Generally, you go into a JRPG looking for an expansive story, relatable characters, and exciting gameplay. But sometimes, you just want something utterly absurd: a game that defies expectations and twists reality in the most delightful of ways.
Whether that means a game where you’re working with the villain, a story where you’re trapped in a truly bizarre reality, or even a game where your spawn fight for you against horrific monsters, this is that sort of list.
These titles are ranked roughly according to how well they fared, but we also made exceptions for the most brain-scratching content. So buckle up, get ready, and let’s dive into some truly strange and unapologetically weird JRPG adventures!
10
Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars
Platform
PC, 3DS, Vita
Publisher
Atlus, Spike Chunsoft
Genre
JRPG
Release Date
April 15, 2014
As someone who didn’t own a PSP until after I got my Switch, I missed out on the original Conception. So I really had no idea what insanity I was walking into in this adventure published by Atlus and Spike Chunsoft.
Sure, I had played plenty of games with fanservice before Conception II: Children of the Stars, but not many where I alternated between high school romance, demon battling, and spawning my own child warriors.
I promise that’s not as horrible as it sounds, but it’s definitely absurd. Main character Wake Archus is a literal gift from God, and that enables him to enter Dusk Circles and fight monstrous demons. But first, you’ll want to “Classmate” with a special lady and create your own little army using magic dolls.
The main thing holding Conception II back is how unnecessarily grindy and complex the adventure can be. If you can get past that, there are plenty of engaging characters to bond with and multiple endings to unlock.
9
Drakengard
Dynasty Warriors Meets Ace Combat
On the surface level, Drakengard doesn’t seem all that weird. It’s a game where main character Caim forms a bond with a dragon, both of them badly wounded, and sets off on a dark and bloody adventure. It alternates between flying segments, ground sections, and free-roaming engagements.
But then you dive into the story and characters, and things start to become perplexing. Drakengard subverts a lot of the norms we expect from the genre. Take Caim, for example. He’s not a heroic young warrior, but a sociopath with dreams of incest. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, as none of the characters in this game are normal or traditional.
Despite that (or maybe because of it), this was a game that made a mark on the landscape, even managing two very different sequels. So long as you can look past the dated graphics and less-than-memorable music, you’ll find something wonderfully weird in Drakengard.
8
Okage: Shadow King
Me and My Shadow
Okage: Shadow King is weird from the very beginning. It starts when Ari’s sister, on the verge of death by curse, is saved by their grandfather. The problem is, in saving him, grandpa bonds an ancient evil named Lord Stanley Hihat Trinidad XIV (or Stan for short) to Ari’s shadow.
What would an ancient evil want for his good deed? Nothing big, just tracking down and defeating the monsters that took his power so he can, in turn, take over the world. Just regular stuff, really.
Further adding to the absurdity, Okage: Shadow King looks as if Tim Burton made a JRPG. It’s sharp-edged and full of a cast that’s just as deranged as good old Stan. While I personally really enjoyed the game for the story and characters, the actual gameplay was pretty average, which is why it didn’t rank higher on this list.
7
Koudelka
Shadow Hearts’ Predecessor
As someone who has played my fair share of horror and JRPG adventures, Koudelka is one of the few games that mixes both genres. And as you might imagine, the result was more than a little unhinged.
The game takes place in Wales and features the titular main character, whose visions of doom guide the experience. It’s also very different from most JRPGs in that there isn’t a close-knit band of heroes, but a trio of main characters who have a lot of drama between them.
There are also several simple puzzles to solve, grid-based combat, and a very memorable but strange plot. The only downside to the game is that the gameplay hasn’t held up very well, though somehow the cutscenes are still extraordinary. It’s a weird mix, but a fun one.
6
Eternal Sonata
A Tribute to Chopin
Usually, most JRPGs are epic adventures where a hero has to become strong enough to beat an overwhelming evil force. But in Eternal Sonata, tri-Crescendo went in a very different direction.
