The best JRPG that reinvents the fantasy genre

summarize

• Fantasy worlds can go beyond the medieval setting. They incorporate elements such as sci-fi, space, and dreams into their stories.
• Games like Final Fantasy 7, Phantasy Star, and Mother 3 challenge traditional fantasy norms with unique storylines and settings.
• Games like Valkyria Chronicles, Eternal Sonata, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Kingdom Hearts feature diverse and rich fantasy worlds.

Fantasy can mean many things. But the word often conjures up images of medieval-inspired dungeons. knight on horseback and magicians cast spells with a wand in hand. However, it can be much more than that. In the end A fantasy world can be whatever you imagine it to be, as long as it isn't directly based on the real world.

The games below are irrefutable proof of this. They are not bound by fantasy bias. and therefore Players thus gain a new understanding of what is possible if they let their imagination run wild.

7 Final Fantasy 7

Fantasy meets Cyberpunk

Final Fantasy 7 It's not the first entry in the series to dive into a more sci-fi direction. Final Fantasy 6 It also has a more steampunk aesthetic than previous installments. however, Final Fantasy 7The fantasy world is full of dirt and grit. The first part of the story takes place in the Midgar slums beneath the wealthier areas of the city.

The story revolves around corporate greed that is sucking the life out of the world. It continues this theme throughout the game. But it introduces more fantastical concepts, such as ancient alien races. A magic piece that can destroy all living things. human experiment and giant monsters that can destroy entire cities.

6 Fantasy Star

8-bit RPG to the stars

• Release date: December 20, 1987
• Developer: Sega
• Publisher: Sega
• Platform: Master System, Sega Saturn, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch

In the 1980s, JRPGs were still the sword and sorcery genre. This is what it does Fantasy Star It was very unique when it was released. The game is set in the universe. It has action scenes split between three separate planets.

Even though it's set among the stars But the aesthetic isn't too subtle in such hard science fiction. 2001: A Space Odyssey or star trek– It's more compatible. star warsThe design still feels distinctly imaginative while remaining future-proof.

5 Mother 3

Weird even by the series' standards.

People may have heard the name. Mother 3 Many years have passed due to its strange development history. But only a handful of people have played and explored this bizarre JRPG. The game takes place on the mysterious island of Nowhere, although it is set in the same continuity as the previous two games. But the islands feel outside of any era, unlike any American small-town setting. Mother 2 (or poundAs is well known in North America)

In addition to the mysterious scene Much of the story remains extremely dark. It deals with themes that most games hadn't touched on even in 2006, when the game came out after years of struggling development.

4 Valkyria Chronicles

Fantasy setting inspired by mid-20th century Europe.

Valkyria Chronicles It's not so much steampunk as the era is a little too modern for that difference. This turn-based strategy game is set in a fictional continent based primarily on Europe.

The war that the game's characters encounter is loosely based on World War II, but with some important differences. Inspiration creates unique places. Characters use rifles and tanks. And many cities resemble small villages. in Europe in the mid-20th century instead of the 15th century.

3 Eternal Sonata

The legendary composer's deadly dream

The reveal of everything that was a dream was a plot twist that had millions of eyes rolling. Eternal Sonata It rips the rug out from under the player by revealing the game world to be a dream in the first cutscene. The game is the dying dream of famous Romantic composer Frederic Chopin.

As a result, the scene is full of musical allusions. Eternal Sonata It's not the first story set in a dream world that's been heavily influenced by the dreamer's companions and life in the real world.

The Wizard of Oz Being over a hundred years old, however, the game earned its spot on this list because it maintains a distinct JRPG aesthetic while simultaneously and tells the story of a Polish composer in the early 19th century.

2 xenoblade chronicles

A hidden twist that connects the entire series.

at xenoblade chronicles Continuity sounds confusing to explain. But it sounded just as bizarre all the same. Without delving too deep into spoilers, the three numbered games are directly connected and completely separate. The first game takes place on a planet whose only land is two giant titans in the middle of an endless ocean.

The end of the game offers a stunning reveal about the origins of the game world that will be pursued in the next two games. where many fantasy settings have stories about the creation of their worlds Xenoblad Chronicles The lore delves deeper into existential themes instead of feeling like they have padding.

1 Kingdom Hearts

Too weird a crossover doesn't work.

Go back 25 years and you will find many people wondering about the concept of Final Fantasy and Disney crossovers Kingdom Hearts It shattered every doubt when it came out and became one of the most beloved action RPGs of the era.

Players will control Sora, a now famous character. As he goes to different worlds That just happened to be a bunch of Disney properties along with Donald Duck and Goofy.

Crossovers feel more like payouts or simple activities. that gamers are very familiar with now Thanks to live games such as fortnite– Kingdom Hearts Use various settings To tell unique stories that, while complex, always have heart.