Epic JRPGs Under 30 Hours feat. JRPG Content Creators | Backlog Battle

[@wraithgar]

This channel has been so important to me, a mid-40's dad, in not only being able to stay current on new JRPGs but also knowing if they're worth my exceedingly limited time. Thank you.

[@BacklogBattle]

You're very welcome!

[@orbalology]

This is really a great reference list the next time I find myself in between some larger RPGs. Thanks for having me, Alex!

[@BacklogBattle]

You're quite welcome! Glad to have you onboard!

[@SuperDerek]

Thanks for having me on, Alex! Short RPGs are so refreshing!

[@JamesBantz]

I may have to finally try Terranigma when my RG35XXSP arrives.

[@BacklogBattle]

Indeed! I can't believe 30 hours is short according to the community! LOL

[@SuperDerek]

@@BacklogBattle Oh you better believe it, if a full-priced game was under 60 hours, I know some people would riot! 😅

[@NinjaxShadowXx]

Panzer Dragoon Saga, Chrono Trigger, Kingdom Hearts 1, Ys Seven, Final fantasy 1 and Dragon Quest 1 are my favorite short JRPGs to beat 😊

[@timon9193]

@@NinjaxShadowXx is ff1 short to beat? How long aprox?

[@NinjaxShadowXx]

@@timon9193 Anywhere from 8-15 hours it really depends on if you are trying to collect everything or avoid getting lost too much. The game has like a few big towns and like a few main dungeons that are all easily beaten in like 1-2 hours so all together I beat the game in like 12 hours trying to collect a lot of extra stuff but if you take it slow 15 hours also is doable

[@femtrooper]

Yayyyyy! Such a great topic and always happy to be a part of one of your collabs! :) What a great list!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks for being a part of it, as always!

[@RwnEsper]

Great collab Alex, thanks for getting everyone together for this! So many good picks here! Some I've played, some are in the backlog; a couple are on wishlists. I saw someone saying they wanted more recent games, but the only one on this list that is actually not easily available to play is Terranigma. I'll always take an opportunity to recommend Shining Force and Phantasy Star 4. Both readily available through the Sega Classics Collection, and under 25 hours for a basic run. ❤

[@MissBubbles]

Thank you so much for having me! In a year full of insanely long RPGs, this video will come in handy ☺️

[@BacklogBattle]

I'm eager to see what you think of these when you eventually get around to them!

[@dantesaints4339]

shoutout to Brandon for recommending Omori, one of the best new surprises I had ever played

[@BacklogBattle]

There's a good number of people wanting me to play that game. I even got gifted that game on Steam!

[@dantesaints4339]

@@BacklogBattle Yes, I join those people. You would absolutely love it

[@tx49er956]

Yes! Omori please.

[@dololi]

yeah big thanks to brandon for bringing it up. I bought omori a year or 2 ago and wasnt in the mood for an rpg and immediately shoved it to the side.. now that im back to my roots its definitely time to give that game the playtime it deserves

[@BoluKeju]

Thanks for covering sesion of short jrpg, I'm just casual gamers don't really have much time to play game this day but still wanted to play jrpg

[@BacklogBattle]

Well, you have a choice between 11 epic JRPGs to play!

[@davidvinc]

Thanks so much for having me on Alex! This is such a fun topic, it was also nice to see a good mix of retro and modern RPGs represented here!

[@BacklogBattle]

Any time, my friend! Always glad to see you in these collabs!

[@mindblockandroid]

I am impressed by yall’s restraint of not mentioning Chrono Trigger 😅😅😅.

[@BacklogBattle]

@mindblockandroid it's too obvious of a choice!

[@renren5660]

Inazuma eleven is very unique game. A mix of football and rpg. You can beat the main story about 20 hours. Great light story too especially the first one. The second one is quite dark tho and i consider it has the best story and gameplay.

[@KHROMAsynthetik]

Ys Origin is such a gem. Top three Ys game for me (top 3 soundtrack as well!). It also works as a great intro to the series for those that are yet to get into it, as you can just jump in and do one character's route in less than ten hours.

[@Chaosmite]

Sea of Stars is becoming one of my all time favorite games. You can beat the game under 30 hours if you’re focusing only on the main story.

[@arisenpai]

Sakura Wars, though simple, is incredibly charming, I definitely recommend it. Trails of Mana is also very fun, and with the little I've seen of the next installment through the demo, playing through it will absolutely enrich your experience. Looks like it'll be an improvement on all aspects.

