Twinfinite Staff
Best PS4 JRPGs
1. Shenmue III
Your mileage will definitely vary with this one, depending on how much you’re willing to put up with. Shenmue III is a direct follow-up to the two original Sega Dreamcast games, and is a straight continuation of Ryo’s story from Shenmue II. It definitely feels a little dated for a modern audience, but its charm is undeniable.
2. Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3 may very well be considered the Dark Souls series at its finest. Providing closure for all the questions raised in prior entries while delivering on a formula that challenges you but never makes things feel unfair, the game is a true embodiment of an excellent action JRPG.
3. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir
The Shakespearean-tongued Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir is much more charming than its vibrant visuals suggest. Chaining combos in the air makes for a compelling gameplay experience not typically found in other JRPGs, and unique skill trees for each character add a level of complexity that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought could be in such a pretty game.
4. Nioh
Nioh is a JRPG made in the vein of the Dark Souls series that possesses enough style of its own to set itself apart and exclusive to the PS4. The super smooth and varied gameplay keeps the player constantly on their toes, plus there’s so much content here to keep one playing for days on end.
5. Bloodborne
Bloodborne is not only one of the best JRPGs on the PS4, but also one of the best games on the system in general. The Lovecraft-inspired city of Yharnam will enthrall you with its dark and brooding atmosphere while introducing challenging gameplay mechanics that very much live up to the game’s Souls heritage.
6. NieR: Automata
The resplendent symphony that is NieR: Automata will resonate with you well after the credits roll after one of the game’s many endings. An emotional and well-written tale accompanies innovative gameplay mechanics that will make you wonder why more people haven’t played this JRPG achievement.
7. Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance
Disgaea 5 hearkens back to the early days of JRPGs where intricate yet fundamental gameplay mechanics like character stats, equipment attributes, and class abilities weren’t eschewed for the sake of accessibility. Don’t let Disgaea 5’s cute anime aesthetic fool you into thinking it’ll go easy on you.
8. Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 allows you to live out the perfect high school fantasy you always dreamed about – so long as that fantasy involved talking cats and highly fashionable attire. This PS4 exclusive JRPG nails the concept of immersing the player into the lives of the characters onscreen, reveling in all the excitement and boredom of teenage life. Persona 5 Royal is an enhanced version of the game, adding 30 hours of new content, along with gameplay improvements, dungeon expansions, and two new Confidants.
9. Nioh 2
With Nioh 2, it’s like Team Ninja listened to almost every single piece of criticism fans had with the original, then made a game that addressed all of them.Nioh 2 is basically Nioh, but way better. You now have a proper character creator, much livelier characters, and a way more interesting story that delves deeper into the game’s supernatural roots. The combat has been improved upon as well, and the game features a handful of new weapons on top of the original three.
10. Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV is a fantastic JRPG and a quality bro-trip all in one. A huge, sprawling world is home to fast-paced and challenging combat, indicating that behind all that glitz and glam lies a deep layer of strategy. The Final Fantasy series returns to form in its fifteenth main iteration, and we’re glad it’s made a comeback.
11. Tales of Berseria
Tales of Berseria introduces a dark, somber tale to the long-standing Tales series. Despite its edgy look, the game features a personable cast of characters that you’ll grow with as the lengthy JRPG unfolds. A deep and rewarding combat system and fun minigames accompany the story, making for quite a memorable and fleshed out experience.
12. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is the best way to experience each PS2 era JRPG. Enhanced art and music, tons of extra in-game content, and a very convenient price tag make this one great bargain, especially if you’ve never had the chance to play either game before. You really need to fix that, by the way, as there’s a reason why so many Final Fantasy fans argue that Final Fantasy X is the best entry in the series to date.
13. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth offers a surprising amount of depth for a JRPG revolving around the premise of digital monsters. Tons of Digimon to collect and an engrossing story will keep you occupied for days on end, especially if you’ve got a Vita.
14. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age improves upon the foundation laid down by the original Final Fantasy XII and listens to long-time fans to deliver on what they wanted to see after playing the JRPG the first time. The result is a title with impressive visual and audio upgrades and a Fast Forward button, just in case you don’t want to read absolutely everything.
15. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered succeeds in introducing a profoundly rich tactical gameplay formula that rewards careful planning and forethought. Seeing as how it includes all of the DLC content released post original launch, you’ll be exercising your brain quite a lot with this one.
16. Final Fantasy XIV Online
If there were ever an example of a MMO JRPG being brought back from the dead, Final Fantasy XIV Online. At first unsuccessful, the game has since blossomed into a community of millions. With Stormblood out now, there’s perhaps been no better time to check out Final Fantasy XIV Online than right now.
17. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is a title that isn’t afraid to push the envelope when it comes to introducing new challenges. That isn’t to say that the combat doesn’t feel fresh and rewarding, as this JRPG’s mechanics become something akin to an instinct the more you play the game.
