Summary
The role-playing genre has progressed by leaps and bounds, becoming one of the most popular genres in the gaming industry. Players love the idea of embarking on epic adventures in massive worlds where the fate of the entire world is often at stake.
However, there’s something to be saidabout retro RPGsand the simple fun they bring to the table. Instead of keeping track of numerous metrics, these classic role-playing games ensure that newcomers to the genre will have a great time without getting overwhelmed.
8Final Fantasy 6
An Epic JRPG With A Beloved Ensemble Cast
Thesheer brilliance ofFinal Fantasy 6can’t be stated enough. This RPG with a massive ensemble cast and a plot that takes place in a changing world is relatively easy to follow, with its combat being pretty easy too.
While thePixel Remasterdoes up the challenge,Final Fantasy 6is still an excellent game for newcomers to get into. It’s perfect as an introduction to the legendaryFinal Fantasyseries and JRPGs in general.
System Shock 2is a game that can seem challenging for a beginner, but they don’t necessarily need to play this title at a high difficulty. There’s no shame in playing this game on easy so that players get accustomed to the way it plays.
Soon enough, newcomers will be wowed bythe sheer depth ofSystem Shock 2’s gameplayand why players should invest their time in this masterpiece. The oppressive atmosphere and varied gameplay make multiple playthroughs viable as the Hacker is molded in a different image every time.
Chrono Triggeris one of the best and most well-paced JRPGs players can get their hands on. The game is beginner-friendly, with its combat being riveting despite the challenge being manageable at all times.
All of this is accompanied by an amazing story and memorable characters that show off the combined genius of Akira Toriyama, Yuji Horii, and Hironobu Sakaguchi. Players unfamiliar with JRPGs who want to find out why people love this genrewill findChrono Triggerto be a great titlethat showcases the genre’s strengths.
To this day,Deus Exstill stands strong as one of the greatest action RPGs ever made that has aged like a fine wine. JC Denton is an iconic protagonist whose dry dialogue delivery is somehow entertaining and makes him sound professional yet hilarious when the moment’s right.
The immersive sim gameplay is simple enough for beginners to wrap their heads around, with the lenient saving system ensuring that they are encouraged to take risks and redo a combat encounter if things go out of hand. Eventually, greenhorns will become masters of the game’s combat and stealth systems because of how intuitiveDeus Ex’s gameplay is.
A lot of JRPGs go off the rails and become hard to comprehend, which can be challenging for beginners to wrap their heads around. Thankfully,EarthBounddoesn’t face this problem, establishing the anti-JRPG genre and letting players experience the video game equivalent of a warm hug.
At the heart of this game is a group of kids who just want to play around, only to be roped into a quest to defeat Giygas from destroying the world. It may seem like a heavy-handed premise, butEarthBound’s charming graphics and grounded setting make it an easy title for newcomers to sink their teeth into.
Lionhead Studios was at the top of their game when they madeFable, an epic action-adventure RPG that fans love to this day. The first entry in theFableseries is considered by many to be the best and is easy for players to get into.
The combat doesn’t get stupidly hard and the story is simple yet engaging enough to keep fans entertained for the long haul. All of this combines to turnFableinto a beginner-friendly RPG with an epic scope.
In an age when JRPGs could comfortably take hundreds of hours to defeat,Parasite Evefelt like a breath of fresh air. Instead of being a kid-friendly role-playing game,Parasite Evetackles mature themes, features elements of body horror, and can be finished in under ten hours if players know what they’re doing.
This makes it the perfect candidate for a modern gamer’s first JRPG. The combat is never too convoluted and players won’t have to micromanage too much as they blaze through this tightly-paced role-playing game to reach a satisfying conclusion.
A JRPG with a charming art style,Golden Sunlets players enjoy a unique take on the job system. For the most part, beginners shouldn’t have any issues with assigning a djinn of the same element to characters, making things easier for them.
This negates the complexity of the system, withGolden Sunfeaturing its fair share of puzzles that serve as welcome breaks from the game’s combat. This retro RPG starts strong and never lets up, letting players explore unique environments and prevent the antagonists from enacting their evil plans.
