The term Eastern RPG, contrasting with Western RPG, is a sub-genre of Role-Playing Games. It is an extension of the term Japanese RPG (a.k.a. "JRPG") to a more general Eastern cultural sphere (with Japanese-inspired game designs) instead of just a single country. The term Console RPG was historically a synonym for Japanese RPGs, due to their historical preference for console-only or handheld-only releases; the name has largely fallen into disuse as multi-platform releases became the new norm in the 2000s.
Eastern RPG, as it is commonly used and understood, is differentiated from Western RPG on an Aesthetical level; Eastern and Western RPGs elicit very different forms of sensational and emotional responses from their players through their different applications of similar RPG mechanics. The emergence of this different form of aesthetical design comes from a combination of East Asian cultural imprints and East Asian game design histories; some information on the history part can be seen below.
Some of the visible traits of Eastern RPGs that differentiates them from Western RPGs include:
- Aimed to satisfy the player's need for a well-crafted interactive story with interesting characters and complex interactions.
- The art styles can often resemble those of Anime or Manga.
- Many tend to follow linear plots, with less of a Wide-Open Sandbox setting, and many may not feature discrete "quests". However, there are many Japanese RPGs that do offer non-linear narratives.
- The player usually controls a party of pre-designed characters. The player is sometimes offered a choice of what characters to use, but not the option of designing his own protagonists, which allows a more cinematic and tightly scripted story. But again, there are many Eastern RPGs that deviate from this.
- The party members are usually written into the plot, rather than blank slates.
- Later games tend to have one or more elaborate, minigame-like "systems" (such as the License Grid in Final Fantasy XII) that allow skill and ability customization.
- Random Encounters are a common gameplay element, especially in older games.
- Turn-Based Combat and the various Combatant Cooldown Systems are prevalent, although action-based combat has also been popular at different times.
- A degree of Level Grinding is strongly encouraged, if not outright required, to proceed through many of the games.
- Most encounters are resolved through combat or cutscenes. Most quests and abilities are combat-oriented.
- Dice rolls are always hidden and stats are given as arbitrary numbers. Sometimes dice rolls aren't used at all, and fights are based on your stats versus the enemy's stats alone.
- Often contain a few Mini Games.
- Often targeted towards a broader audience, including young children and female audiences (hence the Bishōnen or Shōnen characters often found in this genre).
Eastern RPG can also be narrowly defined as a Role-Playing Game developed in the Eastern world, specifically East Asia; this definition however ignores the key aesthetical traits of Eastern RPGs that made the genre distinctive, making it less meaningful as a definition for a video game genre (some early Japanese RPGs are outright Wizardry-inspired CRPGs that bear little resemblance to JRPG as we know it, and some may even argue are outright WRPGs). Nevertheless, expect to see some games in this page to be categorized as Eastern RPGs using this definition.
JRPGs can encompass several different diverse sub-genres:
- Turn-based RPG (a.k.a. Light RPG): The turn-based RPG is the type of game people think about when the term "JRPG" is mentioned. The turn-based RPG format was codified in the game Dragon Quest from 1986, which also codified almost all staple elements of the JRPG genre, making turn-based RPGs the first true JRPGs. Turn-based RPGs are arguably the most popular from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to PlayStation 2 eras. With later generations, the gameplay has been mixing up with other genres (including Action Games, Adventure Games, Simulation Games, and Strategy Games) though the general "explore / get into battles / some variation on turn-based combat" is still going strong for many games within this sub-genre.
- Action RPG: A genre that mixes JRPG gameplay with Action Adventure elements (emphasis on elements), so that while it keeps the strongly plotted story, occasionally manga/anime-influenced characters, experience and statistics, the turn-based battle system is done away with in favor of a more real-time method of attack resembling Action Games. The Action RPG sub-genre has its origins in early 80s Japanese RPGs like Dragon Slayer and Hydlide, which combined traditional RPG elements with Japanese Arcade Game action elements. Up until the early 2000s, the majority of action RPGs were from Japan, but in recent years, it is arguably more common to see action RPGs from the West.
