Best JRPGs of 2024

If there was one video game genre that thrived in 2024, I’m sure most people would point to JRPGs. From January to December, there were excellent JRPGs released every month, and we’re going to look at the five best of 2024.

While the definition of what a JRPG is may have fluctuated over the years, the core concepts haven’t changed – you go on a grand adventure, sometimes turn-based, sometimes not, mostly controlling a party of adventurers, swapping out equipment and weapons as you level up and complete sidequests. The genre is a spectrum now, with games taking some or all of these mechanics and adding their own unique touches, but never straying far from the fundamentals. So, keep in mind that our definition of a JRPG is a broad one. Heck, even Western-developed games can be considered JRPGs if the stars align.

Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake (PC, PS5, Switch Xbox X/S)

Dragon Quest III is considered by many to be one of the most foundational JRPGs in existence, so it’s no surprise that a remake of it would rank highly on our list. It’s traditional in almost every facet, letting players explore the world at their own pace and discover towns, dungeons, and items all on their quest to defeat Baramos. While it is traditional turn-based combat, many quality-of-life features, like being able to speed up battles, make Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake much easier to complete, but the core of what made the game so fun back in 1988, including the class system, is still just as good in 2024.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (PS5)

It was both exciting and a little bit frightening to see how Square Enix would continue its reimagining of Final Fantasy VII following Final Fantasy VII: Remake, but Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth put those fears to rest. While the game is still interested in charting its own course narratively, it doesn’t forget what made the original game so captivating – namely, the world-building. The world of Rebirth is bursting with personality and sidequests to the point where it seems like you’ll never run out of things to do. While the side content is great, the core gameplay is slightly refined from its predecessor, making combat snappier and more engaging than before. If players weren’t already hooked, this middle installment of the trilogy does more than enough to keep players waiting for the finale.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PC, PS5, Xbox X/S)

While most people were probably taken aback by Like A Dragon’s shift from brawler to JRPG, Infinite Wealth further cements why this was a smart decision for the franchise. The game is simply bursting with charm, not only thanks to Ichiban, his friends, and the gorgeous Hawaiian setting but all of the zany antics they get into. Seriously, who doesn’t love Sujimon battles? But for all of the wacky charm the game has, it never forgets that it’s a Like A Dragon game and has plenty of emotional moments, mostly centering around the returning Kiryu and his cancer diagnosis. It’s hard to say if this is the best game in the series, but it’s not hard to see why some fans think it is.

Metaphor: ReFantazio (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox X/S)

We all knew that whatever Studio Zero was cooking up was going to be good, especially given how it carries over the core team of Persona 5, but hot damn is Metaphor: ReFantazio good. The story that the game tells is an epic in every definition of the word, featuring an empire in collapse and numerous figures grasping for power all in an effort to create their vision of a utopia. In many ways, Metaphor feels like the next evolution of the gameplay that made Persona so famous. There’s an eclectic cast of characters, alliances to be made, skills to max, days to balance, and a runtime that will leave gamers sweating. If you’re all about fantasy, then Metaphor: ReFantazio is for you.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Switch)

For twenty years, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was considered the best Mario RPG, and this remaster proves it. The action commands consistently keep players engaged during combat, and the ways you can create broken character builds rewards experimentation. The new content added into the game is also a plus, giving veterans extra boss fights to make them really test their skills. But most importantly, the game is just plain fun to play. The tone is always light, and even when things get serious, there’s always an air of comedy around it, separating it from its peers. 2024 was a pretty light year for the Switch, but it at least had this awesome JRPG.

And those are the best JRPGs of 2024.