2021 was an amazing year for JRPGs. After years of languishing in irrelevance by being stuck on underpowered consoles and mobile platforms, the last few years have seen a resurgence for the genre. Square-Enix has put out banger after banger with games like Final Fantasy VII Remake, and they're not the only ones putting in that amount of work.
And while 2021 featured plenty of games that were delayed into next year and beyond, that doesn't mean there weren't even more awesome games coming out. All the major platforms were absolutely drowning in quality JRPGs. Where most years having just five decent games would be impressive, this one had twice that easily.
10 Scarlet Nexus Pits Psychics Against A New Threat To Humanity - 80
Bandai-Namco's Scarlet Nexus was one of multiple J-RPGs the company released in 2021. This one was a new IP, putting players in the role of protagonists in the Other Suppression Force. The OSF's responsibility is to defend humanity from the dangerous creatures known only as The Others. As either Kasane Randall or Yuito Sumeragi, the player develops their psychokinetic abilities, allowing them to toss things on the map at Others. The game's combat was praised along with its lore, and the only thing that held it back were the rather boring side quests.
9 Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Gives Adol Monstrous New Powers - 80
Falcom not only released The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV to PC fans, but they also got their other classic franchise Ys IX out as well. This installment of Ys takes Adol Christin and his friend Dogi to the city of Balduq, where Adol is transformed into a Monstrum. Adol is then forced to join a group of Monstrums as they stop threats coming from an alternate dimension. Adol's transformation allows for new ways to explore the massive prison city of Balduq, a surprisingly fun experience for a game where the protagonist is technically in jail the whole time.
8 Persona 5 Strikers Takes Persona Into The Action-RPG Universe - 81
Looking for another Persona mainline game? That's probably years off. But Omega Force continues its streak of good games in iconic franchises in between main games with Persona 5 Strikers. The Dynasty Warriors gameplay transfers surprisingly well to the Persona 5 universe and still retains some of the turn-based elements of the main game. Set after the events of the first game, Persona 5 Strikers gives fans more time with the Phantom Thieves as they work on another case.
7 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Continues The Monster Hunter Stories Universe - 82
Monster Hunter Stories is an off-shoot of the main Monster Hunter franchise, one that focuses on single-player action and is more story-driven than the usual Monster Hunter titles. The first game was a decent title for the 3DS that actually won Handheld Game of the Year at the DICE Awards.
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This version improves on the original with a better story, a larger world, and much-improved graphics thanks to the Nintendo Switch's stronger graphics processor. Players take on the role of the descendant of a legendary monster rider, and try to protect their Razewing Ratha from people who want to capture it.
6 NEO: The World Ends With You Brings Back One Of Square's Long Defunct Series - 82
The World Ends With You was a cult classic from Square-Enix that was released on the DS well over a decade ago. But despite being so beloved, the title never got a follow-up... until now. This follow-up of the game is a gorgeous 3D action-RPG, and relies on a brand new cast of characters. Once again, players find themselves in Shibuya, trying to survive the Reapers' Game. Though a title like this could have easily been a misstep, the creatives here tapped into what made the first game work so well and created another hit.
5 Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy Improves On The Beloved Atelier Ryza - 84
The original Atelier Ryza was a beloved game by fans of the franchise, providing both a likable cast of characters and the fun, breezy gameplay and complex crafting the fans have always loved. The sequel improves on the first, adding new exploration elements like swimming to create an even more immersive experience. This title did even better than the original, breaking sales records and hopefully giving Gust a reason to return to Ryza's stories.
4 Shin Megami Tensei V Revives The Popular SMT Franchise - 85
Shin Megami Tensei was one of the franchises that were originally teased alongside the launch of the Nintendo Switch. Long-time fans of the series were excited to see it make its return, but then they heard nothing for several years. But Atlus managed to push this game out by November, and it was everything SMT fans could have hoped for. It's not only a gorgeous game, but the options players have available to them in combat are unparalleled.
3 Tales of Arise Is The Best Tales In Years - 87
Tales of Arise gave the Tales franchise that budgetary leap fans had been looking for for years. Finally, the franchise resembled a PlayStation 4 game instead of a PS3 title. The game explores the relationship between two planets: Dahna and Rena. In the story, the Renans having enslaved the Dahnans for labor and are in the process of choosing their next Emperor. After titles like Tales of Zestiria and the good-but-forgettable Berseria, Tales of Arise is hopefully a return to form for the franchise.
2 Monster Hunter Rise Brings Monster Hunter To The Switch - 88
Monster Hunter World managed to bring the popularity of the Monster Hunter universe worldwide. But Monster Hunter's popularity truly took off on handheld, so Capcom returned to that premise with Monster Hunter Rise, a game designed for the Nintendo Switch.
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Rise took everything learned during Monster Hunter World and made an even better game--the Palamutes alone are a game-changer. Monster Hunter Rise was a massive success, and seemingly the next installment isn't too far off, with Sunbreak announced for mid-2022.
1 Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Gives More Of Yuffie's Storyline - 89
Final Fantasy VII Remake was considered one of the game of the year candidates in 2020. It's unsurprising, then, that a follow-up experience would be similarly beloved. Intergrade takes the original game and vastly improves on it with better graphics and far superior load times. It also adds the Episode Intermission, which centers on Yuffie Kisaragi, another member of the original FF7 cast who wasn't around for the Midgar adventures. Yuffie's ninja play style is different enough that it's worth coming back to experience, even for those who already beat the original game several times over.
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