- Souls-like RPG: A genre that puts emphasis on dodging and moving over other mechanics. Typically Nintendo Hard and have a much darker tone than other Eastern RPGs, and the most recent of the sub-genres, with the genre coming into being with Demon's Souls in 2009 and being popularized by Dark Souls in 2011, hence the name of the sub-genre.
- Strategy RPG (a.k.a. Tactical RPG): These are Turn-Based Strategy games done in the "Console RPG style", though more recent examples of the sub-genre have also incorporated Real-Time Strategy elements. In contrast to the traditional turn-based format above (represented by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy), tactical RPGs allow more freedom of movement in battle, while the narratives are also more likely to be non-linear, with strategic decisions often having an impact on the way the story unfolds. This tactical RPG style has traditionally been dominated by Japan, since Western turn-based RPG's usually already allow for freedom of movement in battle by default.
- Dungeon Crawler: This subgenre can include both Eastern and Western games; it was more common among Western RPGs up until the 1990s, but has today become more popular in the East than it is in the West.
The history of JRPGs (and in turn Eastern RPGs) and how the genre diverged from Western RPGs originates from the divergences of design between Western Computer RPGs and Japanese Console RPGs. Japanese role-playing game development was in its early days very much inspired by early Western Computer RPG genre pioneers like Wizardry or Ultima. However, in the 1980s, home computers did not take hold in Japanese homes like in Western countries due to their cost, as a result, there was little market for role-playing games like Wizardry or Ultima.
The introduction and proliferation of the Famicom home video game console created an opportunity for such RPG video games to be adapted for a wider audience; Dragon Quest in 1986 took the Wizardry and Ultima format and simplified it for the limited powers of the console. Dragon Quest soon became a cultural phenomenon and hugely influential within Japanese video game development, becoming the the Trope Codifier, if not Trope Maker, of the JRPG genre. In the decades after Dragon Quest, console RPGs made in Japan and Computer RPGs made in Western countries increasingly diverged in their designs, influenced by cultural differences as well as the different foundations these genres are built on.
In the 2000s, as the power of consoles grew and platform differences decreased, the differentiation of RPGs by console or computer became increasingly inapplicable. This in turn led to the creation of the Japanese/Western RPG distinction. This distinction is criticized by many industry veterans as being misleading or otherwise unhelpful, and cross-influences as well as odd cases do indeed exist within this spectrum of games and genres. Regardless, the use of these two terms have persisted at least for now.
Role-playing game development in East Asian countries (such as China or South Korea) took a lot of their influences from Japanese role-playing games; one of the earliest and most influential Chinese role-playing games, Sword and Fairy (Xian Jian Qi Xia Zhuan), quite clearly exhibited many JRPG influences. As JRPG traits are being exhibited in other East Asian RPGs outside of Japan, this led some to choose to expand of the term "Japanese RPG" into "Eastern RPG".
See also our own guide on how to Play a Console RPG.
Games in this genre
- 3D Dot Game Heroes
- 7th Dragon
- The 7th Saga
- 99 Spirits
- Abomi Nation, also a Mons Series
- Absented Age: Squarebound
- Absinthia
- Abyss Crossing
- The Adventure of Hourai High School
- Adventures to Go!
- Aëdemphia (French, but mostly fits; made with RPG Maker)
- Ĉtherion (freeware)
- After Armageddon Gaiden
- After I met that catgirl, my questlist got too long!
