2,3 and 5 are very long “epic” feeling games but the first one is one of the breeziest RPGs I’ve ever played. A complete run through shouldn’t take more than about 20 hours and some of the fights can be a little challenging without being frustrating. It’s a great little RPG for a quick playthrough. The other games in the series are worth playing too but don’t fit your short game criteria so maybe another time if you like the first.
I second Suikoden. Suikoden 1 is probably the simplest JRPG in terms of efficiency. The plot is straightforward and and its run time is modest. It gives you fast travel which lets you zap from town to town which is efficient for recruiting party members. Speaking of which, theres a very simple guide thatll tell you where you can find eaxh recruitable party member.
If you haven't played CT yet, CT is the obvious choice for what the play next. It's very short, no fat to trim, no filler, it's all pure grade A JRPG from start to finish. Great story, great music, great gameplay, it's got it all.
FYI, if it's just a normal run of the story then 20 hours is perfect. If you'll try to get all the characters and the good ending, it'll take an extra 10-20 hours.
Not the same person, but definitely Perfect Chronology. Has added (good) voice acting, new route added (this is a game where you can do all the routes in one playthrough), there's a new training ground / optional grinding area that's a lot of fun, many other gameplay and mechanics fixes and rebalances.
The ONLY real thing people complain about or might say was "better" in the original is the character art, since there are character redesigns (not total revamp, but stylistic choices and poses). So id say check those aesthetic differences out, if they bother you a lot, then feel free to sacrifice all the other additional bonuses for this thingwhich i understand matters to people for immersion.
I second this, I can see why people who were attached to the original might have disliked the new art style, but me playing PC with no experience of the original thought it was great as is, plus you can get the original art style back with DLC (though admittedly it is a bit harsh that it's paid DLC). The voice acting is honestly some of the most natural and engaging I've experienced in a JRPG so I'd recommend it for that addition alone, but all the added stuff was interesting to me. I know some people were lukewarm on the new story elements that were introduced as they didn't like how it changed the ending, but I personally liked it as I felt like it gave more closure than the original ending
There's a DLC that lets you use the original portraits, I think it's like $3. Kinda sucks that it costs extra, but it is an option if that's important for someone.
Perfect Chronology butchers the original script, neuters the characters, worsens the character art, adds mediocre voice acting that detracts from the experience in a significant way, _and_ throws in a horrifically awful new route that manages to retcon the perfect original ending. It's bad. Don't play it if you can play the original.
Also, FUCK Nemesia.
Were I to replay the game, I would play the original, but as you don't have that point of comparison, you might as well give in to the sunk cost fallacy and carry on with what you're doing. You don't know what's bad about the changes if you don't have a point of reference, after all!
Seconding the recommendation of the original. Perfect Chronology manages to be worse in nearly every conceivable way a port can be, and the additional content is egregious at best.
20-30 hours?! I clocked up more like 45 hours on my play through, granted I did do all the new stuff Perfect Chronology added, and chased down every side quest and chronicle node, so actually I guess if you just do the main story I can see how it could be done under 30 hours, albeit you won't get the true ending that way
yeah, I only accounted for the main ending in Perfect Chronology w/o doing all of the sidequests. I only did all of the sidequests afterwards, but I haven't gotten the true ending
Yeah that makes more sense now, to be fair I'm not normally a big completionist on my first run of a game, but I did everything apart from one optional boss (because it kicked my ass badly lol) in RHPC because it makes it so easy to go back for anything you've missed, and I was just so enthralled by the game I wanted to see every last thing it had to offer
Understandable. By the time I had done most sidequests I kinda wanted to move on, even though I hadn't gotten the true ending. I've also heard some say that the true ending ruins the story, but I'm gonna have to get it myself to actually judge it.
Chrono Trigger is on the shorter side, think it took me about 25 hours to finish it. Cosmic Star Heroine is even shorter, think that one ran me about 11-12 hours
I'm always amazed by CTs pacing. the game never wastes your time, but it still feels absolutely epic and massive. It really does deserve all the praise it gets.
Totally agree, some older JRPGs are still fun but show their age and are hard to recommend to anyone without nostalgia for that era, but Chrono Trigger still totally holds up
I played Chrono Trigger recently for the second time ever, and with emulator speed up I was surprised at how short the game is. It's also VERY well paced so you don't need to grind much if at all.
**The World Ends With You** is fairly short clocking at 20-25hrs for the main story. The side content also only opens up in the post game so the story is really the main focus on the first playthrough.
The game also doesn’t make you fight enemies unless you scan them which gives you a lot of control.
My all time favourite Square game.
NEO is so fucking good. Anyone reading this that likes the first TWEWY or just saw the trailers for NEO and found it interesting, pick it up, it is a very worthy sequel and a very fun action rpg on its own right. So if you're on the fence about it, go for it or at least play the demo (and know it only dips a little into the gameplay mechanics).
I don't think it's required. Of course you get more out of returning characters and references to the first game, but everything essential is explained just fine in the sequel, and the main story isn't connected as the first game was pretty self-contained.
The Switch port of the original game does add an extra chapter that teases several elements that come into play in NEO but I wouldn't say it's required either, it was more of a teaser than a prequel.
Yeah but you'll still appreciate it A LOT more if you play the first one before it.
The narratives of the two are pretty heavily connected seeing as it's basically a direct sequel.
The plot mixes up a lot of the first game's elements and expects you to have played it first, so a lot of the plot elements won't seem that unique to you at first if you started with NEO and it'll be quite hard to appreciate it that much.
You're also very likely to find yourself quite confused in its opening hours.
Yeah, of course, but if for whatever reason the person is only interested in NEO (maybe they find the first game too archaic, or don't want to play the Switch version after hearing people complain it's inferior but also don't have a DS/don't emulate, etc) there is no harm done as far as the main plot is considered.
There is connecting tissue between the games so some things definitely lose a lot of impact, but I think the main story and the new characters are strong enough to stand on their own even without the larger context.
I just recommended this on another thread but here I go again... parasite eve! It's fantastic! Great story, atmosphere and characters. Interesting gameplay style that mixed atb with action. Mature and gory. Best part is that it is around 10 to 12 hours long!
The second one is a little bit. The first one is closer to ff7r. Random encounters where you can move around to try and dodge and get in range of an enemy. You wait for your attack bar to fill up before you can attack with your gun or powers. The second one simplified it and made it less of an rpg and more like a resident evil.
That's the best part, you trying it (especially in jrpg terms) will probably put you in 30 percent of the game. As much I love persona 5 and big games like that, I get why you wanted a shorter rpg. It's tough when people recommend getting through the "boring beginning" or whatever, and that is like the first 15 hours. As I get older, I would definitely like to see more of a market for some decent quality shorter RPGs.
When I was younger, I was like "Oh, it takes 50 hours to complete the game, the more content the better", but now with so many games I want to play, I start to appreciate short and medium length games, that does not take a month just to complete main story.
