Many people regard the1990sasa golden era forJRPGs.Series likeFinal FantasyandChrono Triggerelevated the turn-based JRPG’s standing in the West to the point where these games became household names.
It wasn’t just turn-based games that evolved during the 90s though; the Action JRPG was an attempt to marry the long-form storytelling and character progression of RPGs with the engaging gameplay of side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups and fighting games.
Taking inspiration from series that emerged in the 80s, likeTheLegend of ZeldaandYs,the formula for an Action JRPG was iterated on and refined in the 90s, leading to some of the most highly-regarded examples of the genre.
Most people wouldn’t call this game an Action RPG today, but that’s how it was described in 1997. The term “Metroidvania” didn’t exist at the time, so how else to define the blend of action-oriented combat and neatly paced character progression thatCastlevaniaoffered?
A direct sequel to 93’sRondo of Blood,Symphony of the Nightoffered more open-ended gameplay, allowing players to take their own path through events and achieve multiple endings. It also ramped up the RPG elements, with character leveling, equipable gear slots, spells, and sub-weapons.
The relic system, where Alucard gained his double jumps and other powers to access more of the environment, becamea defining trait that established the Metroidvaniaas its own gaming genre alongside the Action JRPG.
Star Ocean: The Second Storywas the first game in the series to be brought over to the West, and it managed to gain enough popularity to establishStar Oceanas a long-running JRPG franchise. Unlike many games in ‘98 which were experimenting with new 3D art styles, developer Tri-Ace chose to continue using sprite art to convey the feeling of an anime-style universe. This, along with the unique combat mechanics, gave the game its own distinct personality.
The action-oriented combat ofThe Second Storynot only gave players control of their character in real-time combat, but also allowed players to set behaviors for their AI companions. Recruiting companions is central to the story and gameplay mechanics, with mutually exclusive character choices adding replay value.
Released in 1993,Secret of Manawas ahead of its time. It was graphically impressive, mechanically innovative, had a great soundtrack, and featured drop-in drop-out co-op for up to three players. The three main characters — Randi, Primm and Popoi — allowed for other players to join without disrupting the narrative, with AI taking over for solo players.
The hybrid action combat featured a power meter that encourages players to wait for the best moment to strike. The Ring Commands system, a tactical pause menu for using abilities, added another layer of strategy. That, along with the ability to ride a dragon, gaveSecret of Manaa special place in many players’ hearts.
Parasite Everepresents a unique take on the Action RPG genre, blending in elements of horror and taking place in a contemporary New York City setting. Coming from Squaresoft, the game had thehigh level of polish and graphical fidelitytheir games were known for, including deliciously weird CGI cutscenes that remain disturbing to this day.
The combat was an interesting action hybrid that let players move their character around freely, then pause gameplay to target attacks and abilities. Weapons were made up of modern day firearms, while abilities used “Parasite Energy” and functioned like magic spells. This meant the game felt unique yet familiar to any JRPG fan, leading to its dedicated cult following.
As modern gamers might expect in a FromSoftware game,Shadow Towerset itself apart from other Action JRPGs in a number of ways. Taking inspiration from the studio’sKing’s Fieldseries,Shadow Toweris a first-person dungeon crawler that draws from Western fantasy esthetics.
The character progression system was also novel. Instead of gaining experience points to level up, players gain permanent stat boosts for defeating enemies. Enemies are permanently gone once killed, so there’s no level grinding.
It’s an unusual game with a minimalist soundtrack. While it proved divisive at the time, with some low critical reviews, many who enjoyed FromSoft’s more recent games have gone back and found a lot to love inShadow Tower.
Inan era where Squaresoft games were experimentingwith new ideas,Brave Fencer Musashiwas its own blend of Action and RPG. The game had real-time sword fighting and spell casting, a day/night cycle, and even included some Metroidvania-style progression mechanics.
Abilities like spells are gained as the itinerant samurai Musashi helps out and rescues townsfolk he meets. Powers like climbing and double-jumping, though, require seeking out legendary armor pieces.
The day/night cycle is put to good use, with creatures that hold valuable resources only appearing at certain times of day. There’s also a neat rest mechanic that means the player character needs to find places to sleep or risks falling asleep in the field.
Terranigmatells a grand story; the resurrection of a world destroyed in a war between God and the Devil and an ongoing battle between the two forces. Critically, the world and story were considered uncommonly deep and expansive, and the action-based gameplay was praised as complex and sophisticated.
Terranigmaalso featured an interesting but ultimately divisive magic system, where spells are single-use items created from a reusable resource. This quirky but convoluted system adds to the game’s unusual melee attack mix of running, standing, and jumping attacks that are designed to work against different enemy types, giving it a unique feel.
A Game Of Many Names
Final Fantasy Adventure
The Quest For The Pendant Of ManaIn the Empire of Glaive, a gladiator-slave is forced to fight evil monsters controlled by the Dark Lord. But when his best friend is mortally wounded, he learns of a secret pendant which will give him great power.As the hero, you must battle your way out of the Dark Knight’s castle and search through a dangerous world for the girl who has the pendant. But you discover she has been captured by the Dark Knight’s men.To free her, you must find the legendary sword and fight off the Dark Knight’s beasts and overlords through deserts, snowfields, lakes, forests, and caves. Are you ready for the adventure of your life?
JRPG fans might know this game by the nameSeiken Densetsu, European gamers might know it asMystic Quest,and during development it was referred to asGemma Knights.Whatever the name, many will rememberFinal Fantasy Adventureas one of the standout Action RPGs on the Game Boy.
Originally conceived as an action spin-off of the iconic series,Final FantasyAdventurewas so successfulit ended up as just the first entry in the long-runningManafranchise. This top-down game featured real-time combat with a power gauge to regulate the pace of player attacks. It has been remade and remastered several times, always reappearing under a new name, includingSword of ManaandAdventures of Mana.