18. Valkyria Chronicles 4
After a few questionable detours on the PSP and into the action-RPG genre, Valkyria Chronicles 4 returns the series to its strategy roots and is a return to form for the franchise.
19. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX bundles together the Final Mix versions of Kingdom Hearts 1, 2, and Birth By Sleep and includes the likes of Re: Chain of Memories and the HD cinematic versions of 358/2 Days and Re: Coded all in one convenient package. If there were any place to discover what exactly all the Kingdom Hearts hype is about, look no further than here.
20. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
No matter if it’s a new way to build your base or an introduction to a new gameplay mechanic, Lacrimosa of DANA consistently rewards the player with skill and stat upgrades that make you feel like every minute you spend in the game is worthwhile.
21. World of Final Fantasy
World of Final Fantasy serves as a gateway for newcomers to the franchise to learn about what exactly Final Fantasy is. Featuring cameos from series darlings like Cloud and Lightning, this JRPG includes a surprisingly complex stacking system that’s nothing short of innovative for the series.
22. Megadimension Neptunia VII
Perhaps the best aspect Megadimension Neptunia VII lies in its characters, who constantly make you laugh with allusions to the gaming industry as it is today. It helps that the game’s combo-driven battle system is a ton of fun, too, especially with a slew of special attacks available for use.
23. Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force
Fairy Fencer F’s protagonist is a lazy dude who loves to eat. Yet when things go awry one day, he’s force to spring into action and become the hero he never wanted to be. The game is one big throwback to traditional turn-based mechanics and can be quite daunting when players are forced to strategize how to win over their opponents.
24. Toukiden 2
Toukiden 2 provides a whole lot of monster hunting depth without forcing you to make the necessary preparations beforehand. This action JRPG offers players a rewarding battle system that will constantly keep them on their toes with every new demon introduced.
25. Monster Hunter World
Monster Hunter World succeeds in being accessible to a wide range of people out there, regardless of whether or not they’ve played an entry in the franchise beforehand. It offers players versatility in that they’re free to choose the best way to take on missions and enemy monsters.
26. .hack//G.U. Last Recode
.hack//G.U. Last Recode improves upon the legacy this franchise was known for over a decade ago, remastering all three main entries and bundling them together in one convenient package. It also introduces a new chapter to follow, one that pays a final homage to the series and seemingly thanks fans for joining in on the ride this entire time.
27. Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book
Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book serves as a great means to get started on the long-running Atelier series. It offers an easygoing narrative alongside a compelling alchemy system that’s easy to learn, but hard to master.
28. Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue builds up to the long awaited third main entry to the series. It includes the once 3DS exclusive title Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, plus offers two new pieces of content that devoted fans haven’t experienced before.
29. Lost Sphear
Lost Sphear is the second game from Tokyo RPG Factory. It shares a lot in common with I Am Setsuna if you were a fan of that game, but with a completely new story and new mechanics added on top of the combat including mechs.
30. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is a welcome change of pace to other entries in the Final Fantasy series, as it portrays a dark world filled to the brim with death and destruction. It’s also a departure from the slower paced gameplay mechanics the franchise is known for.
31. Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is a dungeon crawler filled with likable characters and solid action gameplay. The battle system is fluid and easy to learn and allows players the ability to execute special attacks from the get-go, making them feel powerful almost right away.
32. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza 6 finally wraps up the story arc for Kazuma Kiryu and is a fitting send-off for one of the finest action-oriented RPGs to come out over the last three generations and especially on the PS4.
33. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Dragon Quest XI is one of the finest JRPGs to hit any console this generation and is the first game in the series to gain widespread popularity in the west. While it has an excellent story, and gameplay, the characters are what really make Dragon Quest XI shine the most. As of right now it’s exclusive to the PS4, but that will change soon.
34. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
One of our 2018 Game of the Year contenders for the PS4 and just in general, Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom received a rare 5/5 from us and is one of the finest JRPG experiences that you’ll have this generation.
35. Romancing SaGa 2
Romancing SaGa 2 is a port of the Super Famicom game of the same name that only released in Japan until late 2017. If you missed out, and are still interested all these years, there is a solid classic JRPG here, with surprising for its time, empire building mechanics.
36. Cosmic Star Heroine
Although technically not “Japanese” Cosmic Star Heroine is a JRPG-style game that we would be remiss to exclude just because it was developed outside of Japan. It is a sci-fi JRPG created by the same people who created Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World.
37. Akiba’s Beat
Akiba’s Beat ditches the stripping elements of the previous games and instead focuses on a story that is solving a mystery of “delusions” appearing in the real world. If you played the previous Akiba games based on the stripping mechanics, you might be disappointed, but if you just want a solid traditional JRPG worth playing, you’ll be just fine with Akiba’s Beat.
