If there ever was a golden age of JRPGs, then it would have unquestionably taken place on the PlayStation. Sony’s maiden console saw a true revolution of the genre as it finally broke into the mainstream and built a foundation that shaped the current landscape.

While these games stood out among the rest, this was a great era that tested the limits of what gaming was capable of, and we were all the better for it. These are some of those JRPGS that stood out as the best of the PS1 era.

Updated on January 25, 2024 by Jouanna Bondakji: Classic games never go out of style. The PS1 was the best era for JRPGs, and with so many remakes and remasters of classics, we've revisited this list and updated it with even more of the best JRPGs from the PS1 era.

13 Valkyrie Profile

Valkyrie Profile is one of those games that has a high chance of sticking with you for a long time. Its dark tones and atmosphere, along with gameplay that lets you take the reins and figure out your own personal way of playing, make it anything but generic.

The game isn't as story-heavy as most JRPGs are these days; it's strange and intriguing in the way that its story and characters don't take the forefront. Characters join your party after you watch a vignette introducing them, and that's kind of it. Instead, the focus is on the exploration of well-designed dungeons and deep skill systems. If you can get into it, Valkyrie Profile is a refreshing game.

12 Legend Of Legaia

Legend of Legaia has gameplay elements that are an interesting mix of Shin Megami Tensei, Yakuza, and fighting games. The story involves a once-docile species called Seru turning against humans due to a mysterious mist. As you fight them in battles, you can actually bring many of them to your side, utilizing their powers to cast different types of magic.

Another fun combat aspect is the fact that, though it's turn-based, you input commands via the directional pad, and those affect where the character aims. For example, pressing up is better for hitting enemies in the air. As you can input more combos, you'll unlock special character Arts that not only deal good damage but also look cool. Besides the main gameplay, you can play a variety of mini-games, including fighting in a coliseum and a disco rhythm game. Even today, the game is great fun all around.

11 Persona 2

Persona is a pretty well-known franchise in the RPG space, but the first two games often get overlooked, even by the developers themselves. That doesn't change the fact that Persona 2 is still many fans' favorite entry. Unlike any other game in the series, it's divided into two parts: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment.

The gameplay of both is closer to Shin Megami Tensei games and Persona 5, where your enemies are other Personas, and you can negotiate with them. It also had elemental skills not seen in current Persona games, like rock and water. The high encounter rate and convoluted ways of fusing Personas can make the gameplay frustrating at times, but Persona 2's story and characters are so good that it's still considered one of the best JRPGs on the PS1. To this day, they still hold up.

10 Chrono Cross

While it wasn’t the sequel to Chrono Trigger that many had hoped it would be, Chrono Cross stood on its own as a premier title on the PlayStation and didn’t disappoint outside of the loose relation to the previous title.

Cross was one of the many highly regarded released late in the PlayStation’s life cycle and took full advantage of the hardware. The graphics were ahead of their time, and the music is still a treat to listen to. You have over recruitable 40 characters, giving the game that much more replay value. While fans still patiently wait for a true sequel to Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross serves as a worthy epilogue to its legendary predecessor.

9 Wild Arms

This western-themed RPG launched a franchise that spawned a manga and an anime. Taking place in the desert world of Filgaia, you follow just three characters from the beginning of their adventures up until the pivotal moment where the fate of their world is at stake. Wild Arms was notable for actively switching between a 2D overworld and 3D battles and acted somewhat of a bridge between the old and new eras.

While other games on the list would benefit from focusing on a larger assortment of characters, Wild Arms would be a more memorable experience due to the focused attention on its leads.

8 Breath Of Fire 4

Breath of Fire 4 was the last entry of the series to be released on the PlayStation and was perhaps the best game released during the system’s final days. With six playable characters who can learn different techniques through different masters, stackable magic attacks, and beautifully animated characters, Breath of Fire 4 remains a compelling title today.

Positioned as Capcom’s answer to Final Fantasy, this would serve as the peak of the franchise before it slowly faded into obscurity.

7 Vagrant Story

Opting to serve more as a dungeon crawler than a turn-based RPG, Vagrant Story was a simpler concept that was packed to the brim with depth. A QTE-style combat system and even elements of platforming made this game stand out from other games of its era and had a distinct, almost Victorian influence on its presentation.

While not as plot-intensive or as long as others on this list, Vagrant Story shined with what it had. At the time, Vagrant Story was a huge hit and even earned a perfect ten from Famitsu.

6 Alundra

Taking its cues from games such as Zelda and the Mana series, Alundra was a break from the ordinary RPG and focused heavily on exploration, puzzle solving, and top-down 2D exploration. The game is gorgeous, and its strengths stem from the formidable difficulty of its many puzzles.

Alundra was praised upon release and would eventually be a lost classic, being extremely hard to find for retro collectors. It would spawn a forgettable sequel a few years later that bore almost no resemblance to the original.

5 Star Ocean: The Second Story

Star Ocean: The Second Story was the first game in the series to be released in the US and provided real-time combat and AI-controlled party members, along with a sci-fi-heavy story with multiple side quests and various endings based on how the game progresses. You could select your party numbers and determine their behavior to make them more adaptable for the coming battles.

The Second Story expanded on the original in every way, paving the way for future entries that would expand on the formula presented in this well-rounded classic.

4 Final Fantasy 7

Easily one of the most important games in history, Final Fantasy 7 finally legitimized RPGs in the United States and became a legendary title that has become an institution in and of itself. Featuring an emotional story and relatable characters, Final Fantasy 7 played on themes such as environmentalism, self-worth, and loss.

The game is also the origin of the famous Materia system. With the remake out and universally loved, playing the original is a better idea than ever. It still stands today, and you get to see how it all started, as well as what the remake kept and changed from the original.

3 Suikoden 2

With a massive roster of 108 playable characters and a gripping yet grounded story, Suikoden 2 has been praised as a true gem in this golden era of RPGs. Combat varies from traditional RPG skirmishes to individual battles to unit-based tactical battles, easily countering the criticism of JRPG combat being repetitive.

Characters also have joint special attacks, giving you the incentive to try as many of them out as you can. Each form of combat gives you an engaging experience from beginning to end. Suikoden 2 also happens to be incredibly rare, with prices today hovering around 150 dollars.

2 Xenogears

A game so complex and original that it would turn heads if released today, Xenogears was a classic for its time and has remained a favorite since its initial release. The game combined elements of martial arts, religion, mech combat, dungeon crawling, and anime to create an incredible and wholly original experience. The scale of Xenogears is so massive that it is a testament to the game that it doesn’t fall apart under its own weight. It utilized voice acting and its anime sequence to great effect.

This game was so complex that its creators have lamented that a true sequel will never come, so fans will have to settle for the game’s re-release as part of the PlayStation Classic’s line-up.

1 Final Fantasy 9

In what has been the most overlooked and underrated game of the series, Final Fantasy 9 serves as the pinnacle of quality RPGs available on the original PlayStation. It upped the ante by having four players in combat rather than the traditional three, and takes place in a wonderful medieval setting. This made the game feel like the perfect blend of where the Final Fantasy series began and how far it came to that point.

Though not as appreciated as 7 or 8, Final Fantasy 9 had a charm and polish that made it the superior game.