Best JRPG Series With Overarching Stories

Key Takeaways

Final Fantasy features overarching stories with sequels and mini-series spanning the franchise’s history.
The Ys series follows protagonist Adol across multiple entries.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails series tells a complex, interconnected story spread across twelve games, requiring extensive knowledge to follow.

As someone who’s spent countless hours immersed in these intricate worlds and their convoluted narratives, I can’t help but appreciate the sheer dedication that goes into crafting such complex stories. From Kingdom Hearts’ Disney-Final Fantasy mashup to Atelier’s six distinct arcs, it’s clear that these developers have a knack for weaving tales that keep us on our toes.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed how every major franchise seems to have expanded into a “universe” these days, thanks largely to the Marvel Cinematic Universe setting the trend. If you want to keep up with the latest game, TV show, or movie release, it often feels like you need to invest several dozen hours catching up on all the tie-ins and spin-offs. It’s not just a Hollywood thing; this urge to weave an extensive narrative into everything has seeped into gaming as well.

Despite the impact of the digital age, certain genres have managed to endure. Notably, Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) have held their ground among the longest-lasting gaming franchises. However, it might surprise you to know that only a small fraction of these games possess intricate stories that span beyond a few sequels. Typically, JRPG entries are either self-contained or loosely linked. Nevertheless, there are some JRPGs that boast complex lore and narratives that extend across numerous sequels. The following games all present continuous plots that unfold over several installments.

We’ve excluded franchises with games that have a weak connection between them, such as Fire Emblem, and those with only a single sequel.

1 Final Fantasy

Multiple Entries Have Spawned Their Own Miniseries

The iconic JRPG series, “Final Fantasy,” is renowned for its impressive lineup of sixteen primary games, each featuring distinct narratives. While many common features reoccur across titles, each game stands alone as a unique entity within the franchise. However, there are instances where these stories intertwine.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but marvel at the intricate narratives woven within the magical world of Final Fantasy. For instance, despite initial criticism, the much-maligned Final Fantasy 13 unexpectedly gave birth to two sequels – both significantly surpassing their predecessor in quality. The second installment, Final Fantasy 13-2, focused on Serah, the little sister of the original’s protagonist, while Lightning Returns once again took us on an adventure with our favorite heroine, Lightning.

2 Ys 1-10 (And Counting)

Every Entry Follows The Same Protagonist, Adol Christin

Since 1987, the Ys series has been a continuous part of our gaming landscape, spanning over ten titles so far. Throughout these games, we follow the journeys of the protagonist, Adol Christin, as he traverses various parts of the world, often finding himself in sticky situations. From being marooned on an island battling dinosaurs to being imprisoned and gaining mysterious demonic abilities, Adol’s adventures are anything but dull. The Ys series is particularly renowned for its engaging JRPG gameplay that eschews turn-based combat, while each installment also boasts a captivating narrative.

The question of whether the franchise has a unified narrative is somewhat contentious. Each installment does have its own self-contained tale, yet they all feature the same central character, Adol, and follow a sequential timeline. Over time, subsequent games have made references to earlier events, highlighted Adol’s development, and reintroduced some familiar faces. Collectively, these stories chronicle Adol’s numerous escapades. It’s possible that when the series concludes, publisher Nihon may choose to release a final game that connects various titles, potentially shedding light on an overarching narrative.

3 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Series

Consists Of Twelve Connected Games Across Four Arcs

The “Trails” series is a spin-off from the established and intricate “The Legend of Heroes” franchise. When discussions about Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) with interconnected storylines arise, “Trails” often tops the list. This is justified due to its extensive collection of games. The lore of “Trails” can become rather complex because it has many parts. Each storyline takes place on the continent of Zemuria, and each segment covers different warring nations while focusing on distinct characters.

As each segment of the game initially presents itself as a self-contained story, it soon becomes essential to have extensive knowledge about the entire series to fully grasp what’s happening. As the arcs unfold, they gradually introduce characters and plot points from earlier arcs, making the overall narrative increasingly complex. This complexity can make the game initially daunting, but for those willing to invest time, it can be incredibly satisfying. Many players advise starting with either “Trails from Zero” or “Trails of Cold Steel,” then delving deeper into the series.

4 Suikoden

The Overarching Plot Was Dropped After The Third Entry

For those who’ve primarily engaged with the Suikoden series later on or are casual fans, it might be surprising to learn that this franchise once had a comprehensive narrative thread. Each game within the series takes place in the same world, but each focuses on a different protagonist and typically unfolds in a distinct region of said world. The recurring motifs often involve the 27 True Runes and the Stars of Destiny, objectives frequently assigned to the player for acquisition.