38. Tales of Zestiria
Although divisive, Tales of Zestiria is still a solid traditional JRPG worth picking up for fans of the genre.
39. Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope
The latest version of Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope adds full 4K HD graphics and is the prettiest version of the game to-date.
40. Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX is an all-time classic, but the PS4 version gives it a face-lift in case you wanted another reason to re-experience Zidane and Dagger’s tale.
41. Kingdom Hearts 3
Fans have been waiting a long time for Kingdom Hearts 3, and for the most part, this sequel delivered. Kingdom Hearts 3’s combat is both flashy and action-packed, but the real appeal here is the story. There’s some serious emotional payoff for original characters, and the Disney worlds come as close to recreating that Disney magic as a video game ever has.
42. God Eater 3
Although Monster Hunter might be the king of the hunting genre, God Eater plays a close second with insanely over-the-top anime action. God Eater 3 features a more involved and emotional story than ever before, and the gameplay has been greatly refined to make that hunting loop even more satisfying.
43. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Tales of Vesperia is easily one of the best titles in the long-running JRPG franchise, and the Definitive Edition makes it even better. The edition brings all of the content from the PS3 version, that we’ve never seen in the West until now. This includes a brand new main character, new artes, new cutscenes, more voice acting, new minigames, and more. Tales of Vesperia is easily one of the best JRPG experiences on the PS4.
44. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Series
The Legend of Heroes is another long-running JRPG franchise, and Trails of Cold Steel pushes it into the modern era. Taking inspiration from other great titles like Persona, Trails of Cold Steel puts you in the shoes of an elite class at the Thors Military Academy. Four games are already available in the west for PS4.
45. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
FromSoftware has made a name for themselves over the last decade, as the makers of incredibly difficult and fascinating RPGs. Sekiro once again fills that role, although this time it’s much more story focused than past games. Sekiro beats all of your expectations for a Souls-like game, flipping its gameplay on its head, and forcing you to really double down and learn its systems.
46. Final Fantasy VII Remake
Fans have been waiting for this one for a long time and it’s finally here. While it’s only the first part of an unknown number of episodes, the Final Fantasy VII Remake is a major expansion of the Midgar story arc and fleshes out the events of the original game quite a bit. The action combat system certainly surpasses that of FFXV’s, striking a nice balance between the fast-paced action and the tactical aspect of the 90s’ video game.
47. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
While it is primarily a Metroidvania, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night features some pretty heavy RPG elements as well. You’ll be exploring a Castlevania-style castle while defeating enemies for experience points to level up, picking up new weapons to play around with, and unlock an insane number of skills to help round out the combat system which helps it rank as one of the best JRPGs on PS4.
48. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
Square Enix finally gave Final Fantasy VIII some love in 2019, releasing a lovely remaster of the PS1 game. It’s still the same FFVIII you know and love, but with way better graphics and pretty character models.
49. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered
If you couldn’t get enough of Revenant Kingdom, you’ll be glad to know that the first Ni No Kuni game has a remastered version on PS4 as well. It has an arguably better story than its sequel, and still features that Studio Ghibli charm that it’s become so well-known for and that’s why it’s one of the best JRPGs on ps4.
50. Code Vein
Just in case all the Souls games aren’t quite enough for you, Bandai Namco released Code Vein in 2019, and it’s one of the best Souls-like games we’ve ever played. It’s right up there with Nioh. Featuring a beautiful anime-style aesthetic, Code Vein has an impressive customization system with so many different weapons and skills to suit almost every conceivable play style.
51. Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon marks a pretty radical departure from the typical gameplay formula fans might be used to in the Yakuza series. Instead of beating people up in real-time action, Like a Dragon instead makes use of a more traditional turn-based combat system like you’d see in a classic JRPG. You’ll still going to explore the city and do side quests; you’ll just also have to get familiarized with the new combat and job systems.
52. Persona 5 Strikers
If you just can’t get enough Persona content, Persona 5 Strikers should hold you over for a while. It doesn’t feature the same turn-based combat from the original game, and instead makes use of the musou-style hack-and-slash gameplay, but you can rest assured that the heart of Persona 5 is still very much present here.
53. Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout
The Atelier series has taken a leap forward with Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, which immediately became the best-selling game of the series. The character design of the protagonist immediately clicked with many fans, and her coming-of-age story proved endearing and interesting even to many that never played an Atelier game before.
54. Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
The success of Atelier Ryza brought about a first for the series: Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is the first game of the franchise to feature the same protagonist as a previous title. Ryza and her friends are back, a bit older but not always wiser. This time, our charming protagonist has the deal with the fact that she has now entered adulthood, and she has to take her responsibilities. Sequels aren’t always better than their predecessors, but this one definitely is. That does it for our list of the best JRPGs on PS4! Here are the best JRPGs on Xbox One and the best JRPGs on Switch.