[@MmntechCa]

I had a lot more fun with Sakura Wars than I thought I would. Combat sections were a little lacking though. Sakura is the canon romance, which I went with. Hatsuho is best girl though, in a Jane Austin way. Unfortunately the game doesn't let you date your hot boss. Torna: The Golden Country might be good to add, since unlike the other Xenoblade story expansions, you can buy it as a standalone game. It's about 25hrs. Cthulhu Saves The World and Breath of Death are riffs/parodies of classic JRPGs, and run 6-10hrs each.

[@RPGStory]

Nice selection! My pick would be Kingdom Hearts games around 24 hours.

[@Rosa_Canina]

My favorite short JRPG is Grandia 2. Its also my most replayed JRPG of all time, because I can beat it since the first time I played it in just under 24 hours. To this day 24 hours for an RPG is still defined as a good, short JRPG because of Grandia 2.

[@MazinPaolo]

Another great collaboration video. Well done Alex! All of your friends have some impressive collections behind them. I think it would be super cool to have a "JRPG relics" show-off collaboration video

[@BacklogBattle]

That's not a bad idea!

[@SpinDlsc]

My personal pick would be Dragon Quest Monsters for GBC. You can beat it in about 10-15 hours on your first play-through, but with all the monster collecting and breeding you can do, you can keep going afterward to build up your collection and toughen up your team. There's also some amount of replay value with how many monsters you can breed, and you can easily have your second gameplay experience be different from your first one. The story isn't particularly anything amazing, but it's really more of a cozy RPG than anything. There is some amount of difficulty when fighting certain bosses, but it's not too overwhelming, especially if you have the right team of monsters. And if you've already been exposed to the Dragon Quest universe, then it might just be something that's up your alley.

[@arlonborges]

Just the work you did with the detailed description should allow a double like system. Great video for those who have less free time since current life can be so hectic.

[@madkaiser4887]

Fantastic picks from all of you guys 👍

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks a bunch!

[@ulisesmanosalvas]

I just turned 40 too and this channel is the best that match my tastes and also my time schedule to play (any other time maybe twice a week), short games are a blessing when you don’t have so many time to play

[@uppernimbus]

Great collab, Alex! Good to see a few of my buddies in this one, and everyone had some amazing choices! Fantastic work guys!

[@mainelyjoe]

I say it a lot recently, but I love seeing collabs with all these familiar faces! Great video! 👍

[@socialistprofessor3206]

Lists like these are super helpful. Thanks to all contributors!

[@MysticNessly]

Love this video! there were so many fun looking games mentioned! really appreciate the gameplay footage for each game mentioned. wishlisted so many of these! fun collab loved it!

[@DaakkuuYRS]

I have beaten Blue Reflection 1 and Nights of Azure 2 in around 13 hours each. They are very short games, but great. I really had fun with them. (I also played Nights of Azure 1, but never beat it due to the langauge barrier. I've bought a Japanese copy since I only had PS3 at the time. There is no English PS3 version)

[@magnainsomnia]

I recommend Jack Move, very short but unique as well.

[@chrisdillon8376]

Love the collabs; I've found some great channels over the years from all of these great creators

[@MisterMonsterMan]

Very cool video. I have played many of these suggestions but have picked up a hundful more through the video. Great stuff.

[@mjdf122]

The RPG Round Table Going Over The Short Adventures I’ve been blessed to see and have every console from 1980-Now as well as tons of games what a life of gaming throughout the decades

[@mechaotakugamer]

I just finished Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth at 70 hours and this is literally is perfect for me to choose from as my next endeavor as I need a break lol

[@Nedwig747]

Love the collab videos. Great topic and I like the suggestions for games but also content creators to take a look at

[@NormalPsyche]

Golden Sun mentioned! 🎉 It was my introduction to JRPGs and the first game I thought of when I saw the title. Both it and the sequel are still all time favorites! The puzzle and dungeon design are unmatched

[@ErekLadd]

Thank you so much for having me on this one!! Any chance to talk about Golden Sun - I will take it!!!!

[@ragnarokcaesar]

All very talented content creators that always motivate me to try out new stuff. I would include Future Redeemed, the Xenoblade 3 dlc

[@DaakkuuYRS]

Can you play it without owning Xenoblade 3? If so, it defeats the point. You have to buy a long game for to play it.

[@HybridAngelZero]

Wow, all but one of these are in my backlog... guess I better get to work xD

[@BacklogBattle]

They're "short" as the community calls them! Get them out of your backlog and finish them!

[@grayghost81]

An all-star cast and a bunch of BANGER games. Great video!

