One of the reasons I love JRPGs is that they usually have a fixed story, which allows me to connect with the characters and plot in a timeless manner. But now and then, I get a bit tired of playing 80-hour-long games, and I just want to switch off my brain and enjoy the ride.
To avoid drifting away from JRPGs, I lean toward some games that don’t put much effort into their narrative, unwittingly or not, but still deliver engaging gameplay. That’s the case for these eight JRPGs that present an amazing combat system, but everything else is pretty much forgettable.
I’m not claiming they’re bad, far from it. They’re just not games that stuck with me or taught me anything over the hours I spent with them. Yet the entertainment factor remained sky-high, largely thanks to their incredibly innovative or unusual battle systems.
8
Trials of Mana | Beauty In Simplicity
2020 | Square Enix | PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox Series
Let’s start with Trials of Mana, a JRPG with simple combat, but well trimmed to the point of becoming amazing. Trials is a remake of Seiken Densetsu 3, a game from the Mana series that had never left Japan. Its international release came via a full-fledged remake.
After choosing one protagonist and three side characters among six unique options, we set out on an adventure to save the Mana Tree. Each character has their own class and specialty, which can be further improved by evolving into new classes and unlocking new abilities. The action combat is direct and to the point, but still engaging.
Enemies and bosses have elemental weaknesses, and players who take advantage of that will have better odds than those who just keep hacking and slashing away. It’s an endearing game that thrives on its simplicity. However, outside of combat, nothing about Trials of Mana is too remarkable. I would know, since I had to finish the game three times to get that pristine platinum trophy.
7
Etrian Odyssey HD | Crawling Dungeons
2023 | Atlus | PC, Switch
Any dungeon crawler fan needs to play Etrian Odyssey. Fittingly, most will tell you the series is mainly focused on its gameplay, not so much on its story. After assembling a party with members from different classes, you’ll dive into a dungeon and crawl through it in search of fame, treasure, or some mystery that the plot will hastily forego.
It’s not that the Etrian Odyssey games don’t have a story, but they’re often sidelined as we dive into the dungeons over and over. The focus on exploration is so strong that you can turn off automapping and draw the tiles yourself, as well as insert all the elements that make up the dungeon, like chests, doors, and rest spots. Expect puzzles too, and some interesting ones.
One of the highlights is customizing your characters to make them titans in turn-based combat. After choosing a class and leveling it up, you can spend skill points to learn new abilities, expanding your arsenal in battle. The gist of it is: do you like dungeon crawling, unusual exploration, and a solid turn-based RPG without obstacles? Time to start your Odyssey.
6
Magna Carta: Tears of Blood | Timed Input Entry
2004 | Softmax | PS2, PSP
I know Magna Carta: Tears of Blood is a Korean RPG, but it checks all the marks of what makes a JRPG, so, ok? Plus, it also fits the prompt perfectly. Magna Carta was developed by then Softmax and has character designs by Hyung-tae Kim, the creator of the stellar Blade, so you know what to expect.
Combat in Magna Carta: Tears of Blood is considered complicated by many, but those who master it have a blast. It features the Trinity Ring, a timed hit system JRPG fans love. If a player misses the timing, the leadership meter drains, and once it does, you can’t attack until the gauge fills again. If you land it, however, the result fills the Trinity Drive bar that, once complete, can be used to deal double damage.
There’s also the Chi mechanic. Every skill has a Chi, and if the player abuses skills of that same element, the Chi will be depleted, weakening subsequent skills of that Chi. This promotes a more dynamic gameplay, diversifying both party usage and distinct skills. Ultimately, I agree that Magna Carta: Tears of Blood is a little rough around the edges, but if you’re looking for an RPG with gameplay that stands out from the crowd, it’s a solid pick.
5
Tales of Arise | Battle Focused
2021 | Bandai Namco | PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series
For me, with a few exceptions, the Tales of series has never truly stood out for its story. However, most mainline entries showcase incredible iterations of its battle system, which started as a simple 2D sidescroller. Pair them with creative and engaging progression, and the formula is done. The gameplay was so fun that I often overlooked a merely satisfying plot. Then came Tales of Arise.
Tales of Arise is, to me, the least Tales of among the mainlines. Combat became a standard action RPG, which doesn’t mean it isn’t incredible. Each party member has their own specialty; there are countless elemental aspects, and we must take advantage of them to hit enemy weaknesses. The title feature returns, though streamlined, and is still charming. All in all, the gameplay gets the job done.
