The best JRPGs like Final Fantasy 7 Relevation

The announcement that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will launch in spring 2027 makes this a good time to start thinking about what you'll be playing while you wait for the conclusion of the FF7 remake project. You might want to build up the hype by replaying the first two games. However, this is actually the best moment to enjoy something different that can keep you excited for what's to come without leading to FF7 burnout.

We are about to enter a busy period for JRPG fans, with many exciting games coming out in the next months. However, if you’re looking to strike out on a new adventure straight away, consider picking an older game. Here are our three recommendations for deep RPGs that will keep you entertained for dozens of hours.

1 Final Fantasy 10

As you wait for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, you might want an epic, lengthy JRPG that still features the Final Fantasy vibe. If that's the case, Final Fantasy 10 is just what you need. Although it was originally released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2, the tenth title of the series has received multiple remasters, making it accessible on virtually every major platform.

In Final Fantasy 10, you will find a unique take on the series' signature technology-and-magic theme. The game is set in the world of Spira. After a dramatic episode — with some heavy guitar riffs in the background — the protagonist Tidus finds himself in what appears to be a different era. The modern, urban civilization he once knew is no more. Instead, he discovers a world shaped by tradition, mysticism, and religion. As he works as a guardian to Yuna who is on a pilgrimage to defeat Sin, a giant creature that terrorizes Spira, Tidus learns more about this unfamiliar world.

Although the campaign is more linear than the experience we expect from Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, FF10 offers plenty of action and activities to keep you occupied. You have multiple dungeons to explore — each with its own puzzle — and side content, like fighting dark summons or chasing each character's celestial weapon. At the same time, FF10’s Sphere Grid is one of the best progression systems in the series, and completing the whole grid with every character can be a satisfying challenge. While you may take around 68 hours to finish the main story plus extra content, fully completing the grid will inevitably add more hours to your playthrough.

2 Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel and Trails of Cold Steel 2

Listing both The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel and Trails of Cold Steel 2 might sound like cheating, but they are essentially a single story split into two parts. They are the first two entries in a four-game arc centered on the Erebonian Empire. The nation is defined by the tension between the nobility and the commoners, and the aggressive political approach of the Blood and Iron Chancellor. Cold Steel and Cold Steel 2 technically are the fifth and sixth games in the Trails series — which begins with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter — but you will be perfectly fine by starting your Trails journey with these two. Trust me.

At the center of the story is Rean Schwarzer, a typical anime-protagonist student in special Class 7 in the Thor Military Academy. Rean's daily life makes a large portion of the first game a chill experience, where you have time to learn about Erebonia and the conflicts that mark the country. At the same time, you’ll interact with a diverse cast of characters composed mostly of other members of Rean’s class. When I say diverse, I'm referring to a group that includes the son of one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom and a kid that was raised by mercenaries.

The school setting may give off a Persona vibe, but don't let that fool you. As Rean's academic life progresses, you're gradually drawn into a tale that scales to epic proportions, where politics, religion, mysticism, and even giant robots are involved. I'm talking about diplomatic conundrums and witches! To finish both games, you will need around 100 hours, making these a perfect fit to hold you over until FF7 Revelation.

3 Digimon Story: Time Stranger

Maybe you are looking for a more relaxing experience before returning to Gaia to deal with giant monsters, the ghost of Sephiroth and his gorgeous long hair, and Shinra still doing its best to destroy the planet. If so, then you should definitely give Digimon Story: Time Stranger a chance.

In Time Stranger, you take on the role of either Dan or Kanan Yuki, agents of Adamas, a mysterious organization that investigates and monitors unusual phenomena, usually connected to Digimon. After being sent back in time to prevent a Digimon apocalypse, the agents uncover the events that led to the terrible future they witnessed. Completing the campaign will take you roughly 43 hours, but, when it comes to a Digimon game, it's impossible to ignore the secondary — but still really important — task of capturing Digimon.

At its core, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a monster-taming game, making battling and collecting Digimon your main goal. However, unlike other games of the same genre, expanding the number of creatures you have is a bit different. First, you must fight wild Digimon. By defeating them, you obtain their data — they are digital forms of life, after all — which you can later use to make copies of the creatures. On top of that, every Digimon features an extensive evolutionary tree with multiple branching paths. To unlock a Digimon's strongest form, you must go through an intricate process of training them to increase stats, affection, and levels that involves even unevolving them.

If you have never played a Digimon game before or watched a single episode of the anime, don't worry. Digimon Story: Time Stranger is the best game in the series for you to start because it requires no prior knowledge. Since it is the first time the world of Illiada serves as a setting, many Digimon and concepts are new to even veteran fans.

Related

From Final Fantasy 7 Revelation to Kingdom Hearts 4, JRPG fans are about to have a feast