The year 2020 was a good one for fans of the JRPG genre especially for the nostalgic gamers that grew up classics such asTrials of ManaandFinal Fantasy VII.However, it’s unfortunate that most of these remakes and remasters were better than any original IPs which may have released that year according to Metacritic.
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Even with it being the year of the remake, 2020 was still a great year for gamers, and remakes of games likeFinal Fantasy VIIandDemon’s Soulsabsolutely deserve all the accolades and praise. In such a difficult year, it’s been a pleasure for most gamers to be able to escape reality and dive into a different world for some of the best forms of escapism available. Even though this top ten from Metacritic is dominated by remakes and remasters, every game on this list deserves a place in any RPG fan’s collection.
Updated on July 19, 2025 by Michael Llewellyn:Despite an eventful year that caused several delays and postponements, the year 2020 served gamers well.With lockdowns in effect around the world, JRPGs served as the perfect form of escapism for fans.There were AAAJRPGmega-hits like the Final Fantasy VII RemakeandDemon’s Souls to keep playershappy for hours. However, there were severalsmaller scale JRPGs from 2020 that fans should definitely consider adding to their collection.
15Langrisser I & II – Metascore 71
Originally developed by Career Soft the same studio that created the more recentGrowlanserseries, theLangrisserseries are considered spiritual predecessors. The first twoLangrissergames were released in 1991 and 1994 respectively.
Just like theGrolansergames,Langrisser I & IIare tactical RPGs but the gameplay is more reminiscent of the classicFire EmblemandAdvance Warsgames. The updated visuals look nice and clean and the stories are still as interesting as it was back in the 90s.
14Brigandine: The Legend Of Runesrsia – Metascore 75
A sequel to the 1998 PS1 cult classicBrigandine: The Legend of Forsena,this tactical RPG developed byAlundradevelopers Matrix Software was highly anticipated by its fans. As a grand strategy game,Brigandine: Legend of Runersiais something of a niche title.
Yet, despite this, the game is surprisingly accessible for newcomers and has a rich storyline and deep characters. For players looking for a challenge, however, the higher difficulties will certainly cater to that, and the game is filled with hours and hours of content.
13Trials Of Mana (Metascore 76)
In a year of remakes, remasters, and reboots,theTrials of Manaremakewas one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year for fans of JRPGs. It’s true that it didn’t have the same budget as theFinal Fantasy VII Remakedid and there’s quite a bit grinding butTrials of Manais still a great game.
It has a solid battle system with an excellent character customization system that’s surprisingly flexible. In addition, it’s very faithful to the SNES original, and being able to play from different perspectives added longevity to the game.
12Ys: Memories Of Celcetta – Metascore 77
Originally released on the PlayStation Vita in 2013, the PlayStation 4 port ofYs: Memories of Celcettadoesn’t feature much in the way of enhancements but it’s still a fantastic adventure game.
It’s a reimagining of the fourth game in theYsseries but it serves as a great introduction to gamers that are new to the series. It doesn’t have a deep and complex story like aFinal Fantasybut it’s still a thrilling one. Additionally, the gameplay and puzzle-based mechanics rivalThe Legend of Zeldaof series.
11Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin (Metascore 79)
Released in late 2020,Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruinis an action RPG developed by a two-man team in the Edelweiss Studio. It was released on the PC, Nintendo Switch, and the PlayStation 4 and despite being classified as a JRPG it’s also a farming sim.
The contrast in genres seems to blend perfectly as both playing styles complement each other and offer the kind of depth that not many big-budget AAA releases can match. It’s true that the resource management side of the game won’t appeal to everyone but for those looking for something a little differentSakunais an easy recommendation.
10Ys Origin – Metascore 81
Originally released on the PC in 2012, it seemed unlikely that a console version ofYs Originwould see the light of day. Thankfully, fans of theYsseries were in luck and the game was released on the PS4/Vita and Xbox One in 2017 and 2018.
A port for the Nintendo Switch was released in 2020, andYs Originserves well as a starting point for new players. More importantly, as a prequel, it fleshes out the mythology and lore surrounding theYsseries.
9Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore (Metascore 81)
Released in early 2020,Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encorewas released on the Nintendo Switch as the definitive version of the JRPG crossover ofFire EmblemandPersonaon the Wii U. The game combined the modern-day setting of thePersonaseries with characters from theFire Emblemseries.
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The mash-up of characters and themes works surprisingly well but most fans agree that it isn’t quite as good as either franchise. It’s still a solid JRPG and the game definitive deserved more exposure on a more popular console system.
8Trails Of Cold Steel IV (Metascore 81)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IVis the final entry in theCold Steelseries and the seventh in theTrailsseries that released in Western territories. The series was developed by Falcom, the same team that created theYsseries, and is one of the most ambitious sagas in gaming. It has great characters, immense world-building, and anexcellent combat system.
The series is a slow burn and players really need to start from the beginning to fully appreciate the series. However, as a conclusion to the long-running series,Trails of Cold Steel IVis an epic finale that will please long-time fans.
7Nioh 2 (Metascore 85)
TheNiohseries is considered by many fans of the series to be the best of the manySouls-like action RPGs that have hit the market sinceDark Soulsbecame a huge success.Nioh,however, has been successful in makingNiohits own thing by borrowing elements from the equally punishingNinja Gaidenseries.
The combat is beautifully fluid and varied and features some of the best and the most strategic swordplay in the genre. While it’s not massively different from its predecessor,Nioh 2still takes everything from the first game and makes it better in every way fromthe side quests, the visuals to the epic boss fights.
613 Sentinels: Aegis Rim – Metascore 85
With games likeOdin SphereandDragon’s Crownreleasing to critical acclaim the developers Vanillaware carved out a niche of their own. Their combination of modern storytelling with old-school gameplay mechanics on a 2.5D backdrop allowed the studio to make some of the most unique games of the prospective generations.
However,13 Sentinels: Aegis Rimmay be their best title yet. It’s a visual novel adventure game with real-time strategy combat. The game is set in the near future where a war between giant mechs and Kaiju has become a way of life. The game’s narrative is non-linear offering its players hours of gameplay. There’s time travel, mechs, Kaiju, and a story with so many twists and turns that even veterans of JRPGs and visual novels will be surprised.
