animal races that form the core of the setting. It's a brilliant move on Square Enix's part – creating a world that entices players to explore not just because of the places they see or the objects they find, but also because of the people they meet along the way.
While maintaining the classic final fantasy A plot revolving around two warring empires and a small kingdom caught in between, this is a very colorful, almost whimsical installment in Square Enix's legendary franchise, and one with a particular focus on non-human characters, races and cultures. The colors of the setting and its people alone, let alone the masterful gameplay, make this a title to keep an eye on.
4 Alliance alive
Monsters and beasts make this game come alive
Alliance alive

- Platform(s)
- New Nintendo 3DS
- issued
- June 22, 2017
- developer(s)
- FURYU
Alliance alive It deserves to stand among the pantheon of JRPGs known for their incredible combat and boss battles, but on top of that, it has one of the most captivating and unique aesthetics found in JRPGs today, putting a real, painterly spin on the classic high. Fantasy world design. The fascinating story of this world doesn't just center around humanity, but how humans deal with the incredibly diverse race known as beasts, who take on all sorts of animalistic forms. These beasts are the intermediate, driving level in the new succession of settings, where oppressed humans are at the bottom and oppressive daemons are at the top.
The demons themselves exhibit strange, animalistic characteristics, and each unique character has such an iconic design – it only makes a great story even better.
3 Unicorn Overlord
Bastorias is an entire kingdom of animals
The Nordic-inspired kingdom of Bastorias is populated by a group of people known as the Bestral Race. The Bestral folk are all incredibly proud and powerful, and are actually the last place to fall under the thumb of the evil Genoiran Empire – though all that could change unless the player helps them. The animal races on display here are – frankly – rogue. Giant lion-folk the width of two men, huge, lycanthrope-style wolf-men, it's all very stylized.
Game Rant is a zero-judgment publication. What if the player wants to marry a wolf girl? Or the owl priest? That is between them and their God. The important thing here is to identify the cute painted animals available for Alain to recruit.

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