Action RPGs Worth Playing Just For Their Stories

Some players come to action RPGs for different things. For example, someone could be compelled by the gameplay of Final Fantasy 15 but be let down by the story. Final Fantasy 15 does indeed have some incredible combat thanks to players being able to warp around areas using the protagonist’s various weapons.

It’s one of the better action gameplay systems in the Final Fantasy series. That said, not everyone loves thrilling gameplay. They may simply want to jump into an action RPG for the story and just mash through combat like a chore to get to the next cutscene. For those types of players, they should check out these games for their narrative. Maybe they’ll even be enticed to care about the combat too.

.hack//Infection

A Four-Part MMO Mystery

.hack//Infection is the beginning of what would become a four-part quadrilogy on the PS2. It’s very heavy on the anime influences from a storytelling perspective and in the character designs as well. Kite, a user within the MMO called The World, loses his friend Orca in the game. Kite also gets a magic bracelet that can defend him from a virus that is deleting players in the game and causing them to have comas in the real world. The mystery gets off to a good start in .hack//Infection thanks to the tension building and friends at Kite’s side.

Dark Cloud 2

Time Traveling To Fix The World

Dark Cloud 2 is unrelated to what came before it from a narrative perspective but there are returning gameplay elements. Max is an inventor who gets roped into a time-traveling adventure when he meets Monica, a princess from the future. She is trying to stop someone from changing the course of history. Every timeline and location they go to has been erased and diving into nearby dungeons can restore these areas to their former glory. The two play off each other well, and each location is like its own little mini episode like a monster of the week type of TV show that is compelling.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Going Back To The Past To Create A Multiverse

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is the first part in what will become a trilogy of remakes based on the PS1 original. The twist was that the game established itself not as a straight remake but as a retelling of events using the multiverse. Cloud and the others were interrupted by ghost-like beings called Whispers who were trying to compel them to stick to the original script but things often went haywire.

It was a bold move for Square Enix but fans generally were into it. It was another reason to check the remake out without it being a rehash. It delved deeper into the characters too, offering new and more insightful interpretations.

Kingdom Hearts

Disney And Final Fantasy Team Up To Stop The Darkness

Kingdom Hearts is still a miracle over two decades later. The idea of Disney and Square Enix crossing over seemed like a joke but it turned into a giant franchise for both companies. Sora, a new character, got thrown into a new world wherein he met Donald and Goody who were searching for their king, Mickey. With the help of a magical weapon, the Keyblade, the three of them ventured into various Disney worlds from AladdintoThe Little Mermaid on a quest to stop an invading darkness from destroying these places. In the background, they also kept an eye out for King Mickey along with Sora’s friends Kairi and Riku. Beyond this game, things got a bit complicated but Kingdom Hearts is still a good standalone story.

NieR: Automata

Robots Come Back To Earth To Reclaim It For Humans

NieR: Automata is set in the future wherein most of humanity is all but instinct. The last remnants reside in space, and a council often sends androids down to Earth to survey the land in hopes of reclaiming it. That’s where 9S and 2B come into play, the latest models were sent to investigate. The game begins with 2B as the lead but there are several campaigns after that give players a new hero to see the game in a different light. It’s a demanding game that eats up a lot of time, but the mystery that unravels is more engaging the further players get and the ending is a bit of a shocker.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom

The President Gets Transported To A Magical World

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdomstarts with one of the most audacious and unexpected openers to an RPG of all time. THE President of the United States is being carted in a limo when a bomb goes off in the city behind him. He, Roland, wakes up in a kingdom filled with monsters and anthropomorphic cats and rats.

He befriends a young prince, Evan, and together Roland helps Evan reestablish his kingdom after an invasion. It’s two rulers coming together under one banner and there are some interesting messages about alternate realities to be had.

Scarlet Nexus

Two Protagonists, Two Campaigns, And One Shared Fate

Scarlet Nexus is another action RPG that has two campaigns and to get the full picture, players should play as both Yuito and Kasane. The game takes place in the future wherein society has all but fallen except for one city. Soldiers are sent out on missions to survey the land for monsters, rescue people, and gather materials. Yuito and Kasane lead separate teams and depending on the campaign, one is chasing after the other due to an apparent scandal. It’s full of wild monsters and twists that anime fans will surely dig.

Yakuza 0

How Kazuma Got His Groove

Yakuza 0is the beginning of the Yakuza franchise for the main star, Kazuma. It takes place in the 80s when the Yakuza’s hold on Japan was strong as was their money. In an economic boom, Kazuma tries to make a name for himself within the organization but gets screwed out of victory thanks to a betrayal behind the scenes. It’s dramatic, which all games in this series are, but it is also incredibly riveting thanks to how badass Kazuma comes across even as a young punk. It’s also quite silly with all of the side activities, so if players want to start somewhere, they should jump into Kazuma’s origins.