- Agarest Senki 2
- Akiba's Beat
- Albion (German, but mostly fits)
- Alchemist Code
- The Alliance Alive
- Alnam no Kiba
- Alphadia
- Alphadia Genesis
- Alter A.I.L.A.(freeware)
- Anachronox (an American game)
- Ancient Magic
- Ancient Roman: Power Of Dark Side
- Another Eden
- Apostle by Kamichichi
- Arcana
- Arc Rise Fantasia
- Arc the Lad
- Artifact Adventure
- Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia
- Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica
- Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel
- Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star (somewhat indirect prequel to the above three)
- Asdivine Cross
- Asdivine Hearts
- Astral Transparency Coles Gate
- Astonishia Story
- Atelier
- Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana
- Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny
- Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm
- Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island
- Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland
- Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland
- Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland
- Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk
- Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky
- Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea
- Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book
- Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life
- Avalon Code
- A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky (made in RPG Maker)
- Aveyond (also made in RPG Maker)
- Bahamut Lagoon (mixed with Turn-Based Strategy)
- Bakuten Shoot Beyblade (GBA)
- Bakuten Shoot Beyblade - Gekitō! Saikyō Blader
- Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 - Ikuze! Gekitō! Chō Jiryoku Battle!
- Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 - Gekisen! Team Battle!!
- Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (freeware)
- Baten Kaitos
- Battle Chasers: Nightwar (developed as an Western RPG, but with plentiful Eastern RPG inspirations)
- Battle Goddess
- Beyond the Beyond
- Biomotor Unitron
- Black/Matrix
- Black★Rock Shooter
- Black Sigil (a Canadian-developed game)
- Bleeding Sun
- Blue Dragon
- Blue Reflection
- A Blurred Line (freeware, made in RPG Maker)
- Boktai
- Born Of Bread
- Boot Hill Heroes
- BoxxyQuest: The Gathering Storm
- Brave Fencer Musashi
- Brave Dungeon
- Brave Frontier
- Brave Hero Yuusha
- Brave Soul
- Brave Story: New Traveller note
- Bravely Default
- Bravely Default II
- Bravery Network Online
- Breath of Death VII
- Breath of Fire
- The Brief and Meaningless Adventure of Hero Man
- Bug Fables
- The Caligula Effect
- Capella's Promise
- Captain Tsubasa
- Castle Fantasia 2 Renewal
- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
- Celestial Hearts
- Celestian Tales: Old North
- Chained Echoes (made in Europe with RPG Maker, heavily influenced by JRPGs like Final Fantasy VI)
- Chantelise ~A Tale of Two Sisters~
- Chaos Rings
- Child of Light (developed by Ubisoft's Canadian division)
- Chroma Quaternion
- Chronicles of Inotia: Children of Carnia
- Chronicles of Tsufanubra (Freeware)
- Chrono Trigger
- Chronus Arc
- CIMA: The Enemy
- Cobra Mission
- Conception: Please Give Birth to My Child!
- Contact
- Conviction (SRPG)
- Corruption of Laetitia
- Cosmic Fantasy
- Cosmic Star Heroine
- Costume Quest
- Crash Fever
- Criminal Girls
- Crimson Shroud
- Cris Tales, a Western-made game described by its developers as "a love letter to classic JRPGs".
- Cross Edge
- The Cruel King and the Great Hero
- Crystal Project
- Crystalis
- Crystal Story
- Crystar
- Cthulhu Mythos RPG: The Sleeping Girl of the Miasma Sea
- Cthulhu Saves the World
- Dark Cloud
- Dark Rose Valkyrie
- The Dark Spire
- Deception
- Delve
- Demon Gaze
- Demon Legacy
- The Demon Rush (a Canadian-made game)
- The Denpa Men
- Destiny Connect: Tick Tock Travelers
- DIDNapper (freeware, made in RPG Maker)
- Dhux's Scar (freeware)
- Digimon World
- Digimon World 2
- Digimon World 3 (aka Digimon World 2003)
- Digimon World DS (Digimon Story in Japan)
- Digimon World Dawn/Dusk (Digimon Story Sunburst Moonlight)
- Digimon World Re:Digitize
- Digimon World -next 0rder-
- Diver Down (freeware)
- Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
- Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
- Dragon Fantasy
- Dragon Force
- Dragon Quest (a.k.a. Dragon Warrior), the Trope Maker and granddaddy of all console RPGs, including Final Fantasy.
