The 10 HARDEST JRPGs

The 10 Hardest JRPGs

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’re taking a look at 10 of the hardest JRPGs ever made! Do note that we will not be considering FromSoftware games or Soulslike games as those have a list of their own.

“Xenoblade Chronicles X” (2015)

Just knowing that these games are published by Nintendo, one would think the “Xenoblade” games are somewhat accessible. That may be the case for the core games, but “Xenoblade Chronicles X”... Mm, not so much. There are way more areas where you may feel vastly underleveled compared to the enemies roaming around in your area. It’s a game that demands you to always be farming, always be optimizing your builds, and take any and all XP you could possibly get. Run away from more than a couple of fights, and you may end up struggling later on.

“Star Ocean: The Last Hope” (2009)

In all honesty, “Star Ocean: The Last Hope” isn’t all that challenging. It’s still a tough game, but compared to our other entries, it isn’t that bad. So, why is it here? Well, beating the main story is only about two-thirds of the game. There are another twenty hours or so of superbosses and endgame dungeons to experience. And holy crap, it is oppressive as all hell! If you want a shred of chance in beating these superbosses, you’re going to have to grind like a madman, even more than you may have to in “Xenoblade Chronicles X”! So, get ready to clock in some crazy amounts of hours for this one.

“Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together” (1995)

If you claim to have a love for tactical RPGs, we hope you’ve at least beaten “Tactics Ogre”. Not the “Reborn” remake. No, the original “Let Us Cling Together”. This game pushes back constantly, and it pushes back extremely hard. Even though you have more units to command than most tactics games will give you, the enemy has just as many as you, sometimes more. And most of the time, they are at a higher level than you are. As for the permadeath mechanic, this can be exceptionally brutal as the enemy will exploit any and every opportunity to insta-kill a unit if it has the chance to do so. Gotta watch for those cliffs, man.

“Resonance of Fate” (2010)

Compared to most JRPGs, “Resonance of Fate” has one of the most aggravating combat systems to understand. It isn’t horrible, not by any stretch of the imagination. The thing is that it sort of goes against what typical JRPGs put so much emphasis on, which is leveling up, increasing stats, and overall numerical data. “Resonance of Fate” does make sure that stuff is important, but it takes a backseat to let the combat shine more. Gun customization and your positioning in battles are what will determine how easy or difficult this game is for you. For most, the game was a lot harder to understand than most JRPGs. But if you stick with it and take the time to learn how customization and damage types work, “Resonance of Fate” becomes something truly special.

“Fire Emblem: Thracia 776” (1999)

One can easily say that “Fire Emblem” as a whole can be pretty brutal in terms of difficulty. The later games, like “Three Houses”, are more friendly towards casuals a bit. But if you want the hardest game in the franchise, “Thracia 776” takes the cake every time. This game practically WANTS you to suffer! You’re always going to feel like you’re super low on resources. Maps are designed in such bizarre ways that it feels one-sided. And then, you have the fatigue mechanic, which always comes in at the most inopportune times. In other words, you have to really think about each and every move you’re considering. Be meticulous, be cautious, and maybe you’ll get through this okay.

“Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter” (2002)

Once upon a time, “Breath of Fire” was Capcom’s flagship JRPG series, able to compete with SquareSoft, Namco, SEGA, and any other Japanese gaming giant at the time. They were tough games, but still fun. It wasn’t until “Dragon Quarter” when everyone kind of reached their breaking point. You know how most JRPGs want you to use magic and spells to maintain the upper hand in fights? Well, “Dragon Quarter” has a world-ending mechanic tied to its special abilities. You have a special meter called the “D-Counter” (insert inappropriate jokes here) that raises every time you use your dragon powers. If this meter reaches 100%, the game ends and you have to restart from a previous save. A game-ending mechanic tied to a crucial aspect of combat? Yeah, it was enough to scare away most players, and it killed “Breath of Fire” entirely.

“Persona 3” (2006)

Those who grew up playing JRPGs on the PS2 will often swear by “Persona 3” to no end. This truly is one of the greatest JRPGs to grace the console, BUT there is a fairly huge asterisk tacked onto that honor. “Persona 3” is great…when your AI party members do the things they SHOULD do in battle. Unlike later “Persona” games, “Persona 3” does not give you control over your party - they act on their own accord, and this will make or break you. Many have suffered humiliating losses because Yukari chose not to heal or Junpei decided to do a Junpei thing and get himself killed. And that is why so many were happy when the “Reload” remake was announced.

“Disgaea: Hour of Darkness” (2003)

The first “Disgaea” is super hard to recommend to people, especially when trying to get new players to jump into the franchise. For starters, the game does not take the time to guide you through the mechanics and make sure you understand every little detail and nuance to combat. No one’s asking for hand-holding necessarily, just not wanting to be thrown in the deep end on Turn One. But because “Disgaea” does that, it winds up creating a learning curve so steep that most would call it a wall. So, you either climb it and suffer, or you skip ahead to one of the sequels that are more friendly to newbies.

“Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne” (2003)

Of all the JRPGs to come out over the last twenty to thirty years, “Nocturne” lives a life of infamy because of how ridiculously hard it can be. Much like “Persona”, exploiting weaknesses is the key to victory, and the same thing goes for the enemy. The difference between SMT and “Persona” is that SMT, especially “Nocturne”, makes it insanely more punishing. Even regular battles can be game-ending as you can take obscene amounts of damage from attacks you’re weak against. Your best option is to kill off enemies and do it as fast as possible because chances are you may not make it to Turn 3 if you just stick to regular attacks.

“Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line” (1987)

While SMT3 is probably the hardest JRPG of the 21st century, no other JRPG has been as grueling to get through as “Dragon Quest II”. For decades, this game has enveloped and crushed the dreams of many players. Sure, it may not seem as oppressive at first. After all, this sequel allowed for party members whereas the original “Dragon Quest” made you a lone wolf. But DQ2 gets more of a bad rap for its lack of balancing. The difficulty spike gets ridiculous the further you progress. The Cave of Rhone, for example, has pits that will force you back into previous areas while also being riddled with high-level monsters. Trust us, it only gets more strenuous from there, and yet it remains a timeless classic, still referenced by many of today’s game developers.

Have you played any of these for yourself? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays.