Top 5 standalone JRPGs from the yesteryears

The Japanese gaming industry has been producing outstanding JRPGs for the past few decades. While the genre features many popular titles today, Japanese RPGs date all the way back to the early 1980s. They are widely known for their fantastic story narratives and turn-based combat sequences that require meticulous strategies.

The audio tracks in these titles are nothing to scoff at either and have paved the way for many of the storytelling elements that we enjoy. While bigger franchises have multiple installments of titles like Final Fantasy, Pokemon, and more, many standalone stories have inspired a lot of the modern RPGs we love today.

Here are five such standalone JRPGs that held massive appeal due to their traditional gameplay and beautiful stories.

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Legend of Dragoon, Lost Odyssey, and 3 other standalone JRPGs

1) Legend of Dragoon

• Release Date: December 2, 1999
• Platform: PS 3 | PS 4 | PS 5 | Playstation Portable

The Legend of Dragoon was developed by Japan Studio and is one of the classic JRPGs of the early 2000s. The story follows Dart, a young warrior in the fantasy world of Endiness in order to prevent its destruction.

The game features enjoy a linear story on a 3D map that takes players through the plot locations. The turn-based combat system includes various attacks and abilities, like transforming into a Dragonoid to take on stronger enemies. Quick-time events were also introduced to the gameplay for more player involvement during attacks.

Despite its above-average rating at the time of release, the game has a strong fanbase that remains fond of it today.

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2) Lost Odyssey

• Release Date: December 6, 2007
• Platform: Xbox 360

Another one of the traditional JRPGs, Lost Odyssey, was released on Xbox 360 in Japan in 2007 and in the West in 2008. The story explores Kaim Argonar's struggle to regain his memories and unveil the cause of the amnesia faced by the "Immortals." Meanwhile, his world faces threats of war amidst the Magic Industrial Revolution.

The map depicts the nations and multiple points of interest for players to buy items, battle enemies, and revive their health as they go through the story. Combat mechanics involve turn-based attacks. While melee attacks recur at every turn, some of the spells can take up multiple turns per attack. Additionally, an "Aim Ring System" was incorporated for melee attacks, requiring players to react to timely button prompts.

Though Lost Odyssey is one of the fan-favorite JRPGs of its time, it still remains among some of the most underrated games of all time.

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3) The Last Story

• Release Date: January 27, 2011
• Platform: Wii

The Last Story is a Nintendo Wii title from Mistwalker. It was released in 2011 in Japan and in 2012 in other regions. Players take on the role of Zael on the island of Lazulis as he aims for a better life for himself and his love interest, Lady Calista. The story takes players through the friction between the human empire and the antagonistic Gurak species.

The key difference that sets it apart from traditional JRPGs is that players can only play as Zael, while other members of his party are AI-operated. Various skill sets and attack combinations from the members create strategic action sequences throughout the game.

Though it's a standalone title, the characters have made appearances in other titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Terra Battle.

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4) Resonance of Fate

• Release Date: January 28, 2010
• Platform: Xbox 360 | PS3 | PS4 | Windows

Diverging from the popular sword-and-spell fantasies of JRPGs, Resonance of Fate is a gun-based RPG set in a post-apocalyptic future Earth. Basel is a massive air purification device set up to counter the effects of pollution humans have caused over the years. Over time, civilization has taken refuge on various levels of the Basel tower.

The tower is controlled by the Zenith system that has tied human lives to a quartz system, making them immune to disease and ailments, provided they stay within the cities. A young trio of "Hunters," who make their living off of odd jobs, dream of a world free from the predetermined life spans and social statuses implemented to segregate the populace.

Though the plot and character quirks resemble storyboards from most post-apocalyptic animes, the title distinguishes itself in its Western gunplay and stylish team combos.

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5) Skies of Arcadia

• Release Date: October 5, 2000
• Platform: GameCube | Dreamcast

Vyse, a young air pirate onboard a flying ship with his friends, is out on a voyage to stop the Valuan Empire from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. The story is set in the world of Arcadia, where the continents also float in thin air. Besides the Skypiea vibe, the game is similar to pirate anime-style JRPGs.

The gameplay calls for turn-based battle strategies with the added perk of engaging in mid-air boat battles using the boat's canons. Each battle provides experience points that strengthen the characters as they go about exploring the 3D airspace. Players can explore cities and dungeons when docked to the floating landscapes.

Skies of Arcadia is one of the most popular Japanese RPGs with a standalone release. It was initially released for Dreamcast in 2000 and was later ported for GameCube games in 2003 and remains one of the most enjoyable RPG classics to date, but yeah, everything floats.

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Some of the mentioned titles could be out of circulation and thus unavailable. If you wish to try them out, you can look for sites or retailers that sell used retro games and consoles, like DKoldies and Lukie Games, to name a few.