With the inevitable closure of the PlayStation Network store, looming several gaming fans will likely dust off their PlayStation 3’s to download several classics that are easier to obtain digitally than they are pre-owned. This is especially so for niche genres like the Japanese RPG where many titles either had a limited release on disc or released exclusively on the PlayStation Network.
Unfortunately, many of these games along with their additional DLC will either disappear completely or at best get moved on to other platforms like Steam on the PC. Until that happens, JRPG fans have a very short window to grab some of the most unique and original games on the PSN before it’s too late.
10 Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord
Released in 2014, Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord is a tactical RPG that was developed by Aquaplus and published by Atlus in Western territories. It’s very story-heavy and its narrative is told through the use of visual novel style 2D cutscenes.
Despite getting bogged down by its lengthy and exhaustive story scenes and dialogue Tears to Tiara II has some very good combat mechanics. This includes an innovative rewind feature that allows players to try out various strategies in a genre that can often be unforgiving.
9 Ar Nosurge: Ode To An Unborn Star
Released in 2014, Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star is an action RPG developed by Gust and has connections to the Ar Tonelico series on the PlayStation 2. It’s also a direct sequel to Ciel Nosurge which was never released in the West. This means that new players will be missing out on some backstory unless they are will to do a bit of research themselves.
If one is willing to overlook that, its visual novel-style narrative is well-told, and the “Mind Diving” mechanic returns from the Ar Tonelico series. This allows for some very good character development and relationship building.
8 Legasista
Released in 2012, Legasista is an old-school dungeon crawling action RPG developed by Nippon Ichi Software. It features a visually impressive art style that is reminiscent of SNES and Genesis/Mega Drive era JRPGs back in the 90s.
The game features a ton of replay value with its randomly generated dungeons and the games class system allows for a lot of flexibility. In addition, players can customize their character’s personalities which will have an impact on how they behave in battle.
7 Drakengard 3
Released in 2014, Drakengard 3 is an action RPG with gameplay mechanics that will be familiar to fans of the Dynasty Warriors series. It is based in the same universe as the Nier series and serves as a prequel to the original that released on the PlayStation 2.
Its true strength lies in its bizarre story, characters, and multiple endings. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the somewhat shallow and repetitive gameplay. This could be forgiven if it wasn’t for the laundry list of unpatched bugs and technical issues.
6 Ragnarok Odyssey ACE
Released as an enhanced port of the PlayStation Vita original, Ragnarok Odyssey Ace is an action RPG developed by Grandia and Lunar developers Game Arts. Its mechanics are very similar to that of the Monster Hunter series where players are expected to take on missions and hunt down giant creatures.
Despite being a port of Vita game, Ragnarok Odyssey ACE is a very good-looking game thanks to its colorful art design. Combat is fast, fluid, and very satisfying, and grinding for new weapons and gear always feels rewarding.
5 Tales Of Xillia 2
Tales of Xillia 2 is a direct sequel to the 2013 original. It is set a year after the climactic ending to Tales of Xillia and focuses on a new protagonist while also introducing brand new gameplay mechanics.
Unlike its predecessor, the game’s main hero Ludger is a silent protagonist which may prove jarring for fans of the series. In addition, Xillia 2’s Debt System drags the pacing down to a crawl by forcing the player to grind so they can pay off their 20,000,000 gold debt and move the story forward. Issues aside, however, Xillia 2 does a great job of tying up a lot of loose ends from the original game and it does have a far more satisfying conclusion.
4 Disgaea 3: Absence Of Justice
Released in 2008 for the PlayStation 3, Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice is a turn-based tactical RPG developed by Nippon Ichi Software. The series gained a lot of popularity with hardcore tactics fans on the PlayStation 2 because it offers so much content and gameplay.
The game’s humor and narrative won’t hit the mark for everyone but the sheer amount of depth and content make Disgaea 3 one of the most rewarding RPGs on the PlayStation 3. Visually, it looks exactly the same as its PS2 predecessors but the volume of content on display makes that very easy to overlook.
3 Tales Of Xillia
Released in Western territories in 2013, Tales of Xillia is a traditional JRPG with its action-based combat systems. The fighting systems play like beat-em-ups and are variations of the Linear Motion System which debuted on Tales of Phantasia.
Tales of Xillia allows the player to choose between two protagonists Millia the Lord of Spirits and Jude a medical student. This gives the game some extra longevity and replay value but Millia is arguably the best choice. The combat system is fast and enjoyable and the unpredictable story will keep its players entertained until the end.
2 Tales Of Graces F
Released in 2012, Tales of Graces f is an enhanced remaster of the original Tales of Graces which released in Japan for the Nintendo Wii. It’s a far more whimsical and light-hearted experience than Tales of Xillia and will remind players of the earlier titles in the series like Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Destiny.
Where Tales of Graces f really shines, however, is the combat system and it’s by far the best it has ever been to date. Each character has two distinct fighting styles and new abilities are learned by equipping the characters with new titles as the story progresses.
1 Tales Of Symphonia Chronicles
This one is cheating slightly as the original Tales of Symphonia is also available on Steam. However, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles also comes bundled with the HD version of Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World which isn’t available on any other digital platform yet.
The sequel is a worthy JRPG on its own merit but the real star of the show is the original Tales of Symphonia. It’s the best-selling entry in the Tales series to date and a big favorite among fans of the series. Despite being a remaster of a game that originated on the Nintendo GameCube its cell-shaded art style and beautifully pre-rendered backgrounds look stunning. The story is gripping and the characters entertaining but there is so much replay value on offer with its side content and new game plus it could potentially last players hundreds of hours.
