2021 was simply a fantastic year for JRPGs. Following up a year that featured one of the most anticipated Final Fantasy remakes of all time is no easy feat. Still, the genre got to see some fantastic titles both big and small. Most major studios and IPs got a chance to shine somehow this year, with the exception of a few heavy hitters like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy (If you don’t count INTERGRADE). No matter what your jam is, if you like JRPGs, you likely found something that you love in 2021.
The Heavy Hitters
Bandai Namco is likely the big winner of 2021’s JRPG race with its two massive titles Scarlet Nexus and Tales of Arise. Both titles are enough to satisfy almost any action JRPG fan, so it’s incredible that the publisher managed to launch both this year (We will just forget the COVID-related delays). Tales of Arise in particular won big at The Game Awards when it was awarded best RPG.
It has to be said that Bandai Namco didn’t get all of the big action JRPGs. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… brought a prequel to Nier to the West and delivered some fluid gameplay with one of the best soundtracks of the year. Rune Factory 4 Special made its way onto PlayStation, and Square Enix released a sequel to a handheld masterpiece that we will mention later on.
Of course, we aren’t going to forget about Shin Megami Tensei V, which for most, was the biggest launch of the year. Shin Megami Tensei V manages to be accessible to series newcomers while still giving veterans a nice and challenging experience. Anyone who wants a modern turn-based JRPG simply can’t do any better than this in 2021.
Smaller Gems
Unsurprisingly, there were some wonderful JRPGs that came out of smaller budgets. Astria Ascending and Cris Tales both wear their JRPG influences on their sleeves with some absolutely gorgeous visuals. While both games have their shortcomings when it comes to the gameplay, they are both solid experiences in their own rights.
KEMCO and EXE Create continue to churn out decent JRPGs every year, and this year was no different. The highlights of the year for them were Asdivine Saga and Ghost Sync. Both games have fairly traditional gameplay with a couple of spins that are enough to keep players engaged.
While Square Enix certainly isn’t a small publisher, Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars feels much more intimate than what we are used to seeing by the publisher. The wonderful RPG is told completely through cards, giving a unique and beautiful experience to anyone who dives in.
Saviors of Sapphire Wings/ Stranger of Sword City Revisited graced the consoles of dungeon crawling fans with a 2 in 1 package. This little gem includes a remake and a new experience, with tons of quality-of-life features thrown in for good measure.
Returning Favorites
Like any other good year, 2021 didn’t only have brand new releases. Some great remakes and remasters made their way onto our consoles that did a stellar job of reminding us why we loved them in the first place.
Leading the pack this year was Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The cute remake divided fans initially with its chibi character models but proved on release that we will still buy any Pokemon game we can, just because the formula is still so much fun.
Following the release of the stellar Pokemon clone, Nexomon: Extinction, fans got the opportunity to enjoy the Nexomon game that started it all. While it lacks some quality of life features that Extinction got right, it’s still a delight to play with charming visuals and entertaining gameplay. If players want to catch monsters in a single-player game not called Pokemon, it’s hard to do much better.
Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX, Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey DX, and Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings DX all brought back solid Atelier games from the mid to late 2010s. These can be purchased separately or together in the excellent Atelier Mysterious Trilogy DX.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster helped prepare the uninitiated for Shin Megami Tensei V with brutal but rewarding difficulty. The iconic turn-based JRPG still holds up today, and the tweaks made in this remake make it much more accessible.
Finally, Idea Factory ported a few solid games on the Switch this year. The highlight is Death End Re;Quest. While these games aren’t exactly optimized for the console, they still run well. Death End Re;Quest is a surprisingly entertaining game with a unique battle system.
And Of Course, The Sequels
Speaking of Idea Factory, the publisher released the third and final entry of the Mary Skelter series. Mary Skelter Finale is a solid dungeon crawler with a dark premise and tons of fun characters. The list of big sequels is too big to count, but some of the highlights of the year include Atelier Ryza 2, Bravely Default II, The Caligula Effect 2, Blue Reflection: Second Light, and Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny.
Caligula Effect 2 and Blue Reflection: Second Light both deserve mention since they were likely overlooked by the masses this year. Both titles are absolutely stellar and can make a case for being the best JRPG of the year. These sequels might turn away some due to their aesthetics, but the gameplay for both is top-notch, and the storytelling isn’t bad either.
While it isn’t a sequel, Final Fantasy VII Remake INTERGRADE did give fans some new content. The Yuffie episode gives about five hours of new content, which is going to have to satisfy fans for now since it doesn’t look like Final Fantasy VII Remake is getting its second chapter anytime soon.
Even though we didn’t get a Final Fantasy VII Remake sequel, we did get a sequel to one of the best Nintendo DS games of all time. NEO: The World Ends with You managed to overcome all of the expectations and deliver a wonderful sequel that feels fresh and stylish.
2021: The Year Of Adventure
Players got to depart on many journeys in 2021. Whether it was a massive AAA release, a small but beautiful work of art, or a remake, there truly was something for everyone in 2021.
What was your favorite JRPG in 2021?
