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To add to the addictive nature of JRPGs, fans can now experience many of these beloved games with even greater immersion on Sony’s newest console, the PlayStation 5. The console is yet to build its own solid library of new and original JRPGs, but there are still tons of great titles that players can play on the PS5.
5 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Yakuza: Like A Dragon was first released in Japan in January 2020 before hitting stores worldwide in November of the same year. The game takes the long-running and critically-acclaimed Yakuza series in a new direction, with a fresh cast of charismatic characters and an engrossing new storyline.
The characters and story aren’t all that has changed, however, as the game also ditches the Yakuza series’ tried and tested beat ’em up mechanics in favor of turn-based combat. This bold move could have backfired, though Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio did an excellent job with the new battle system.
Despite all of the changes to the series, the Yakuza series retains many of the factors that fans love about the IP, including the hilarious, over-the-top, and often bizarre substories.
4 Tales of Arise
Players yearning for a medieval fantasy adventure can dive into Bandai Namco’s Tales of Arise on the PlayStation 5. Tales of Arise is an action RPG and is the seventeenth mainline game in the Tales of franchise. The game serves as a perfect entry point for newcomers and retains enough depth to feel familiar to returning fans of the series. With gorgeous anime-inspired visuals, deep lore, and a great combat system, Tales of Arise really takes the series to the next level.
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The game follows protagonists Alphen and Shionne from an enslaved planet called Dahna as they, along with other strong-willed characters, fight to overthrow the lords of the nearby reigning planet of Rena. Tales of Arise met exceptionally positive reviews at launch and has a Metascore of 87 for the PlayStation 5.
3 Scarlet Nexus
Bandai Namco’s Scarlet Nexus is a third-person action RPG that was released in June of 2021, featuring exhilarating combat and a solid narrative. The game is divided into two intertwining stories starring Yuito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall, who are members of an organization fighting against beings known as Others to protect humanity.
Set in a futuristic alternate world, Scarlet Nexus gives players the ability to play around with psychokinetic powers allowing them to move objects with their minds. The combat also features various weapons allowing for more variation in the game’s play style. Scarlet Nexus was praised for its gameplay, but some found the two branching stories tiresome. The game received a Metascore of 80 for the PlayStation 5.
2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake exceeded all expectations back when it was released in 2020, setting a new standard for remakes as a whole. The game takes the first few hours of the original JRPG and expands it into a full-length outing. Players take control of a soldier named Cloud Strife as he works with his friends to take down the corrupt Shinra Corporation.
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Final Fantasy 7 Remake is not just a simple re-imagining; instead, it also serves as a sequel to the original game in some ways. The Intergrade bundle of Final Fantasy 7 Remake includes the base game plus a new episode starring a character named Yuffie. The game received critical acclaim upon release and has a Metascore of 87 for the PlayStation 5.
1 Persona 5 Royal
Back in 2016, Persona 5 revitalized Atlus’ Persona franchise with its style, and in 2019 Atlus’ released a definitive version of the game in the form of Persona 5 Royal, which made a few qualities of life changes to the original formula and added a whole new semester of content. The PS5 version of the game, released in October of 2022, features a constant 60 FPS frame rate and includes all the DLC.
Persona 5 Royal follows a group of high schoolers who have the ability to traverse into another realm and change people’s desires with the use of their other-worldly selves known as the Personas. Part life simulator, part dungeon crawler Persona 5 Royal is easily one of the best games JRPGs to come out in recent years. The game has a Metascore of 91 for the PlayStation 5.
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