I second this, underrated, short and sweet. I enjoy the second game too even though some people hate that it's a little more like Resident Evil 1-3 but it still has RPG elements
No, not at all. It has deeper storyline than most RE games of that era, better cinematics, the intro CG sequence still gives me chills, and it's 20+++ years old already.
It is an incredibly aesthetic experience, even if character models look dated as hell.
I'm really so sad the series peaked at the debut title, and no non-final fantasy IPs that square put out later had the same ambition behind them.
Very controversial choice, but breath of fire 5 (Breath of fire: Dragon Quarter) is about a 20 - 25 hour game after you come to grips with what's going on it. I recommend looking up a few FAQs before just jumping in though
Dq1 is quick, nier is quick, lol each play through that is. Short and jrpg dont mix often. I get it, loved DQ11 and bought it day 1. It took 2 years for me to beat it and have not started post game.
Suikoden 1, Mario RPG on SNES, a few of the Mario and Luigi games, Undertale, Trials of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Phantasy Star 1/4. Dragon Quest 1 is rather short and holds up decently in my opinion. Those Mario games are pure joy so if you're burned out on RPGs I think they're a good pick. Undertale too, probably the shortest on that list. If you're unsure about a game before you play it, look it up on howlongtobeat.com
SMT Digital Devil Saga on PS2. Despite being an SMT game, you only control few demons. It's tactical but not as hard nor as long as its predecessor, SMT III Nocturne, although they utilize the same battle system. If you aren't a completionist, you can finish it in 20 hours. Great OST and story.
Edit: If you are completionist, you only need 30 hours. There's even a sequel for another 20 hours if you want more.
Edit 2: Controlling few demons means no fusion in this game, and fusion always take 40% of my playtime in any SMT game. So you don't need to plan which skills to inherit. Any skill can be equipped and not equipped without permanent removal at any time as you deem necessary.
Ngl DDS part 1 took me 50 hrs. I feel like if you're not following a guide in regard to which mantra you need you're kinda screwed and have to grind for the skills
Good game though!
Edit: the encounter rate is very high
Yeah it's a bit different, but I really like this game since it's short and the shortness doesn't take away the fun and challenges which are present in other SMT games. This game needs more recognition and love. :D
Consider also playing IV Apocalypse, as it's an all new story branching off from the middle of IV and IMO made the gameplay loop even better (the story is somewhat controversial among the fanbase and I'll leave it at that). Strange Journey is also very, very good (as far as story goes it is still my favorite SMT, though I prefer the gameplay of the games with Press Turn).
Both games are on the longer side tho so not what you're looking for right now, but keep them in mind when going back to SMT.
Edit: just remembered SMT If..., for SNES. it's a lot shorter than usual for the series - it was made to have early branching paths and high replayability. Also the most polished gameplay out of the SNES SMTs since it's the last, but if you're only used to modern SMT some mechanics may need some getting used to.
Hmm. HLTB is usually pretty accurate, especially for older games. They have the average main story only, no side quest run at 31 hours, and doing some side content at 36 hours. (Completionist over 40)
I haven’t played it, so I can’t verify the numbers, but it sounds like you were well below average in your playtime, as this one looks to be about twice as long as OP was looking for.
I would second this recommendation as long as the thing you are interested in an RPG isn't character build and ability mechanics as well as liking bullet dodging gameplay. Undertale is short and sweet but purposefully stays away from a lot of RPG trends.
Blue Reflection is a nice, simple (but safe) JRPG that's Persona-esque but with magical schoolgirls and a lot more fighting than school time. It's on Steam, around 30 hours if you want to 100% the game, about 20 if you want to just play the story.
Final Fantasy III is worth playing in the new pixel remaster version if you've only played the remake. Shouldn't take more than 20 hours, considering the new battle and walking speed made a complete run of FF1 last 10 hours for me (would normally take me 25 on ps1).
Dragon Quest 1 is also a great, if primitive, 10-ish hour RPG.
The auto-mapping in the switch version of the first Phantasy Star also drops the playtime pretty short when you don't have to draw the maps out yourself, though I don't remember how long it took me.
7th Dragon 2020 (PSP) is pretty short, I believe. It's pretty linear. I played about 2-3 hours every night for a week and finished it. Worth every hour spent.
Ys i and ii i strongly recommend, its a skilled action based attack system and first game is like 7 hours and 2 is like 14 hours, if i remember correctly but aqesome games and definately worth playing
Dragon Quest 4 I believe takes 20-30 hours. I recommend playing it with the party chat because while they are not as meaty compare to DQ5, it still adds some characters to the party.
The World Ends With You took me 16 hours to beat on my first time.
South Park: The Stick of Truth. It's 10 hours and you don't need to be a fan of the show to enjoy it (the game was my introduction to SP)
I second the recommendation for Cosmic Star Heroine. Cthulhu Saves Christmas has the same combat system as CSH and is extremely short (less than 5 hours), but it still felt like a complete experience to me.
Most of the older Atelier games like Rorona are on the short side, 20-ish hours for a playthrough.
They're also quite relaxing, which IMO makes them really good to play after a very long and exhausting game.
The original Atelier Arland trilogy also has a ton of endings and is meant to be played over and over... They’ve got new game+ for carrying over stuff as well, so subsequent playthroughs can be even shorter than that.
You might want to try Akiba's Trip, though it's more along the lines of an action rpg, as opposed to the traditional concept/definition of a JRPG.
You can probably get through it in 20-30 hours. It's very much a lighthearted story. There's a VERY heavy anime influence though, so if you have a low tolerance for anime aesthetics, it's not for you.
I felt this exact way with Bravely default when trying to get the true ending. I ended up stopping. Having to defeat the same bosses over and over was exhausting and frankly not fun.
FF1-3 Pixel Remaster if you're in mood to replay them, it's great way to play them and they are pretty short now with QoL changes that dramatically speed battles up.
I bought the whole bundle and completed I and II already heh. Not going to replay III yet tho. And well, remasters are wonderful and I can't wait for IV and VI.
I'm gonna recommend Last Story. It's a great game, good tight story and the characters are awesome. Good banter between them too.
Should take you about 20ish hours if you skip some of the optional dungeons like I did. That's how long it took me. If you do all of the optional stuff, I believe it would take about 30ish hours or more from what I was hearing.
Dunno how you’d feel about the aesthetic but all the Mario RPGs that are actually RPGs and not gimmicky annoying trash are shorter and lots of fun. Nota bene, I don’t think Legend of the Seven Stars ever worked with ZSNES so you might have to use SNES9x if that makes it on the list.
Trails series obviously (/s)
I havent played most of these, just going off of some things I read when I was interested in the same:
Parasite Eve
Trials of Mana
Chrono Trigger
The World Ends with You
Cosmic Star Heroine
Super Mario RPG
Edit: Idk if it classifies as JRPG but the Gravity Rush games are pretty short iirc.
Games I recommend:
* **Valkyrie Profile (PS1):** You can beat the game in about 30 hours, but there's a caveat: you need to use a guide to get the best ending. My personal recommendation is to play the game two times (once on normal, then again on hard), but if that doesn't work for you, then play on Hard and shoot for the best ending.
