Games like Final Fantasy are a fantastic way to pass the time, especially while we wait for Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth. What you'll find below are some of the best RPGs and best JRPGs around, across a variety of platforms. The result is a list of 10 excellent games like Final Fantasy that you'll have a great time with, ranging from retro classics to modern masterpieces. And if none of these pique your interest, maybe you should take a look at our ranking of the best Final Fantasy games and pick something to play out of there.
Chrono Trigger
Developer: Square
Platform(s): PC, iOS, SNES
Players love Final Fantasy for the sprawling stories the franchise tells and the memorable characters and music. If you want a game that’s like Final Fantasy for all these reasons but better, you need to play Chrono Trigger. No surprise, since Chrono Trigger combines the talents of Final Fantasy creator Hinorobu Sakaguchi and Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii (more on that one later). Frequently named one of the best video games of all time, the idea of offering a time travel storyline and thus multiple endings was revolutionary for 1995, combined with the now well-known JRPG themes like friendship and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds that make Final Fantasy so epic.
Kingdom Hearts 3
Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
As collaboration between Disney and Square Enix, combining Final Fantasy aesthetics and characters with various Disney franchises, Kingdom Hearts 3 can’t be forgotten on this list. While the action combat is its very own thing, you can recognise elements of Final Fantasy characters in protagonist Sora and his friends. That’s because they share a designer in Tetsuya Normura. Some Final Fantasy characters even have cameos in the Kingdom Hearts series. What really makes Kingdom Hearts 3 into something similar to Final Fantasy however, is the story. Some may say that’s because it makes no sense at all, others just get the same feeling from it – Sora is fiercely protective of his friends and would literally go to the edge of the universe to not only save them, but all of existence from darkness. And if you want more from this series, Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development!
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
If you play a Dragon Quest, make it the best one. Dragon Quest 11 is in many ways part of the era that Final Fantasy has mostly left behind by now – turn-based combat, bright colours and a slightly medieval feel to its art and story, featuring knights of legend, and a war between countries in each instalment of the long-running franchise. If you’re looking into something you can sink over 80 hours into in the way you did in Final Fantasy, surrounding yourself with a large cast of lovable characters and going on a quest to save a colourful world, you get all of that here (but funnier).
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Developer: Namco Tales Studio
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox One
Final Fantasy tends to run on surly player characters. (Let’s forget about Vahn and Tidus. Please.) They’re the kind of people who pretend to not care for a very long time, but who still eventually become the unwilling hero of the people. Vesperia’s Yuri Lowell is such a guy, a dry-witted grump with a big heart. You’ll love following him around the world of Terca Lumireis, and once you’re done there are many other Tales games with their very own story to discover. In another similarity to Final Fantasy, each Tales entry tries something new with the franchise, to varying degrees of success.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Developer: Monolith Soft
Platform(s): Switch
If you enjoy open-world style JRPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles does that admittedly even better than late adopter Final Fantasy 15, as the world of Alrest is simply a treat to explore. Fear not, you don’t have to have played the first Xenoblade Chronicles to start with this one, and should you want to, a remaster of the original Wii U game will land this year. Xenoblade Chronicles is another one of those JRPGs with an epic story that’s at times equal parts impressive and just that bit too much. It features the classic villain hellbent on destroying the world, but of course the game is actually way more intricate than that.
Lost Odyssey
Developer: Mistwalker
Platform(s): Xbox 360
After leaving Square Enix, Final fantasy creator Hinorobu Sakaguchi formed his own company called Mistwalker to be able to try new things. This one is Mistwalker at its best, but arguably most traditional – using a turn-based battle system, emulating the cool, grown-up look of characters from Final Fantasy games like 8 and 10, and a setting combining the medieval with the first inklings of technological advance. The story is equally as heart-warming as Final fantasy often is, but overall less convoluted. If you can find it, it's one of the best Xbox 360 games ever.
Secret of Mana
Developer: Square
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Switch
The Mana series is another of Square’s early franchises that made it synonymous with great RPGs. The story of Secret of Mana remains immensely engaging, the music is lovely, the world is large, and it's just one of the best games of its kind. Just do yourself a favour and play the original (available on Nintendo Switch) as part of the Secret of Mana collection rather than the 2018 remaster which you can get on PC and PS4. Don't sleep on this one, as it's arguably one of the best games of all time.
I Am Setsuna
Developer: Tokyo RPG Factory
Platform(s): PS4, PC, Switch
I am Setsuna was developed by Tokyo RPG Factory specifically to bring back the feeling of those early influential Square Enix titles. Specifically, Setsuna uses the oft-seen Active Time Battle (ATB) system, tells an earnest story and gradually introduces you to the party of characters who aid you on your journey. This is a top choice for those looking for games like Final Fantasy.
The Last Remnant
Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Switch
This is Final Fantasy with large-scale battles where you control unions. This features one of the few worlds that features a similar variety of races, as well as the mix of European and Asian influences as Final Fantasy. Developed by Final Fantasy alumni, right down to the soundtrack, this game would’ve done much better if it didn’t look so drab. With the remastered version out since 2018, this is the best time to give it a try.
Resonance of Fate
Developer: tri-Ace
Platform(s): PC, PS4
Games like Final Fantasy don't have to feature turn-based combat. If you’re looking for variety and, let’s be honest, a challenge, try Resonance of Fate’s ‘acrobatic gun-based combat’. Apart from that this game features a small but lovable group of protagonists who are just a s stylish as your Final Fantasy favourites. The story is as over the top as the combat, which is likely why this is more of a hidden gem.
