Xbox 360 RPGs were mostly limited to Western-style RPGs like the Mass Effect series. While these made up the most popular RPGs on the console, the Xbox 360 still had many great JRPGs to play that often went overlooked. These are some of the most unique games on the console, so it’s a shame that they went as underappreciated as they did.
Tales Goes HD with Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia is part of the long-running Tales franchise, and Vesperia is one of its best entries and one of the best Xbox 360 RPGs. Vesperia depicts a fantasy world where ancient artifacts known as Blastia are used to create magic that people use in their everyday lives. When a thief steals an Aqua Blastia Core from the lower-class quarters of the kingdom’s capital, the protagonist Yuri Lowell sets out to catch the thief so that the people can once again have water. This quest eventually leads Yuri to uncover many conspiracies, from the corruption in the government to the true nature and negative effects of humanity’s reliance on Blastia.
Yuri is an extremely popular protagonist among fans, even being banned from official popularity polls for winning them too often. His rebellious, laid-back, and somewhat cocky attitude makes him a joy to watch throughout the game. This personality also suits the game’s battle system, which is action-focused and combo-heavy. Those who enjoy styling on their enemies in games like Devil May Cry will likely find a lot to enjoy here. In the original Xbox 360 version of the game, a total of seven playable characters join the party, they all are unique and fun to play as. The HD Remaster on modern platforms adds two more characters and is likely the most accessible version of the game.
Breath of Death VII Pays Tribute
The cheekily named Breath of Death VII: The Beginning is not only among the most fun Xbox 360 RPGs but also is a big homage to past RPGs. Originally on the Xbox Indie Store, Zeboyd Digital Entertainment’s first game is a love letter to everything that inspired them. Despite the game taking place in a post-apocalyptic setting where humans have been replaced with the undead, the game’s presentation makes it feel like it’s straight out of a classic Dragon Quest fantasy setting. Breath of Death is constantly cracking jokes about RPG tropes, and this lighthearted tone makes it a joy to play from beginning to end.
Breath of Death VII’s turn-based combat makes for a very fun time. It uses a combo system where attacks become powered up based on how many hits the team lands. While the random encounter rate may be a bit offputting at first, the game provides an interesting solution: Each area only has a limited number of encounters, and the player can trigger an encounter intentionally from the menu whenever they want. It is surprisingly satisfying to clear out an area of enemies entirely. There are some clunky things about this Indie RPG, but it has established itself as a classic with its fun gameplay and goofy tone and its Steam release ensures that it is still easy to play.
Blue Dragon Set the Standard for Xbox 360 RPGs
It is surprising how overlooked Blue Dragon is, given its pedigree. With the writing by the original creator of Final Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi, music by Final Fantasy’s composer, Nobuo Uematsu, and character designs by the legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama, this game has incredible talent on display. With beautifully rendered cutscenes, the plot follows a boy named Shu and his journey to defeat the evil Nene, who delights in ruining the lives of humans across the globe. Shu and his friends obtain powers known as Shadows- Literally transforming their shadows into mythical creatures to fight for them (Shu’s being the titular Blue Dragon).
Of Xbox 360 RPGs, Blue Dragon stands out. Its cartoony art style still holds up incredibly well, but it shouldn’t be mistaken for a children’s game because of it. The story is a tale of the fight between good and evil, but it has more nuance in how it portrays those events. Subjects like suicide and the use of soldiers as disposable tools add a darker edge to the game that can tug at the player’s heartstrings. It presents a rich world with a huge amount of hidden lore to uncover and dissect. Blue Dragon is a fantastic game for anyone looking to play Xbox 360 RPGs- But unfortunately, it has not seen any re-releases on modern hardware.
Xbox 360 RPGs are Overlooked but Great
The Xbox 360 may not have had as many Japanese-style RPGs as its competitors did, but the ones it did have were incredible works of art. The fact that so many of them have received newer releases is great for those looking to pick up where they left off. Hopefully, the ones still only on Xbox 360 will see re-releases soon. Until then, busting out Microsoft’s second home console is still an option to play these great Xbox 360 RPGs.
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