One of the most important aspects of a story-focused game like aJapanese RPGis giving players a fully realized and developed world to explore and feel like they are a part of. Like a story-driven novel, world-building and lore is a huge part of making everything look and feel believable. Not only is the game responsible for guiding the player through its world it needs to give the player lots of opportunities to gain knowledge through experiences via participation in the storytelling or actively seek it out for themselves.
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Many great games provide players with snippets of information scattered throughout towns, universities, dungeons, items, and the various NPCs found throughout their adventures, leaving it to the player to piece together the stakes of the quest and world-changing events that affect the characters in the story. This list explores some of thebest JRPGS with the deepest lore.
Updated on June 19, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:Many elements of JRPGs fans love involve character development, involved storylines, and the worlds. The world-building and lore draw players in and make them want to explore it, find everything then miss it when the story ends. Having a believable world makes players care about the characters that inhabit it and the events that surround it. Lore and history give the feeling that a world feels lived in, and even the NPCs can make the player care by raising the stakes even more. This list is updated to include moreJRPGs with incredible world-building and lore.
21Xenoblade Chronicles Trilogy
The firstXenoblade Chronicleslaunched on the Wii in 2010, but JRPG fans looking for the best experience should start withXenoblade Chronicles The Definitive Editionon the Switch. All three games feature different characters and can be played separately. However, the expanded stories from the DLC,Future Connected, Torna - The Golden Country,andFuture Redeemedtie everything together, making theXenobladeuniverse more worthwhile playing as a trilogy.
There is a ton of history and lore waiting to be discovered in each game. There are hundreds of hours of gameplay to experience and beautiful character development. JRPG fans should not pass up the opportunity to play one of the best in a generation.
20Tactics Ogre Reborn
Tactics Ogre Rebornis a remake ofTactics Ogre: Let It Cling Togetherthat launched on the PSP in 2010. It is a tactical turn-based RPG with a deep narrative, a vast script, and terrific character development. The world and its lore are some of the most in-depth in the genre, conveying a sense of culture among the locations the player visits.
Taking inspiration from Medieval and Roman history for the setting, the developers also included modern-day conflicts - at the time - like the Yugoslav Wars and other atrocities prominent in the news. Sadly, many of these inspirations are just as poignant now as they were in 1995. Branching player decisions inTactics Ogrechange the storyline and are rarely black and white. The game sets the scene with its spectacular lore and world-building. As a result, the choices hit harder, but the experience is fantastic.
19Elden Ring
Elden Ringis the latest entry in FromSoft’sSoulsbornefranchise. As with its predecessors, it has a unique, dark, and weird world packed with lore for the player to discover. Elden Ring has a vast open world that is layered and explorable, with seemingly endless dungeons and secrets to uncover.
The developers at FromSoft are experts in allowing players to discover as little or as much of the world as they want. The world of Elden Ring and its characters was written by George R.R. Martin - the author behindA Song of Ice and Firenovels.
18Triangle Strategy
Taking inspiration from Tactical RPGs likeFinal Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre,andVandal Hearts,Triangle Strategyis a deep game with a ton of lore for players to discover. There is an extensive script to follow with lots of reading to the point where it resembles a visual novel.
Thankfully,Traingle Stategyis a sprawling epicthat hooks players with a timeline that spans generations and multiple protagonists. Furthermore,Triangle Strategyfeatures four possible endings for the player to discover. LikeTactics Ogre, the stakes are high, and making difficult decisions can impact the storyline and how the characters react.
17Tales Of Arise
TheTalesseries is reputedly a whimsical and light JRPG series. While that is true to some extent, the worlds these games take place are always fully fleshed out. The character-driven stories have always driven the narratives. Several titles in theTalesgames deal with oppression, elitism, and political divides.
Tales of Ariseis no different in this regard. It features a stunning world to explore, with in-depth history and conflict waiting to be discovered. Each town and city has a story to tell and lore that builds toward its overall story arc. Furthermore,Tales of Ariseis one of the most polished and entertaining entries in theTalesfranchise.
16Final Fantasy 7 – The Compilation
First released in 1997 for the PlayStation,Final Fantasy 7became a worldwide phenomenon and arguably the most popular and mainstream Japanese RPG ever. The popularity leads to Square-Enix expanding theFinal Fantasy 7universe with a remake, prequels, side stories, a film, and a canonical reference inFinal Fantasy 10.Even on its own, the original game was packed with excellent world-building and various sources to flesh out the world ofFF7.
Even the ensemble cast of characters does a great job of adding weight and history to the world around them. Characters like RED XIII and Aerith are great examples of this due to their strong connections to the past, helping shape the mythology. As a result, players gain a better understanding of the events unfolding around them. The world ofFinal Fantasy 7was expanded further with the remake allowing the universe to take a new direction as fans awaitthe launch ofFinal Fantasy 7: Rebirth.
15The Dark Souls Trilogy
WhenDark Souls wasreleased on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, it - along with its predecessor,Demon’s Souls- introduced gamers to a more cerebral and elusive style of environmental storytelling. Players must uncover the world and history for themselves as it is packed with many details that can be pieced together.
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The strange NPCs the player will encounter all have their quirks and history that can be discovered if one looks hard enough. Even many of the most powerful weapons and items have their own tragic story to tell.
14Tales Of Zesteria & Tales Of Berseria
Tales of Zesteriawas the first entry in the series to launch on the PS4. Despite not being universally loved by fans, there is a world with lots of lore to discover if one delves deep enough. Taking inspiration from the King Arthur legends with characters Arthur, the Lady in Lake, and more making an appearance.
The follow-up,Tales of Berseria,is canonically a prequel with events that tie intoZesteria.It is a vast improvement over its predecessor, with better gameplay elements and more fleshed-out characters. Moreover, the excellent story adds more depth and lore to the history and universe.
13Lost Odyssey
Released on the Xbox 360 in 2008,Lost Odysseyis a turn-based RPG developed by the creator of theFinal Fantasyseries Hironobu Sakaguchi at his studio Mistwalker. It featured a combat system worked on by many of the same team that created theShadow Heartsseries and featured a soundtrack from the legendaryFinal Fantasycomposer Nobuo Uematsu.
However, what makesLost Odysseystand out from the crowd of JRPGs is its rich and deep story. The approach to world-building, providing depth and backstory to the immortal Kaim -the lead protagonist - is unique and compelling in equal measure. To unlock the secrets of his past players must find memories in the form of short stories written by Japanese author Kiyoshi Shigematsu.
12The Nier And Drakengard Series
WhenNier: Automata wasreleased in 2017, it put theNierfranchise on the map, and after releasing one of the most memorable JRPGs ever made, fans wanted more.Automatawas preceded by several titles that are based in the same universe.
TheDrakengardtrilogy released on the PlayStation 2 and the PlayStation 3 predate the events of theNierseries. The originalNier wasreleased on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Even though its story and soundtrack were well-received by fans, the mechanics came under fire from critics. Thankfully,a remastered version ofNierlaunched in 2021with improved visuals and mechanics. The series features multiple endings, giving the player deeper insight into the world.
