Many JRPGs—and I mean many—end with us facing some sort of god. This theme is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture and history, but that’s a discussion for another time.
That’s why some JRPGs, when they present a different premise, tend to draw more attention than usual. Take, for example, a more grounded political storyline sprinkled with psychological warfare and betrayals, such as the glorious Final Fantasy Tactics.
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In this type of plot, we don’t usually have a big evil villain trying to destroy the world, but rather an antagonist aiming to rule it with an iron fist while oppressing the people.
To fight this wickedness, we either play as a rebellious protagonist or join a small resistance that shows more fierceness and chutzpah than an entire government.
If you want to know which games are like this, check out the best JRPGs where you play as a rebel.
8 Final Fantasy II
A New Hope
While brainstorming JRPGs for this list, I realized most Final Fantasy games fit the bill. But to avoid turning this into a franchise-exclusive list, I chose the game that set the stage for rebellion narratives: Final Fantasy II.
In Hironobu Sakaguchi’s second RPG game, we play four orphaned youths who lost their parents during the invasion of the Palamecia Kingdom.
On a mission of vengeance, three of the four join a rebellion against the Empire and embark on a journey to strengthen themselves while simultaneously weakening the Empire’s forces.
The storyline of Final Fantasy II feels segmented into quests, with Firion, Maria, and Guy completing tasks for the rebellion to undermine the Empire.
Being a Final Fantasy—or perhaps mostly a JRPG—the tale of warfare and rebellion eventually gives way to divine powers and magic, culminating in a fight against a demonic emperor bent on destroying the world for no apparent reason.
7 Xenoblade Chronicles 3
United Against Two Nations
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Released
- July 29, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Monolith
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- XC2/Torna
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Language, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 60 Hours
- Metascore
- 89
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Although Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a fantastic game, calling it a JRPG where you play as a rebel might be a bit of a stretch—but I’ll let you decide.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 takes place in Aionios, where a perpetual war rages between Keves and Agnus. Our journey begins with Noah, a member of Keves.
Eventually, Noah and his military companions cross paths with Agnus’s soldiers and join forces, realizing they’re nothing more than pawns in this endless war. Together, the six form a neutral faction and begin liberating colonies from both nations while defeating Moebius, the colonies’ overseers, in the process.
On this quest for truth, both Agnus and Keves soldiers view the group as enemies until they prove they’re on the right side of history.
The storyline of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 revolves around uncovering the reasons behind the war and ending it, leading to a clash with high-ranking individuals. In a way, this rebellion against the current regime fits the theme.
6 Tales of Arise
From Slave To Hero
- Released
- September 10, 2021
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
In Tales of Arise, Rena has utterly dominated and enslaved the world of Dahna and its people. We play as Alphen, a dahnan slave who cannot feel pain. In a fateful encounter with Shionne, a woman who causes pain to anyone she touches, the two unite and join a resistance to fight Rena’s oppression.
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Wherever Alphen and his group go, they witness the mistreatment of the dahnan people, many of whom don’t even understand why they’re being oppressed.
As Alphen liberates city after city from the chains of slavery and defeats the lords responsible for these atrocities, the story reveals the motivations behind the conflict between the two worlds.
Tales of Arise has a compelling first half, especially given the themes it tackles. Unfortunately, the second half falters, which left me quite bummed out by this latest Tales of entry. Still, if you’re looking for a game where you take on a corrupt government as a rebel, look no further.
5 Unicorn Overlord
An Exiled Prince Leads The Liberation
Vanillaware’s Unicorn Overlord draws heavy inspiration from Yasumi Matsuno’s Ogre Battle, where we’re part of a rebel group fighting against an evil empire. Unsurprisingly, that’s essentially the premise of Unicorn Overlord, where we join the Liberation Army.
At the start of the game, the Kingdom of Cornia is attacked by insurgents and falls under the control of what will soon be known as the Zenoiran Empire.
Alain, the exiled prince of Cornia, must bolster his forces and lead the Liberation Army to defeat Galerius, saving the world of Fevrith from imperial oppression.
It’s a straightforward resistance-versus-evil-empire story but full of heart. That’s thanks to the numerous secondary characters in Unicorn Overlord, each with their own backstory, motivations, and relationships.