The problem is that everything else is incredibly forgettable. At least the first half of the story is interesting, but then the game stumbles and loses itself, becoming extremely dependent on lore dumps and throwing away everything it had built up. The post-game is fun because it focuses solely on the gameplay and pleases fans with easter eggs, but if the future of the series is based on Tales of Arise, I fear for it, even if the sales were satisfactory.
4
Wild Arms 4 | Wild West Bang Bang
2006 | Media.Vision | PS2
One of the things that fascinated me in Wild Arms was its dungeons. Exploration was more rewarding and enthralling than in most JRPGs of the time, thanks to tools and meaningful puzzles. The turn-based combat was as basic as possible. Then came Wild Arms 4 and introduced the HEX system, an absolute novelty within the genre. No more traditional turn-based, now you had to think before shooting.
Battles in Wild Arms 4 (and later 5) take place on a field divided into seven grids. Each character occupies these grids, and multiple members can share the same space, which defines the range and area of effect of their attacks. For instance, debuffs are allocated into grids, so if a member wants to avoid being poisoned, they must move away.
Wild Arms 5 also uses this system, but in a more streamlined way. In A member, a member can move and attack in the same turn, whereas in the fourth game, only one action can be taken at a time. This intensifies the strategic factor and forces you to think about positioning before attacking. The HEX system was a breath of fresh air during the PS2 era. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep the series alive.
3
SaGa: Scarlet Grace | The Best Turn-Based Combat
2016 | Square Enix | PC, PS4, PS Vita, Switch
SaGa veterans may hate me for this, but well, taste is subjective. As much as I consider the battle system of SaGa: Scarlet Grace (and by extension, SaGa: Emerald Beyond) one of the best takes on turn-based RPGs, I can’t say much about anything else, especially its paperboard presentation and unorderly narrative.
The battles in SaGa: Scarlet Grace use a timeline system that dictates turn order and Battle Points. The stronger a technique is, the higher its Battle Point cost. The gist and highlight is how manipulating the timeline can immensely favor the player or the enemy. For instance, many abilities can push the enemy further down the timeline or prevent their actions altogether.
However, the ideal strategy is to create United Attacks. If there’s an enemy between two allies on the timeline and that enemy is killed, the two allies’ portraits will collide and trigger a United Attack. These attacks unleash the characters’ skills and also reduce Battle Point costs for the next turn.
It’s one of the few turn-based systems where we spend more time manipulating and studying which abilities to use and their possible outcomes, rather than going for the highest-damaging one. And just like I’ve won many battles where I thought I was doomed, I’ve also let many victories slip because of enemy United Attacks.
2
Granblue Fantasy: Relink | Endless Grinding
2024 | Cygames | PC, PS4/PS5
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is the kind of game whose aesthetic caught my eye from the very beginning. I did some research and found out it’s a sequel to a browser game released only in Japan. This came with an issue because Relink doesn’t care about contextualizing everything that came before, and even though it tries to summarize some characters’ backstories, it always feels like I started an anime halfway through.
So I decided to focus only on gameplay, and I didn’t regret it. Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a wonderful action RPG, extremely agile and responsive, with a rewarding loot system. We can choose from more than 20 characters, each with its own skill set that adds dynamism to the gameplay. The main story is relatively short because the real fun is doing endgame missions and farming away.
At a certain point, Relink becomes a kind of no-brainer action game. You repeat missions and bosses endlessly until the necessary drop finally comes. But it’s entertaining, so who’s complaining, right? Certainly not me, who had to kill Bahamut hundreds of times to get all the weapons. Mindless fun, but still fun.
1
Final Fantasy X-2 | ATB At Its Finest
2003 | Square Enix | PC, PS2/PS3/PS4, PS Vita, Switch, Xbox One
Final Fantasy X is one of my favorite JRPGs of all time. Its battle system is impeccable, the characters are lovable, and the story has one of the best endings I’ve ever seen. Because of that, when Square released Final Fantasy X-2, a direct continuation, I walked in already disappointed. After playing it, I confirmed my suspicion that the story is disposable. Yet, it doesn’t change the fact that I had a blast with its gameplay.
Final Fantasy X-2 brings back Square Enix’s classic ATB, and it’s snappier than ever. The three members of the group act simultaneously as we choose their actions, giving this pseudo-turn system an agile feel. Another classic system that returns is Jobs, here called Dresspheres. Yuna, Rikku, and Paine can not only assume different Dresspheres but also switch between them mid-battle, creating a seamless dynamic.
For all the harsh criticism regarding, well, every other aspect outside Final Fantasy X-2’s gameplay, I have to be fair and say that its combat system is fantastic. I still prefer the CTB from Final Fantasy X, but as far as ATB goes, I think it reached its peak alongside the Gullwings.
