Summary
When RPG fans think about first-person experiences, games likeFalloutorThe Elder Scrollscome to mind.Many Western RPGsare set in the first-person, and the perspective overall is popular in the West, from RPGs to shooters. Typically, most RPGs from Japan are in the third person, but there are exceptions.
For RPG fans who do enjoy games likeThe Elder Scrollsbut want a Japanese flavor to their experiences, then these JRPGs should be checked out. This list explore and celebrates some of the best examples, whether these games are fully in first-person or just have a strong first-person option available. Entries will be ranked based on immersion and overall quality.
Final Fantasy 15is best experienced as an action game, the first mainline example in the franchise,as protagonist Noctiscan zip around the battlefield with his warping blades. However, if players want to more immersively explore this vast open-world game, then they can switch to the first-person mode.
It’s still easy to gather items, platform, and just get around in general, and the world is dazzling to explore. It can be tricky at times to fight from a first-person perspective, but it’s an option and not a punishment, so players can engage as they like.
Dragon Quest Builders 2is an improvement over the original in many ways asa Minecraft clone.Minecraft, for all who have played it, excelled because of the first-person perspective thatDragon Quest Builderslacked but the sequel gained. Another improvement was the persistent leveling-up mechanics and overall polish of the action and crafting gameplay.
Dragon Quest Builders 2is still a bit janky to play in first-person as opposed to third-person, but it’s still a great option to have — especially when trying to build and explore.
Ray Gigantis the first game worth mentioning that was designed fully around the first-person perspective. Players are part of a team that fights colossally sized monsters who are trying to destroy the world. Gameplay is divided into two segments, with players mostly diving into dungeons, exploring in first-person, and fighting in turn-based battles.
The other section is against these massive monsters in boss battles with stunning animations. It was released first on the Vita and was great on the handheld, but it got a decent port on PC too — but that version has now sadly beendelisted on Steam.
Beyond the Labyrinthis one of the more intriguing games on the list that many probably haven’t played, let alone heard of, despite its great legacy. Released on the 3DS in 2012 in Japan, the game was developed by tri-Ace who many probablyknow fromStar Ocean, and published by the legendary Konami.
The story is about a group of online players joining up in a dungeon crawler when a mystery girl appears with amnesia. Players can attack with these friends, and the girl will assist randomly, which is engaging —but not as much as the story.
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinthwas, quite frankly, released too late in the 3DS’s life cycle (2019 in North America), which was two years after the Switch debuted and ate the 3DS’s lunch. Despite the bad launch time, the game is an underrated gem and a strong improvement over the original.
Players can create a party based on characters fromPersona 3,Persona 4, andPersona 5. It’s the ultimate crossover RPG forfans of thePersonaseries, which uses a lot of the map layout and dungeon-crawling mechanics found in theEtrian Odysseygames but with a sillier tone overall.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journeywas first released on the DS but then was re-released asShin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Reduxon the 3DS. Both games made a return to the first-person perspective, which is how theShin Megami Tenseiseries started, including the firstPersonagame.
This game saw players go to Antarctica to explore a mysterious dungeon that was uncovered. Inside, players can befriend demons to join their party, and it’s the more seriousShin Megami Tenseigame compared to the fan-service-heavyPersona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth.
The Sega Saturnand GameCube share a lot in common because many of their best games remain trapped on their consoles, almost completely forgotten over time. EnterShining the Holy Ark, one of the best RPGs on the Sega Saturn in the now-forgotten Sega series, Shining. It was developed by Camelot, who worked on manyShininggames before creatingGolden Sunand working on golf-basedMariogames for Nintendo.
Shining the Holy Arkwas a dungeon explorer like most other entries on here, but the seamless transition between exploration and combat was unreal in 1997.Golden Sunfans especially owe it to themselves to track this one down.
The firstEtrian Odysseygame on the Nintendo DS was a breath of fresh air thanks to its bright color pallet, class system, challenge level, and a throwback to old-school PC map mechanics. It asked a lot from players, but they got fully immersed in the trilogy on DS. Then cameEtrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan,which was the first entry on the 3DS, and the series leveled up.
More classes, more difficulty options, better-planned maps, a bigger world, and so much more. It was inviting to beginners but still kept that edge for the hardcore. This series is the epitome of first-person exploration in JRPGs, and there’s no better place to start than the top.
