5 JRPGs With The Best Art Direction

Highlights

• Art direction can make or break a game, from shockingly stylized effects to storytelling through a storybook format.
• Valkyria Chronicles
  blends anime aesthetics with World War 2 vibes, offering a unique tactical combat experience.
• Legend of Mana
  impresses with beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds and pixel art characters, creating a visually stunning journey.

There is a big difference between a game’s art style, its graphics, and its art direction. The choice of what color effects are used, how cutscenes are presented, and overall “look” of a game are how players can be pulled in by the visual aspects alone, and all of this can be credited to art direction.

When it comes to a game’s art direction, developers might implement outrageously over-stylized effects that jump out at the player. Others might have the entire game freeze with a sepia filter over it, then start to turnpages like a storybook as a narrator speaks. These can be applied to any game, regardless of its art style or its graphics, and those that do it right leave a far greater impression in the hearts of their players.

5 Valkyria Chronicles

Turning A World War 2 Film Into An Anime

Valkyria Chronicles is JRPG with tactical combat that captures an anime-style World War 2 vibe, while also incorporating Medieval esthetics such as knights and lances. In addition to a pleasing eastern animation art style, the game features narration similar to watching an old film recounting the events of World War 2.

Players page through a book that details the game’s story, and select which part of the book they wish to play. The edges of the screen resemble paper, and the gameplay itself looks as if it is made of full color moving illustrations. This is a franchise any tactics fan looking for a good story will wholeheartedly enjoy.

4 Legend Of Mana

Warping Perspective With Beautiful Backgrounds

Legend of Mana was released on the original PlayStation back in 1999, but its 2021 remastered edition is available on the Switch, PS4, Windows PCs, and even mobile devices. The gameplay allows for constant movement and actively pursuing attacks — meaning this is something for an action JRPG enthusiast to get excited over. Players will be able to control a pixel art character who will interact with other pixel art characters and objects.

The backgrounds are stunning hand-drawn settings, a lot of which have lighting and particle effects that add yet another layer to its art design. When characters stand on the map of a new area, it looks like an illustration from an old book, along with the region’s name on a banner that just pops right off the screen. The player’s journey will constantly be met with new ways to enjoy just how good this game looks.

3 Dragon Quest 11: Echos Of An Illusive Age

Accomplishes So Much With Persistent Polishing

Dragon Quest is a long-running franchise that is deeply rooted in the hearts of countless fans. Its art style comes from Akira Toriyama, who has lent his style to many projects, most famously Dragon Ball. Dragon Quest 11 doesn’t just have astonishing graphics; the world it depicts is nothing short of an artistic masterpiece.

It meticulously blends both western and eastern styles, and adds in a style of its own to boot, creating a fantasy journey and story that stands among the best that the genre has to offer. The sheer number of different environments, architectures, and character designs will delight and enthrall players from start to finish of its very lengthy storyline.

2 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch Remastered

An Interactive Studio Ghibli Film

Any fan of Studio Ghibli will fall in love with just how much Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, and its remastered version, adopt everything this famous studio is known for into an interactive experience. Sound design may be an entirely different department, but when paired with this game’s art design, it is nothing short of transcendent. The game will alternate between 2D anime cutscenes, and cutscenes using 3D game models — both of which are truly gorgeous. The game’s focus is on collecting familiars, with some being far better than others.

The game starts in a 1960s-styled time period, but transitions into a fantasy world of absurdity like something from the mind of Lewis Carroll — the author of Alice in Wonderland. The game manages to give a feeling of comfort and relaxation, but at the same time, an excitement to explore further. This is a must-try for JRPG fans looking for a fantasy world experience that they have not yet seen.

1 Persona 5 Royal

Hyper-Stylization At Its Best

Calling Persona 5 Royal hyper-stylized would be an understatement. It manages to capture vibrant colors, along with a very dark tone, all through its visual contrasts. The color black, and other dark colors, are used excessively, but lighting and particle effects come in every color imaginable to create a non-stop rush of visual delight. There are plenty of Palaces in the game that each manage to give a new sense of awe and wonder as players progress through the story.

Dialog choices are not just words in a neat and tidy grid, but expressively branch out from a source like a speech bubble. When it comes time to give commands, the button prompts are spread out around the character, which can feel a little overwhelming for newcomers. The game has plenty of 2D effects and illustrations that jump out at the players while the game stays in a 3D anime-style environment. These non-stop contrasts elevate Persona 5 Royal into something truly special.