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JRPGs have been at the forefront of gaming for as long as players can remember. These role-playing games have been so influential that they created their own genre, and have since been giving Westernized RPGs a run for their money. With decades-long history under its belt, this genre has a lot to offer players.
Though there are numerous franchises that this genre had spawned over time, from cult classics like Shin Megami Tensei to the biggest media franchise, Pokemon, most of them start to falter after a few additions to their arsenal. Fortunately, there are some franchises that have continued to deliver quality entries throughout the course of their lives.
This list focuses on giving credit to the JRPGs franchises that have maintained an average score of (or close to) 80 on Metacritic. It is to be noted, however, that the list will only take into account the mainline entries for each franchise and not the many spinoffs and remakes that some tend to have. Additionally, for games available on multiple platforms, the highest score will be considered.
6 Pokemon
Releasing back in 1996, with the Pokemon Red and Pokemon Green versions, the Pokemon franchise now reigns supreme over all others. The monster-catching formula is not something that hasn't been tried by other franchises, but none seem to capture the magic of Pokemon.
There are a total of 38 mainline series in Pokemon the franchise. The number dips to 22 if the paired games are considered as a single entry. Taking aside the remakes and the spinoffs, all the mainline games have an average score of 80 or above on Metacritic with Pokemon Y version having the highest score of 88.
5 Persona
Originally making its debut in 1996, western fans first got into this series with the 2009 remake of the first persona game, titled Shin Megami Tensei: Persona. This series started off as a spin-off to Atlus's well-known Shin Megami Tensei, but quickly developed its own identity and became an entirely new franchise.
The recent success of the Persona games like Persona 5, Persona 5 royal, and Persona 4 Golden have done wonders for this franchise, revitalizing the series altogether. Persona 5 received a Metacritic score of 93 for the PlayStation 4, while Persona 4 for the PlayStation 2 has a score of 90. Persona 3 was also fairly well received with a score of 86. No score is available for the original Persona game making Persona 2: Innocent Sin the least-rated game in the franchise with a score of 78.
4 Xenoblade Chronicles
The Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the best franchises exclusive to the Nintendo consoles. Though not as widely known as the Pokemon or the Final Fantasy games, the Xenoblade Chronicles games still have a fairly huge audience. The games are bursting with imagination and lore. Each entry not only expands the story of the Xenoblade Chronicle franchise but also brings something new to the table.
This franchise has had three installments so far. The original Xenoblade Chronicle was released in 2012 on the 3Ds and is the highest-rated entry in the series with a Metacritic score of 93. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released in 2017 for the Switch and has a Metacritic score of 85. The latest entry in the series is Xenoblade Chronicles 3, released in 2022 for the Switch. It serves as a connection between the stories of Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2 and has a Metacritic score of 89.
3 Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is another JRPG franchise beloved by many players, both old and young. With a plot that has spanned over two decades and across three main entries, Kingdom Hearts has developed into a very well-established franchise. These games make the best use of nostalgia, mixing them up with modern gameplay mechanics to deliver something truly unique.
The first Kingdom Hearts game was released back in 2002 on the PlayStation 2 and has a score of 85 on Metacritic. Kingdom Hearts 2 was also released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006 and is often regarded as the best Kingdom Hearts game. It has a Metacritic score of 87. The third installment in the franchise took its time but was finally released in 2019 for multiple consoles and has a Metacritic score of 83.
2 Dark Souls
The Dark Souls franchise is one of, if not the most challenging JRPG franchises to date. The Souls games are known for being ferociously unforgiving. Though this franchise is not for everyone, those who do manage to get into these games should prepare to die over and over again until they finally gain the skills required to be the fiercest monster slayer around.
The Dark Souls franchise has three entries under its belt. The first Dark Souls game was released in 2003 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and has a Metacritic score of 89. Dark Souls 2 was released in 2014 and has the highest Metacritic score of the three games, at 91. Dark Souls 3 was released in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC and has a Metacritic score of 89.
1 Yakuza
The Yakuza franchise is an odd one for sure to be included as a JRPG but is still considered one nonetheless. These games combine Yakuza-style crime drama narratives with action-filled gameplay. The Yakuza franchise has 6 solid installments in the series not counting the spin-offs and side games.
Though not as popular of a franchise as many others on this list, the Yakuza series is still one of the most beloved JRPG franchises. The first four entries in this series have scores averaging between 75-79 on Metacritic, while the fifth and the sixth (Yakuza: The Song of Life) entries both have a score of 83.