- Dragon Sinker
- Dragon Slayer
- Drakengard
- Drakengard 2
- Drakengard 3
- NieR
- Dual Hearts
- Dubloon (freeware)
- Dungeon Encounters
- Dungeon Maker II: The Hidden War
- Dust: An Elysian Tail
- Earthlock
- Eden's Last Sunrise
- Eien no Filena
- Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes
- Elohim Eternal: The Babel Code
- Embric of Wulfhammer's Castle (freeware)
- Emerald Dragon
- Enchanted Arms
- Endless Frontier: SRW OG Saga
- Ephemeral Fantasia
- Epic Battle Fantasy series (web game):
- Epic Seven
- Eredia The Diary Of Heroes
- Eroica
- Eternal City
- Eternal Eden (made with RPG Maker)
- Eternal Legacy
- Eternal Radiance
- Eternal Senia
- Eternal Sonata
- Eternal Twilight
- Etrian Odyssey
- Even For Eternia
- Everlong
- Eversoul
- Evolution: The World of Sacred Device
- Evolution Worlds
- Evony
- Exist Archive
- Exit Fate (freeware)
- Fairy Fencer F
- Fake Happy End
- Fallen Legion Revenants
- Familia
- Fantasy Life
- Faraway Story (freeware)
- Fate/EXTRA (a spinoff of Fate/stay night)
- Fate/Grand Order
- Fernz Gate
- Final Fantasy (arguably the Trope Codifier): Brace yourself.
- Final Fantasy
- Final Fantasy II
- Final Fantasy III
- Final Fantasy IV
- Final Fantasy V
- Final Fantasy VI
- Final Fantasy VII
- Final Fantasy VIII
- Final Fantasy IX
- Final Fantasy X
- Ivalice Alliance
- Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
- Final Fantasy Dimensions
- Final Fantasy Dimensions II
- Dissidia Final Fantasy
- Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
- Chocobo's Dungeon
- Final Fantasy Brigade
- Final Fantasy Record Keeper
- Dissidia Final Fantasy (2015)
- Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
- Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
- Fire Emblem (also counts as Turn-Based-Strategy/Tactics):
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light
- Fire Emblem Gaiden
- Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
- Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
- Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
- Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
- Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
- Fire Emblem: Awakening
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Flawed Crystals (freeware)
- Flip Dimensions
- Folklore
- Forspoken
- Fortune Summoners
- Fossil Fighters
- Forever Home
- Forever's End (freeware)
- Franken (freeware)
- A Frog's Tale
- Front Mission
- Fuga: Melodies of Steel
- Fullmetal Alchemist games:
- Game Master (RPG Maker)
- Genshin Impact
- Get in the Car, Loser!
- Girl Café Gun
- Glory of Heracles
- Gobli's Adventure
- G.O.D.: Heed the Call to Awaken
- The God of Crawling Eyes
- Golden Axe Warrior
- Golden Sun
- Golden Sun (a.k.a. The Broken Seal)
- Golden Sun: The Lost Age
- Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
- Granblue Fantasy
- Grandia
- Grand Knights History
- Grand Kingdom
- The Granstream Saga
- The Great Gaias
- Great Greed
- Grinsia
- Guardian Heroes
- Guardian Tales
- Guardian's Crusade
- Gunparade March
- Gyromancer
- Half-Minute Hero
- Harvest Moon
- Story of Seasons
- Harvest Moon
- Harvest Moon 64
- Harvest Moon 2
- Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
- Harvest Moon 3
- Harvest Moon: Save The Homeland
- Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
- Harvest Moon: Magical Melody
- Harvest Moon DS
- Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness
- Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon
- Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility
- Harvest Moon: Animal Parade
- Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands
- Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley
- Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar
- Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns
- Harvest Moon: A New Beginning
- Story of Seasons (2014)
- Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns
- Doraemon: Story of Seasons
- Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
- Harvest Moon (Natsume)
- Story of Seasons
- Heartbound
- Hearts Like Clockwork
- Hearts Of The Dungeon List
- Heroland
- Hero's Realm
- Heroes Phantasia
- Hero Must Die
- Hexyz Force
- A Home Far Away (freeware)
- Hoshi wo Miru Hito
- Hybrid Heaven
- Hydlide
- I Am Setsuna
- Illusions of Loyalty (freeware)
- Ill Will (freeware; contains elements of Western RPGs)
- I=MGCM
- Inazuma Eleven
- Infinite Space
- The Infyn Prism
- Iron Gaia (freeware)
- Island Saga
- Jay's Journey (freeware)
- Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass
- Jisedai Beigoma Battle Beyblade
- Journey On
- Kartia: The Word of Fate
- Kinder
- Kingdom Hearts
- Knight Bewitched
- Knight Bewitched 2
- Knights of Xentar
- Lagoon
- Langrisser
- Lapis Re:LiGHTs
- Last Armageddon
- The Last Remnant
- Last Scenario (freeware)
- The Last Story
- Laxius Power/Laxius Force (produced in Europe, but follow a Dragon Quest-like template)
- The Legend of Dragoon
- Legend of the Ghost Lion
- Trails Series
- Legend of Legaia
- The Legend of Legacy
- Lennus II
- Leo & Leah (freeware)
- Legionwood (freeware)
- Liar Jeannie In Crucifix Kingdom
- Library of Ruina
- Lie of Caelum
- Light Apprentice
- Light Fairytale
- Like a Dragon (Yakuza)
- Li'l Monster
- Limbus Company
- Linear RPG (a parody; also freeware)
- Little Town Hero
- Live A Live
- The Logomancer (freeware)
- The Longest Five Minutes
- Lemon Vs Teddy (freeware)
- Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven (mixed in with the Turn-Based Strategy genre and Beat 'em Up-style gameplay)
- Lost Dimension
- Lost Kingdoms (contains elements of Action Game and Collectible Card Game)
- Lost Odyssey
- Lost Sphear
- Lufia
- Luminous Plume
- Lunar series:
- Lunar: The Silver Star and its three remakes
- Lunar: Eternal Blue and its remake
- Lunar: Walking School and its remake
- Lunar: Dragon Song
- Lunarosse (freeware RPG Maker game)
- Luxaren Allure
- Machina of the Planet Tree -Planet Ruler-
- Machine Knight
- Magical Vacation (and Magical Starsign)
- Magic Knight Rayearth (the SNES game)
- Magi-Nation
- Maglam Lord
- Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalanche (Korean)
- Magna Carta: Crimson Stigmata/Tears of Blood
- Magna Carta 2
- MapleStory
- Maple Story 2
- Maka Maka
- Mana Series (Seiken Densetsu)
- Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden)
- Sword of Mana (Shinyaku Seiken Densetsu)
- Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2)
- Trials of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 3)
- Dawn of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 4)
- Legend of Mana
- Children of Mana
- Heroes of Mana
- Echoes of Mana
- Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden)
- Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis
- Manafinder
- Manifest
- Märchen Forest: Mylne and the Forest Gift
- MARDEK (web game)
- Marenian Tavern Story: Patty and the Hungry God
- Mari And The Black Tower
- Master of the Monster Lair
- Master of the Wind
- Mega Man Battle Network
- Mega Man RPG Prototype (fanmade Mega Man (Classic) web game)
- Mega Man Star Force
- Mega Man X: Command Mission
- MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death
- Melolune (made by an indie Western developer)
- Metal Max
- Mickey's Journey to the West
- Miitopia
- Mimana Iyar Chronicle
- Mind Zero
- Mitsumete Knight R: Daibouken Hen
- Moco Moco Friends
- Monark
- Monster Hunter:
- Monster Lab
- Monster Rancher
