The distinction between western RPGs and JRPGs is a hotly debated one. While initially the difference depended on where the game was made, there were also tropes that distinguished them from each other. Western RPGs focused on gritty themes and often allowed a great deal of customization and exploration, while JRPGs tended to tell brighter, more linear stories starring a band of colorful, plucky adventurers.
That distinction has blurred over the years, with some Japanese-made RPGs such asDark Soulsexhibiting Western sensibilities, but the opposite is also true. Western developers, often those who grew up on a diet of classicFinal Fantasyon the SNES and PS1, have produced many examples of games that feel like JRPGs, but were made outside of Japan.
10CrossCode
This German-developed RPG came from a team who emerged out the RPG Maker community, a community known for producing a lot of Japanese-style RPGs.CrossCodetakes place inside a fictional MMO, where the mute protagonist must venture out to recover her lost memories.
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The Japanese influences are clear. The developer has stated thatXenobladewas a huge influence onCrossCode, and its visual style was inspired heavily byChrono Trigger, which they deliberately tried to stick as close to as possible. The game keeps itself unique with elemental tools and ball-throwing mechanics, but its influences are always front and center.
9Lisa: The Painful
An RPG Maker title that went onto become a cult classic,Lisa: The Painfulis a moody and harsh game about a man trying to protect the first baby girl born in decades. With brutal mechanics, harsh environments, and a general sense of malaise, it would initially seem to have more in common withThe Last of Usthan traditional JRPGs.
However, there’s quite a bit of influence from theMotherseries that sneaks in, seemingly imagining what that game would be like if Giygas succeeded in his plans. It also took a lot ofinspiration from fellow RPG Maker projectYume Nikki, adding to its Japanese influences.
8Ruined King: A League of Legends Story
Built heavily on the back of developer Airship Syndicate’s previous game,Battle Chasers: Nightwar,Ruined Kingdraws a lot from classic JRPGs in its mechanics, something the developers have been open about.
Of course,Ruined Kingis a spin-off set in the world ofLeague of Legends, which makes its setting and visuals much more American. It’s the perfect game for fans ofArcaneon Netflix to explore if they’re not interested indelving into the deep meta of a popular MOBA.
7Costume Quest
Costume Questemerged from a Double Fine game jam, where developer Tasha Harris envisioned a Halloween-based RPG inspired byFinal Fantasy,EarthBoundandPokémon. The result is a fun little RPG where strategy comes fromswitching Halloween costumes for different abilities.
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Of course, it’s a Double Fine game, so it also follows in their tradition of funny graphic adventure titles likeGrim FandangoandPsychonauts. The end result is a fun little mixture of the Double Fine aesthetic and tone alongside mechanics taken from classic JRPGs, with a dose of fun spookiness thrown in.
6Child of Light
Child of Lightis a whimsical storybook RPG where everyone talks in rhyme, a narrator guides the story, and Cirque du Soleil apparently provides costume design. It was produced by Ubisoft Montreal, using the same enginethat builtRayman LegendsandOrigins.
However, its inspirations are unmistakably Japanese. The combat system owes a lot toFinal Fantasy’s Active Time Battle system, with a touch ofGrandiafor good measure. Meanwhile, one major influence on the visuals was Yoshitaka Amano, the artist whose intricate flowy style helped shape theFinal Fantasyseries in its early days.
5Bug Fables
Bug Fablesis a cute little RPG set in a land populated by humanoid bugs. The player controls a party of three – a beetle named Kabbu, a bee named Vi and a moth named Leif – who venture across the lands on exciting adventures.
It doesn’t take more than a cursory glance to recognize how much inspirationBug Fablestook fromPaper Mario. Featuring the same style of flat characters in a 3D world, relatively simple RPG mechanics and a quirky sense of humor,Bug Fablesis the perfect game for anyone who feels thePaper Marioseries lost its way afterThe Thousand-Year Door.
4South Park: The Stick of Truth
South Parkhas managed to stick around for more than twenty years due to its sharp satirical comedy that always somehow stays fresh. While there have beenmanySouth Parkgames over the years, the best by far isThe Stick of Truth(and its sequel,The Fractured But Whole), a game that leans heavily into satire of its genre.
A fantasy RPG set in theSouth Parkworld,The Stick of Truthis both a solid RPG while also a parody of the genre’s typical tropes. While the game is obviously based onSouth Parkand developed by California-based Obsidian (the famed RPG makers behindFallout New Vegas), many of its parody tropes come from JRPGs, including collectible Chinpokomon toys, based on thePokémonfranchise.
3Indivisible
One look atIndivisible,and it’s easy to think this is a Japanese game. The art style looks like anime and much of setting is based on Southeast Asia. However, this game was produced by American studio Lab Zero, also known for theSkullgirlsfighting game series. The Japanese feel is persistent, from the cast of characters to the semi-turn-based combat.
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It does manage to stand out as more than just a JRPG clone, though. For one, much of the gameplay is like that of a Metroidvania, with 2D platforming segments that open up as protagonist Ajna unlocks new abilities. The combat mechanics expose the developer’s fighting game background as the potential for complex combos is pervasive despite its relative simplicity.
2Stardew Valley
WhileHarvest Moonand its more quest-orientedRune Factoryare generally the first games people think of when it comes to farming RPGs,Stardew Valleyis arguably the best known Western example. Its solo developer, Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, was disillusioned with the state of theHarvest Moonseries and decided to rectify it with a game designed to address all of his issues.
The result is one of themost beloved indie games out there, and while theHarvest Mooninfluences are clear, there’s enough inStardew Valleyto make it stand on its own feet. The greater emphasis on RPG style quests and its anti-capitalist message are widely considered its strengths.
1Undertale
The story ofUndertale’s development is also one that gives away the game’s influence. Developer Toby Fox was known within the WesternMotherfandom, even to the point of producing ROM hacks ofEarthBound. That game’s influence runs throughoutUndertale, with its irreverent humor, first-person battle screen, and a surprising dark side buried underneath the bright exterior. It also had a meta layer to it, as every twist and turn in the gameserved to deconstruct the JRPG genre as a whole.
The runaway success ofUndertalehas led Toby Fox full circle, as those JRPG influences have seen him work as a composer on several actual Japanese projects, such asPokémon,Little Town Hero,andSuper Smash Bros. Impressive work.