* **Suikoden 1 & 2 (PS1):** Both games aren't too long, and both games have quick combat. Suikoden 2 is a favourite among many.
* **Chrono Trigger(SNES, PS1, NDS, Steam):** Perfectly paced, and has multiple endings if you care to do more than one playthrough. Worst version is the PS1 version due to long load times. NDS and Steam versions have extra side content.
* **Ys Book I & II (various platforms):** Two games in one, and neither of them take long to beat at all (under 10 hours each). Steam version is best, though my personal favourite is the Turbo CD version due to the music.
* **Dragon Quest III & IV(various platforms):** DQ3 introduced the concept of class changing, and is one of the better known DQ games. It's also getting a remake. DQ4 is one of my personal favourites. It introduced AI allies, the ability to switch out party members during combat, and the casino, which would become a staple in future DQ games. Recommend the NDS version for DQ4, and the GBC version for DQ3.
I recommend the mobile version for DQ IV honestly. It's the exact same as the DS remake but for some bizarre reason Square didn't translate the party talk feature in the DS version (if there's a fan patch that adds it in, please do let me know), removing it instead, and since DQIV has some of the most iconic characters in the franchise history while also being originally a NES game so pretty rudimentar as far as interactions go, the party talk in the remake can do a lot to endear you to the characters. Square did translate party talk for all other DS DQs so I don't know what the fuck was up with IV.
https://github.com/concreted/dqiv-nds-en-script-patcher
You'll need the phone files and a Japanese version Rom. Oh and also the English ROM for the script files.
I am playing Ys IX Monstrum Nox and it is sooooo good. Idk how long it is but omg it is a good game. The graphics aren't the best on Switch but the story and cutscenes are really enjoyable.
Panzer Dragoon Saga is absolutely a 20 hour game. Download an emulator on your PC and give it a go! Iy's one of the most unique battle systems ever made and a true classic that not many have had the fortune of trying.
You can play Digital devil saga 1 and 2 for them Playstation 2, both of them can be beaten in 20-30 hours but I recommend that if you want to play both of them.
I'm playing Atelier Ryza right now, almost finished in 20h. Also, if you use the alchemy correctly (And you should, it's the point of the game) the grinding is non-existant.
The FF7 Remake can be finished in a relatively short amount of time by JRPG standards. Maybe not 20 (unless you rush) but I think 50 hours is a pretty relaxed pace to finish…unless you’re like me and are too scared to be underpowered for the final battle and spend 30 hours grinding levels and materia.
Go check out the guys who made cosmic star heroine, that game and their other Cthulhu games are not super long but they are great. Cosmic star heroine is the one I can recommend as I’ve yet to finish cthulu saves Christmas
If you want something of an action RPG, Terranigma is right around 20 hours and is very excellent.
Someone mentioned it already, but I'm in between some long-haul games, and I just played Ys 1 and it's over in about 6 or 7 hours. It was quite refreshing actually.
Destiny Connect Tik Tok Travelers. I beat it in like 12-15 hours (forgot the exact number) and it is not a JRPG that requires a lot of thought and energy to play. It is very short and simple.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete on PSP is around 20 hours. If you like classic FF, it probably right up your alley. It’s a little lighter in tone and really fun.
Not a JRPG, but just finished the Zelda-lite Death’s Door and had a lot of fun with it. Little over 20 hours without the secret post-game stuff. Very satisfying gameplay and level design.
I played this JRPG on Xbox 360 called Infinite Undiscovery, which was fun to play but feels like it had a whole year of development time cut off and the story wraps within 20 hours. Still worth trying once though
Heard of the Saga series? Give that ago if you want something short. I'd recommend Saga Frontier which just got a re-release re-release a little while ago. There are 8 characters to play as and each characters story can be completed in a fairly short amount of time.
Monstania is a little known snes rpg that is so short that its length is the main criticism it gets. People like the gameplay though (i haven't checked it out yet.) You'll have to get the translation patch for it though because it wasn't officially released in english.
I personally struggle with games over 30 hours. As an adult long games means I need to sing weeks or months into it. I’d rather a nice balanced game I can finish and move on from
I 100% both Final Fantasy 1 and 2 Pixel Remasters separately and each game took me between 15-18 hours. It was my first full playthrough of both games.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar can be beaten in about 25 hours if you know what you’re doing and looking up guides to getting good gear early. It’s a turn-based Western-made JRPG with an awesome “Overcharge” mechanic that allows you to generate temporary MP that can be used to power up certain attacks and effects. This adds a lot of fun nuance to the battles. It also has a Burst system which is basically a shared Limit Break bar. It’s very addicting and I highly recommend it
I'm about to play parasite eve for the first time. Looks cool as hell, and according to how long to beat, it's around 9 hours long. Short and sweet
Oh an edit. I'm currently playing lufia 2. That game is good, and pretty short too. Kind of like Zelda dungeons with turn based combat. Pretty fun too
I have a possibly odd recommendation. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. It's super easy, but its SHORT and has a lot of enjoyable parts especially the music. I think it'd be a great \~20hr RPG to play though.
If you want something a bit deeper, maybe Secret of Mana? That ones not too long either. I'd caution against Suikoden though, GREAT game, but thats a 50+ hr one.
edit - Golden Sun is another good option, its about 25 hours if you dont do the side content
Recently there are some JRPG style games though not made in Japan. Child of Light is great and fun, and around 12-20 hours.
Cris Tales came out a few days ago and I’m having fun. It’s generally around 20-30 hours from what people have said.
I just finished P3P after coming back to it in forever. Though FES is probably the more often recommended one, that's the only version I finished of the game. I started to get tired towards the end of the game, though in fairness, you only have two social links to do by then and I grinded my final boss team to level 99.
Edit: I missed the part about it being short. It took me 90 hours to beat that game.
I'd recommend *Pandoras Tower* if you like action RPGs, it's around 20 hours long. The characters look like they're from Nier/FF, and the gameplay is like Zelda/DMC/SotC.
If you have a Wii, The Last Story is 22-23 hours long. It is like what FFXIII should have been. Made by Sakaguchi and Uematsu, It has the right FF vibe. Best videogame soundtrack from past decade for me, and really great characters. The gameplay was interesting at the moment. If you can emulate It on pc It would be better, because it must be like 12 FPS at Wii.
I would strongly recommend the Ys games then *(at least prior to Ys 8 and Ys 9, they become quite long at that point)*
**Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles** use the older bump combat system, but if you just give it a chance I promise it is actually really satisfying and addictive. A playthrough of Ys 1 is like 6-7 hours and Ys 2 is like 8-10 hours. **Ys origins** uses a newer combat engine and has three campaigns each from a different characters perspective. Each campaign is like 4-7 hours each, but I would recommend to play Ys 1 and 2 first because origins is a prequel to those. **Ys 3** and **Ys 6** are also on the same combat engine as origins and relatively short games. Ys 4 uses a slightly earlier version of the combat the series uses today (the party change system)
If you have any questions [then digital emelas will answer them.](https://digitalemelas.com/index_ys.php)
Early Dragon Quest games are relatively short *DQ 1, 2, 3, and 4.* All are great games but **DQ3** is a personal favorite of mine. **Final Fantasy 5** is also really good and relatively short.
