Summary
The 2000s were a great period for JRPG enthusiasts. With the transition from 2D to 3D graphics, many new games emerged,redefining the JRPG experiencewith the new possibilities this dimension offered. Despite the success of turn-based games, new titles appeared, bringing action game elements into the JRPG genre.
Featuring diverse battle systems, these new titles captured the audience’s attention with dynamic combat, appealing to those who found turn-based battles monotonous, including fans of traditional turn-based JRPGs. The fusion of action and JRPG mechanics offered a fresh experience that broadened the genre’s appeal.
The 3rd Birthdayis the third game in theParasite Evefranchise, serving as a pseudo-sequel toParasite Eve 2for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The game brings back characters like Aya Brea, Kunihiko Maeda, Eve Brea, and Kyle Madigan in aplot with minor connections to the previous games, featuring a new approach more focused on action and combat rather than survival horror elements.
In the game, players control Aya Brea, who now works for an organization called CTI (Counter Twisted Investigation). The story revolves around creatures called Twisted that threaten to destroy New York and must be stopped.
Star Ocean: Second Evolutionis an enhanced version of theclassicStar Ocean: The Second Story, originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. The game was re-released in 2008 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) with improved graphics, new animated cutscenes, and gameplay enhancements.
In this action RPG, the story follows two characters: Claude C. Kenny, a young officer from the Earth Federation, and Rena Lanford, a girl from an underdeveloped planet. Together, they embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind an ancient legend, facing threats across the universe.
Released in 2005,Rogue Galaxyis one of thePlayStation 2 classics from the 2000s. This action RPG is set in a science fiction universe with influences from space pirate stories. Featuring real-time gameplay, the game offers up to eight playable characters with different abilities and control methods.
Rogue Galaxyfollows the story of Jaster Rogue, a young man who dreams of exploring space and joins a group of space pirates led by Captain Dorgengoa. This group seeks to find the Lost Planet Eden, a place that, according to legend, is filled with treasure and whose people are said to be immortal.
7Ys: The Oath In Felghana
One Of Adol’s First Adventures
Ys: The Oath in Felghanais an action JRPG released in the 2000s and is a remake ofYs III: Wanderers from Ys. Controlling the series protagonist, Adol Christin, the game introduces gameplay improvements, making combat more dynamic with item management and upgrades to weapons and armor.
The story follows Adol and Dogi in Felghana, Dogi’s homeland. Upon arriving, they find the area plagued by violent hordes of monsters and a malevolent lord ruling the region. It falls to the two characters to battle and gather clues to resolve the issues affecting the area.
From the same creators ofUnicorn Overlord,Odin Sphereis a game that was originallyreleased in the 2000s for the PlayStation 2and was remade in 2016 asOdin Sphere: Leifthrasir. The game features a unique art style and offers action gameplay that blends JRPG elements with 2D side-scrolling beat ‘em up mechanics.
Odin Sphereis set in the 1800s, when a young girl named Alice discovers a collection of books in her family’s home that tell the story of a place called Erion. The narrative is divided across five books, each with its own protagonist, unfolding in different time periods.
Set in the same universe asFinal Fantasy 7, a classic from the PlayStation and the 90s,Crisis Coreis an action JRPGthat takes place before the events of the main game and tells the story of Zack Fair, the former owner of the Buster Sword now wielded by Cloud.
Although it is an action JRPG, the game includes turn-based elements similar to those found in the current remakes ofFinal Fantasy 7, featuring a menu that can be opened during battle to select special abilities while time is paused.
Tales of Symphoniais the fifthgame in theTalesseriesand follows the adventures of Lloyd Irving and his friends as they help Colette Brunel save the world. The world of Sylvarant is in crisis, and the plan is to perform a ritual called the World Restoration to reverse the decay.
The game, released in 2003 initially for the Nintendo GameCube, is an action JRPG featuring real-time battles with a system known as the Linear Motion Battle System, which involves combat in a 2.5D perspective within a 3D space.
The World Ends With Youis one ofthe most acclaimed games for the Nintendo DS. The story is set in Shibuya, Japan, where Neku Sakuraba, a teenager who wakes up with no memory, finds himself participating in a game called the Reapers’ Game. To avoid death, he must overcome various challenges.
The game features an innovative combat system that uses both screens of the Nintendo DS for real-time action battles, incorporating combat partners and gestures with the console’s Stylus.
Kingdom Hearts 2is the sequel toKingdom HeartsandKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memoriesand continues the story of Sora and his friends as they battle against darkness within the universe of Disney films and Square Enix characters.
The game ispraised as one of the best in the series, significantly improving gameplay from its predecessors. It introduces mechanics that allow Sora to transform and features much faster and more fluid combat than its more clunky predecessors.
Vagrant Storyis an action JRPG published by Square Enix for the PlayStation in the early 2000s. One ofthe most acclaimed games for the PS1, it follows the story of Ashley Riot, an agent sent to the city of Leá Monde to investigate a cult that may be behind dark events in the region.
The game features action combat with tactical elements, adding layers of strategy to battles and allowing players to control attacks, defenses, and abilities on the battlefield.
