Classic JRPGs with dark, mature themes

Key takeaways

• JRPGs explore dark themes like war, politics and the end of the world through complex storytelling.
• Games like Final Fantasy 8, Vagrant Story, Shadow Hearts, Shin Megami Tensei 3, Parasite Eve, and Mother 3 tackle mature themes in class.
• These JRPGs offer compelling stories that examine child soldiers, murder, cosmic horror, and the frailties of humanity.

JRPGs have become famous for their complex storylines, whether it's a political intrigue or a war story. This broad genre has explored some dark, complex themes for decades and continues to do so in contemporary times. Its long, ongoing history dating back to the 1980s and 1990s is a fascinating one, and it has become a bastion for amazing storytelling in an industry full of incredible stories.

Like games final fantasy and Xenogears has done its part to examine the horrors of war and how it affects people, while more off-beat titles such as Shin Megami Tensei and Shadow hearts Immersed in the fragility of life. These games have explored some pretty mature topics, including the likes of child soldiers, the end of the world, and the difficult journey of parenthood. And many of them have presented questions about ethics and faith in class in engaging ways.

6 Shadow hearts

A charming gothic horror RPG

Using what they learned to create a forgotten PS1 masterpiece KoudelkaA sequel was made for the PS2 known as developer Sacnoth Shadow hearts. Continued from Koudelka, Shadow heartsis a gothic horror JRPG set in 1913 and a man named Yuri is trying to save a young woman named Alice.

Shadow hearts Uses elements of cosmic horror and classic literature, feeling like an old Hammer film come to life. Violence is transferred over and over again Shadow heartsOne of the main themes of the game is the end of innocence, especially to innocents. It's a fantastic JRPG that deserves a remaster, as it would fit well into today's landscape of horror RPGs.

5 Final Fantasy 8

Child soldiers clash with wizards from the future

After using the impressive hardware of the PS1 to power its seventh mainline entry, Squaresoft chose to take final fantasy In an even darker area with the eighth iteration. with Final Fantasy 8, Square tells the story of SeD, an army of child soldiers trained to fight evil. Through its 40 Hour campaign, Final Fantasy 8 Explores themes of war and child endangerment, as SeeD's battle with a futuristic sorceress named Ultimasia forms the centerpiece of the story beginning on disc two.

Ultimecia has captured a woman named Adia Kramer in the present day, and the knowledge of her impending defeat drives her insane and sets her on a collision course with CD. Squall and the party travel through a dangerous journey FF8which sees them confront childhood trauma and a world that adults find difficult to trust. It's a dark, twisted tale of fate and doom, which is still too fantastic to play today.

4 Misleading story

Assassinations and political conspiracies

Square Ivalice Alliance The subseries is one of their greatest creations, this one final fantasy The spin-off has produced some incredible games over the years. is one of the best examples Misleading storyA dark tale of intrigue and death that is one of the PS1's most notable titles.

Misleading story Get caught up in political intrigue, as risk-taker Ashley Riot becomes embroiled in a massive conspiracy thriller involving the Duke's murder. Exploring the dilapidated catacombs of Lea Monde, Ashley also encounters a strange cult known as Mullenkamp and one of the PS1's most terrifying villains, Sydney Lostarot. Its provocative trial deaths and complex, sometimes murderous, family dynamics are its main causes The Vagrant Story Following the cult.

3 Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne

The demi-fiend faces a world-ending event

If any JRPG franchise knows how to deal with darkness, this is it Shin Megami TenseiThe monster-hunting series debuted in 1987 and has become one of the industry's most popular titles. with Shin Megami Tensei 3: NocturneAtlus produced one of the darkest and most chilling entries in the franchise. the night Set moments after the apocalyptic event known as the Conception, a young man known as the Demi-Fiend is tasked with guiding the course of human history and fighting a cult known as the Ring of Gaia.

It envisions a world where the bad guys win before the game even begins. Everyone outside of Shinjuku Hospital is killed after Conception, and the rest of the game is about Demi-Find trying to find a new way forward. It's a dark game, exploring ancient religious themes and Japanese mythology, as the demi-fiend acts as a sort of conduit for humanity's fate. This great JRPG was recently remastered for modern hardware, making it easy to revisit today.

2 Parasitic eve

A haunting exploration of motherhood

An exciting mix of final fantasy and Resident Evil, Parasitic eve is set in New York and stars NYPD officer Aya Bray. Described as a “cinematic RPG”. Parasitic eve is a stark exploration of motherhood and the frailty of humanity.

Aya's journey takes her on an emotional ride through New York, where she is forced to confront her own past and the apocalyptic future of human existence. Standing between the impending end of the world and humanity's literal mother Eve, Aya faces increasing destruction as she tries to survive. It is filled with disturbing imagery and a story that still resonates today, as it asks questions about humanity's true purpose that are still being answered today.

1 Mother 3

Horrible secrets hide behind a colorful JRPG

After a long, troubled development process saw it cancelled, Mother 3 It eventually reappeared on the Game Boy Advance and became one of its best releases. Set in the aptly named Nowhere Islands, Mother 3 It's a textbook example of what makes a great series great. It seamlessly hides a dark, depressing story beneath its colorful, pixelated graphics and funky music.

Mother 3 Explores the crumbling foundations of nature, its distortion by technology, and the encroaching hand of corporate overreach, as twin brothers Klaus and Lucas embark on a journey fraught with all sorts of dangers that feel decidedly impersonal and mechanical. It effortlessly tackles themes like grief and trauma, but does so in a way that doesn't detract from its heart and sense of humor. sadly, Mother 3 Still without a western release, but playing the awesome fan patch is still a worthy way to experience this classic.