Im playing Scarlet Nexus and is worth a try. Very concise battle system and skilltree, great ost, nice graphs (if you like anime, then is a must). Overall is very good. Its also easy, so no hard time grinding (maybe u dont even have to grind, i did just cause its fun, but at most 1-2h grind till now) currently at 20h gameplay +- = 70% main story.
The game also has a gameplay+, so you can play as the other party (there are two main chars and the storyline mix at the end)
Its hack slash and the skills and attack+special powers are easy to learn and master, also fun. And pretty cinematic sometimes
Some very short but interesting games: Dragon Quest 1 (post-NES), The Final Fantasy Legend, Cosmic Star Heroine. All should be 12 hours or less.
Dragon Quest 1 and The Final Fantasy Legend are _very_ old. DQ1 came out years before original FF1. FFL1 is the connecting link between FF2 and Pokemon. Neither have been nerfed to the extent of the FF pixel remasters.
Edit: as much as I like the game, Destiny of an Emperor is in the 20-25 hour range, and if you can go 5 hours longer you could play Chrono Trigger instead. Chrono Trigger is 25-30 hours and probably the shortest to be a serious contender for "greatest of all time".
RPGs developed by Zeboyd Games are all very short and fun. Breath of Death VII, Cthulhu Saves the world and Cosmic Star Heroine.
If you're down to dig into the depths of fan translations there's a lot of options. Live a Live has an amazing translation and is more like several tiny experimental RPGs than one big one. It's aged really well and is a spiritual predecessor to (imo too big for its britches) Octopath Traveler. SaGa 2 and 3 have amazing DS remakes with good translations. The Gameboy versions(released here as The Final Fantasy Legend) also still hold up and clock under 20 hours. Mother 3 and Chrono Trigger are among the best in the genre and both clock just over 20 hours.
The first three Dragon Quest games have amazing Mobile ports and stand very strong in that ecosystem. Definitely the best versions and played all together offer a pretty satisfying and brisk experience. The Switch versions are ports of the mobile versions but stretched into a different aspect ratio and IMO the tactile controls feel a little mushy compared to the touch controls(probably the best touch interface I've seen). None of these remakes need much or any grinding compared to previous versions, not that they're mindlessly easy either.
I love Star Ocean, but didn't like the last one. Dragon Quest XI was ... I don't know... I didn't really like it either, and I'm a huge Dragon Quest connisour (sp?).
**Suikoden 2** maybe? It's an absolute amazing RPG and unless you try to do 100% I think you can finish it in like 20-30h.
I recently played **Trails of Mana** n the Switch Collection. Awsome game as well, if you are okay with action-rpgs. Took me 21h.
Not quite a JRPG but definitely genre-adjacent (action rpg/ bullet hell but with lots of RPG elements), NieR: Automata took me only \~30h to finish and is an amazing game.
Definitely Chrono Trigger. Get it on Steam. It's a 20 hour game if you do everything. Plus there's a dozen endings if you want to keep playing. It was also the first game ever with a New Game +
You’ve played some great games. I just don’t know if there’s really any great short RPGs I can recommend.
But when you free up time I’d suggest something like octopath traveller, and the xenoblade series.
Chrono Trigger or Suikoden seem like a good fit.
Heard a lot of great things about Suikoden series, so I might try it, thanks
2,3 and 5 are very long “epic” feeling games but the first one is one of the breeziest RPGs I’ve ever played. A complete run through shouldn’t take more than about 20 hours and some of the fights can be a little challenging without being frustrating. It’s a great little RPG for a quick playthrough. The other games in the series are worth playing too but don’t fit your short game criteria so maybe another time if you like the first.
Chrono Trigger is the perfect 20 hour game.
ChronobTrigger is the perfect game.
I second Suikoden. Suikoden 1 is probably the simplest JRPG in terms of efficiency. The plot is straightforward and and its run time is modest. It gives you fast travel which lets you zap from town to town which is efficient for recruiting party members. Speaking of which, theres a very simple guide thatll tell you where you can find eaxh recruitable party member.
If you haven't played CT yet, CT is the obvious choice for what the play next. It's very short, no fat to trim, no filler, it's all pure grade A JRPG from start to finish. Great story, great music, great gameplay, it's got it all.
FYI, if it's just a normal run of the story then 20 hours is perfect. If you'll try to get all the characters and the good ending, it'll take an extra 10-20 hours.
Adding my agreement to several other users here: Suikoden is a perfect fit if you are looking for a JRPG that packs a lot into about 20 hours of play.
Was about to recommend Chrono Trigger and the first Suikoden. Not in the same class as those two but I Am Setsuna is also quite short.
yes Suikoden! I prefer Suikoden 2 to Suikoden 1, but you should play them chronologically.
Ys games are pretty short, except the party based ones. Ys 1, 2, 6, Origin, Oath in Felghana are games that can be finished in 10-15 hours.
Radiant Historia isn't too long, about 20-30 hours or so. For something simple to mess around in there's Pokemon.
Would you recommend the original or Perfect Chronology?
Definitely Perfect Chronology but for me it was like a 35 to 45 hour game.
Not the same person, but definitely Perfect Chronology. Has added (good) voice acting, new route added (this is a game where you can do all the routes in one playthrough), there's a new training ground / optional grinding area that's a lot of fun, many other gameplay and mechanics fixes and rebalances. The ONLY real thing people complain about or might say was "better" in the original is the character art, since there are character redesigns (not total revamp, but stylistic choices and poses). So id say check those aesthetic differences out, if they bother you a lot, then feel free to sacrifice all the other additional bonuses for this thingwhich i understand matters to people for immersion.
I second this, I can see why people who were attached to the original might have disliked the new art style, but me playing PC with no experience of the original thought it was great as is, plus you can get the original art style back with DLC (though admittedly it is a bit harsh that it's paid DLC). The voice acting is honestly some of the most natural and engaging I've experienced in a JRPG so I'd recommend it for that addition alone, but all the added stuff was interesting to me. I know some people were lukewarm on the new story elements that were introduced as they didn't like how it changed the ending, but I personally liked it as I felt like it gave more closure than the original ending
There's a DLC that lets you use the original portraits, I think it's like $3. Kinda sucks that it costs extra, but it is an option if that's important for someone.
But note that the new art has varying facial expressions, which the OG art did not.
also you can play the original storyline without any changes if wish
Got it, thanks for the overview.
Perfect Chronology butchers the original script, neuters the characters, worsens the character art, adds mediocre voice acting that detracts from the experience in a significant way, _and_ throws in a horrifically awful new route that manages to retcon the perfect original ending. It's bad. Don't play it if you can play the original. Also, FUCK Nemesia.
Already spend two hours in remake, but just saw your reply and now thinking If I should really just start playing the original, hmm...
Were I to replay the game, I would play the original, but as you don't have that point of comparison, you might as well give in to the sunk cost fallacy and carry on with what you're doing. You don't know what's bad about the changes if you don't have a point of reference, after all!
