If you’ve followed JRPG over the last two decades, you’ve seen the genre captivate players with its unique blend of emotional storytelling, stylized visuals, and strategic combat. It’s a genre defined not only by where it was born – Japan – but also by how it makes us feel.
But something remarkable is happening. Games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed in France, are proving that the DNA of a JRPG can transcend its geographic roots without losing the soul that made it special.
And as creators ourselves, working in both Japan and abroad, we at GIANTY see this as a signal of the genre’s maturity and raises a much bigger question we think deserves attention: What makes a JRPG today… a JRPG?
What is a JRPG? and How do JRPG work today?
The Classic Definition: “Made in Japan”
For a long time, the term JRPG, known as “Japanese Role-Playing Game” was used simply to describe RPGs made in Japan. On paper, it’s a clear definition. Legendary franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Persona, and Chrono Trigger all fit the label perfectly: Japanese studios, anime aesthetics, turn-based battles, and story-first design.
What is the best JRPGs of all time? Let’s see the top 25 JRPGs of all time by IGN with a twist:
But over time, that definition has stretched. Not every Japanese-made RPG feels like a JRPG. Dark Souls, for example, was developed by FROM Software in Tokyo, but its moment-to-moment gameplay, Western fantasy design, and action-heavy pacing place it far outside the traditional JRPG mold.
So the question is no longer just where a game is made, but how it plays, how it looks, and how it makes you feel. It’s not saying that geography doesn’t matter. But it’s no longer the only factor that defines the experience.
Why is JRPG Now About Storytelling, Not Just Location?
Today, many developers outside of Japan are creating games that look, play, and feel like traditional JRPGs, even if they aren’t made in Tokyo or Osaka. Games like Chained Echoes (Germany), Sea of Stars (Canada), and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (France) are clearly not from Japan.
But they still feel like JRPGs. Why? Because they follow the same formula: turn-based combat, anime-inspired characters, linear stories, level-based progression, and fantasy or surreal settings. Most players wouldn’t hesitate to label them JRPGs, despite their origin.
Western studios are making JRPG-style games because they grew up loving classics like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, and now want to honor those experiences through modern tributes.
Artistically, they’re drawn to the genre’s strong storytelling, stylized visuals, and strategic combat systems. Commercially, there’s a passionate global audience hungry for nostalgic yet fresh RPG experiences which have been underserved by big publishers. With digital distribution, crowdfunding, and platform support, it’s now viable for indie and mid-sized studios to fill that gap.
But when the term feels limiting, not everyone embraces the term equally. In 2023, Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida said “JRPG” once carried a negative tone in Western media, suggesting Japanese games were niche or outdated.
One thing he wants to get across is that when we create games, we don’t go into them thinking we are creating JRPGs, we are just creating RPGs. The term JRPG is used by western media rather than users and media in Japan – commented Yoshida.
For most players, if a game feels like a JRPG, it’s treated as one. That tells us something important: a JRPG is no longer just a label of origin – it’s a label of experience.
And how about the “RPG Elements”? Is it still a JRPG if it abandons traditional mechanics like class systems or turn-based combat?
Let’s see Goken, our own title at GIANTY, uses action RPG mechanics while preserving a classic JRPG story flow and visual style. At a certain point, the question becomes not what systems are used, but how they’re used: support a structured, author-driven narrative,…
Should Anime-Styled Art Be What Defines a JRPG?
Anime-inspired visuals are a common feature in many JRPGs, but they shouldn’t be the sole factor that defines the genre. Yes, many games are Ni no Kuni, or Tales of Arise immediately recognizable as JRPGs because of their bold, expressive, anime-styled art. But visual style alone isn’t enough.
Persona 5 leans heavily into bold, high-contrast anime design, while Final Fantasy XVI adopts a more realistic tone. Octopath Traveler uses pixel art. Lost Odyssey mixes realism with fantasy. It’s just one way to express the genre’s emotional depth.
