Many JRPGs have made a name for themselvesthrough challenging combator intense battle that put players in the shoes of a hero trying to save the world, or a party of adventurers looking for glory. It’s almost an unspoken rule at this point that a JRPG must have combat to properly fit into the genre - but is this always the case?
Some JRPGs might be able to dazzle or engage fanswith their boss fightsor battle mechanics, but these JRPGs usually also have an engaging world and a compelling story to also draw fans in. Who’s to say that a game that focuses solely on these elements - without the emphasis on combat - wouldn’t also be enjoyable? These JRPGs don’t dismiss combat entirely, but they take attention away from this element to focus more on the world and setting.
The latest installment in an incredible series,Rune Factory 5exists in the pantheon of those truly monolithic cozy farm sims, alongside titles likeStardew ValleyandHarvest Moon. Its link to the latter series is probably a good reason as to why it’s this way, but despite originally splitting off fromHarvest Moon,the series has truly forged its own identity as a JRPG series - and it’s an identity that has very little to do with combat.
Players lookingfor in-depth romance, monster taming, farming and crop management, or just a general slow-paced story where the main quest can be handled at any speed will find lots to love in this game - which does feature combat, but certainly not as the game’s main feature.
Like other titles on this list, there is a combat system inAtelier Ryza, but the combat does take a step back to allow for other components of this title to shine. In particular,Atelier Ryzahas some absolutely fantastic settings to explore, drawing players further in with more rare resources that can beused for crafting.
The story remains low stakes for the most part, and this JRPG focuses more on telling a coming of age story regarding Ryza and her friends as opposed to anything that would require intense combat.
This game is focused much more on crafting spells and brewing potions than it is purely on combat, and is another excellent title in the slowly growing"cozy JRPG" sub-genre.
Many of the spells created in this game can be used in combat not as a direct means of dealing damage, but as a more supplementary way of buffing allies or debuffing foes.
Many say thatHarvest Moon 64marked the beginnings of thecozy farming crazethat people see today, and while the series' split with its localization team led to a somewhat tumultuous history, fracturing into two divergent series,Harvest Moon: One World, like many games in this fantastic series, keeps the spirit of what made the N64 title so popular, while innovating in various ways.
Running incredibly well on modern platforms and showcasing a life of idyllic living,Harvest Moon One Worldis a game that does away with combat and focuses exclusively on managing a well-kept farm. Players looking to unwind after work or take things easy after playing a more intense game should absolutely give this one a try and see if it suits them.
A Cooking Centric Puzzle JRPG
Battle Chef Brigade
Welcome to Victusia, where the members of the elite Battle Chef Brigade are revered for their ability to skillfully take down monsters and transform their kills into delicious cuisine! But getting in isn’t easy; chefs from across Victusia must vie for their spot in a high stakes competition.Follow two contestants, Mina and Thrash, as their journeys through the tournament unfold. In order to become a Brigadier you’ll need to hunt monsters with combo-based attacks and prepare your freshly-caught ingredients in puzzle-based cooking challenges to serve up winning dishes to the judges – all while the round clock ticks down.
Combat inBattle Chef Brigadeis only one small facet of the overallculinary focused formulathat this game is built on. Chefs compete head-to-head in a match-3 puzzle game in order to cook the best meals, while said meals are composed of ingredients found while exploring.
This exploration does involve combat, but is mostly about being very selective with fighting, as chefs are chefs first and fighters second - most ingredients can be harvested without the need for combat.
Finishing off this list isBlue Reflection, a magical-girl JRPG where the combat is almost entirely optional, save for a few scripted sequences and the key boss battles of the story. Fighting smaller foes is really only a necessity for those trying to craft the highest tier of items. Paradoxically, this actually gives the combatmoreweight, since it really feels as though fighting enemies is something only done as a dire necessity.
It’s incredibly interesting to watch a story unfold where fighting is treated only as a last resort, andBlue Reflectionis a great game that doesn’t receive the same kind of attention that many mainstream JRPGs do despite being an excellent exploration of JRPG mechanics and the magical girl genre as a whole.