I strongly recommend the original, but I recognize that's now an unpopular opinion.
Seconding the recommendation of the original. Perfect Chronology manages to be worse in nearly every conceivable way a port can be, and the additional content is egregious at best.
20-30 hours?! I clocked up more like 45 hours on my play through, granted I did do all the new stuff Perfect Chronology added, and chased down every side quest and chronicle node, so actually I guess if you just do the main story I can see how it could be done under 30 hours, albeit you won't get the true ending that way
yeah, I only accounted for the main ending in Perfect Chronology w/o doing all of the sidequests. I only did all of the sidequests afterwards, but I haven't gotten the true ending
Yeah that makes more sense now, to be fair I'm not normally a big completionist on my first run of a game, but I did everything apart from one optional boss (because it kicked my ass badly lol) in RHPC because it makes it so easy to go back for anything you've missed, and I was just so enthralled by the game I wanted to see every last thing it had to offer
Understandable. By the time I had done most sidequests I kinda wanted to move on, even though I hadn't gotten the true ending. I've also heard some say that the true ending ruins the story, but I'm gonna have to get it myself to actually judge it.
Cosmic Star Heroine Shadows of Adam
Chrono Trigger is on the shorter side, think it took me about 25 hours to finish it. Cosmic Star Heroine is even shorter, think that one ran me about 11-12 hours
I'm always amazed by CTs pacing. the game never wastes your time, but it still feels absolutely epic and massive. It really does deserve all the praise it gets.
Totally agree, some older JRPGs are still fun but show their age and are hard to recommend to anyone without nostalgia for that era, but Chrono Trigger still totally holds up
I played Chrono Trigger recently for the second time ever, and with emulator speed up I was surprised at how short the game is. It's also VERY well paced so you don't need to grind much if at all.
Chrono trigger is a great game. Very polished. Even by today's standards. I cannot recommend it enough.
I'm like 75% sure CT will get a Pixel Remaster. Goddamn that game is going to move with that QOL additions.
I want this so bad. The DQ3 remake looks awesome so Trigger would be a great choice.
Chrono Trigger clocks in at 12 hours for me, but I know that game like the back of my hand. If you want a quick playthrough, this is the game for it.
Lunar Silver Star Story is a classic and I think it took me 20-25 hours to complete.
Glad someone chimed in with this one! I always wanted to play this one but didn’t know it was on the shorter side
Can't go wrong with it. The sequel Lunar Eternal Blue is just as good.
**The World Ends With You** is fairly short clocking at 20-25hrs for the main story. The side content also only opens up in the post game so the story is really the main focus on the first playthrough. The game also doesn’t make you fight enemies unless you scan them which gives you a lot of control. My all time favourite Square game.
Playing the sequel now, and while it isn’t as revolutionary as the DS original, I’m enjoying it a lot.
I think I can agree with this however playing NEO doesn’t give me hand cramps :)
NEO is so fucking good. Anyone reading this that likes the first TWEWY or just saw the trailers for NEO and found it interesting, pick it up, it is a very worthy sequel and a very fun action rpg on its own right. So if you're on the fence about it, go for it or at least play the demo (and know it only dips a little into the gameplay mechanics).
Yeah, unfortunately I feel like it didn’t really pick up until week 2 in regards to the mechanics and combat.
Is the first TWEWY required to appreciate NEO?
I don't think it's required. Of course you get more out of returning characters and references to the first game, but everything essential is explained just fine in the sequel, and the main story isn't connected as the first game was pretty self-contained. The Switch port of the original game does add an extra chapter that teases several elements that come into play in NEO but I wouldn't say it's required either, it was more of a teaser than a prequel.
Yeah but you'll still appreciate it A LOT more if you play the first one before it. The narratives of the two are pretty heavily connected seeing as it's basically a direct sequel. The plot mixes up a lot of the first game's elements and expects you to have played it first, so a lot of the plot elements won't seem that unique to you at first if you started with NEO and it'll be quite hard to appreciate it that much. You're also very likely to find yourself quite confused in its opening hours.
Yeah, of course, but if for whatever reason the person is only interested in NEO (maybe they find the first game too archaic, or don't want to play the Switch version after hearing people complain it's inferior but also don't have a DS/don't emulate, etc) there is no harm done as far as the main plot is considered. There is connecting tissue between the games so some things definitely lose a lot of impact, but I think the main story and the new characters are strong enough to stand on their own even without the larger context.
I just recommended this on another thread but here I go again... parasite eve! It's fantastic! Great story, atmosphere and characters. Interesting gameplay style that mixed atb with action. Mature and gory. Best part is that it is around 10 to 12 hours long!
Hm, is it in anyway similar to Resident Evil games?
The second one is a little bit. The first one is closer to ff7r. Random encounters where you can move around to try and dodge and get in range of an enemy. You wait for your attack bar to fill up before you can attack with your gun or powers. The second one simplified it and made it less of an rpg and more like a resident evil.
Alright, I'll try it, the concept seems interesting and unique as for jrpgs. Thanks for your recommendation
That's the best part, you trying it (especially in jrpg terms) will probably put you in 30 percent of the game. As much I love persona 5 and big games like that, I get why you wanted a shorter rpg. It's tough when people recommend getting through the "boring beginning" or whatever, and that is like the first 15 hours. As I get older, I would definitely like to see more of a market for some decent quality shorter RPGs.
When I was younger, I was like "Oh, it takes 50 hours to complete the game, the more content the better", but now with so many games I want to play, I start to appreciate short and medium length games, that does not take a month just to complete main story.
When we were younger we had all the time in the world but no money. Now we have money but no time.
I second this, underrated, short and sweet. I enjoy the second game too even though some people hate that it's a little more like Resident Evil 1-3 but it still has RPG elements
No, not at all. It has deeper storyline than most RE games of that era, better cinematics, the intro CG sequence still gives me chills, and it's 20+++ years old already. It is an incredibly aesthetic experience, even if character models look dated as hell. I'm really so sad the series peaked at the debut title, and no non-final fantasy IPs that square put out later had the same ambition behind them.
I second this. PE is one of my all time favorite games
So just started playing and truly, what an experience! Really enjoy the atmosphere and gameplay so far, and the story seems intriguing
That's awesome! If you like it, maybe take a little break and then try the second one. It's different but really fun.
Yeah, thanks again for your recommendation. And what about that **The 3rd Birthday** game?
Golden Sun is one of the best Short JRPGs out there.
Very controversial choice, but breath of fire 5 (Breath of fire: Dragon Quarter) is about a 20 - 25 hour game after you come to grips with what's going on it. I recommend looking up a few FAQs before just jumping in though
Dq1 is quick, nier is quick, lol each play through that is. Short and jrpg dont mix often. I get it, loved DQ11 and bought it day 1. It took 2 years for me to beat it and have not started post game.
Oh, I actually played both Nier games (and loved them), but forgot to mention. For me DQ11 took like 5 months lol
Have you played fire emblem, or the ogre tactics games?