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mathiask04]

Gotta say I love Eterknights it was very nice to play through.

[@f.9344]

Oh my gosh, Suikoden looks awesome, but I am definitely waiting for the Remaster

[@ploopachooptv]

Omori is such a great shout for this list. I took the plunge this year for my channel and I loved it. Such an excellent game

[@lamtung322]

Soo good to see u have many friends that share ur passion. Very interesting video as always Alex

[@WCCXtra]

Wow, I don't remember Super Mario RPG being that short. I haven't played it in forever, though. And yet another reason to try out Terranigma.

[@Eagleknight815]

Huh.....some of these I never knew. Glad to know I got some pellet cleansers in the backlog.......Neat!

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@HansAlRachid]

Haha, I'm noticing a trend here - almost all of these are among my favourite JRPGs. Which means I probably ought to check out Eternights and Sakura Wars sometime! It may not make for a good sales blurb, but there's something to be said for restraint and conciseness - I only rarely have the stamina for those 100+ hour games anymore these days.

[@bozodluffy1818]

Ys origin honestly was such a surprise for me. Thought it looked pretty meh when I first saw it, but it’s super super good

[@jaaferelsadig]

Golden sun really deserves a visual remake.

[@felixthecatx887]

A lot of these are in my backlog. Great cast of creators as well.

[@obake6290]

Played at least part of most of these games and can recommend at least trying all of those. Great list!

[@organicheals]

I just completed Golden Sun and really enjoyed it. Though it is a fairly simple RPJ, I also love the Dot Hack series and they are VERY short. The nostalgic early internet feel and forums combined with the interesting story have been really enjoyable for me.

[@samfisher5056]

Sometimes quality it's wayyy much better of quantity...thanks for the list,very useful..shoutout to erek for reccomending golden sun

[@mjdf122]

I have every NTSC-U/NTSC-J RPG from 1980-Now there are plenty of great short RPGs throughout the decades

[@threeswordssama]

I love Golden Sun and Trials of Mana! Some cool recommendations here for sure.

[@henrikfisch]

Yes, finally! Thank you so much for this video. I appreciate it VERY much. I am currently roughly 60 hours into »Trails of Cold Steel II« ... and no end in sight. Admitted: It's really an epic story (with two games following and various others in the franchise too). But ... man ... I hope the end will come soon (not that I don't love the game, but over 60 hours). Again: I really really appreciate this video because I really need some shorter games now. From the games in this video these are now on my ToDo-list: -- Omori (SW) -- Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles (SW) -- Sakura Wars (PS4)

[@Metro4466]

Can’t recommend Omori more enough and at the same time I'm always frightened to recommend it. It's one of those games that ascends the genre and going in blind is by far the best approach

[@hajimbomc1667]

hell yeah more jrpgs to add to my backlog which i probably wont touch for another 3 months 🔥🔥

[@mrp1234]

I agree with all of these that I've played! Ys Origins is one of my favorite games and I'm playing through Trials of Mana right now and loving it! it's definitely nice to play a short RPG. I'd also throw in Cosmic Star Heroine/This Way Madness Lies, Eiyuden Chronicle Rising, and any game in the Voice of Cards series!

[@LofisCramwell]

Trials of mana is not just my favorite rpg like game but one of my favorite game. I've played over 200hrs and I'm still playing lol, I know it's got flaws but some how it makes it better in my eyes.

[@cactusman07pim]

Trails of Mana is great. Giving people the option to spend between 20 and 80 hours in a game as they please is great game design. Collection all Li'l Cactus, see all endings, finish on hard difficulty. There is a lot to do if you want.

[@NintendanGX]

