Summary
Japanese role-playing games, also known asJRPGs, have built what is nowone of the most important genres in the entire gaming industry. This is for many reasons, like their gripping storylines, their loveable characters, their innovative mechanics, and their legendary music.
But there’s another area in which JRPGs have always shone, and that is their graphics. From classic 2D sprites all the way to newer 3D models, these titles are always an excuse for talented developers to improve their craft and create beautiful experiences that look amazing even to this day. The best part is that they will most likely stand the test of time and look great forever.
This amazing monster tamingJRPG developed by Level-5is a great example of how important art style and graphics can be for a video game. They joined forces withStudio Ghibliin order to create the visual identity of this title, and it worked exceptionally well.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witchfeels like a lost Studio Ghibli movie. It looks truly fantastic, thanks to its cel-shaded graphics and the studio’s classic art style & character designs. While its sequel and its remaster obviously look better, the original version from 2010 still holds up.
Pokemonfans are currently unsatisfied with the 3D models of modern games. They don’t look bad per se,but most of them feel like the classic sprite-based look was better. This is mainly because of the last generation that used 2D sprites,Pokemon Black and Whiteand their sequels,Black 2 and White 2.
Game Freakfinally took full advantage of the Nintendo DS’scapabilities and created impressive sprites for Pokemon; they are full of detail, and they actually move during battles. On the other hand, most of the world map was created with 3D graphics, so both styles ended up mixing impressively well. ThePokemon Black and Whitegames look amazing to this day, and they’re comparable to modernHD-2DRPGs likeOctopath Traveler.
Nowadays, titles likePersona 5andPersona 3 Reloadare constantly praised because of their outstanding visuals and colorful art styles. But there’s an argument to be made that the series wouldn’t be where it is now if it wasn’t forPersona 4.
This game was released exclusively on the PlayStation 2in 2008, 2 years after the PlayStation 3 was already out. This was a bold decision from Atlus, and it wound up being worth it becausePersona 4is probably the best looking video game in the PS2’s library, so they definitely knew how to use the console’s technology to their advantage. The original release still looks so good that its enhanced version,Persona 4 Golden, didn’t really change its graphics.
Every role-playing game in theMarioseries holds up to an extent, likeSuper Mario RPGor theMario & Luigiseries. AmongMariofans however, there’s nothing better than thePaper Marioseries, of which the most beloved entry is the second, known asThe Thousand-Year Door.
Like its predecessor, this game utilizes a unique paper-based art style with 2D models on 3D environments that looks like nothing else in the industry, to the point that many indie RPGs have tried to replicate it. Despite the GameCube not being as powerful as its contemporaries,The Thousand-Year Doorstill managed to look really impressive, so it’s not surprising that it seems likeits upcoming remaster will not change the visuals very much.
WhenSquare Enix joined forces with Disney in order to create a unique 3D video game with recognizable characters, they were clever enough to also bring in the studio’s classic animated magic. In order for everything to combine seamlessly, the originalKingdom Heartsfeatures cel-shaded graphics that make both Square Enix and Disney characters look equally good. Not to mention all the colorful worlds that Sora, Donald & Goofy have to visit.
The franchise just switched to HD graphics as recently as 2019, with the release ofKingdom Hearts 3. Before that, every other game in the seriesused the same timeless cartoon graphics as the first title. It worked perfectly, seeing as all of these games look truly remarkable for the console they were released on.
The fourth entry in Capcom’s now forgottenBreath of Firefranchise,Breath of Fire 4may not be the best game in this series, but it’s definitely the best looking overall. This is a perfect example of how the original PlayStation was more suitable for 2D sprite-based games than it was for 3D experiences.
Capcom games usually look beautiful, but the sprite work inBreath of Fire 4is truly outstanding. The characters and monsters look equally great; their sprites are extremely detailed but also manage to convey tons of emotion. The isometric viewpoint helps the player take a better look at everything, which is definitely worth it.
Suikodenmay not be the most popular JRPG series out there, but itmanaged to gain a cult following for many reasons, with one of them being their beautiful sprite-based graphics that look fantastic even to this day, andSuikoden 2is the best example of their quality.
Suikoden 2originallydidn’t earn much attention because it was released during a time when games likeFinal Fantasy 7were revolutionizing the industry with their 3D graphics. Many years later, those 3D graphics aged horribly, whereas the detailed sprites ofSuikoden 2still look amazing. That’s why there’s barely a difference between the original PS1 release and its recent HD remaster. This game just looks that good.
Squaresoft’s outings on the Super Nintendo aresaid to be the best era for the JRPG genre. This was whenChrono Triggerwas first released, which is often considered one of the best role-playing games of all time, with its timeless sprite-based graphics being one of the many reasons for its success.
Chrono Triggerhas a charming art style designed by Akira Toriyama ofDragon Ballfame that made it look like no other game that came before. All of this is especially impressive that this game features a time-travelling story that is set during different time periods, yet all the levels and characters manage to blend in seamlessly. It’s no surprise that all subsequent re-releases of this game kept its original art style.
Final Fantasy 7has always been in dire need of a remake because of how poorly its 3D graphics aged, but most fans did not think the same aboutFinal Fantasy 6. This was the last mainline entry in the franchise to utilize 2D sprites and, as a result, is one of the best lookingFinal Fantasygames of all time.
The sprite work inFinal Fantasy 6is truly some of Square’s very best. Every single character, creature, and environment looks incredible. It even makes good use of Mode 7 in clever ways, and it all culminates inthe climactic battle against Kefka Palazzo, which somehow looks like a beautiful painting that was made on a Super Nintendo. That’s why many fans prefer to play the original version instead of the subsequent re-releases, because that art style just looks so much more timeless.
