Games

JRPGs Where Every Class Feels Unique

Published

28 seconds ago

November 23, 2024

Christoph Rediske

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Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

JRPGs with job systems offer players a fresh gameplay experience with powerful abilities and unique stat boosts.
The best class systems balance every class while providing a unique moveset for diverse party customization.
Games like Final Fantasy 5 and Bravely Default 2 showcase the importance of job systems in enhancing gameplay variety.

Players love to play JRPGs with job systems. It’s a classic trope in this genre that helps freshen up the gameplay, giving players access to a suite of powerful abilities and unique stat boosts that can help them customize a party in whatever manner they see fit.

8 Best JRPGs That Started As PC Exclusives

While many of these JRPGs have gone on to join the console world, they all got their starts—and made their names—as PC exclusives.

The best class systems in JRPGs know how to balance every class while also letting players access a unique moveset that completely changes how they approach a battle. By ensuring that players make the most of this system, a party can become diverse and powerful in no time at all.

1 Octopath Traveler 2

Jobs And Multi-classing Allows Characters To Feel Unique

Released: February 24, 2023

Octopath Traveler 2 is one of the best sequels fans can get their hands on, addressing a lot of issues from the first game while perfecting its lauded mechanics. The result is a JRPG that is rife with gameplay variety courtesy of the many jobs players can get their hands on.

Being able to acquire multiple licenses for each job and unlocking secret classes goes a long way in enhancing the game’s variety. Players can control a party that’s an absolute powerhouse in battle, letting them make the most of their special abilities and EX skills to wallop most enemies to oblivion.

2 Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Features A Unique Job System With Some Classes That Are Completely Out There

Released: November 10, 2020

Many fans were worried that the shift to turn-based gameplay may not be a step in the right direction for the Yakuza series, only for Like a Dragon to quell these worries emphatically upon its release. Fans loved how the game slowly opened up as players made progress in the story, eventually allowing them to switch jobs for their party members.

Developing the skills of party members across multiple jobs kept the gameplay fresh, as players figured out new strategies with their current party makeup for both regular enemies and boss encounters. The job system is simple enough to understand and boasts surprising depth that doesn’t overwhelm players.

3 Final Fantasy 5

The Job System Adds To The Gameplay Variety

Released: December 6, 1992

Final Fantasy 5 is one of the most beloved JRPGs in the series courtesy of its comedic localization, iconic characters, and a job system that is more refined than ever before. Players slowly gain access to a suite of jobs as they make progress in the game, eventually allowing them to turn the weak Freelancer class into the strongest one each party member can use by the end of this magical experience.

8 JRPGs With Thought-Provoking Endings

These JRPGs end their stories in some fantastic, poignant ways.

The sheer number of jobs means that players will always find something new and interesting about these classes even at the endgame. Mastering all these jobs can be a tall order, but players who don’t mind the grind will love racking up these masteries as proof that they get what Final Fantasy 5‘s classes are all about.

4 Bravely Default 2

A Classic Take On The Job System That’s Fun To Mess Around With

Systems

Released: February 26, 2021
Developer: Claytechworks

Bravely Default 2 is a great entry point into the series for players who missed out on the first two games, with this series taking a page out of Final Fantasy and letting players enjoy a title that features a self-contained story despite its status as a numbered entry. The title’s gameplay is as classic as they come, and this extends to the job system too.

The core gameplay of Bravely Default 2 is a joy to get through and ensures that players can have a great time checking out these jobs and figuring out the best time to use their Brave Points. It’s a classic take on the job systems that JRPG veterans will feel right at home with.

5 Etrian Odyssey 5

A Hard-As-Nails JRPG With Unique Classes That Players Must Master To Beat The Game

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth

Systems

Platform(s): New Nintendo 3DS
Released: August 4, 2016

The Etrian Odyssey series is not for the faint of heart, and the fifth game is no exception here. The tonal shift and improvements made to gameplay ensure that this hardcore JRPG franchise still has a ton of potential, going so far as to scrap all previous jobs for entirely new ones.

Etrian Odyssey is no stranger to these changes, having done the same before for the third mainline entry. The ten jobs that players can access in Etrian Odyssey 5 are as unique as they come, and players should understand how these classes complement each other to form a strong adventuring party that can tackle the many challenges they will encounter in the Yggdrasil Tree.

6 Golden Sun

Players Assign Djinns To Set Character Classes In A Unique Job System

Golden Sun

Systems

Released: November 12, 2001

Golden Sun is one of the most beloved JRPGs on the Game Boy Advance, and it’s a shame that this series hasn’t seen a new entry for quite some time now. Combining classic JRPG gameplay with elements of puzzle design and a unique Djinn system ensured that this brilliant game would stay fresh no matter how many hours players clock in this adventure.

Ys 10, Mario & Luigi Brothership, Yakuza 0, World of Final Fantasy, Kingdom hearts 3D Dream drop distance mixed gameplay collage

8 Best JRPGs With Just Two Playable Characters, Ranked

With the standard four-character JRPG party becoming commonplace, these games change things up by offering just two playable characters.

The game boasts a unique class system where players mix and match Djinns of varying elements to form classes. It can be a joy to experiment with, but players must be wary when summoning Djinns in battle, since more complex classes may change after this act in the middle of battle, which can be hard to adjust to.

7 Final Fantasy 10-2

Dresspheres Govern The Abilities Each Heroine Has

Final Fantasy 10-2

Released: November 18, 2003
Developer(s): Square Product Development Division 1

Most people still argue if Final Fantasy 10 even needed a sequel, but it helped that the cheery nature of the second game coupled with a unique take on the job system ensured that players had a great time revisiting their favorite locations in Spira with the cast of Final Fantasy 10-2.

While the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy 10 allowed for some multiclassing as long as players knew what they were doing, it’s not nearly as flexible as the Dresspheres in the sequel. The main cast can switch costumes mid-battle to gain access to a host of varied abilities that let them exploit enemy weaknesses in strategic encounters.

8 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

Numerous Generic And Unique Classes That Are A Ton of Fun To Experiment With

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

Systems

Released: February 15, 2011

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is one of the best strategy JRPGs that players can get their hands on. It’s easy to see why this was one of the most beloved games at the time, with director Yasumi Matsuno eventually working on Final Fantasy Tactics and bringing his expertise to this title too.

As a result, both titles share a similar DNA that is a joy to witness firsthand. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is loaded with numerous classes that players will love experimenting with as they try to form the perfect party for each strategic encounter.