Best Action JRPGs From The 2000s, Ranked

The 2000s were a great period for JRPG enthusiasts. With the transition from 2D to 3D graphics, many new games emerged, redefining the JRPG experience with the new possibilities this dimension offered. Despite the success of turn-based games, new titles appeared, bringing action game elements into the JRPG genre.

Featuring diverse battle systems, these new titles captured the audience's attention with dynamic combat, appealing to those who found turn-based battles monotonous, including fans of traditional turn-based JRPGs. The fusion of action and JRPG mechanics offered a fresh experience that broadened the genre's appeal.

10 The 3rd Birthday

Parasite Eve With More Action Than Ever

The 3rd Birthday is the third game in the Parasite Eve franchise, serving as a pseudo-sequel to Parasite Eve 2 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The game brings back characters like Aya Brea, Kunihiko Maeda, Eve Brea, and Kyle Madigan in a plot with minor connections to the previous games, featuring a new approach more focused on action and combat rather than survival horror elements.

In the game, players control Aya Brea, who now works for an organization called CTI (Counter Twisted Investigation). The story revolves around creatures called Twisted that threaten to destroy New York and must be stopped.

9 Star Ocean: Second Evolution

A New Version Of A 90s Classic

Star Ocean: Second Evolution is an enhanced version of the classic Star Ocean: The Second Story, originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. The game was re-released in 2008 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) with improved graphics, new animated cutscenes, and gameplay enhancements.

In this action RPG, the story follows two characters: Claude C. Kenny, a young officer from the Earth Federation, and Rena Lanford, a girl from an underdeveloped planet. Together, they embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind an ancient legend, facing threats across the universe.

8 Rogue Galaxy

Space Pirates In Search Of The Greatest Treasure

Released in 2005, Rogue Galaxy is one of the PlayStation 2 classics from the 2000s. This action RPG is set in a science fiction universe with influences from space pirate stories. Featuring real-time gameplay, the game offers up to eight playable characters with different abilities and control methods.

Rogue Galaxy follows the story of Jaster Rogue, a young man who dreams of exploring space and joins a group of space pirates led by Captain Dorgengoa. This group seeks to find the Lost Planet Eden, a place that, according to legend, is filled with treasure and whose people are said to be immortal.

7 Ys: The Oath In Felghana

One Of Adol's First Adventures

• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
• Released: June 30, 2005
• Developer: Nihon Falcom
• Genre: JRPG

Ys: The Oath in Felghana is an action JRPG released in the 2000s and is a remake of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys. Controlling the series protagonist, Adol Christin, the game introduces gameplay improvements, making combat more dynamic with item management and upgrades to weapons and armor.

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The story follows Adol and Dogi in Felghana, Dogi's homeland. Upon arriving, they find the area plagued by violent hordes of monsters and a malevolent lord ruling the region. It falls to the two characters to battle and gather clues to resolve the issues affecting the area.

6 Odin Sphere

Jrpg With Beat 'Em Up Elements

From the same creators of Unicorn Overlord, Odin Sphere is a game that was originally released in the 2000s for the PlayStation 2 and was remade in 2016 as Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir. The game features a unique art style and offers action gameplay that blends JRPG elements with 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up mechanics.

Odin Sphere is set in the 1800s, when a young girl named Alice discovers a collection of books in her family’s home that tell the story of a place called Erion. The narrative is divided across five books, each with its own protagonist, unfolding in different time periods.

5 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7

A True Expansion Of The Final Fantasy 7 Universe

Set in the same universe as Final Fantasy 7, a classic from the PlayStation and the 90s, Crisis Core is an action JRPG that takes place before the events of the main game and tells the story of Zack Fair, the former owner of the Buster Sword now wielded by Cloud.

Although it is an action JRPG, the game includes turn-based elements similar to those found in the current remakes of Final Fantasy 7, featuring a menu that can be opened during battle to select special abilities while time is paused.

4 Tales Of Symphonia

One Of The Most Beloved Tales Games To This Day

Tales of Symphonia is the fifth game in the Tales series and follows the adventures of Lloyd Irving and his friends as they help Colette Brunel save the world. The world of Sylvarant is in crisis, and the plan is to perform a ritual called the World Restoration to reverse the decay.

The game, released in 2003 initially for the Nintendo GameCube, is an action JRPG featuring real-time battles with a system known as the Linear Motion Battle System, which involves combat in a 2.5D perspective within a 3D space.

3 The World Ends With You

Action Combat Using The Resources Of The Nintendo DS

The World Ends With You is one of the most acclaimed games for the Nintendo DS. The story is set in Shibuya, Japan, where Neku Sakuraba, a teenager who wakes up with no memory, finds himself participating in a game called the Reapers' Game. To avoid death, he must overcome various challenges.

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The game features an innovative combat system that uses both screens of the Nintendo DS for real-time action battles, incorporating combat partners and gestures with the console's Stylus.

2 Kingdom Hearts 2

A Quality Leap In Combat

Kingdom Hearts 2 is the sequel to Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and continues the story of Sora and his friends as they battle against darkness within the universe of Disney films and Square Enix characters.

The game is praised as one of the best in the series, significantly improving gameplay from its predecessors. It introduces mechanics that allow Sora to transform and features much faster and more fluid combat than its more clunky predecessors.

1 Vagrant Story

Complex And Highly Satisfying Combat

Vagrant Story is an action JRPG published by Square Enix for the PlayStation in the early 2000s. One of the most acclaimed games for the PS1, it follows the story of Ashley Riot, an agent sent to the city of Leá Monde to investigate a cult that may be behind dark events in the region.

The game features action combat with tactical elements, adding layers of strategy to battles and allowing players to control attacks, defenses, and abilities on the battlefield.

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