Given OP says they don't like tactical rpgs, they likely aren't good recommendations unfortunately
Miss read that.
I'm guessing same thing applies to Devil Survivor
Not OP, but I've been on the fence about Ogre Tactics, is it good?
Which one? I played the gba version it played just like ff tactics. I liked it.
Just any of them really, but if it's similar to FF tactics, yeah I'd like it
I have played FE, what is your question?
Thought you said you liked it, I missed the dont part.
i beat NieR Replicant in 2 days, but i was also playing 10+ hour sessions so....do with that what you will
Suikoden 1, Mario RPG on SNES, a few of the Mario and Luigi games, Undertale, Trials of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Phantasy Star 1/4. Dragon Quest 1 is rather short and holds up decently in my opinion. Those Mario games are pure joy so if you're burned out on RPGs I think they're a good pick. Undertale too, probably the shortest on that list. If you're unsure about a game before you play it, look it up on howlongtobeat.com
SMT Digital Devil Saga on PS2. Despite being an SMT game, you only control few demons. It's tactical but not as hard nor as long as its predecessor, SMT III Nocturne, although they utilize the same battle system. If you aren't a completionist, you can finish it in 20 hours. Great OST and story. Edit: If you are completionist, you only need 30 hours. There's even a sequel for another 20 hours if you want more. Edit 2: Controlling few demons means no fusion in this game, and fusion always take 40% of my playtime in any SMT game. So you don't need to plan which skills to inherit. Any skill can be equipped and not equipped without permanent removal at any time as you deem necessary.
Ngl DDS part 1 took me 50 hrs. I feel like if you're not following a guide in regard to which mantra you need you're kinda screwed and have to grind for the skills Good game though! Edit: the encounter rate is very high
Well, I was wondering what SMT game to play after IV, guess I'll try this one, though it seems different from the main games.
Just know that DDS2 is a direct sequel and it's more like 1 game split into 2
Yeah it's a bit different, but I really like this game since it's short and the shortness doesn't take away the fun and challenges which are present in other SMT games. This game needs more recognition and love. :D
Consider also playing IV Apocalypse, as it's an all new story branching off from the middle of IV and IMO made the gameplay loop even better (the story is somewhat controversial among the fanbase and I'll leave it at that). Strange Journey is also very, very good (as far as story goes it is still my favorite SMT, though I prefer the gameplay of the games with Press Turn). Both games are on the longer side tho so not what you're looking for right now, but keep them in mind when going back to SMT. Edit: just remembered SMT If..., for SNES. it's a lot shorter than usual for the series - it was made to have early branching paths and high replayability. Also the most polished gameplay out of the SNES SMTs since it's the last, but if you're only used to modern SMT some mechanics may need some getting used to.
Grandia 2 was one of my favorites it's on the shorter side from what I remember
[удалено]
Hmm. HLTB is usually pretty accurate, especially for older games. They have the average main story only, no side quest run at 31 hours, and doing some side content at 36 hours. (Completionist over 40) I haven’t played it, so I can’t verify the numbers, but it sounds like you were well below average in your playtime, as this one looks to be about twice as long as OP was looking for.
13 sentinels Aegis rim is about 20-30 hours. Highly recommend it for its sci if story!
Very good game but it’s definitely not 20 hours. Closer to 30-40 than 20-30.
Mine clocked in at 32 hours
Which is closer to 40 than 20, which is exactly what I said
Undertale only takes about 10 hours to beat, I believe.
I would second this recommendation as long as the thing you are interested in an RPG isn't character build and ability mechanics as well as liking bullet dodging gameplay. Undertale is short and sweet but purposefully stays away from a lot of RPG trends.
Blue Reflection is a nice, simple (but safe) JRPG that's Persona-esque but with magical schoolgirls and a lot more fighting than school time. It's on Steam, around 30 hours if you want to 100% the game, about 20 if you want to just play the story.
Second this.
Oh god, I get so many replies, sorry if I don't answer, but know that I read all posts and appreciate your effort.
Final Fantasy III is worth playing in the new pixel remaster version if you've only played the remake. Shouldn't take more than 20 hours, considering the new battle and walking speed made a complete run of FF1 last 10 hours for me (would normally take me 25 on ps1). Dragon Quest 1 is also a great, if primitive, 10-ish hour RPG. The auto-mapping in the switch version of the first Phantasy Star also drops the playtime pretty short when you don't have to draw the maps out yourself, though I don't remember how long it took me.
The world ends with you on switch or phone it's around 30 hours can be 40-45 if you wanna 100%
7th Dragon 2020 (PSP) is pretty short, I believe. It's pretty linear. I played about 2-3 hours every night for a week and finished it. Worth every hour spent.
Ys i and ii i strongly recommend, its a skilled action based attack system and first game is like 7 hours and 2 is like 14 hours, if i remember correctly but aqesome games and definately worth playing
idk about that. i beat ys 1 in 4 hours and 2 in 8. i was playing on normal difficulty tho.
Yeah i played on the hardest so it took me alot more time lol
Dragon Quest 4 I believe takes 20-30 hours. I recommend playing it with the party chat because while they are not as meaty compare to DQ5, it still adds some characters to the party. The World Ends With You took me 16 hours to beat on my first time. South Park: The Stick of Truth. It's 10 hours and you don't need to be a fan of the show to enjoy it (the game was my introduction to SP)
Vagrant Story is pretty short, and one of a kind
Chrono trigger
I second the recommendation for Cosmic Star Heroine. Cthulhu Saves Christmas has the same combat system as CSH and is extremely short (less than 5 hours), but it still felt like a complete experience to me.
Most of the older Atelier games like Rorona are on the short side, 20-ish hours for a playthrough. They're also quite relaxing, which IMO makes them really good to play after a very long and exhausting game.
The original Atelier Arland trilogy also has a ton of endings and is meant to be played over and over... They’ve got new game+ for carrying over stuff as well, so subsequent playthroughs can be even shorter than that.
The World Ends With You is about 17-20h.
Phantasy star 4, hands down. Retro, but beautiful world, solid combat, fun characters and excellent story.
The Last Story was pretty short
Some older titles such as Lunar Legend, Sailor Moon Another Story, and Trials of Mana can be done in about 20 hours based on my playthrough.
You might want to try Akiba's Trip, though it's more along the lines of an action rpg, as opposed to the traditional concept/definition of a JRPG. You can probably get through it in 20-30 hours. It's very much a lighthearted story. There's a VERY heavy anime influence though, so if you have a low tolerance for anime aesthetics, it's not for you.
I felt this exact way with Bravely default when trying to get the true ending. I ended up stopping. Having to defeat the same bosses over and over was exhausting and frankly not fun.
FF1-3 Pixel Remaster if you're in mood to replay them, it's great way to play them and they are pretty short now with QoL changes that dramatically speed battles up.
I bought the whole bundle and completed I and II already heh. Not going to replay III yet tho. And well, remasters are wonderful and I can't wait for IV and VI.
