17 articles
Active Time Battle
Active Time Battle (ATB) is Square's JRPG combat system, invented by Hiroyuki Ito and debuting in Final Fantasy IV (1991), used in Final Fantasy IV through IX, blending turn-based menus with real-time gauges.
Blue Dragon (video game)
Blue Dragon (ブルードラゴン) is a 2006 role-playing video game for the Xbox 360, designed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi with characters by Akira Toriyama and music by Nobuo Uematsu.
Bravely Default
Bravely Default (ブレイブリーデフォルト), also Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, is a 2012 Silicon Studio/Square Enix turn-based 3DS JRPG with the Brave/Default Brave Point battle system, 23 jobs, a Metacritic 85, and a 2025 Switch 2 HD Remaster.
Bravely Second: End Layer
Bravely Second: End Layer (ブレイブリーセカンド), also known as Bravely Second, is a Japanese role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS and the direct sequel to Bravely Default, released in 2016.
Child of Light
Child of Light (Ubisoft Montreal, 2014) is a 2D side-scrolling fairy-tale RPG on PC, consoles, and Switch; princess Aurora of 1895 Austria recovers the stolen sun, moon, and stars in rhyming verse, with Grandia-style turn-based combat.
Digimon Survive (デジモンサヴァイブ)
Digimon Survive (デジモンサヴァイブ) is a 2022 hybrid visual novel and tactical RPG by Hyde and Bandai Namco, following Takuma Momozuka and Agumon; a karma system drives evolution and endings.
Honkai: Star Rail (崩坏：星穹铁道)
Honkai: Star Rail (崩坏：星穹铁道) is HoYoverse's free-to-play turn-based gacha RPG, launched April 26, 2023; known for Weakness Break combat, the Astral Express story, $132.3M first-month mobile revenue, and TGA 2023 Best Mobile Game.
Live A Live (ライブ・ア・ライブ)
Live A Live (ライブ・ア・ライブ) is Square's 1994 Super Famicom anthology JRPG directed by Takashi Tokita with music by Yoko Shimomura; its 2022 HD-2D remake gave it its first worldwide release.
Lost Odyssey (ロストオデッセイ)
Lost Odyssey is a 2008 Japanese role-playing game by Mistwalker and feelplus for Xbox 360, directed by Daisuke Fukugawa with Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi leading the team.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (二ノ国 白き聖灰の女王) is Level-5's 2011 PS3 JRPG made with Studio Ghibli, music by Joe Hisaishi; boy Oliver and fairy Drippy fight Shadar, collect familiars; remastered 2019.
Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler (オクトパストラベラー) is Square Enix and Acquire's 2018 Nintendo Switch HD-2D JRPG: eight travelers with separate stories on Orsterra, Break and Boost turn-based combat, Path Actions, and a job system.
Radiant Historia
Radiant Historia is an Atlus/Headlock time-travel JRPG for Nintendo DS (2010), remade as Perfect Chronology for 3DS (2017). Protagonist Stocke uses the White Chronicle across parallel timelines; grid-based combat; Metacritic 85; composer Yoko Shimomura.
Secret of Mana
Secret of Mana (聖剣伝説2, Seiken Densetsu 2) is Square's 1993 SNES action RPG starring Randi, Primm, and Popoi; known for three-player co-op via Super Multitap, real-time combat, ring menus, and Hiroki Kikuta's score; remade in 3D in 2018 to mixed reviews.
Terranigma (天地創造)
Terranigma (天地創造, Tenchi Sōzō) is a 1995 Quintet action RPG for the SNES, published by Enix in Japan and Nintendo in Europe; starring Ark, it was never released in North America until the Clear River Games remaster due January 14, 2027.
The Last Story
The Last Story (ラストストーリー, Rasuto Sutōrī) is a Japanese action role-playing game for the Wii, released in 2011 and directed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.
Turn-based role-playing game
Turn-based role-playing game: RPG genre where combat proceeds in discrete turns (ATB, CTB, press-turn variants). D&D-derived, dominant in JRPGs; revived by Baldur's Gate 3, Metaphor, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (イースVIII -Lacrimosa of DANA-)
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (イースVIII -Lacrimosa of DANA-) is Nihon Falcom's eighth Ys action RPG, set on the cursed Isle of Seiren; Vita 2016, PS4 2017, over 700,000 sold, and a reworked NIS America localization after a 2017 apology.