Summary
- JRPGs thrive in high-fantasy or sci-fi settings, but games set in modern-day urban environments bring a unique twist.
- Urban locales add depth to JRPG experiences by mixing in fantasy elements without straying from relatability.
- Games like The World Ends With You, Shadow Hearts, Parasite Eve, EarthBound, and Persona 5 showcase the allure of urban fantasy.
The JRPG genre usually deals with high fantasy or sci-fi settings that add to the sense of adventure these games try to push on players, and understandably so. The best games in the genre know how to help players enjoy an epic for the ages, helping them climb up from humble beginnings before eventually being roped into a quest to save the world from a godlike being. So, the last thing players would expect from a JRPG is for it to be set in a modern-day setting that may not seem all that unbelievable at first glance.
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However, these games waste no time immersing players by combining these urban locales with the usual fantasy fanfare that players expect from such titles. Some people would argue that using these larger-than-life abilities in what seem like mundane settings ends up adding a lot more to the experience. As a result, some of the best JRPGs fans can think of are set in urban locales and make the most of this urban fantasy setting.
5 The World Ends With You
A Stylish Take On Tokyo With Some Engaging Gameplay To Boot
The World Ends With You
- Released
- July 27, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS, Switch, Android, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Controlling an amnesiac protagonist may seem rather cliched. Still, it doesn't take long for The World Ends with You to wow players with a focus on style and substance, with the combat system being its very own thing that most players will find to be a breath of fresh air if they're familiar with most JRPGs. Fashion plays a huge role in this game, and players must be up-to-date with the latest trends to use the most effective pins and abilities against their enemies.
Fans will fall in love with Shibuya and its many fashionable locations by the time they reach the end of this masterful experience. Combat can be a bit finicky in the early goings, but it won't take long for players to optimize their builds and form a delectable synergy with their teammates to beat down most foes. Many reasons contribute to the legacy of The World Ends with You, and the urban fantasy elements play a huge role here.
4 Shadow Hearts
A Lovecraftian JRPG Set Moments Before The Onset Of World War 1
Shadow Hearts
- Released
- December 12, 2001
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
- Developer
- Sacnoth
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
There aren't many Lovecraftian JRPGs that fans can check out, which is why so many people have a soft spot for Shadow Hearts. The game's horror elements are rather muted, but other aspects of cosmic horror rear their head here all the time. Players must manage a sanity meter that can cause players to frenzy and go insane if not managed properly, with the main character's abilities actively forcing him to sacrifice his mental state to transform into one of many powerful monsters.
Perhaps the best thing about Shadow Hearts is its captivating setting, taking place in 1913 and letting players explore notable real-world cities like London, Prague, and Shanghai. The story is another highlight of this experience, welcoming players who may not have played Koudelka while rewarding fans of this RPG with some clever callbacks and the like. Players who want to explore urban environments and beat down ghoulish monsters will find Shadow Hearts to be right up their alley.
3 Parasite Eve
1997 New York Is Racked With A Mitochondria-Manipulating Maniac
Parasite Eve
During a time when players expected SquareSoft to wow players with lengthy JRPG epics that spanned numerous hours in imaginative worlds, Parasite Eve feels more sobering in comparison as it lets players explore the snow-coated city of New York over six days in 1997. The game starts with an opera sequence (something that the company loved at the time) before introducing players to the main antagonist, spontaneous human combustion, and a spunky no-nonsense protagonist, Aya Brea.
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Hunting down Eve while uncovering the mystery behind her ability to manipulate human mitochondria is surprisingly riveting and helps Parasite Eve's plot stand out as one of its strongest pillars. Despite the ability to only control a single protagonist, the game knows how to pace its story and lets players reach the end of a captivating tale in a little over ten hours. This urban fantasy is one of SquareSoft's best games and something fans should check out as long as they have a high tolerance for scenes of extreme body horror.
2 EarthBound
An Anti-JRPG Set In A Mundane Modern Setting With A Bunch Of Kids Going On To Save The World
Earthbound
- Released
- June 5, 1995
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory, Ape Inc.
- Platform(s)
- SNES, Nintendo Game Boy Advance
- Genre(s)
- RPG
An anti-JRPG that has quickly become one of the greatest games in the genre, EarthBound's legacy is something fans are quite familiar with. Ness and his friends just want to play around before going back to their mothers and enjoying a sense of safety, but things take a turn for the worse when the malevolent Giygas unleashes a wave of evil across the world, causing peaceful creatures to become violent and compelling an unlikely band of heroes to embark on an adventure and save the world.
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Serving as an inspiration for several indie JRPGs with its unique setting and gameplay loop, it's easy to see why EarthBound is one of the best urban fantasy games players can check out. The combat system seems simple but boasts way more depth than most people would assume, and the game's mundane setting makes some of its larger-than-life elements stand out even more.
1 Persona 5
Modern-Day Tokyo Is A Joy To Explore As Players Engage In The Game's Social Sim Gameplay
Persona 5
The Persona series introduced a formula in the third mainline entry that would help this spinoff franchise become one of Atlus' most successful IPs and a gift that keeps on giving. A lot of the life sim elements and the story structure were perfected in Persona 4, and the studio could've sat on its laurels and provided players with more of the same in Persona 5. So, fans were glad to see that the developer decided to enhance the visual flair of this game to new heights, injecting a ton of personality into everything from the combat system to something as simple as the main menu.
This helped Persona 5 break into the mainstream and establish itself as one of the most popular JRPGs of all time. Breaking into a heinous adult's Mind Palace and exploring these handcrafted dungeons is as enthralling as can be, but there's something about the simple act of exploring Tokyo and interacting with its residents that makes this half of the game just as important. Players can find desperate people in need of the Phantom Thieves along with numerous Confidants who can strengthen their bonds with Joker, letting him enjoy various in-game benefits that come into play during the dungeon-crawling segments.
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