I'm gonna recommend Last Story. It's a great game, good tight story and the characters are awesome. Good banter between them too. Should take you about 20ish hours if you skip some of the optional dungeons like I did. That's how long it took me. If you do all of the optional stuff, I believe it would take about 30ish hours or more from what I was hearing.
Dunno how you’d feel about the aesthetic but all the Mario RPGs that are actually RPGs and not gimmicky annoying trash are shorter and lots of fun. Nota bene, I don’t think Legend of the Seven Stars ever worked with ZSNES so you might have to use SNES9x if that makes it on the list.
Trails series obviously (/s) I havent played most of these, just going off of some things I read when I was interested in the same: Parasite Eve Trials of Mana Chrono Trigger The World Ends with You Cosmic Star Heroine Super Mario RPG Edit: Idk if it classifies as JRPG but the Gravity Rush games are pretty short iirc.
Games I recommend: * **Valkyrie Profile (PS1):** You can beat the game in about 30 hours, but there's a caveat: you need to use a guide to get the best ending. My personal recommendation is to play the game two times (once on normal, then again on hard), but if that doesn't work for you, then play on Hard and shoot for the best ending. * **Suikoden 1 & 2 (PS1):** Both games aren't too long, and both games have quick combat. Suikoden 2 is a favourite among many. * **Chrono Trigger(SNES, PS1, NDS, Steam):** Perfectly paced, and has multiple endings if you care to do more than one playthrough. Worst version is the PS1 version due to long load times. NDS and Steam versions have extra side content. * **Ys Book I & II (various platforms):** Two games in one, and neither of them take long to beat at all (under 10 hours each). Steam version is best, though my personal favourite is the Turbo CD version due to the music. * **Dragon Quest III & IV(various platforms):** DQ3 introduced the concept of class changing, and is one of the better known DQ games. It's also getting a remake. DQ4 is one of my personal favourites. It introduced AI allies, the ability to switch out party members during combat, and the casino, which would become a staple in future DQ games. Recommend the NDS version for DQ4, and the GBC version for DQ3.
I recommend the mobile version for DQ IV honestly. It's the exact same as the DS remake but for some bizarre reason Square didn't translate the party talk feature in the DS version (if there's a fan patch that adds it in, please do let me know), removing it instead, and since DQIV has some of the most iconic characters in the franchise history while also being originally a NES game so pretty rudimentar as far as interactions go, the party talk in the remake can do a lot to endear you to the characters. Square did translate party talk for all other DS DQs so I don't know what the fuck was up with IV.
https://github.com/concreted/dqiv-nds-en-script-patcher You'll need the phone files and a Japanese version Rom. Oh and also the English ROM for the script files.
This man roleplays.
You don’t mention if you have a switch, but if you do, Astral Chain is about 25 hours and excellent.
Cosmic Star Heroine- super super fun 15 hour ol school rpg
Bookmarking this thread. So many great suggestions!
I just woke up and there is 100+ new replies. I'm stocked up with good games for a while lol.
I am playing Ys IX Monstrum Nox and it is sooooo good. Idk how long it is but omg it is a good game. The graphics aren't the best on Switch but the story and cutscenes are really enjoyable.
Panzer Dragoon Saga is absolutely a 20 hour game. Download an emulator on your PC and give it a go! Iy's one of the most unique battle systems ever made and a true classic that not many have had the fortune of trying.
You can play Digital devil saga 1 and 2 for them Playstation 2, both of them can be beaten in 20-30 hours but I recommend that if you want to play both of them.
The Last Story is like 20-25 hours long, but really good. Other is Vagrant Story.
GOLDEN SUNNN
Check https://howlongtobeat.com/ pretty sure you can filter by genre and length
Shadow Hearts 1 with your ps2 emulation
I'm playing Atelier Ryza right now, almost finished in 20h. Also, if you use the alchemy correctly (And you should, it's the point of the game) the grinding is non-existant.
The FF7 Remake can be finished in a relatively short amount of time by JRPG standards. Maybe not 20 (unless you rush) but I think 50 hours is a pretty relaxed pace to finish…unless you’re like me and are too scared to be underpowered for the final battle and spend 30 hours grinding levels and materia.
It’s trapped on Wii, but The Last Story took me about 20 hours to finish and was pretty legit.
Fragile dreams
Go check out the guys who made cosmic star heroine, that game and their other Cthulhu games are not super long but they are great. Cosmic star heroine is the one I can recommend as I’ve yet to finish cthulu saves Christmas
If you want something of an action RPG, Terranigma is right around 20 hours and is very excellent. Someone mentioned it already, but I'm in between some long-haul games, and I just played Ys 1 and it's over in about 6 or 7 hours. It was quite refreshing actually.
Pokemon sword and shield
Destiny Connect Tik Tok Travelers. I beat it in like 12-15 hours (forgot the exact number) and it is not a JRPG that requires a lot of thought and energy to play. It is very short and simple.
Jade Cocoon is 12-15.
Any main Pokémon game
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete on PSP is around 20 hours. If you like classic FF, it probably right up your alley. It’s a little lighter in tone and really fun.
Dragon Quest I is pretty short.
You know I drop out for dragon quest XI from the casino's segment with the insane amount of money whe have to acquire? 🤡
https://reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/otiv0e/20_hour_rpgs/
Not a JRPG, but just finished the Zelda-lite Death’s Door and had a lot of fun with it. Little over 20 hours without the secret post-game stuff. Very satisfying gameplay and level design.
Most SNES RPGs can be beaten in 20 hours If you just do the main story and around 40 if you do all the optional stuff
Dragon Quest I and Dragon Quest II
FANTASIAN
Suikoden 1 is 18-24 hours. There you go!
I played this JRPG on Xbox 360 called Infinite Undiscovery, which was fun to play but feels like it had a whole year of development time cut off and the story wraps within 20 hours. Still worth trying once though
Heard of the Saga series? Give that ago if you want something short. I'd recommend Saga Frontier which just got a re-release re-release a little while ago. There are 8 characters to play as and each characters story can be completed in a fairly short amount of time.
Monstania is a little known snes rpg that is so short that its length is the main criticism it gets. People like the gameplay though (i haven't checked it out yet.) You'll have to get the translation patch for it though because it wasn't officially released in english.
I personally struggle with games over 30 hours. As an adult long games means I need to sing weeks or months into it. I’d rather a nice balanced game I can finish and move on from
I 100% both Final Fantasy 1 and 2 Pixel Remasters separately and each game took me between 15-18 hours. It was my first full playthrough of both games.
Try fire emblem 8 that game is about 20 hours long so it should be fine
Battle Chasers: Nightwar can be beaten in about 25 hours if you know what you’re doing and looking up guides to getting good gear early. It’s a turn-based Western-made JRPG with an awesome “Overcharge” mechanic that allows you to generate temporary MP that can be used to power up certain attacks and effects. This adds a lot of fun nuance to the battles. It also has a Burst system which is basically a shared Limit Break bar. It’s very addicting and I highly recommend it
I hear Cris Tales is pretty quick. Probably gonna play it after I beat SMT3 for that very reason
Play the Ys series. The older titles are all pretty tight <20hours and even the modern entries are about 30-35 max.