Funny enough, my favourite examples already made it into the video. I do have some more that people may or may not have played. Fuga: Melodies of Steel is a linear turn-based RPG in which you control a powerful, giant, sentient tank piloted by up to 14 children, who must band together to fight off the Berman Empire and rescue their families from the concentration camps. The combat is simple yet brilliant, and the game allows players several choices on their journey to go for an easier path or a high-risk high-reward one. You can increase the bonds between the children during the down-time, manage their health, upgrade the tank's capabilities, and gain more parts for said upgrades. The twist, however, is that some bossfights are overwhelming, and when the going gets tough, the tank will allow you to use the Soul Cannon to obliterate these bosses, but at the cost of a child's life. So the player has to weigh their options carefully, and if they want to reach the true ending with no casualties along the way, they'll have to fight tooth and nail for it. It doesn't outstay its welcome, and it lends itself well to New Game +. The Digital Devil Saga games are the shortest in the Megami Tensei franchise, and while they're not my favourite due to a lack of multiple alignments, endings and demon-fusion, they're well worth playing for anyone who's enjoyed these games and the press-turn combat system. The basic premise is a battle-royale survival game, in which several clans battle for supremecy to reach Nirvana, and the characters grapple with their own humanity as they fight and devour their enemies for survival. The games take heavy influence from Hinduism, and it makes for an incredibly unique story as far as JRPG's go. Lastly, the Mario & Luigi games are a decent length to give you value for money, without dragging on. Much like Mario RPG and Paper Mario before it, they combine Mario's platforming with turn-based RPG combat, and they add a level of originality and charm to the Mushroom Kingdom that's been lacking in the Paper Mario franchise since Sticker Star. Even the worst game in the series, Paper Jam Bros, is still worth it for the gameplay alone, and Bowser's Fury is one of the best spin-offs in the Mario franchise. If you enjoyed Mario's previous two JRPG series, then Mario & Luigi is well worth playing through, especially with a 6th game on the way.

[@BacklogBattle]

What does howlongtobeat say in terms of how long each of them are?

[@RwnEsper]

​@@BacklogBattle Around 20 hours for M&L Superstar Saga and Fuga, the DDS games are just over 30 hours each. Although they don't quite fit under the arbitrary limit here, I'd still second them as a good starter for those curious about the series. Much more approachable than the 80+ hours for SMT5 or Persona 3-5.

[@BmoreAkuma]

Hmmm very interesting as JRPGs is my go to genre and came across some of these folks.

[@mrbigtime81]

I have wife, work, cats. I don't have too much time. I need short game.

[@BacklogBattle]

Well, here's 11 of them!

[@nooootnooooot]

Secret of mana looks like not my cup but Visions and Trials do. Do I need to play Secret or can I just play Trials first?

[@BacklogBattle]

The stories for the Mana games aren’t connected, like Final Fantasy

[@nooootnooooot]

@@BacklogBattle not in the same universe? Good to know thx!

[@StarfieldWX-tb42]

I've given up JRPGs entirely, so the title of this video piqued my interest. I do miss playing them, so I was hoping to find a couple things to play that are short with good stories and no turn-based combat. Eternights looks promising, as well as Ys Origins and if I can find it, Terranigma. I'm not digging the look of the Trials of Mana remake, but I am at least going to go watch a couple gameplay videos before I write it off. Thanks for the excellent video for us older gamers who have to be more discerning in our backlog, or risk shaking this mortal coil without finishing it. Somewhere in the last 5yr or so I gave up on the majority of my backlog because the older I get, the less time I have for turn-based combat that makes games so much longer than they need to be. So I'm not likely to play any of the Final Fantasy games I missed/skipped, any of the classic greats or Tales series that I used to adore. Mainly I've decided quality > quantity so I'm digging into things like Skyrim and Starfield for insane roleplay and world building opportunity. I'm playing classic Era WoW for the kind of leveling and crafting systems that I enjoy the most (and my game knowledge is extremely high so I waste little time googling questions or locations). I'm always down for a different style of game if it's a short game, though. I've enjoyed Spirit of the North and 88 Days, and Untitled Goose Game was refreshingly simple yet challenging in its hilarity. I like things I can play in just a handful of sessions and get totally immersed, then move on having had a wonderful experience with good memories. Hopefully I can add a couple of JRPGs back into that rotation.

[@tiagonobrega8046]

Golden Sun is fantastic, I replay it from time to time since it launched. Actually I’m playing it right now!

[@koxame]

Seeing this list and hoping for a sakura wars switch port 😢

[@araujo_nj]

I cant find: Rhapsody a musical adventure on switch!?

[@BacklogBattle]

Look for NIS Classics Vol 3! It comes packed with La Purcell Tactics, which is a part of the Rhapsody series!

[@ahmadimran5262]

I love when people recommend Sakura Wars, it's such a great game although kinda sad that it's a PS exclusive. Hatsuho is best girl

[@Teknoman]

I think 40 hrs is a good maximum time. Chrono Trigger is/was more epic than some current rpgs, and had a decent run time that didnt feel overtly long

[@ZerosGameInn]

wheres the love for parasite eve

[@BacklogBattle]

It's in several other lists that you probably missed ;)

[@ZerosGameInn]

@@BacklogBattle not gonna lie, you have only just started showing up in my recommendations

[@BacklogBattle]

@@ZerosGameInn I'd start browsing the Lists playlist on my channel! But if you want one that has Parasite Eve on it, it's this one! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYeQZpV-o6uNfJo

[@SarifFice]

My favourite short jrpg is eternal sonata.

