The 2 JRPG Series Without a Single Bad Game (Final Fantasy Isn’t 1 of Them)

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Long-running franchises are vulnerable because one bad installment can quickly damage their overall reputation. While some, like Final Fantasy VII, are huge successes, others, like Final Fantasy XII, fall short. The same goes for Pokémon: Gold & Silver are classics, but many Pokémon games released after X & Y haven’t lived up to that standard. Despite this, a few JRPG series have consistently delivered high-quality games with every release.

These JRPG series aren’t perfect throughout, but each game is consistently good and worth playing. They’ve aged remarkably well, showing that some JRPG franchises manage to avoid making a single disappointing entry.

Dragon Quest Has Killed It With Every Entry

It’s incredible that the original RPG which inspired so many others remains consistently excellent. The Dragon Quest series has been a huge success in Japan for years, and is now gaining popularity around the world, with each game being a reliable and enjoyable experience.

Compared to other games like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest has always stuck to a classic style of gameplay, with traditional turn-based combat and familiar fantasy worlds. What makes it so good is its storytelling – it focuses on personal, relatable stories within a larger adventure, making it ideal for playing in short bursts.

The Dragon Quest series offers a lot of gameplay, especially in recent titles which include deep character customization options and tons of items to collect and side quests to tackle. These games are packed with content, beautifully illustrated with art by Akira Toriyama, and feature some of the most memorable soundtracks ever created for video games.

The Dragon Quest series isn’t without its faults, but even the older games have been improved. The original NES trilogy can feel clunky by today’s standards, and Dragon Quest VII has a famously long opening section. Fortunately, remakes are available that fix these problems, making the games much more fun to play.

Xenoblade Chronicles Is Nintendo’s True Premier JRPG Franchise

The Xenoblade Chronicles series is a more recent addition to the world of Japanese role-playing games, starting with the first game on the Nintendo Wii in 2010. It’s surprising that fans had to campaign for an English release, especially since interest in RPGs was down at the time. Thankfully, their efforts paid off, and a fantastic new RPG franchise was born on Nintendo consoles.

The game combines fast-paced action RPG battles with strategic turn-based commands. The original game also felt like a massively multiplayer online game, where positioning and facing enemies were crucial, creating exciting and chaotic combat.

The Xenoblade Chronicles games are known for their unique and imaginative stories, blending fantasy and science fiction in huge, sprawling worlds. A standout feature of each game is the excellent voice acting, particularly appealing to fans of British accents.

While not every game is flawless – some, like Xenoblade Chronicles 2, have been criticized for portraying female characters in ways that rely on overused and unsettling anime clichés – those willing to look past these occasional issues will discover games with incredibly engaging combat, all set within amazing stories and worlds.

While many JRPG series have had varying levels of success, Dragon Quest and Xenoblade Chronicles consistently release high-quality games – you won’t find a bad title in either series. Persona and Final Fantasy also offer excellent games, but Dragon Quest and Xenoblade Chronicles are remarkably reliable in delivering consistently solid experiences.

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2025-11-17 21:44