Presumably due to the success of the acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 video game, IGN has decided to take the time to list what they deem to be the twenty five greatest JRPG games of all-time. Before it’s mentioned, only one game from a long-running series can be listed. This is why the list below isn’t dominated by the Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest series. Without further ado here’s IGN’s top 25 JRPGs:
25: Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne
24: Breath of Fire 3
23: Golden Sun
22: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
21: Lost Odyssey
20: Star Ocean The Second Story
19: Bravely Default 2
18: Live A Live
17: Tales of Vesperia
16: Kingdom Hearts 2
15: Grandia 2
14: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
13: Xenogears
12: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
11: Octopath Traveler 2
10: The Legends of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
09: Pokémon Gold / Silver
08: Suikoden 2
07: Earthbound
06: Draogon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
05: Xenoblade Chronicles 3
04: Metaphor Refantazio
03: Final Fantasy X
02: Persona 5 Royal
01: Chrono Trigger
Xenoblade 3 is an odd pick. The series’ combat never fully recovered after losing the prophecy system from 1, and the Moebius villains mostly sucked. I’m happy that Xenoblade is on the list, but it should have been the first one.
Nah, the prophecy system has got nothing on the combo, party switching and job system of 3. Also both N as a villain and the main cast of 3 are much stronger than what was in 1, Z being kind of underwhelming is pretty much the same as Zanza, even. For Xenoblade rep it was the correct choice.
Yeah the villains, and honestly the overall story, of 3 was pretty weak (barring a couple of moments). Not nearly as bad as the dumpster fire that was Xenoblade 2, but still not great.
Doesn’t help that the final boss was literally a discount Persona villain too.
Hoo boy, I bet this list won’t be controversial in the slightest.
Persona 4 Golden > Persona 5 Royal
Nah, Persona 4 Golden is weaker in story, characters and gameplay than both Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload. It’s not a bad game by any means, but definitely the weakest of the modern Persona series.
Also Chie is the second worst girl in the series after Yukiko, her sole personality trait is being loud and obnoxious.
P5R is all flash and no soul.
Please go back 384 400 km.
Tentri is correct you are incorrect
I kindly respect your opinion on the games, I don’t respect your opinion on CHIE! GET OUT!!!!!!
(jk)
Failure to include Final Fantasy 6 is just bullshit. Crap list.
Octopath Traveler II is on the list? HELL YEAH!
Just finished this the other week. Absolutely amazing game. Well deserved. Partitio is GOAT JRPG character!
We don’t deserve Partitio. What a guy!
For me it’s Vagrant Story, btw I don’t trust ign because they are puppets of blackrock.
This is easily the worst list I’ve seen. Ff7 and 3 were left off but they included lost oddsey… they put bof3 when bof4 is the better of those two what is this garbage
No final fantasy 9? Nonsense! Bravely default 2 (no 1?) without revo ost? Nonsense!!
Pretty normal guy list.
I’d kick Persona 5 in an instant in favor of Radiant Historia, Emerald or B&W are better choices for Pokemon, Bravely Default being there at all is just odd same with Ni No Kuni.
Overall this list is mostly inofensive.
I’d rate Xenoblade 2 over 3, and Tales of Symphonia over Vesperia. But happy to see Golden Sun get some love, and Gold/Silver are arguably the best Pokemon games of the series.
Im kinda sad there’s no Fire Emblem mentioned on this list, but I was pleasantly surprised that Tales of Vesperia made it in.
I think FE as a whole is thought of more as a strategy game than an RPG, even if it has many RPG elements. That’s just what I think though.
If you were to replace something on here with a FE game, what would you kick and which FE game would take its spot?
No FFVII?? The most influential jrpg ever made. It had incredible story, gameplay, characters, and soundtrack.
Really? Sonic Chronicles isn’t on here? Heresy!
(In case it isn’t obvious, I’M JOKING.)
I haven’t played every game on this list so I can’t gauge how accurate it is, though I think I’d agree with Persona 5 Royal and Paper Mario TTYD being near their respective places.
I enjoyed Star Ocean The Divine Force, despite it’s flaws it’s better then Star Ocean 5.
1)final fantasy tacticsa2:grimoire of the rift
2)final fantasy tactics:wars of the lions
3)dragon quest8:journey of curse the king
4)the legend of the dragoon
5)the legend of zelda:breath of wild
6)the legend of zelda:tears of kingdom
7)the legend of zelda:phantom hourglass
8)the legend of zelda:spirit tracks
9)animal crossing:new leaf
10)the legend of heroes:trails throught daybreak one and two
Such a strange list.
It’s criminal that Undertale is missing from this list
Bravely Default II is trash compared to BD1/BS. BD1 should easily take that spot instead.
I don’t think hardly anyone will complain about Chrono Trigger’s placement. Kingdom Hearts 2 should be higher, though.