So while anime art is often a strong signal, it’s not the rule. A JRPG is defined more by its experience than its appearance.
Clair Obscur: The Global JRPG Phenomenon You Can’t Ignore
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a RPG developed by French studio Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive.
A Premise Story That Hits Hard
Set in a melancholic, painterly world, Clair Obscur takes place on the island of Lumière where death comes with a number. For 67 years, a mysterious sorceress known as the Paintress has erased entire age groups from existence one year at a time.
Now, the curse has reached age 33. Next year, it will be 32. That means Gustave, the game’s quiet but determined protagonist, and his companions are living on borrowed time. With just one year left, they embark on a final expedition to stop the Paintress and break the cycle before they, too, disappear.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PC, Xbox Series S|X, and PlayStation 5 since April 24th.
It’s a hauntingly human setup. Poetic, bleak, and powerful. The idea of counting down your life, knowing when your end is scheduled, adds an emotional urgency we don’t often see in modern games. The metaphors hit hard. Time becomes an enemy. Memory becomes sacred. And the fight becomes deeply personal.
Clair Obscur’s Breakout Moment: Critics Rave and So Do Players
Since its release on April 24th, Clair Obscur has become one of the most celebrated games of the year.
- 92% critic score on Metacritic
- 9.7 user score
- IGN gave it a 9/10, calling it “a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story”
- IGN France awarded it 10/10, describing it as “a sumptuous and captivating work of art”
In just 33 days, the game sold over three million copies, not counting the Xbox Game Pass audience. This predicted it could sell up to 10 million copies, astonishing for a lower-budget indie title.
Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a true JRPG? Or This Is a Quiet Shift in the JRPG Landscape?
Clair Obscur feels like a JRPG in pacing, emotion, and presentation. But it wasn’t made in Japan. So does it qualify?
Like we mentioned above, “JRPG” has become a mark of trust-of strong stories, crafted characters, and expressive style. And that’s where Clair Obscur excels. It borrows from the JRPG tradition, yes, but it also brings its own identity.
The visuals aren’t just pretty, they reinforce the story’s tension between beauty and loss. Even the way characters vanish, dissolving into petals in a process called gommage, carries artistic and cultural weight. It’s not an imitation. It’s a reinterpretation.
Let’s take a look at some moments in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Where Culture Meets Gameplay: Anime-Influenced, French Soul
While Clair Obscur follows the emotional beats of a classic JRPG, its heart is French. From Belle Époque-inspired backdrops to Gustave shouting “Merde!” in the battle, it blends anime-influenced style with unmistakable local flair.
Even erasure becomes poetic: le Gommage turns fading lives into drifting petals. With striped shirts, berets, and baguette-themed outfits, the game proudly wears its French soul while speaking the universal language of anime-style RPGs.
For us at GIANTY, it’s the kind of cultural blend we love to see – where anime-style game design meets art direction with regional soul.
Final Thought: The JRPG genre is changing
JRPGs are no longer just “Japanese” in the literal sense. It’s growing more inclusive, more experimental, and more international. We think that’s a good thing. As developers, this is the most exciting era we’ve seen in years. As fans, it’s a golden time to explore.
Here at GIANTY, we’ve explored many flavors of anime-style RPGs. One of our proudest IP is Goken, our action RPG that reimagines old-school JRPG sensibilities through real-time gameplay. Just clean controls, beautiful environments, and an adventure that feels classic and fresh at the same time.
And whether you’ve been playing JRPGs since the 16-bit era or just discovered them now, you’re part of the story too. Whether you grew up with Final Fantasy VI, fell in love with Persona 5, or discovered Clair Obscur last month, one thing’s clear: JRPGs aren’t going anywhere. They’re just getting bigger, bolder, and more beautifully diverse.
Want to collaborate on an anime-inspired title? Reach out to GIANTY and let’s build something unforgettable.