While we play as a rebel resistance army, it’s clear we’re the good guys since we don’t indiscriminately harm civilians like the Zenoiran Empire.
4 Suikoden
Family Affairs
- Released
- December 15, 1995
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
Suikoden became a classic among JRPGs because back then, it was common for plots to revolve around fantasy, magic, and dragons, often pitting us against an evil wizard or king.
While Suikoden retains those fantastic elements, its main stage is more political, focusing on wars both on and off the battlefield.
In the first game, we play Tir McDohl, the young son of imperial general Teo McDohl. About to be conscripted as an imperial soldier, Tir witnesses how corruption runs rampant in the Empire’s upper ranks while the population suffers.
One day, his friend transfers one of the True Runes—a magical devine highly sought after by the Empire—to him, forcing Tir to flee.
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He crosses paths with Viktor, a member of a rebellion fighting the Empire, and Tir doesn’t take long to join their cause. A core feature of the Suikoden series is recruiting 108 members to the group, expanding the resistance’s base and increasing its ability to challenge the Empire.
As you might have guessed, the protagonist eventually faces his own father, who, while not corrupt, follows imperial orders blindly.
3 Final Fantasy VI
The Empire Strikes Back
- Released
- April 2, 1994
- Developer(s)
- Square
- Publisher(s)
- Square
- ESRB
- Teen // Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
- How Long To Beat
- 34 hours
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
- 59.5 hours
Two Final Fantasy making the cut isn’t too much, right? At first, I considered Final Fantasy VII for this list—after all, we start the game on a mission for an eco-terrorist group called Avalanche. But in terms of scope, Final Fantasy VI takes the cake, as we take on the entire Gestahlian Empire.
Early in the game, Terra is rescued by Locke, a member of the Returners, a rebel group opposing the Empire. As the story unfolds, we recruit new party members, bolster our attacks against the oppressors, and even bring former imperial soldiers to our side.
The entire plot of Final Fantasy VI revolves around stopping the Gestahlian Empire’s advances to conquer the world with Magitek technology and preventing them from harnessing the power of the Espers. The best aspect is how each individual unites under a shared cause despite coming from different backgrounds.
2 Tales of Vesperia
A Rebel Protagonist
Those who consider Tales of Vesperia the best Tales of often attribute this preference to its protagonist, Yuri Lowell. He’s a less intense version of Velvet from Tales of Berseria, but he’s just as much of an anti-hero and subtly violent—though more restrained.
Unlike Tales of Arise, mentioned earlier, Tales of Vesperia doesn’t tell a story of rebellion but instead focuses on a protagonist who acts rebelliously.
Yuri is a former imperial soldier, so he knows firsthand how the system exploits the poor to benefit the rich. In Tales of Vesperia, this is exemplified by using Blastia, devices that serve as energy sources. Yuri’s journey begins when he sets out to repair the Blastia in his neighborhood, crossing paths with Estelle, a noblewoman.
Together with other party members, they form a guild to tackle tasks independently. However, as with many good JRPGs, the situation escalates and starts drawing in various factions to the fray, including the Empire and even Yuri’s former allies.
On several occasions, the swordsman takes matters into his own hands, eliminating corrupt authorities in the dead of night without hesitation, something unprecedented for many JRPG protagonists.
1 Persona 5
Phantom Thieves Will Steal Your Heart
Atlus has a golden touch when it comes to crafting JRPGs, especially those with plots that challenge the system. Metaphor: ReFantazio almost made the list, but in that game, we’re more about trampling the governing regime while adhering to their own rules. However, in Persona 5, the story is entirely different, carrying a much stronger rebellious tone.
In Persona 5, our cast of Phantom Thieves gains the ability to enter the psyches of powerful individuals—usually corrupt adults—and “steal their hearts,” causing them to undergo a profound behavioral shift from heinous to repentant. What starts as a case of school abuse escalates into a confrontation with the entire Japanese government.
Persona 5 is one of the best JRPGs I’ve ever played. Its portrayal of ordinary people’s struggles under the unchecked power of those in authority is almost suffocating.
Ultimately, the Phantom Thieves are still labeled criminals and judged harshly, showing that rebellion always comes with a price and sacrifice.
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