Final Fantasy VII is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games of all time, so it was only a given that a remake of this title would be held up to the highest of standards. This is what makes Final Fantasy VII Remake such a lofty achievement — not only is this title one of the best games of 2020, but it also managed to achieve this level of greatness without getting stuck in the shadow of its predecessor.
A big reason why Final Fantasy VII Remake managed to carve its own identity was the liberties it took in order to modernize itself while still remaining faithful to its origins — well, for the most part, at least. Regardless of the many opinions people may have about this title, there's no denying the fact that Final Fantasy VII Remake is still a crowning achievement of its time, and people who play this game would definitely have a hankering to try out some other JRPGs along the same vein.
So, to scratch the itch Final Fantasy VII Remake may have left behind, here are ten games that serve as excellent JRPGs in their own right.
10 Final Fantasy XV
Recommending any Final Fantasy game is pretty easy when it comes to choosing a JRPG like Final Fantasy VII Remake for obvious reasons. However, there are really only two titles in the franchise which genuinely feel like games that Final Fantasy VII Remake was inspired from.
The first title is Final Fantasy XV, a game whose combat will make people who love the Remake feel right at home. While the story can be somewhat hard to get invested in — mainly due to the odd manner in which it's told — players who are willing to look past such annoyances will find Final Fantasy XV to be an incredibly enjoyable experience.
9 Final Fantasy XIII
Another Final Fantasy title that has some of its gameplay mechanics integrated into the Remake — mainly the Stagger bar — is Final Fantasy XIII. This game has its fair share of detractors, but people who persevere with this title will definitely find something to love in the game.
A sizeable portion at the start of the game can feel like a massive slog, but it's only after these hours that Final Fantasy XIII becomes a magical experience in its own right. Of course, it certainly helps that the visuals have aged like wine and still look mesmerizing to this day.
8 Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is a series that might've had its fair share of ups-and-downs, but there's no denying that the core gameplay of the series is heavily reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Since there are too many games in the series to actively single out one particular title, it's better to just recommend the entire series for people who love Final Fantasy in general, let alone the Remake. Some gamers may actually be pleasantly surprised by just how amazing this series really is!
7 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel
The Legend of Heroes series is a JRPG series that has been going on for a really long time now, and one might argue that the popularity of this title has really ascended to greater heights with the release of two story arcs in this franchise — Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel.
While both arcs are great in their own right, Trails of Cold Steel is just a bit more modern and accessible than the former, making it an easy recommendation for anyone who likes quality JRPGs.
6 Tales Of Berseria
Another JRPG series that deserves an explosion in popularity is the Tales series, with the latest title in this franchise proving to be an excellent upgrade to an established IP.
Tales of Berseria is an action JRPG that is truly a blast to play through and serves as a great entry point into a rich and historied franchise, full to the brim with excellent titles that have remained criminally underrated in the West.
5 NieR: Automata
However, one franchise that somehow managed to reinvigorate itself with its latest title is NieR: Automata. For the longest time, NieR was thought by many to just be a spin-off of a decent series that had long since died off — Drakengard.
Most people were ignoring the genius of Yoko Taro for the longest time, which is what made the success of NieR: Automata such an eye-opener for the gaming community. Regardless of what might transpire next, there's no denying the fact that the NieR series has a bright future... and this is mainly due to the rampant success of NieR: Automata.
4 The World Ends With You
If there was any game that deserved a sequel, it was The World Ends With You. This unique action JRPG took a stylish approach to the concept with a modern setting in Tokyo itself, coupled with a plot that was unconventionally enrapturing.
Now, with the announcement of NEO: The World Ends with You, there's no better time to get into this amazing title and experience it firsthand.
3 Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
The Dragon Quest series hasn't really been all that popular in the West for a while now, but all this changed with the advent of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
The modernization in this title has led to what is easily the most accessible game in the Dragon Quest series... and also one of the very best, to boot.
2 Octopath Traveler
For players who still remember back fondly to the times when they played some of the older titles in the Final Fantasy series — Final Fantasy VI being a great example of this — then they should get their hands on Octopath Traveler as soon as possible.
The beautiful 2.5D art style of this game is easily the biggest highlight, but don't let that overshadow the brilliant individual plots, excellent combat, breathtaking boss fights, and some of the best music ever featured in a video game.
That last point is not an exaggeration by any means — Octopath Traveler has one of the best OSTs in video game history. In fact, the only game that could possibly triumph the quality of its wondrous soundtrack is...
1 Persona 5 Royal
To only mention the auditory brilliance of Persona 5 Royal would be akin to only talking about a beautiful coat of paint on a brand-new Rolls Royce. Persona 5 was a great game in its own right, so the fact that Persona 5 Royal managed to improve upon the formula even further is a testament to how amazing the title really is.
There's almost nothing that Persona 5 Royal gets wrong. The story, combat, characters, and visuals all work together in a seamless fashion to craft an experience that most people can easily label as one of the greatest games of all time.