The 25 Best JRPG Stories of All Time

Heartbreak, time loops and one very famous villain. Some of these stories are decades old and still get argued over online, while a few cult picks never got the mainstream credit.

1. 1
   Final Fantasy VII

   Cloud's 1997 fight against Shinra and Sephiroth, a story of identity, memory and a dying planet.
   1000pts
2. 2
   NieR: Automata

   Yoko Taro's 2017 android-versus-machine tragedy that rewards every replay with a new perspective.
   660pts
3. 3
   Final Fantasy VI

   A 1994 ensemble epic about an empire, a fallen god and a villain who actually wins for a while.
   595pts
4. 4
   Persona 5 Royal

   Phantom thieves steal hearts in a stylish 2019 story about rebellion against corrupt adults.
   550pts
5. 5
   Tales of Symphonia

   A 2003 journey of regeneration pilgrims that unravels a deeply divided world.
   550pts
6. 6
   Final Fantasy X

   Tidus and Yuna's 2001 pilgrimage through Spira, ending in one of gaming's best-known tearjerkers.
   498pts
7. 7
   Xenogears

   A 1998 sprawling saga mixing mecha, psychology and gnostic religion, famous for its ambition.
   498pts
8. 8
   Final Fantasy Tactics

   A 1997 political tragedy about class, church and war in the land of Ivalice.
   498pts
9. 9
   Mother 3

   Shigesato Itoi's 2006 heartbreaking story of a family torn apart and a village remade by industry.
   498pts
10. 10
    Suikoden II

    A 1998 war drama of friendship, betrayal and 108 recruitable stars of destiny.
    440pts
11. 11
    Chrono Trigger

    The 1995 time-travel adventure that spans prehistory to the end of the world with multiple endings.
    440pts
12. 12
    Xenoblade Chronicles 3

    A 2022 war story of two nations whose soldiers live ten-year lives, culminating in a bold twist.
    372pts
13. 13
    Lost Odyssey

    A 2007 story of an immortal man's fragmented memories, written with novelist Kiyoshi Shigematsu.
    372pts
14. 14
    Final Fantasy VIII

    A 1999 romance wrapped in a sorceress war and a time-compression plot.
    372pts
15. 15
    Chrono Cross

    The 2000 follow-up that dives into parallel worlds and the consequences of a single changed timeline.
    372pts
16. 16
    Persona 3

    A 2006 tale of a hidden hour of the night and the cost of facing mortality with friends.
    293pts
17. 17
    Persona 4 Golden

    A small-town murder mystery from 2008 about confronting the parts of yourself you hide.
    293pts
18. 18
    Dragon Quest V

    A 1992 generational tale following a hero from childhood through marriage and fatherhood.
    293pts
19. 19
    Dragon Quest XI

    A classic hero-of-light journey from 2017 with an unexpectedly bold time-bending third act.
    293pts
20. 20
    Fire Emblem: Three Houses

    A 2019 academy-turned-war tale with branching loyalties across three rival houses.
    293pts
21. 21
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

    A 2004 coming-of-age tale that seeds a continent-spanning saga of connected games.
    293pts
22. 22
    Radiant Historia

    A 2009 time-travel puzzle story where two timelines must be fixed in parallel.
    293pts
23. 23
    Xenoblade Chronicles

    Shulk's revenge-turned-revelation tale across the bodies of two dead giants, released in 2010.
    200pts
24. 24
    Final Fantasy IX

    A 2000 fairy-tale throwback about mortality and what makes a life worth living.
    0pts
25. 25
    EarthBound

    A 1994 offbeat road trip through a surreal America that ends in a strangely moving finale.
    0pts

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