2015 is looking to be a very strong year for JRPG releases on home consoles even though it is unlikely that Final Fantasy XV and (especially) Kingdom Hearts 3 won’t be coming out this year. So what are the top five Japanese developed role-playing games that are coming out in 2015? Find out in our list.
Before we start, we would like to acknowledge several games that were not included in our top five but are still worth checking out. These include some remasters liked the PlayStation 4 ports of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster and Final Fantasy VII (PC version). Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is another great pickup if you haven’t played the original, especially if you have a PS4 or Xbox One.
In terms of new games, you should also take a look at PlayStation 4 exclusives, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance and Omega Quintet, along with the PS3-only Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea and The Awakened Fate Ultimatum. With that said, our top five upcoming console 2015 JRPGs list can be found below.
5. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
Final Fantasy Type-0 is actually quite old as it first came out in 2011 for the PSP. However, gamers in the west were not able to play it until now thanks to the remastered version for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Square Enix touched up the graphics in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, increasing the resolution to 1080p. In terms of gameplay, you will have direct control over the character in a battle system that is similar to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.
To sweeten the product even more, Square Enix is also bundling a playable demo of Final Fantasy XV with first print copies. If you haven’t already, preorder Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, which releases on the 17th of March, here.
4. Tales of Zestiria
While a lot of major JRPG franchises are transitioning onto the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Bandai Namco is keeping the Tales series on the PlayStation 3 (at least for now). Tales of Zestiria is going to make several significant changes to the classic formula as the developer is taking a more open-world design in terms of exploration. The combat actually occurs on the same field as well with an added emphasis being placed on your surroundings.
Tales of Zestiria seems like, from a gameplay perspective, to be the best installment of the series yet. You can preorder the newest Tales release with this page on Amazon.
3. Persona 5
The Persona brand has grown quite a bit over the past several years even though the last major release, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, came out in 2008. After a long wait, the development team is finally getting ready to release Persona 5 for both the PlayStation 4 (which was announced at the Tokyo Game Show last September) and PlayStation 3 in 2015. Unfortunately, there have not been much details revealed so far aside from some general plot points.
With that said, gamers can expect the same addicting dungeon-crawling gameplay (with some social elements mixed in) for Persona 5.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles X
Xenoblade Chronicles ended up being one of the best JRPG released last generation. Unfortunately, the first game only saw a limited release near the end of the Wii’s lifespan. Thankfully, Xenoblade Chronicles X, which should be more widely available, seems to have improved over the original in just about every single way. The open-world exploration has been better streamlined, especially thanks to the inclusion of giant robots, while the combat will be more polished.
So, if you missed out on the first game, make sure you get your hands on Xenoblade Chronicles X by preordering with this link.
1. Bloodborne
After taking Dark Souls to multiple platforms, From Software returned to work exclusively with Sony for the upcoming Bloodborne. The new I.P. offers the next major step up from the difficult, but also deep and satisfying, gameplay found in Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls. In the spiritual successor, you can no longer block with a dedicated shield, forcing you to think more quickly on your feet and be more aggressive. The PlayStation 4 also gave the developer a canvas to create stunning visuals and, hopefully, a more stable frame rate.
Make sure you don’t miss out on Bloodborne when it launches on the 24th of March. Preorder the PS4 exclusive JRPG with this page.
Whether you are into new releases or remasters of classic games, JRPG fans have plenty to look forward to in 2015.