The JRPG subgenre is one of the few, if not the only one, that includes its country of origin in its name.
Although some Japanese developers dislike the label, like Yoshi-P from Final Fantasy XIV, the sub genre effectively encapsulates the type of games it represents.
Fans know that JRPGs often feature a fixed group of characters, typically young, whose adventure begins in the most mundane way possible and soon escalates to facing divine beings—or even God.
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A long runtime is often necessary to develop such narratives. After all, explaining how our hero, who simply woke up to go to the market, confronts a cataclysmic alien requires time.
Still, not every JRPG fan wants to sink hours and hours into the same game. That’s why we’ve put together a list of JRPGs with short runtimes that aren’t as grandiose as many others and respect the player’s time.
To avoid basing this solely on personal experience, I’ll be referencing the HowLongToBeat site, where various users contribute to determining the average playtime of a game across different categories.
10 Chrono Trigger
Packaged To Perfection
Released March 11, 1995
Developer(s) Square Enix
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Multiplayer Local Co-Op
Engine Cocos Creator Engine
ESRB T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
How Long To Beat 23 Hours
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Main Story: 23 Hours Main + Sides: 26 Hours Completionist: 42 Hours
Come on, it’s Chrono Trigger—no one needs convincing to play it. But if you’re just stepping into the world of JRPGs, know that Chrono Trigger’s runtime is often highlighted as a plus to its status as one of the masterpieces of the industry.
Chrono Trigger follows our hero Crono and his ragtag group as they travel through time, from prehistoric eras to a distant post-apocalyptic future.
They eventually discover the world is doomed to be destroyed by an alien entity. Armed with this knowledge, they decide to take action, even though the apocalypse lies far beyond their lifetimes.
Combine that with turn-based combat fueled by the ATB system, incredible characters, dual and triple tech mechanics that were revolutionary for the time, a phenomenal soundtrack, and cutting-edge SNES visuals, and you’ve got a gaming masterpiece.
9 Cris Tales
Spectacular Time Travel Indie JRPG
Main Story: 22 Hours Main + Sides: 25 Hours Completionist: 31 Hours
Cris Tales is a JRPG that wasn’t made in Japan. It was developed by the Colombian studio Dreams Uncorporated and carries all the genre’s hallmarks.
The story follows Crisbell after her home is attacked by the Time Empress. Using her time manipulation powers, Crisbell can alter the scenario environment and battles by hopping between the past and future or sending enemies across different time periods.
Cris Tales is highly competent and deserves all the praise it gets as an indie JRPG. Its time-travel mechanics are a delight to play with.
While the main story leans heavily on the time theme and stumbles in places, it doesn’t detract from the game as a whole.
With just 22 hours to complete, which is relatively short for JRPGs, Cris Tales is an excellent option for those wanting something fresh yet steeped in classic elements of the genre.
8 Trials of Mana
Short If Focusing on One Protagonist
Released April 24, 2020
Developer(s) Square Enix , Xeen
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Engine Trials of Mana
ESRB T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
How Long To Beat 21 Hours
PS Plus Availability N/A
OpenCritic Rating Strong
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Main Story: 20 Hours Main + Sides: 27 Hours Completionist: 43 Hours
Trials of Mana is an action RPG from Square Enix that lets you choose between six protagonists. If you want to complete the game with all of them, your runtime might stretch longer than necessary—and the game could start to feel repetitive.
However, if you focus on just one or two playthroughs, which I highly recommend, you’ll finish in about 20 hours.
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The gameplay is straightforward yet engaging, especially if you enjoy class progression. Each character can evolve twice, choosing between the Light or Dark path, which changes their appearance and alters both active and passive abilities.
The story is modest, following the classic good versus evil trope, but it’s easy to follow and doesn’t demand much.
Trials of Mana is the kind of JRPG when you want to play with your brain switched off. A few bosses might require more focus and strategy to exploit their weaknesses, but overall, it’s a laid-back experience, ideal for those unwilling to invest too much time.
7 I Am Setsuna
Inspired by Chrono Trigger
Released February 18, 2016
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Engine unity
ESRB t
How Long To Beat 21 hours
OpenCritic Rating Strong
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Main Story: 20 Hours Main + Sides: 26 Hours Completionist: 44 Hours
It’s not uncommon for JRPGs to claim inspiration from Chrono Trigger. After all, riding its hype is excellent marketing when it works, as Sea of Stars has proven. I Am Setsuna was developed by Tokyo RPG Factory, a subsidiary of Square Enix, so they had top-level approval to mention Chrono Trigger.
You can clearly see the inspiration in I Am Setsuna’s gameplay. In turn-based battles, your three characters have abilities that can change enemy positioning, allowing area attacks to hit multiple targets. You can also perform double or triple techs, a wonderful nod to Chrono Trigger.
Unfortunately, I Am Setsuna doesn’t live up to the hype. The game is set entirely in a snowy world and features a somber narrative, but it doesn’t excel in anything. If you want to give it a try, dedicate 20 hours to this JRPG, and you’ll reach its conclusion.
6 Star Ocean: First Departure
Shorter If You Master The Item Creation Mechanic
Released December 24, 2007
Publisher(s) Square Enix
ESRB e
OpenCritic Rating Fair
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Main Story: 20 Hours Main + Sides: 27 Hours Completionist: 50 Hours
I admit I didn’t remember Star Ocean: First Departure having such a short runtime, considering the unnecessary backtracking that makes it feel longer.
But there it is. If you’ve always wanted to see why Star Ocean has one of the best progression systems in JRPGs, thanks to its Item Creation mechanic, there’s no better place to start than the beginning.
Star Ocean: First Departure showcases the series’ signature themes: the blending of cultures between a technological sci-fi world and another predominantly medieval one.