It’s a game that takes place on the deathbed and in the dreams of the famous musician Frédéric Chopin. It even features his compositions for a truly spellbinding soundtrack.
Combat is mostly turn-based, and has you utilizing Light and Dark strategically against a wide array of foes. It’s definitely a unique take on the genre, and one that’s especially fun in multiplayer sessions.
5
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux
Journey Through the Schwarzwelt
When I think about why I loved the 3DS so much, I instantly remember games like Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux. It takes the usual conventions of the series and throws them into a blender full of sci-fi, apocalyptic mayhem, demons, and angels.
It all starts in Antarctica, where a rift appears full of demons. It could engulf the entire world, so it’s up to you to fix things. Along the way, the game takes some wild twists and turns, and makes you question human morality as well as our place in the universe.
Not for nothing, but the armor worn by the task force looks like something that might be worn by Lego characters. Which is sort of hilarious but doesn’t detract from how deep and dark the story gets, especially when your crew becomes enchanted by the Schwarzwelt’s inhabitants.
The only downside to the game is that it’s really demanding, and you’ll have to spend a lot of time and effort to get the very best ending. But I promise that’s time well spent!
4
Persona 4 Golden
Murder, Demons, and Teddie
The first Persona game I played was Persona 4 Golden, so it definitely made an impact on me. Not only is this a wonderful JRPG, but it’s unashamedly weird.
How many other games have you played that mix murder, a hero’s journey, and a friendly mascot named Teddie? Throw in demons, an incredible cast of characters, and some truly strange foes to defeat, and you have a one-of-a-kind.
Not to mention, you’ll regularly jump inside TVs to enter a strange realm and fight against the psyches of those bewitched by a strange and otherworldly fog. This is a crazy adventure, and easily one of the best JRPGs I’ve ever played.
3
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Lovecraftian World War
Let me say that I could have included any of the Shadow Hearts games on this list; they’re all that weird. But I included Shadow Hearts: Covenant because not only is it totally crazy, but it’s also a well-rounded adventure.
The game takes place during World War 1, though it’s also a bit of an alternate history. It’s a sequel where you got the bad ending in the first Shadow Hearts, and Alice is long dead, much to Yuri’s chagrin. Throw in Rasputin, Roger Bacon, and all sorts of dark magic, and you have just the start of why this adventure is so great.
Best of all, Shadow Hearts: Covenant keeps the Judgment Ring, which has players use good timing to get great results during battle. Better yet, you’ll eventually be able to use Fusion to mix two characters into monstrous and powerful new forms. Honestly, the only reason this didn’t take the top honors was that we had a couple of truly weird games for the final entries.
2
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Hero of His Own Story
Pretty much every Yakuza game is a little weird, but few are as strange as Yakuza: Like a Dragon. It’s the tale of Ichiban Kasuga, who spent 18 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, only to taste sweet freedom and realize everything he loved is gone.
In his quest to discover the author of that betrayal, things get really weird. Ichiban sees himself as living in his own Dragon Quest game, which leads to the turn-based combat found in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Which mixes smashing foes with bikes and handy items to summoning Poundmates like lobsters, chickens, mascots, and numerous gangsters.
Not weird enough? How about you can walk into a bathroom stall to hear people gabbing secrets, or how toilet paper is strangely scarce to find in Isezaki Ijincho? No matter how you cut it, there’s plenty of insanity to find in this Yakuza adventure.
1
Earthbound
A League of its Own
There’s weird, and then there’s Earthbound, a beloved SNES JRPG adventure that is leaking crazy out of every pore. It’s got space aliens, time-traveling insects, shy dinosaurs, and that’s barely scratching the surface.
Want more insanity? How about psychic schoolchildren who fight with baseball bats, frying pans, pop guns, and yo-yos? Not weird enough yet? How about living your worst life by beating up a hippy? Or just reveling in adolescent and utterly hilarious jokes?
Earthbound is a classic for a reason, and it’s absolutely worth playing. Just don’t expect anything remotely normal, since this is also one of the most unhinged adventures I’ve ever played.
