The JRPG genre is gaining popularity after the release of some praise-worthy titles likePersona 5. The JRPG moniker refers to RPGs that are made in Japan or that incorporate a Japanese animation style. This causes the definition of JRPG to be quite loose.
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There have been plenty of Western studios making JRPGs. In the end, it’s about sharing the love for the genre and making efforts to promote it to others. One thingJRPGs are famous for is their long playthrough time. This does not mean that there aren’t any short, fun JRPGs. Actually, there are quite a lot of them that can be finished overnight.
Disclaimer:Howlongtobeat.comhas been used as a reference for the average playthrough times.
Updated June 30, 2025 by Mark Sammut:JRPGs are beloved because of their willingness to provide epic adventures that require dedication to complete. It is not unusual for the genre to produce titles that blast through the 50-hour mark, and some of thebest JRPGsare very long. However, not everyone has the time to sink dozens upon dozens of hours into a single game; sometimes, ashort JRPGfits the bill better than one that lasts forever and a day. Those looking for something to play that suits their schedule should make sure to check out these lengthy and brief JRPGs.
14Shortest: Parasite Eve ~ 10 Hours
Parasite Eveis a very short game as comparedto other Square games. It incorporates JRPG with survival, horror elements. It has a turn-based combat system. The players control a female officer, Aya Brea, who tries to stop the destruction of mankind as anyone who comes into contact with a woman named Eve is incinerated.
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Parasite Eveis a ’90s JRPG classic, that caused a surge in the popularity of the horror genre. The game is clocking in at about 9 hours and can be 8 hours if the players rush. Fans of the horror genre need to give it a try.
13Longest: Trails Of Cold Steel ~ 60 Hours
Want something with more fantasy thanPersona? Then head over to theTrails Of Cold Steelseries. The first part revolves around Rean Schwarzer, who is a student of Class VII at Thor’s Military Academy, where both high-class and low-class society are forced to study.
The game is about class conflicts and terrorist activities in the Erebonian Empire. The combat is turned-based and the game requires little to no grinding as it focuses more on the story and the characters, which can be a turnoff for many. It takes an average of 60 hours to complete the game.
12Shortest: Dragon Quest ~ 9 Hours
If anyone really wants to travel back to the ’80s, thenDragon Quest 1is the game to play. It was the start of the JRPG genre and many next-generation games took inspiration from it. The story is of a cliched hero, Erdrick, who sets out to save the princess from the evil confinement of a villain.
But the fun lies in completing the side quest and talking to townsfolk, which comes after the 9-hour grind of defeating the boss.Dragon Questis hailed as a classic that helped shape the JRPG genre.
11Longest: Dragon Quest 8 ~ 62 Hours
Dragon Quest 8was a unique experience for the fans of the franchise as the game broke the barriers of 2D and featured 3D world exploring. With its vast environment, extensive story,and cool characters,Dragon Quest 8can become a time drain.
62 or more hours are required only to complete the main quest. Releasing in 2004, it was considered the best RPG of its time, and even today, it is a source of hours of entertainment. Fans ofFinal FantasyandXenoblade Chronicleswill love it.
10Shortest: Ys 1 ~ 7 Hours
Ys 1is from the CD-ROM era, releasing in 1989. More specifically, it was one of the first games to be released on a CD-ROM and featured better gameplay and graphics than many games of its time. Due to the hardware limitations, all the bloated stuff was removed from the game; therefore it can take about 5 to 10 hours to complete the main story.
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It follows the story of a swordsman, Adol Christin. He has to collect the six Books of Ys, that have clues about the vanished land of Ys and help him in his fight against an evil that is destroying the kingdom of Esteria.
9Longest: Trails Of Cold Steel 3 ~ 62 Hours/ Trails Of Cold Steel 4 ~ 69 Hours
The third part of theTrails Of Cold Steelfranchise continues the great work done by its predecessors. This time, Rean Schwarzer, is responsible for training new recruits at a new branch campus as he uncovers a threatening scheme about his homeland.
Trails of Cold Steel 3is better than anything that came before it, although it is not recommended to jump straight into either the third or fourth games in the series. There are a few shocking moments that leave the players in tears and pain.Trails of Cold Steel 4serves as a solid and lengthy conclusion to this storyline, a four-game journey that requires more than 200 hours to fully experience.
8Shortest: Helen’s Mysterious Castle ~ 7 Hours
This is another one with a simple plot and easy going. It’s about a young girl, Helen, who forgets everything about her past and goes on an adventure to find out more about it. It has a classic, retro feel to it. Despite a few shortcomings, this game is an absolute banger, with great mechanics and lovable characters.
It takes almost 7 hours to end the main story. There is good replay value in the game, which is pretty neat for a $1.29 game.
7Longest: Xenoblade Chronicles ~ 70 Hours
Xenoblade Chroniclesis already a popular JRPG. And when mentioning long games. This is the first one that comes to mind. The main story takes at least 70 hours to complete. The cinematic cutscenes and the immense landscape, which the player spends most of their time exploring,hooks the players.
The story is about two gods Mechonis and Bionis, who fight for eternity. They both die in the duel, but their fight is carried on by their descendants. It has a steep learning curve, but it’s worth it.
6Shortest: Power Quest ~ 6 Hours
An obscure game released in the late ’90s,Power Questhas an interesting concept at its heart. The game is a JRPG, but the combat switches things around to a 2D fighting game. Narratively, this makes sense as the story revolves around a popular pastime that involves battling robots.
With multiple tournaments to play through,Power Questhas a simple premise, one that would not look out of place in a shounen anime. However, the story mode is not especially engaging, which is a shame as the actual gameplay is solid.
5Longest: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 ~ 82 Hours
It would not be aShin Megami Tenseigame if it did not last more than 50 hours, andPersona 3is only surpassed in length by the fifth entry in the franchise. Atlus' series was good from the start, but the PS2’sPersona 3marked the spin-off’s proper coming-out party. This entry set the standard for the social mechanics that would come to definePersona, and the game features one of the strongest cast of characters in the entire JRPG genre.
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As great as the original version is,Persona 3is better experienced through its re-releases, be itPersona 3 FESor the PSP’s portable iteration.
