It’s unfortunate that Sony is taking steps into removing access to a back catalog of classic games when it takes down the PlayStation 3 and Vita/PSP stores. Whether Sony has something up its sleeves where it will move these titles onto a brand new service as an answer to Xbox Game Pass remains to be seen.
In addition, it seems that Sony doesn’t seem to have the same regard for video game preservation that Microsoft does when it comes to backward compatibility. Therefore, it’s likely that once the PS3 stores have closed, many of these classic and valuable games will be lost forever unless they are purchased beforehand. Among these classics are some of the best – and most expensive – JRPGs ever developed and fans of the genre should grab these classics before it’s too late.
10 Growlanser: Heritage Of War
Released in 2007, Growlanser: Heritage of War is a real-time tactical RPG developed by Career Soft. They are the same developers that created the Langrisser series and the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor series.
Career Soft’s pedigree in creating well-crafted strategic RPGs shines through in this entry of the long-running series. It’s only held back by its dated visuals after the decision to move the series into a 3D engine but the narrative still holds up well but it’s a game that requires a significant amount of patience and willingness to overlook some of its shortcomings.
9 Suikoden IV
Released in 2005, Suikoden IV is a traditional turn-based JRPG developed by Konami. It’s a self-contained story that has connections to its predecessors on a grander scale. It’s often regarded as the weakest game in the series and that is probably a fair assessment.
Despite having a great cast of characters and historical lore for fans the story ends before it really gets going. In addition, the frequency of the random battles can get very annoying and only serve as a means of padding out a pretty short JRPG. However, if fans are willing to seek out Suikoden Tactics, which is a direct prequel to Suikoden IV, the game’s backstory and narrative are a lot easier to appreciate.
8 Stella Deus: The Gate Of Eternity
Developed by Atlus and released in 2005, Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity is a turn-based tactical RPG. Mechanically, it is similar to that of the Ogre Battle series and Final Fantasy Tactics: War or the Lions. While it doesn’t quite reach the narrative heights of those games, Stella Deus does have an excellent storyline and a lengthy and gripping campaign.
Stella Deus is only let down by its voice acting, which at times can sound a little wooden. It’s still a worthwhile RPG, however. Furthermore, Stella Deus sells for quite a bit of cash on auction sites like eBay, and picking it up via the network while it’s still there is by far the cheapest way to pick it up.
7 Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha Vs. The Soulless Army
Released in 2006, Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army was developed by Atlus as part of the Shin Megami Tensei universe that also includes the Persona series. Devil Summoner is an action RPG set during the 1910s and 1920s in Japan’s Taishou Period.
The addictive “gotta catch ’em all” style demon collecting mechanic that’s synonymous with the SMT series is present, as are the stunning art design and a great cast of characters. More importantly to JRPG enthusiasts, it has an excellent story, a protagonist they can get behind, a great setting, and villainous antagonists.
6 Grandia III
Released in 2006, Grandia III is a traditional turn-based RPG developed by Game Arts. Like its predecessors, Grandia III is a self-contained story with a brand new cast of characters. Even by today’s standards, the visuals and character models are stunning. Grandia III also has a great soundtrack.
The combat, which focuses on time and distance, remains one of the best and most innovative turn-based battle systems of all time. Narratively, Grandia III is a more light-hearted affair than Grandia II but its whimsical characters and happy-go-lucky protagonist are more in line with the original game. It’s worth noting that Grandia III was notably absent from the Grandia HD collection on the Nintendo Switch and it was never released in Europe.
5 Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha Vs. King Abaddon
Released in 2009, Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon is the direct sequel to Raidou vs. The Soulless Army. In terms of visuals and mechanics, the game isn’t a massive departure from its predecessor, but the quality of life improvements will be immediately obvious to fans.
The narrative in Devil Summoner 2 is better executed and interacting with NPCs to gain information for the investigation drives the detective experience forward. This game is another title that is selling for a significant amount of cash on auction sites so it will be well worth grabbing on the PSN store.
4 Digital Devil Saga 1 And Digital Devil Saga 2
Released as two separate games a year apart, Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2 is a two-part series that should be played together without hesitation. Just like the Persona and Devil Summoner series, Digital Devil Saga is a part of the larger Shin Megami Tensei universe.
Even by today’s standards, the game’s writing and character development are among the best in the genre. It’s a grim twist on the post-apocalyptic setting and Digital Devil Saga’s turn-based combat is very tough but always fair. More importantly, the game’s narrative is of superb quality with lots of twists, betrayals, and surprises.
3 Persona 3 FES
Released in 2008, Persona 3 FES is an enhanced and expanded version of the original Persona 3 much in the same way that Persona 5 Royal was to the base game. It was the most successful entry in the Persona series at the time and overtook the mainline Shin Megami Tensei series as Atlus’ most popular JRPG series.
It combined traditional turn-based elements of JRPGs with a modern school setting where players could directly build relationships with other characters and teammates. This mechanic melded seamlessly with the narrative and combat. Persona 3 FES added a brand new epilogue, 17 new tracks, and lots of dungeon crawling.
2 Suikoden III
The first two games in the Suikoden series are considered by fans as two of the best narratively driven JRPGs on the PS1. There’s an element of history and lore in this series that’s only matched by the recent Legend of Heroes franchise.
Set fifteen years after the events of Suikoden II, fans of the first two games should absolutely invest in Suikoden III. In addition to taking advantage of the game’s save transfer feature, Suikoden III expands its universe with its “Trinity Sight” system. This allowed players to see events and stories unfold through the eyes of three different protagonists. It is a departure from typical fantasy-based JRPGs and offers the kind of quality storytelling one would associate with a quality TV series like Game of Thrones.
1 Persona 4 Console Version
The enhanced Persona 4 Golden is available on Steam and as a handheld on the PlayStation Vita but PSN is the only place to download the original console version. Even though Persona 4 Golden is the best way to play the game, Persona 4 is still a fantastic experience from start to finish and a game that should be on all JRPG fans’ playlists.
Originally released in 2008, Persona 4 is widely considered the best JRPG on the PlayStation 2 by managing to improve on every aspect of its predecessor. It stands up to the test of time with its superb narrative, timeless art design, and a wonderful cast of characters that players young and old can identify with.
