Great JRPGs that break traditional genre conventions

Key takeaways

• Star Ocean The Second Story R defies fantasy conventions with a sci-fi twist, offering 99 endings.
• Radiant Historia breaks JRPG linearity with distinct timelines in perfect chronology.
• The Triangular Strategy presents a political story with deep moral choices and human characters.

JRPGs have been setting the standard for video game story and mechanics for years. These titles' deep knowledge, strong character work, and unique gameplay loops have made JRPGs one of the top genres for gamers worldwide, but with such a strong library of titles, it's only natural that certain conventions and tropes start to emerge. .

So how do JRPGs break deals? Which rules should be adhered to, and which should be broken? Should the story alter the classic high fantasy setting, or improve with the turn-based combat that helped define the genre in the 80s and 90s? These games are particularly heavily influenced by traditional JRPG conventions.

5 Star Ocean Second Story R

Defies fantasy conventions with a sci-fi flair

One of the many Square Enix games that veers away from pure fantasy and throws in a healthy dose of sci-fi, Star Ocean Second Story R is a great turn-based game that gamers won't want to miss, especially if they like to influence the story through their choices. From the start, choosing one of two main characters to guide them through the story will lead players on their way to one of 99 endings, influenced by how they interact with the hordes of companions available to them.

The game manages to inhabit everything fans love about the classic high-fantasy setting while defying many aesthetic tropes. High-tech appearance, keeps the setting of future technology The second story r As a single planet in an epic of galactic proportions. It's a great way to show how the framing of the setting is vital to where the genre stands.

4 Bright history

Does away with JRPG linearity in a fascinating way

Many JRPGs are known for their strong, yet linear stories. This is already a convention that has been broken by some titles, but as a general rule, especially in older games, a player's agency in the world of many JRPGs is limited to things like party composition and perhaps which side quests to take. , as opposed to influencing how the story turns out.

Bright historyin particular Perfect chronology The remaster, on the 3DS, is a perfect example of a game that defies linear storytelling in an interesting way. Stock must use the White Chronicle to explore two different timelines that diverge from his own choices, only to find answers to problems found in one timeline and jump between the two to save both in the process.

3 The Triangulation Strategy

An epic tale of politics without a big bad guy

Not the most famous of Square Enix's titles but definitely an underrated success with an incredible morality mechanic, The Triangulation Strategy There is an incredible branching story that takes players in the direction of the continent of Nerjalia. In a genre that is, frankly, filled with evil wizards and tyrannical dark knights with comically oversized horns on their helmets, The Triangulation Strategy It gets away with it with a surprising level of political realism and real human characters while still playing the game Twisted, brutal story to enjoy.

Balancing the three major conventions and having a story determined by the friends as much as the player is already an inventive enough deviation from the JRPG form, but adding to it is an incredibly compelling story that shows the characters changing, growing, and sometimes realizing. Too challenging or not worth the risk to get involved.

2 Resonance of fate

An incredible battle system and novel setting

Resonance of fate Stands as one of the most beloved JRPGs today, praised for its brilliant combat system that breaks JRPG standards in many ways. This “tri-attack battle system” allows players to move freely during their turns in combat, limited by their action points. They can then attack an opponent at advantageous angles while being able to charge an attack not just once but multiple times.

The setting for this game takes a gritty, futuristic dystopia and blends it with the iconic steampunk style, making it an incredibly novel aesthetic and one of the best post-apocalyptic JRPGs players can get their hands on today.

1 Shin Megami Tensei 5: Revenge

War is the only option in SMT

Shin Megami TenseiOne of Atlus' flagship series, JRPG is constantly breaking down the barriers of what should constitute combat, but Shin Megami Tensei 5: Revenge The legacy of the series deserves a mention here for an incredibly polished, portable title on the Switch. Complicated stories aren't necessarily groundbreaking in this genre, however SMTThe discussion of law and chaos as opposed to good and evil is a wonderful subversion of the more binary narratives JRPGs can always have.

In almost all non-boss battle encounters monsters can be talked to instead of fought SMT. in RevengePlayers may want to talk to monsters to try to get them to join their party through sweet-talk, bribery, or intimidation. However, they can coerce them for items, frighten them into battle, or barter for their essence, depending on which complementary skills are taken.