JRPG Where The Main Character Has Amnesia

Many JRPGs aim to immerse the player in a new world, and have several ways of doing so. Amnesia is a recurring theme in several of these games, serving as a tool to create mystery around both the character and the story of the region. The protagonist, stripped of memories, embarks on an adventure to discover their identity. Meanwhile, the player, alongside the character, gradually uncovers the game's world and storyline.

Amnesia has long been a narrative device in JRPGs, offering opportunities for character development and world-building. It creates a compelling blend of personal and larger-scale mysteries, as the protagonist's forgotten past ties into the greater story of the game’s universe. These are some of the games that use this trope the best.

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By  Lucas Simons

10 Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7)

The Hero With Manipulated Memories

Final Fantasy 7 is centered around Cloud Strife’s quest to uncover the truths and lies of his past. Although he does not suffer from total amnesia like some other characters on this list, Cloud grapples with a mix of truths and fabrications created by false memories.

Cloud confronts his past, which he believes to be that of a member of the elite SOLDIER unit. Throughout the course of the game, the character uncovers more about his identity and his connections to the Shinra Corporation and the enigmatic Sephiroth.

9 Neku Sakuraba (The World Ends With You)

A Boy Forced To Participate In The Reapers’ Game

Neku Sakuraba from The World Ends With You wakes up in Shibuya with no memory beyond his own name. He soon discovers that he is part of the Reapers' Game, where he must cooperate with another character named Shiki Misaki to survive over the course of seven days.

As the game progresses, Neku gradually discovers more about the storyline and learns that Joshua chose him as a proxy to participate in the contest on his behalf. He also learns that the game that will determine the fate of all of Shibuya.

8 Adol Christin (Ys: Memories of Celceta)

The Protagonist Without Memories Of Casnan

Ys: Memories of Celceta is about Adol Christin, the recurring protagonist of the Ys series, who arrives in the city of Casnan with amnesia for unknown reasons. Adol meets a character named Duren, who claims to know him, and together they embark on an adventure to explore the region of Celceta.

As they venture through the land, battling enemies and mapping the area, Adol encounters other friends along the way. Together, they work to recover his memories while uncovering the truths about his connection to the region.

7 Fei Fong Wong (Xenogears)

The Tragic Story That Even The Protagonist Doesn’t Know

In Xenogears, Fei Fong Wong begins his journey as an amnesiac villager from Lahan Village, with no memories of his past. After a tragic event that leads to the destruction of Lahan, the protagonist sets out to uncover the truths about his past and his destiny.

Over the course of the game, it is revealed that Fei possesses an alternate personality named Id, a powerful individual born from the traumas of his childhood. The truth is that Fei is a new personality created to live a peaceful life, free from the memories of those traumatic experiences.

6 Luke Fon Fabre (Tales Of The Abyss)

Learning To Live Outside The Luxurious Life Of The Fabre Mansion

Tales of the Abyss follows Luke Fon Fabre, a young noble who was kidnapped and suffered trauma-induced amnesia. As a defense mechanism, his mind erased all memories of his time in captivity and the period before it.

As Luke uncovers the truth, he learns that his abduction is linked to a war between the nations of Auldrant and that he has a direct connection to an ancient villain named Van Grants. Van plans to destroy the current world and create a new one based on his own ideals.

5 Aleph (Shin Megami Tensei 2)

Facing Angels And Demons

• Platforms: Super Nintendo, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, iOS, Android
• Released: March 18, 1994
• Developer: Atlus
• Genre: JRPG

In Shin Megami Tensei 2, Aleph begins his journey as a gladiator in the underground city of Valhalla, a decaying metropolis that serves as one of the game's central settings. He is a character shrouded in mystery, suffering from amnesia and having no recollection of his past or true identity. Initially known as Hawk, he emerges from obscurity to become a prominent figure in the combat arena.

Aleph's journey places him in the midst of a conflict between angels and demons. The player assumes the role of the protagonist, making moral and ethical choices that influence the story's development and the world's fate.

4 Kaim Argonar (Lost Odyssey)

An Immortal With No Memories Of The Past

Lost Odyssey follows Kaim Argnoar, an immortal who has lost his memories, in a world undergoing a Magic-Industrial Revolution, where magic has become a powerful resource. As two nations, Uhra and Gohtza, vie for dominance through the use of magic, Kaim joins other immortals Seth and Queen Ming to investigate the Grand Staff, a massive magic engine.

They soon uncover the schemes of Gongora, an immortal manipulating events to seize control and destroy the portal between their world and a parallel universe, making himself invincible.

3 Rush Sykes (Last Remnant)

A Forgotten Connection With The Remnants

In The Last Remnant, Rush Sykes is a protagonist who unknowingly suffers from amnesia, unaware that he has lost memories of his past. As a child, he was found and adopted by John and Marina Sykes, who raised him as their own.

At a certain point, Rush uncovers his past when he visits the place where he was found. His adoptive mother Marina seals his memories, hiding the truth about his connection to the Remnants — powerful artifacts that have been the cause of all the wars in the world.

2 Joshua Bright (Trails In the Sky)

The New Member Of The Bright Family

Trails in the Sky FC begins when a man named Cassius Bright returns home to his daughter, Estelle, carrying a child named Joshua. This child is adopted by the Bright family, though his mysterious past is revealed only later.

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Although Joshua doesn't suffer from complete amnesia, his memories have been altered by Georg Weissmann, one of the leaders of a sinister group called Ouroboros. Players eventually discover that Joshua was once a member of this group, though he has no recollection of the atrocities he committed in the past.

1 Joker (Persona 5)

Remembering The Strikes Of The Phantom Thieves

Persona 5 begins with the protagonist being interrogated by detective Sae Niijima. However, due to various drugs that were administered to him, he suffers from amnesia, making it difficult for him to recount his story to the detective and prove his potential innocence.

The game's story unfolds as Joker, the protagonist's alias after joining the Phantom Thieves, starts to remember his recent past, where he met new friends and fought against the injustices of the world through a parallel dimension known as the Metaverse.

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