The best PS3 JRPGs without random encounters, ranked

Summary

• From the NES to the PS2, random battles were common in old-school RPGs, but mostly replaced in HD PS3 games.
• Final Fantasy 10 HD included random battles, sparking a desire for pared-back encounters via patches.
• PS3 RPGs like Tales of Xillia and Persona 5 offer players a mix of turn-based and action-packed battles.

From the NES to the PS2, random battles were often a big part of the old school Role playing games. With the HD generation, the mechanical one has been largely replaced on consoles like Xbox 360 and PS3. However, random battles kept appearing, like in the HD version of Final Fantasy 10.

As classic as that game is, it's hard not to want some sort of reduced encounter indicator to be added in a patch. As backwards as random battles are, they have their time and place. Luckily these PS3 games allowed players to see their enemies before facing them, from turn-based affairs to thrilling, action-packed brawls. Here's how these games rank in terms of overall RPG quality.

7 Folklore

A gothic role-playing game

• Developer: Game Republic
• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Release Date: October 9, 2007 (NA)
• Platform: PS3

Folklore was one of the first role-playing games for the PS3 published exclusively by Sony. It was an action RPG that was kind of a European version of the game Pokémon. Players would encounter folklore-inspired creatures on the field, such as fairies, and befriend them to join the party. These creatures could be mapped to the controller's face buttons and could perform different combos when touched.

Unlike Pokémonthe story was much darker and told in a new way for the time through various forms, such as comics, using the game engine. Players can take on the role of two different characters, Ellen or Keats. Each of them has their own campaigns and gameplay styles.

6 Eternal Sonata

A composer's last wish

Eternal Sonata is one of the strangest RPGs to come out on the PS3 and it never got a sequel. It is based on the composer Frédéric Chopin and is set in his dying days, when his consciousness is drawn into a dream world. There, he helps characters named after music, like Beat, try to save the world from destruction.

It's a colorful, cel-shaded world full of monsters roaming around. In battle, a counter ticks and characters can move and act within that counter's time limit. Light and darkness also play a role in battles, as enemies can weaken or evolve.

5 Final Fantasy 13

A long and linear road

Final Fantasy 13 it was a controversial game for many, but in many ways it was still a stellar RPG. It was the first main line Final fantasy turn-based combat game with enemies appearing on the field. Final Fantasy11 AND Final Fantasy 12 technically they were also turn-based, but with real-time MMO-style combat.

In Final Fantasy 13characters could inhabit Jobs and switch between party members and flying into battle. There was a lot of strategy involved, as enemies had to be off-balance to deal any real damage. Most of the match was linear, but things opened up in the final third.

4 Tales of Xillia

Two heroes, one adventure

Tales of Xillia he was the big one Tales of on PS3, and was so well received that it got a direct sequel. This game had all the hallmarks of the franchise, from enemies roaming the field to action-based gameplay once players moved into an instanced arena. There were funny skits between the characters, and players could cook recipes to increase stats and heal.

The biggest difference from the other entries is that players could choose to play as Jude or Milla at the start. Both characters followed the same path and came together, but the perspective was different and this led to alternating dialogues.

3 Dragon Crown

Dive deep into the dungeons

Developer Vanillaware never made a direct sequel. Among the many unique pieces they have created, Dragon Crown stands out as a great RPG to highlight. In many ways, it was like a throwback to the arcade generation of brawlers Gauntlet or the one made by Capcom Dungeons and dragons games.

Dragon Crown was light on story and instead focused on giving players multiple classes to choose from and a plethora of loot as they progressed through dungeons and fought brawler-like monsters. Said dungeons hid secrets, and some exits would change the game. Best of all, it supported co-op on all platforms, including the PS4 when it was later ported to it after the PS3 and PS Vita releases.

2 Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

A Ghibli movie meets Pokemon

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch features a young boy named Oliver who travels to another world full of magic in hopes of finding his mother. He is aided by Mr. Drippy, a doll who comes to life and teaches Oliver how to befriend monsters called Familiars. Oliver will get two more party members, Esther and Swaine, for the turn-based battle/action hybrids.

Monsters can be seen wandering around the world map and in dungeons, so it's easy to find the monsters players want to capture. Each character can act in battle, or can summon one of their three Familiars, for a total of nine, who operate on cooldown after exhausting their stamina. Studio Ghibli helped with the graphics and cutscenes, while the main game was developed by Level-5.

1 Person 5

The phantom thieves are waiting

With so many conversions and improvements, it's hard to believe Person 5 was released on PS3 alongside the PS4 version. While it wasn't perfect, it worked well for those who weren't able to upgrade to a new console at the time.

Dungeons were a big update in the latter Person iteration, as they had a distinct design from randomized levels of the past. Players could see enemies sneak around and then surprise attack them before entering turn-based battles. Another new element was talking to monsters in battle to recruit them, an element borrowed from the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games.