Instead of playing each Suikoden game as a separate entity, they are best experienced when played in sequence, as they share strong connections. For example, Suikoden 2 takes place shortly after the first game and includes recurring characters and references to the events of the original. The first three games subtly foreshadow an intricate plot centered around the enigmatic nation of Harmonia and its church’s mission to collect all the True Runes. However, following the departure of the series creator after the third installment, subsequent entries moved away from this overarching narrative, opting for a more self-contained storyline. As such, it appears that fans may never witness the resolution of this grand plotline.

5 The .hack Series

An Alternate Timeline Story Revolving Around An MMORPG

The hack series, comprising multiple video game follow-ups, comic books, and animated adaptations, collectively weaves an expansive narrative centered on a virtual role-playing game named “The World.” This series can generally be categorized into two distinct storytelling endeavors, each offering unique narratives despite their shared universe.

The initial series, known as Project .hack, was the pioneer. Apart from the anime and manga, it encompassed three PS2 games centered around characters Kite and BlackRose, who delved into the mystery of why their siblings fell into a coma and explored the role of The World. Subsequently came .hack Conglomerate, which unfolded in another version of The World, beginning with the trilogy of games called .hack//G.U. This series then gave birth to numerous video game spin-offs, such as a fighting game and multiple card games. Each installment in the franchise has progressively disclosed additional information about The World’s reality-bending powers, contributing to an overarching narrative that continues to unfold.

6 Xenosaga Series

An Epic Six-Part Story Cut Short

The Xeno collection boasts a rather intricate past, consisting of three distinct sequences: Xenogears, Xenosaga, and Xenoblade. Although many RPG enthusiasts may be more acquainted with the widely recognized Xenoblade Chronicles games, they might not have encountered the earlier series. This is unfortunate because both sets were JRPGs that were visionary for their era.

In 1998, the game titled “Xenogears” debuted on the PlayStation 1. Originally intended as the fifth part of a six-part saga, subsequent episodes never materialized. To fully grasp the narrative, readers must refer to the Japanese book “Xenogears Perfect Works”. Later, from 2002 to 2006, the “Xenosaga” series emerged on the PS2, serving as a spiritual successor to “Xenogears”, following the journey of protagonist Shion Uzuku through space while uncovering secrets and conspiracies. Each installment stood independently but was designed to contribute to a broader narrative. Regrettably, this grand storyline remained incomplete. The initial plan was to produce six games in total, but only three were eventually released, leaving the overall story arc with an unfulfilling conclusion.

7 Kingdom Hearts

A Weird Disney/Final Fantasy Mashup With Suitably Confusing Lore

The “Kingdom Hearts” series was initially introduced in 2002 on the PlayStation 2. In this narrative, the main character, Sora, finds himself in an unusual setting and faces off against malevolent beings known as Heartless. Fortunately, he’s not alone; his friends Kairi and Riku are by his side, along with characters from both Disney and Final Fantasy universes. As intriguing as it may seem, that’s the basic setup of the story.

The main struggle within this franchise centers on a war for Kingdom Hearts, an energy source that links all realms. Wielding the Keyblade, Sora can open and close passages to various worlds, which he employs in his fights against Master Xehanort and his minions, the Heartless. Originating as a fusion of Disney and Final Fantasy elements, this tale has expanded into an expansive narrative spanning over a dozen games. The plot is complex, and to fully grasp the storyline of later installments, one often needs to play through all the earlier ones, including side stories and supplementary content. Keeping pace with Sora’s adventures may require an investment from new fans, potentially adding up to a substantial cost.

8 Atelier Series

One Franchise Split Into Six Separate Arcs

The Atelier series adopts a narrative style reminiscent of the Trails games in certain aspects. The series consists of multiple stories that are divided into six unique arcs, with each arc featuring its own comprehensive plot. While there are commonalities such as an emphasis on alchemy, each arc stands apart and generally operates independently from the others. Moreover, each arc approaches its main storyline differently.

For example, The Arland Arc focuses on the kingdom of Arland and its citizens as it expands its borders and becomes a democracy. This story is told from different viewpoints and covers decades of history. While the first three games can be played in any order, the fourth game requires players to be familiar with the first three. Likewise, the Dusk Arc‘s overarching story is fairly loosely structured and can be played in any order as the overarching story of a long-term ecological crisis is told from different viewpoints. On the other hand, the Mysterious Arc is more story-focused, and its three games need to be played to understand the overarching story and uncover its central mystery. Similarly, the Iris Arc shares one protagonist, Iris, across three entries, and each game has plot threads that are directly followed up in the sequel.

2024-11-11 20:34