- Moon: Remix RPG Adventure (although it is better described as Genre Mashup that includes heavy Adventure Game elements, and parodies and deconstructs quite a few tropes of the genre)
- Mother
- EarthBound Beginnings (a.k.a. MOTHER 1 and EarthBound Zero)
- EarthBound (1994) (a.k.a. MOTHER 2)
- Mother 3
- Mother 4 (Western-developed Fan Sequel)
- Mugen Souls
- Mr. Robot (the hacking sequences therein, anyway)
- MS Saga: A New Dawn
- Mystic Ark
- My World, My Way
- Naufragar: Crimson
- Neptunia
- Ni no Kuni
- Nocturne (RPG Maker)
- Nostalgia (Red Entertainment)
- Octopath Traveler
- Ogre Battle
- Okage: Shadow King
- OMORI
- Once Ever After
- Oninaki
- Onmyōji
- Opoona
- Oracle of Tao
- Orangeblood
- Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines
- Orphen: Scion of Sorcery
- The Other series:
- The Outbound Ghost
- Paladin's Quest
- Pandora's Tower
- Panzer Dragoon Saga
- Paracentric (freeware, made in RPG Maker)
- Parameters (Deconstruction Game with no graphics or plot)
- Parasite Eve (also a Survival Horror game)
- Path of the Midnight Sun
- Peacemaker Series
- Phantasy Star
- Phantom of the Kill
- Physical Exorcism Series (RPG Maker games)
- Pier Solar and the Great Architects
- Pillars of Dust
- Pokémon
- Pokémon Red and Blue: The original Red and Green, and the remakes Pokémon Blue, Yellow, FireRed and LeafGreen.
- Pokémon Gold and Silver, and the remakes Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver.
- Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and the remakes Pokémon Emerald, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire.
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, and the remakes Pokémon Platinum, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
- Pokémon Black and White
- Pokémon X and Y
- Pokémon Sun and Moon
- Pokémon Sword and Shield
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Pokémon Colosseum
- Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
- Pokémon fan games
- Pokemon Blue Kaizo
- Pokémon Brown and Prism
- Pokémon Crystal Enhanced
- Pokemon Crystal Kaizo
- Pokémon Dark Rising
- Pokémon False Red
- Pokémon Flora Sky
- Pokémon Fusion Generation
- Pokémon Quartz
- Pokémon Reborn
- Pokémon Rejuvenation
- Pokémon R.O.W.E.
- Pokémon Snakewood
- Pokemon Stadium Kaizo
- Pokémon Sweet Version
- Pokémon Vietnamese Crystal (not so much a fan game as it is a particularly notorious bootleg of a canon game)
- Ponymon Dawn And Dusk
- Pokémon Uranium
- Popful Mail
- Po Po Lo Crois
- Power Pro-kun Pocket (this series of Baseball simulators with Visual Novel career modes often came packed with an RPG scenario set in a fantasy world)
- Prayer of the Faithless
- Project Phoenix
- Radiant Arc
- Radiant Historia
- Radiata Stories
- Rakenzarn Frontier Story (freeware RPG Maker game)
- Rakenzarn Tales (freeware RPG Maker game)
- Re:Kuroi
- RealityMinds
- Recettear ~An Item Shop's Tale~
- The Reconstruction (freeware)
- I Miss the Sunrise (freeware; blended with Western RPG)
- The Drop (freeware; also a Roguelike)
- Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs
- Resonance of Fate
- Return of the Dark Sorcerer
- Revenant Saga
- Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
- Rise of the Third Power
- Riviera: The Promised Land
- Rogue Galaxy
- Romancing Walker (freeware; made with RPG Maker 2000, and translated into English by a fan)
- Ruina: Fairy Tale of the Forgotten Ruins
- Ruined King: A League of Legends Story (spin-off of the popular MOBA property, but made by the same developers as Battle Chasers: Nightwar with similar gameplay)
- Rune Factory
- Ruphand: An Apothecary's Adventure
- Sacred Earth Series
- SaGa (RPG)
- Sailor Moon: Another Story
- Saiyuki: Journey West
- Sands of Destruction
- Saturday Morning RPG
- Saviors Of Sapphire Wings
- Scarlet Nexus
- Science Girls!