This cultural clash drives much of the narrative, and it’s no different here in the first game when protagonist Roddick, from the underdeveloped planet Roak, encounters Earthlings.
The combat in First Departure is action-based and takes place in a dedicated battleground after encountering enemies on the map.
As mentioned, the standout feature is its progression system. The Item Creation mechanic becomes exponentially more rewarding as you invest in it, allowing you to craft game-breaking equipment early on.
5 Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Best of Both Worlds
Franchise Granblue Fantasy
Platform(s) PC , PS4 , PS5
Released February 1, 2024
Engine Cyllista engine
ESRB T For Teen Due To Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
How Long To Beat 15 Hours
OpenCritic Rating Strong
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Main Story: 15 Hours Main + Sides: 33 Hours Completionist: 128 Hours
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a fantastic action JRPG developed by Cygames, based on their hit web browser and mobile game, Granblue Fantasy.
It feels like cheating to include it here, because although it only takes 15 hours to finish the main story, that’s not the game’s primary focus.
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This JRPG is tailored for players who love farming items, grinding levels, and pushing their characters to their limits, which is why the completionist time exceeds 100 hours.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink features a multiplayer system similar to Monster Hunter. In online mode, you select a mission, join a lobby, and wait for other players to team up for that specific task.
That’s the core gameplay loop: repeat missions, gather items, level up characters, upgrade weapons and gear, and stomp bosses without mercy. While the story mode alone justifies purchasing the game, if you’re looking to extend your playtime, Granblue Fantasy: Relink has plenty to offer.
4 Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster
The Simplicity of the First One
Released July 28, 2021
Developer(s) Tose
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Engine Unity
ESRB T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
How Long To Beat 100+ Hours
OpenCritic Rating Strong
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Main Story: 15 Hours Main + Sides: 18 Hours Completionist: 19 Hours
The Pixel Remaster collection introduces the early Final Fantasy titles to a new audience. If you’re looking for a gentle introduction, there’s no better place to start than the first game in the series. Final Fantasy I may not be perfect, but it’s an excellent way to showcase the origins of what became one of the biggest JRPG franchises in the world.
Final Fantasy features a class system inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, a simple narrative with some twists that set the tone for future entries, and the nostalgic soundtrack of Nobuo Uematsu that has already become timeless.
This JRPG even has a short runtime for completionists, requiring just 20 hours to see everything it offers.
If you’ve always been curious about the beginnings of Final Fantasy, I recommend the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster version. The game retains its simple system but is optimized with quality-of-life improvements, making it more enjoyable on modern platforms.
3 Super Mario RPG
Mario Adventures End In a Hop
Platform(s) Switch
Released November 17, 2023
Developer(s) Nintendo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Engine unity
ESRB E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
How Long To Beat 11 Hours
OpenCritic Rating Mighty
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Main Story: 12 Hours Main + Sides: 14 Hours Completionist: 20 Hours
With all its quality-of-life improvements and optimizations, the remake of Super Mario RPG is even shorter than the original SNES version. Just 12 hours, and you’re at the credits after defeating Bowser.
Wait, I mean, not Bowser. The King of Koopas is your ally on this adventurous journey alongside Mario and his friends, who aim to defeat the Smithy Gang while collecting the seven star pieces of the Star Road.
Super Mario RPG was developed by Nintendo in partnership with the then SquareSoft. The game is a graphical marvel, boasting exceptional visuals.
Alongside its turn-based combat system with timed inputs, it features Mario’s signature platforming dynamics, including puzzles and various collectibles.
This was Mario’s first JRPG and paved the way for other sagas, such as Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Most of these games are relatively short, but if you want to tread slowly, we recommend starting with Super Mario RPG and forming your own conclusions.
2 Child of Light
Poetically Beautiful and Entertaining
Released April 30, 2014
Developer(s) Ubisoft Montreal
Engine UbiArt Framework
ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
How Long To Beat 11 Hours
PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium
OpenCritic Rating Strong
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Main Story: 11 Hours Main + Sides: 13 Hours Completionist: 15 Hours
Ubisoft Montreal developed Child of Light, which is weird to say it feels more like a JRPG than anything else.
Looking for a short game with poetic, rhyming dialogue, turn-based combat with a real-time twist, and eye-catching art? Look no further than the stellar Child of Light.
You play as Aurora, a girl who dies from a mysterious illness and wakes up in the world of Lemuria. It’s said that if she can recover the sun, moon, and stars, she’ll return home. While Child of Light has a seemingly harmless presentation, it delves into heavy themes.
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The turn-based combat includes a real-time mechanic requiring players to wait for a gauge to fill before attacking.
Some moves can interrupt the enemy’s gauge, delaying their actions, adding an extra layer of strategy. Child of Light can easily be completed in a week with its 11-hour runtime, depending on your playstyle.
1 Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
The Shortest Of Them All
Main Story: 9 Hours Main + Sides: 12 Hours Completionist: 14 Hours
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is one of the coziest JRPGs in existence, which is a strange thing to say, considering it was developed by Nippon Ichi, the same studio responsible for the over-the-top humor of Disgaea. In Rhapsody, you play as Cornet, a girl with the power to control puppets.
In a twist, Cornet embarks on an adventure to save the prince who was turned to stone by the most beautiful witch in the world.
She does this with the help of her puppets, who act as her combatants in battles. Each battle is fought on a grid similar to tactical RPGs but on a much smaller scale, involving only two or three enemies.
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is the shortest JRPG on this list. It’s possible to finish the game in under 10 hours.
The game is also quite easy, contributing to its short runtime. Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure received a remaster recently for modern platforms, much to the delight of those with tight gaming schedules.
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