Best JRPGs That Focus On Party Customization

Best JRPGs That Focus On Party Customization

Key Takeaways

  • Final Fantasy Tactics allows deep party customization through unique classes & plays a key role in game progression.
  • Fire Emblem: Three Houses offers complete control over students’ evolution & multiple narrative pathways.
  • Xenoblade Chronicles 2 introduces a complex customization system by bonding with Blades for diverse options.

As a seasoned RPG enthusiast with over two decades of gaming under my belt, let me tell you, these games are nothing short of marvelous! Each one offers unique customization options that cater to different playstyles and preferences.


The genre known as Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPG) has been widely acclaimed as one of the most influential in gaming history over the past two decades or more. With the advent of console technology that enables complex narratives, diverse characters, and extensive options for customizing parties such as weapons, clothing, and other items, JRPGs have effectively utilized these features.

Many Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) offer a level of character party customization, but they often don’t delve too deeply into this aspect in favor of enhancing other features like combat or intriguing narratives. However, the ability to meticulously tweak characters from head to toe can be quite delightful. Here are some JRPGs that shine for their extensive party customization options.

5 Final Fantasy Tactics

A Great Installment In The Series That Builds On Customization

  • Unique classes and jobs
  • Customization plays a key role in game progression and development

The “Final Fantasy” series is renowned for its vast array of characters and an abundance of personalization options for each one, and “Final Fantasy Tactics” upholds this legacy brilliantly. This game takes place in the Kingdom of Ivalice during a civil war, and it offers intricate party customization that lets players experiment with different skills and jobs to create distinctive combinations.

In this game, you’ll find a diverse selection of characters, ranging from humble Knights to fearsome Samurais. You have significant freedom to shape your team’s development and their interactions with the game world. Managing character advancement and party growth is an engaging task that adds depth to the customization aspect, which plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative throughout the game.

4 Fire Emblem: Three Houses

A Complex Story With Multiple Narratives

  • Players have full control over how their students evolve throughout the game
  • There are different narrative pathways depending on players’ decisions

In Fire Emblem: Three Houses, you’ll embark on an engaging narrative that revolves around three prestigious houses. You’ll assume the role of Byleth, a former mercenary now turned professor. Your choice among the houses will influence the storyline, plot developments, and intricate relationships you encounter, as well as political strife that could escalate into a major conflict, especially in the game’s latter stages. This game boasts one of the most sophisticated class systems found in Japanese RPGs, enabling players to adapt their characters based on preferred stats, offering a dynamic gameplay experience.

As a gamer diving into Fire Emblem: Three Houses, I get to tailor my companions’ growth paths, giving each house its own unique vibe and ensuring I control how my party develops throughout the game. With dedication, I can even attract students from rival houses, adding an extra layer of individuality to my gaming journey. Moreover, this game offers a gripping storyline filled with unexpected turns, heart-pounding scenes, and relatable characters that quickly draw you in.

3 Octopath Traveler

A Compelling Narrative Split Into Eight Possible Pieces

  • Players can explore the storylines of eight different characters
  • The “Boost” feature gives players the chance to deliver powerful blows repeatedly

In a fantastical realm called Orsterra, the game titled Octopath Traveler unfolds the tales of eight distinct characters, with their individual journeys gradually unraveling. This captivating title seamlessly combines personal narratives with broader themes like destiny and conflict. Each character possesses a unique storyline, and players can join forces to uncover each one’s tale.

When it comes to personalizing their characters, players can give additional roles to each one, opening up numerous skill pairings and diverse play styles. Although Octopath Traveler might not have the most robust party customization compared to others on this list, its “Boost” combat system offers a chance to unleash powerful attack sequences that can be extraordinarily impactful if players strategically select the right combination of roles and characters.

2 The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3

An Exciting Military Story With Deep Party Customization Mechanics

  • Different classes ranging from Special Operations to Military Finance
  • The Orbment system allows players to customize and strengthen their party

In the Erebonian Empire, the game “The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3” unfolds, boasting exceptional party customization features among its genre peers. The narrative revolves around Rean Schwarzer, with players assuming the role of mentor to a group of students from a military academy during tumultuous political times and impending threats of war, both internally and externally.

On my gaming journey, I’m uncovering hidden truths about my homeland alongside Rean and his pupils. We’re navigating through a multitude of adversaries and skirmishes along the way. With the Orbment System at my disposal, I can fine-tune my squad, bestowing them with diverse stats, abilities, and incantations that prove instrumental in combat, granting me an upper hand.

In The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3, you’ll encounter an intricate class system with three primary divisions. These are the Class 7, specializing in Special Operations; Class 8, focusing on Combat Strategy; and Class 9, dealing with Military Finance.

1 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Interesting Concept Of Bonding With Weapons To Customize Characters

  • Drivers bond with Blades allowing for tons of customization options
  • The game is set in a fictional world covered in clouds

In the fantastical realm of Alrest, where everything floats on a vast ocean of clouds, I, as a gamer, step into the shoes of Rex, a spirited 15-year-old. My mission? To seek out the mythical utopia called Elysium. Along the way, I’ll navigate through conflicts between warring factions and engage with formidable adversaries that I must outsmart and overcome to achieve my goal. It’s a grand adventure that promises thrills, challenges, and perhaps, a glimpse of paradise.

In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, there’s an intricate customization system where players connect with combat-ready life forms called Blades and their human counterparts, known as Drivers. As you bond with Pyra (Rex’s Blade), you can tailor her abilities, stats, and attributes, offering countless ways to shape your gaming experience. With a diverse array of Blades and Drivers at your disposal, the potential combinations for gameplay are virtually endless.

Read More

2024-10-10 19:34