Key points
- Star Ocean The Second Story R challenges fantasy conventions with a sci-fi twist, offering 99 endings.
- Radiant Historia breaks the linearity of the JRPG with divergent timelines in Perfect Chronology.
- Triangle Strategy presents a political narrative with deep moral choices and human characters.
JRPGs have been setting the standard for video game narrative and mechanics for years. These titles' deep lore, strong character work, and unique gameplay loops have made JRPGs one of the most popular genres among gamers around the world, but with such a large library of titles, it's only natural that certain conventions and clichés begin to appear. .
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So how does a JRPG break convention? Which rules should be respected and which should be broken? Should a story change the classic high fantasy setting, or should the turn-based combat that helped define the genre in the '80s and '90s be revamped? These games in particular have departed from traditional JRPG conventions to great effect.
5 Star Ocean The Second Story R
Challenge fantasy conventions with a sci-fi twist
- Released
- November 2, 2023
- Developer(s).
- Gemdrops, Inc.
One of many Square Enix games that strays from pure fantasy to add a healthy dose of science fiction, Star Ocean The Second Story R is a fantastic turn-based game that players won't want to miss, especially if they like having an impact on the narrative through their choices. From the start, selecting one of two protagonists to guide through the narrative sets players on a path to one of 99 endings, further influenced by how they interact with the multitude of companions at their disposal.
This game manages to bask in all the things fans love about the classic high-fantasy setting, while also defying many aesthetic clichés. The presence of high-tech and futuristic technology forms the setting of Second story R like a single planet in an epic of galactic proportions. It's a great way to show how the framing of a setting is vital to its place in the genre.
4 Radiant history
It eliminates the linearity of JRPGs in a fascinating way
Radiant story: perfect chronology
- Released
- February 13, 2018
Many JRPGs are known for their strong but linear narratives. This is already a convention that has been broken by some titles, but as a general rule, especially in older games, the agency a player has in the world of many JRPGs is limited to things like party composition and perhaps which side quests undertake. , instead of influencing how the story develops.
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Radiant historyspecifically the Perfect chronology remastered on 3DS, it's a perfect example of a game that challenges linear narrative in an interesting way. Stocke must use the White Chronicle to explore two divergent timelines that split from his own choices, jumping between the two to find answers to problems found in one timeline and saving both in the process.
3 Triangle strategy
An epic story of politics without great villains
Not the most famous of Square Enix titles but certainly an underrated hit with an incredible morality mechanic, Triangle strategy has an incredible branching storyline that takes players in directions across the continent of Norzelia. In a genre that is, candidly, full of evil wizards and tyrannical dark knights with comically oversized horns on their helmets, Triangle strategy moves away from all that with a surprising level of political realism and authentic human characters, while still offering players a unique experience twisty and brutal narrative to enjoy.
Balancing the three core beliefs and having a story determined as much by companions as by the player is already a fairly innovative divergence from the JRPG form, but on top of that there's an incredibly engaging narrative that shows characters changing, growing, and even they realize when something is too challenging or not worth the risk.
2 Resonance of destiny
An incredible combat system and a new setting
Resonance of destiny
- Released
- January 28, 2010
- Developer(s).
- Tri-ace
Resonance of destiny is one of the most beloved JRPGs to date, acclaimed for its dazzling combat system that breaks JRPG norms in more ways than one. This “three-attack battle system” allows players to move freely during their turn in combat, limited by their action points. They can therefore attack an opponent from advantageous angles and at the same time be able to charge an attack not just once but multiple times.
This game's setting takes a gritty future dystopia and blends it with an iconic steampunk style, making it an incredibly new aesthetic and one of the best post-apocalyptic JRPGs players can get their hands on today.
1 Shin Megami Tensei 5: Revenge
Battle is just one option in SMT
Shin Megami Tenseione of Atlus' flagship series, it has consistently broken down the barriers of what JRPG combat should constitute, but Shin Megami Tensei 5: Revenge is mentioned here for being an incredibly polished title, worthy of bringing this series' legacy to the Switch. Complicated stories are not necessarily innovative in this genre, but SMTThe discussion of Law and Chaos versus good and evil is always a wonderful subversion of the more binary narratives JRPGs can have.
It is possible to talk to demons in almost all non-boss battle encounters instead of fighting them SMT. In Vendettaplayers will want to talk to demons to try to recruit them into their group through sweet talk, bribery, or intimidation. They can also, however, extort items from them, scare them from battle, or barter their essence, depending on the additional abilities they acquire.
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