8 The best JRPG balancing combat and puzzle mechanics

Key things

• The JRPG features amazing game mechanics and likable characters
• The best JRPGs naturally balance combat and puzzle mechanics
• Some classic JRPGs like Persona 5 Royal provide exciting experiences

The JRPG the genre is one of the most popular in the gaming community, as it offers wonderful plots, amazing game mechanics, and likable characters with interesting stories. JRPGs usually have different action sequences, classes, jobs, and abilities that players can explore to get the best experience possible.

JRPGs have been around since the early days of gaming and are still going strong with many amazing titles released on the Nintendo Switch. While some choose to stick with one game mechanic or the other, there are others who choose to combine puzzles and combat to make the gaming experience very interesting. Here are some of the the best JRPG that balances combat and puzzle mechanics.

8 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky

A great title that still holds up well today

• A great combination of puzzles and combat
• Two siblings train together to become warriors

The story of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel focuses on Estelle and Joshua Bright as they train to become combat specialists known as bracers for the Kingdom of Liberl. When their father disappears, they have to go on a journey through five different regions and their adventure begins.

While not as well received as other titles on this list, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel it still offers a very interesting experience that combines puzzles and combat, making it a classic JRPG that many players still love.

7 Etrian Odyssey Nexus

Lots of mysteries to discover in Lemuria

• Explorers from all over the world are called to discover the mysteries of Lemuria
• This was the last one Etrian franchise title released for the 3DS

Etrian Odyssey Nexus has a very interesting premise revolving around a princess of Lemuria who gathers the best explorers in the realm to discover the kingdom's many mysteries. In search of valuable treasures, fame and a name for themselves, these explorers will face all the dangers they encounter and try their best to overcome them.

Like other JRPGs, this title manages to successfully combine combat and puzzle mechanics very naturally, offering an experience that never feels forced. Etrian Odyssey Nexus was the last game in his franchise to come out on the 3DS, and many gamers agree that it went out with a bang.

6 Alundra

A young boy's noble purpose to help people

• Many similarities with The Legend of Zelda
• Alundra can enter people's dreams and defeat their nightmares

Alundra is a timeless PS1 classic that gamers who were around when the console was popular will likely remember quite fondly. It shares many similarities with The Legend of Zelda,

Alundra follows the story of the same young man. Able to enter people's minds and see their dreams, he nobly tries to help them defeat their nightmares and restore inner peace to their psyches.

The combat mechanics of this title are a bit limited compared to more modern alternatives, but it still manages to provide a great experience that balances combat and puzzles.

5 Stories of the symphony

Heroic Quest to Save Sylvarant

• Players are tasked with saving the world
• Some players find the puzzles tedious

Set in the dying world of Sylvarant, Stories of the symphony presents players with an interesting premise that comes in combination with a great gaming experience. With Sylvarant running low on mana (the energy source needed to sustain life and magic), players will be tasked with embarking on a perilous journey to regenerate the world.

While this title doesn't fit the classic city defense premise that many JRPGs use, the stakes are arguably higher because the world and life in it is at stake. Some gamers love puzzles Stories of the symphony and others find them a bit boring. Whatever the case, the balance between puzzles and combat is almost always perfect.

4 Final Fantasy 10

One of the best Final Fantasy titles to date

• Sports superstar Tidus is swept into another world
• The Cloister of Trials tests players and forces them to figure things out

The story of Final Fantasy 10 follows Tidus, a sports superstar from Zanarkand who is swept into another world where he meets Summoner Yuna. Their joint task will be to save the world of Spiru from a mysterious threat known only as Sin. This title is considered by many to be one of the best parts of this franchise, offering a thrilling experience full of adrenaline moments and likable characters.

The closest Final Fantasy 10 comes to delivering puzzles in the truest sense of the word is the Monastery of Trials, which puts players to the test and tasks them with figuring out how to proceed through them.

3 Chrono Trigger

An exciting trip into history

• The game covers different time periods
• Seven playable characters

Set on a fictional version of Earth, Chrono Trigger presents players with a story that includes several time jumps, different historical periods, and most importantly, an exciting gaming experience. The game ranges from 65,000,000 BC to 2300 AD where players find themselves on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth.

With seven playable characters from different eras in the game, Chrono Trigger is a timeless classic that many gamers will probably fondly remember. This title has inspired many others similar to it in one way or another, so players have no shortage of options if they want to relive a similar experience.

2 Golden sun

A treasure from the advanced Game Boy era

• Players can upgrade their characters and help small settlements
• Probably one of the greatest JRPGs ever made

Golden sun is one of the best JRPGs on the Game Boy Advance. A group of “Adepts”, individuals attuned to synergy and inhabiting the world of Weyard, are sent from their homes on a difficult journey to prevent the release of a powerful force known as Alchemy.

Throughout the story, players will be able to upgrade their characters, save small settlements and delve deep into the lore Golden sun. Although it may not be as popular as Final Fantasy franchise, many players agree that it is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

1 Persona 5 Royal

Ultimate Puzzle Experience

• Crossword puzzles and procedurally generated dungeons
• Joker and friends become Phanton Theives of Hearts

Persona 5 Royal is an exceptional title that has captivated players ever since its release in 2019. When a high school student named Joker is accused of a crime he did not commit, he is forced to transfer to another school. There they meet a group of other students and together they discover a powerful element that gives them unimaginable abilities. With them, Joker and his classmates become a vigilante group known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

Persona 5 Royal it has one of the best puzzle mechanics of any JRPG, as it not only features crossword puzzles for players to complete and exam answers to remember, but also the infamous Mementa, which are procedurally generated dungeons that confuse players more than once.