- SD Gundam G Generation
- SD Snatcher
- Secret of Evermore (an American-made game for Squaresoft)
- Secret of the Stars
- Septerra Core
- Seraphic Blue
- Serious Sam: The Random Encounter
- Shadow Hearts
- Shadows of Adam
- She Dreams Elsewhere
- Shining Series
- Shin Megami Tensei
- Shiren the Wanderer
- Sigma Harmonics
- Sigma Star Saga
- Skies of Arcadia
- Skyborn
- Skylight (Canadian-made)
- Slayers (SNES)
- SMOK: Legend Of The Laid-Back Heroes
- Soaring Machinariae
- Sol Trigger
- Soma Bringer
- Soma Spirits
- Soma Union
- Song Summoner
- Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (made by a Western developer, Bioware, but is based upon an Eastern IP and console RPG conventions)
- SoulBlazer
- Demon's Souls
- Soul Tide
- Space Funeral (freeware)
- The Spirit Engine 2 (freeware)
- Star Ocean
- Star Stealing Prince (freeware)
- Steambot Chronicles
- Stranger of Sword City
- Suikoden
- Summon Night
- Super Chinese
- Super Columbine Massacre RPG!
- Super Mario Bros.:
- Super Press Space to Win Action RPG 2009
- Super Robot Wars
- Surprisia
- Sweet Home (1989)
- Standstill Girl (freeware, made in RPG Maker)
- Sword and Fairy
- The Sword and the Fish (freeware)
- Sword of Elpisia
- The Sword of Hope
- Sword of Paladin
- Sword of Vermilion
- Syukusho Gakuen
- Tales of the Drunken Paladin (made in RPG Maker; freeware)
- Tales Series
- Tales of Phantasia
- Tales of Destiny
- Tales of Eternia
- Tales of Destiny 2
- Tales of Symphonia
- Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
- Tales of Rebirth
- Tales of Legendia
- Tales of the Abyss
- Tales of the Tempest
- Tales of Innocence
- Tales of the World
- Tales of Vesperia
- Tales of Hearts
- Tales of Graces
- Tales of Xillia
- Tales of Zestiria
- Tales of Berseria
- Tales of Crestoria
- Tales of Arise
- Tales of Itzkeria
- Telefang
- Tengai Makyou
- The Closer: Game of the Year Edition (freeware, made in America)
- The Dog Island
- The Tenth Line
- Theia - The Crimson Eclipse (freeware)
- The Tiamat Sacrament (freeware)
- This Way Madness Lies
- Thousand Arms
- Time and Eternity
- Tokyo Afterschool Summoners
- Tomato Adventure
- TOME
- Touhou Labyrinth
- Touhou Mother
- Touhou Pocket Wars Evolution
- Treasure Hunter G
- Treasure of the Rudra
- Trillion: God of Destruction
- Trinity Universe
- Turovero: The Celestial Tower
- Twinbee RPG
- Unchained Blades
- Uncharted Waters
- Uncommon Time (freeware)
- Undernauts Labyrinth Of Yomi
- Undead Darlings
- Undertale (made in the West, but using many Eastern RPG conventions and influenced chiefly by Mother)
- Unterwegs in Düsterburg
- Vagrant Story
- Valkyria Chronicles
- Valkyrie Profile
- Vampires Dawn
- Various Daylife
- Vay
- Venus Blood -Brave-
- Virgo Versus the Zodiac
- Voice of Cards
- Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
- Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden
- Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden
- Wadanohara
- Wandering Hamster (freeware)
- The Way (RPG Maker) (freeware)
- White Knight Chronicles
- Wild ARMs
- Wine & Roses (freeware; also a Metroidvania)
- A Witch's Tale
- The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
- Wolf's Gang
- The World Ends with You
- The World Is Your Weapon
- The Xeno series:
- Xuan-Yuan Sword
- Yo-Kai Watch
- Ys
- Ys I & II
- Ys III: Wanderers from Ys and its remake, Ys: The Oath in Felghana
- Ys IV: Mask of the Sun, Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys and their remake Ys: Memories of Celceta
- Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand
- Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim
- Ys SEVEN
- Ys Origin
- Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
- Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- Zettai Hero Project