Summary
Throughout the generations, JRPG fans discuss the story and characters more than the visuals. However, there are often games that set a new standard for graphics during their respective eras. Games likeChrono TriggerandFinal Fantasy 7helped introduce the genre to many fans with their incredible visual style, while the stories hold them until the end. The Sega Master System and NES era introduced more colorful and vibrant worlds,unique character designs, and immersive experiences. As consoles and PCs improved, these worlds became more captivating and visually stunning, and captured the imagination in ways that seemed unimaginable back in the 1980s. This list includes some of the best-looking JRPGs of their era.
The Sega Master Systemwas a fantastic machine that featured some of the best-looking games of the 8-bit era, including its unique versions ofSonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe,andAsterix,among others. It was also home to one of the most visually impressive and most creative JRPGs available for a long time, with the first game in thePhantasy Starseries.
Opting for science fiction and fantasy as opposed to pure fantasy like theDragon Questseries, and boldly went against the grain in the 1980s by featuring a female protagonist.Phantasy Starhas better animations, sprites, and more varied environments and terrain than bothDragon QuestandFinal Fantasyon the NES. It also features first-person backdrops for combat and character interactions that match their locations in towns or on the field.
The SNES and the 16-bit era featured incredible JRPGs, but few matched the quality ofChrono Trigger.It showcases atimeless art style, unparalleled character animations for its time, and stunning, hand-crafted backdrops that still hold up today.ChronoTriggerwas developed by a talented team including Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator ofFinal Fantasy;Yuji Horii, the creator ofDragon Quest; and the late Akira Toriyama, who was the artist behind both theDragon QuestandDragon Ballseries.
With such impressive credentials, it’s no surprise thatChrono Triggeris regarded as a special game. This is due to a combination of factors, including an engaging time-traveling story that takes players on an exciting adventure, an excellent battle system, and timeless visuals..
Final Fantasy 7set a high standard for cinematic JRPGs with its stunning cutscenes and intricately designed prerendered backgrounds that brought its world to life.Final Fantasy 8raised the bar even further with more realistic character models and impressive cutscenes. However,Final Fantasy 9stands out as the best-looking JRPG on the PS1.
All three games are closely matched, butFinal Fantasy 9stands out with its timeless character models, which resemble a 3D throwback tothe charactersof the NES and SNES era. They are better animated with more moving parts than their predecessor. The game also features more detailed environments, which beautifully capture the imagination in its stunning medieval fantasy world of Gaia.
Final Fantasy 12was a divisive title at launch, with criticism aimed at the story being told from Vaan’s perspective, as some story elements didn’t resonate, and there was a lack of things to do beyond exploring and fighting.
However, it has come to be appreciated more with the release ofFinal Fantasy 12 - The Zodiac Age,a remaster that added quality-of-life improvements and even more detailed character models and backgrounds. It’s a testament to the quality of the original version, as not much was needed to make it feel modern, as it was a massive game that pushed the PlayStation 2 to its limits. The cities and towns look incredible, the sound design is stunning, and it has some of the best voice work in the series.
Nintendo was never concerned about competing with the likes of the PS3 and the 360. Instead, it chose to create a more family-friendly experience with the Wii, which was technically similar to the Nintendo GameCube in terms of power and graphics. However, Nintendo always knew how to get the best out of their games with timeless graphics and sounds.
This was no different withXenoblade Chronicles,developed by Monolith Soft, a studio that seems to be an expert atachieving the impossible on Nintendo systems.Xenobladelooks fantastic on the Wii, featuring excellent character models and a stunning, open-world environment filled with mysteries and wonder. It undoubtedly appears even better in its definitive form, but the original 2010 version still holds up beautifully.
Lost Odysseywas developed by Mistwalker (with some development supported by Feelplus), a studio founded byFinal Fantasycreator Hironobu Sakaguchi. The music was also composed byFinal Fantasyveteran Nobuo Uematsu. For many JRPG fans, this game feels and plays like a traditionalFinal Fantasy.It has a more grounded and realistic look while still maintaining a fantasy, magical industry aesthetic, featuring beautifully crafted towns and character models.
The combat system, though turn-based, is reminiscent of theShadow Heartsseries, with the Aim Ring system being similar to the Judgment Ring. It adds timing and skill to the traditional combat system while its visuals provide a cinematic look and feel.Lost Odysseyholds up well decades later, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a remaster across all platforms instead of the game being locked down on the Xbox 360.
One of the visually striking games that will stand the test of time for generations to come isNi No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.This is because it uses a cartoon-like art style based on Studio Ghibli’s unique and beautiful art style.Studio Ghibliproduced the animated cutscenes forNi No Kuni,which blended beautifully with the design of the game thanks to the cell-shading techniques used to give it that cartoon look and feel. Players assume the role of a young boy named Oliver. The game begins in his hometown, Motorville, which is visually impressive in its own right.
However, the adventure truly unfolds when Oliver is pulled into the fantasy realm of the “other world.” Originally released for the PS3, this JRPG has been remastered for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and it remains one of the best-looking games from that era.
3Final Fantasy 7 Remake
A Beautiful Reimagining Of A Classic
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One eras feature many excellent JRPGs, includingFinal Fantasy 15andTales of Arise,butFinal Fantasy 7 Remakestands out as the most visually impressive. The remake isn’t a like-for-like retelling; it is more of a reimagining and alternative timeline that honors the legacy and essence of the original while taking the story in a new direction.
From the recreation of the iconic opening with the train arriving in Midgar, which introduces Cloud, the visuals are stunning, and the character models effectively portray what fans of the original envisioned they would look like on modern hardware. Midgar is more fleshed out, emphasising the divide between the rich and the poor with the Sector 7 Slums and the Wall Market. Exploration is similar to theYakuzaseries, featuring quirky NPCs going about their daily lives, engaging in conversation, or offering side quests.
It speaks volumes about a game’s art design when it looks so good across three generations.Persona 5was initially a PS3 and early PS4 game and was later remastered asPersona 5 Royalfor the PS4 and PS5. The cell-shading and anime-style presentation give the game a timeless look and feel. Combine this with the stylish user interface and menus, an incredible battle system, and beautifully animated cutscenes to draw the player into its supernatural mystery story that draws on themes like identity, justice, and rebelling against the system.
The remaster,Persona 5 Royal,includes improved performance, loading times, extra characters, and story elements.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis the second part of theFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketrilogy and picks up where the last game left off. It captures that incredible feeling original fans had when they discovered the huge overworld to explore after leaving the confines ofMidgar.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ssemi-open world design is expansive, vibrant, and feels like it’s teeming with life. The closest in terms of visual quality isFinal Fantasy 16,which features incredible visuals and unforgettable Godzilla-sized boss battles.
However, itsGame ofThrones-inspired aesthetic looks drab and colorless compared toRebirth.Rebirthembodies the essence and aesthetics of atrue Final Fantasygame, representing a nostalgic yet fresh return tothe world of Final Fantasy 7.