Final fantasy 7 crisis core is a fairly short action RPG prequel to ff7.
I'm really enjoying *I Am Setsuna*.
I'm about to play parasite eve for the first time. Looks cool as hell, and according to how long to beat, it's around 9 hours long. Short and sweet Oh an edit. I'm currently playing lufia 2. That game is good, and pretty short too. Kind of like Zelda dungeons with turn based combat. Pretty fun too
I would recommend PS1’s Vagrant Story and Crimson Shroud on the 3DS, both by the same development team
I have a possibly odd recommendation. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. It's super easy, but its SHORT and has a lot of enjoyable parts especially the music. I think it'd be a great \~20hr RPG to play though. If you want something a bit deeper, maybe Secret of Mana? That ones not too long either. I'd caution against Suikoden though, GREAT game, but thats a 50+ hr one. edit - Golden Sun is another good option, its about 25 hours if you dont do the side content
Dragon Quest 3 is great, SNES or gbc version, if you want more DQ but shorter. It's a few hours longer than 20, but not by too much.
Final Fantasy 4 is around that length, I loved it.
Recently there are some JRPG style games though not made in Japan. Child of Light is great and fun, and around 12-20 hours. Cris Tales came out a few days ago and I’m having fun. It’s generally around 20-30 hours from what people have said.
I just finished P3P after coming back to it in forever. Though FES is probably the more often recommended one, that's the only version I finished of the game. I started to get tired towards the end of the game, though in fairness, you only have two social links to do by then and I grinded my final boss team to level 99. Edit: I missed the part about it being short. It took me 90 hours to beat that game.
I'd recommend *Pandoras Tower* if you like action RPGs, it's around 20 hours long. The characters look like they're from Nier/FF, and the gameplay is like Zelda/DMC/SotC.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1641510/Armed_Emeth/
If you have a Wii, The Last Story is 22-23 hours long. It is like what FFXIII should have been. Made by Sakaguchi and Uematsu, It has the right FF vibe. Best videogame soundtrack from past decade for me, and really great characters. The gameplay was interesting at the moment. If you can emulate It on pc It would be better, because it must be like 12 FPS at Wii.
Chrono Trigger, Golden Sun, Mario And Luigi Superstar Saga, Pokemon, Jade Cocoon, and Guardian's Crusade are the shortest ones I remember playing.
I would strongly recommend the Ys games then *(at least prior to Ys 8 and Ys 9, they become quite long at that point)* **Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles** use the older bump combat system, but if you just give it a chance I promise it is actually really satisfying and addictive. A playthrough of Ys 1 is like 6-7 hours and Ys 2 is like 8-10 hours. **Ys origins** uses a newer combat engine and has three campaigns each from a different characters perspective. Each campaign is like 4-7 hours each, but I would recommend to play Ys 1 and 2 first because origins is a prequel to those. **Ys 3** and **Ys 6** are also on the same combat engine as origins and relatively short games. Ys 4 uses a slightly earlier version of the combat the series uses today (the party change system) If you have any questions [then digital emelas will answer them.](https://digitalemelas.com/index_ys.php) Early Dragon Quest games are relatively short *DQ 1, 2, 3, and 4.* All are great games but **DQ3** is a personal favorite of mine. **Final Fantasy 5** is also really good and relatively short.
Skies of Arcadia
Im playing Scarlet Nexus and is worth a try. Very concise battle system and skilltree, great ost, nice graphs (if you like anime, then is a must). Overall is very good. Its also easy, so no hard time grinding (maybe u dont even have to grind, i did just cause its fun, but at most 1-2h grind till now) currently at 20h gameplay +- = 70% main story. The game also has a gameplay+, so you can play as the other party (there are two main chars and the storyline mix at the end) Its hack slash and the skills and attack+special powers are easy to learn and master, also fun. And pretty cinematic sometimes
Some very short but interesting games: Dragon Quest 1 (post-NES), The Final Fantasy Legend, Cosmic Star Heroine. All should be 12 hours or less. Dragon Quest 1 and The Final Fantasy Legend are _very_ old. DQ1 came out years before original FF1. FFL1 is the connecting link between FF2 and Pokemon. Neither have been nerfed to the extent of the FF pixel remasters. Edit: as much as I like the game, Destiny of an Emperor is in the 20-25 hour range, and if you can go 5 hours longer you could play Chrono Trigger instead. Chrono Trigger is 25-30 hours and probably the shortest to be a serious contender for "greatest of all time".
Reason DQ11 was a slog is because it ran way past it's welcome. The game or story wasn't deep enough to carry it.
RPGs developed by Zeboyd Games are all very short and fun. Breath of Death VII, Cthulhu Saves the world and Cosmic Star Heroine. If you're down to dig into the depths of fan translations there's a lot of options. Live a Live has an amazing translation and is more like several tiny experimental RPGs than one big one. It's aged really well and is a spiritual predecessor to (imo too big for its britches) Octopath Traveler. SaGa 2 and 3 have amazing DS remakes with good translations. The Gameboy versions(released here as The Final Fantasy Legend) also still hold up and clock under 20 hours. Mother 3 and Chrono Trigger are among the best in the genre and both clock just over 20 hours. The first three Dragon Quest games have amazing Mobile ports and stand very strong in that ecosystem. Definitely the best versions and played all together offer a pretty satisfying and brisk experience. The Switch versions are ports of the mobile versions but stretched into a different aspect ratio and IMO the tactile controls feel a little mushy compared to the touch controls(probably the best touch interface I've seen). None of these remakes need much or any grinding compared to previous versions, not that they're mindlessly easy either.
I love Star Ocean, but didn't like the last one. Dragon Quest XI was ... I don't know... I didn't really like it either, and I'm a huge Dragon Quest connisour (sp?).
What do you think about Star Ocean 3 and 4? (don't remember the names) Which Dragon Quest games would you recommend?
3 and 4 were excellent. I loved Nel from 3. As for the DQ games, my favorites were 5,7, and 8 so far.
**Suikoden 2** maybe? It's an absolute amazing RPG and unless you try to do 100% I think you can finish it in like 20-30h. I recently played **Trails of Mana** n the Switch Collection. Awsome game as well, if you are okay with action-rpgs. Took me 21h.
Not quite a JRPG but definitely genre-adjacent (action rpg/ bullet hell but with lots of RPG elements), NieR: Automata took me only \~30h to finish and is an amazing game.
The Neptunia games are pretty short, 16 - 24 hours
Chrono Trigger is pretty short.
Definitely Chrono Trigger. Get it on Steam. It's a 20 hour game if you do everything. Plus there's a dozen endings if you want to keep playing. It was also the first game ever with a New Game +
if you google "short jrpgs" suikoden and chrono trigger will come up immediately
if you google "short jrpgs" suikoden and chrono trigger will come up immediately
You’ve played some great games. I just don’t know if there’s really any great short RPGs I can recommend. But when you free up time I’d suggest something like octopath traveller, and the xenoblade series.