[@majimakyoudai1284]

Imo , I don't care the long to beat, I only care the good from a RPG . I recently spent 80h in Trails in the Sky hard mode and was worth every hour 😭. I'm so sad not played this game 13 years ago .

[@juliam1226]

Live a live took me 30+ hours though..still nice list!

[@captainthunderbolt7541]

Chrono Trigger is around 20 hours the first time through, and it wasn't lacking in anything.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@captainthunderbolt7541 if you look at the comments, it’s already been mentioned twice. That’s exactly why we didn’t pick such an obvious choice 😉

[@stevenb3803]

Child of Light was a great game and only 10hrs to beat it.

[@TheOddTonyLives]

For good shorter JRPGs, you should look at Zeboyd Games: Cthulhu Saves Christmas, Cthulhu Saves the World, and This Way Madness Lies.

[@RyanSaotome]

I can like a short JRPG, but I'm never going to consider a short JRPG to be on the same level as an epic 100 hour JRPG. I couldn't imagine a 15 hour JRPG having the kind of world building and character development of a Persona or Trails game. More of a good thing > Less of a good thing.

[@brettrogames]

Trials of Mana is SOOOOOO good

[@limitslines9896]

Love how she says super merry-o instead of mar e oh like us Latinos

[@ShawnDeBerry]

Chrono Trigger

[@BacklogBattle]

I think it wasn't chosen because it's an obvious choice

[@zanychelly]

Bloated and lengthy RPGs, i do avoid those. That’s why i think FF7 Rebirth is so good. You can avoid all the side content and focus on the mais story and finish it around 40/50 hours.

[@joyallen2922]

RPGS are Great!!

[@Zoular]

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

[@MJ-oi6ul]

Alot of these are games I heard were awful like eternight or are not most people's cup of tea like sakura wars, but never knew they were super short so it wouldn't hurt to try them i guess.

[@mugdays]

I beat Breath of Fire 4 in under 30 hours! Does that count? xD

[@BacklogBattle]

@@mugdays technically! But howlongtobeat clocks it at least 59 hours!

[@mugdays]

@@BacklogBattle Really? I see 36.5 hours for "main story" completion when I check

[@BacklogBattle]

@@mugdays oops! I was looking at the wrong column!

[@bbull71]

I need a 5 hour rpg lol

[@TheJustproxy]

Check out Hylics

[@NinjaxShadowXx]

Dragon Quest 1 and Final Fantasy technically can easily get beaten in that time

[@BlueGrovyle]

Probably would take you more than 10, but I recommend Lunar Wish: Orbs of Fate. It's an indie RPG Maker game from 1 person and it's way better than it has any right to be. It's free too.

[@drewtheunspoken3988]

I love these kinds of lists except for one flaw: not all the games a readily (legal) available. I don't condemn anyone for sailing the high seas, but it's a route I've chosen not to go. The point being, it would be great if lists like this could stick to relatively recent games that are still available. I'm not telling anyone how to run their channel. It's only a minor suggestion and I'm not going to stop watching or down vote a video because of it.

[@BacklogBattle]

Point taken, though I'm definitely curious about Terranigma now. And there's something to be said about its rights being in limbo with no real owner and it not being available for literal decades. Abandonware is definitely a real thing, though I share your sentiment.

[@drewtheunspoken3988]

@BacklogBattle I think I also misspoke. Saying "If lists like these could stick to what's readily available" sounds more like a demand. I think I should have *asked* if we could also get lists that feature more recent games. Terranigma is a prime example of why/when emulation is a viable alternative. If there is no "acceptable" option, then it becomes the only option, and I do firmly believe in game preservation.

[@UnicyclesGameRoom]

This channel is just a huge green flag

[@Testiskulls]

Eternights isn't an rpg in any aspect. It's a hack n slash. Ys is an ARPG series, not a JRPG series. I could go on but can we just stop plastering the JRPG title on any bloody game someone likes otherwise I'm gonna find a call of duty game with a Japanese person who assisted in development and call it a JRPG. Because hey it's be valid....

[@BacklogBattle]

Game genres aren't defined by the nationality of the people who make them, but the gameplay style in which they mimic. Eternights has more in common with Japanese action RPGs like Ys, Tales, and Star Ocean than Western action RPGs like The Witcher and Fallout. JRPGs aren't exclusively used for turn-based games coming from Japan. By your definition, a game like Sea of Stars, which is a turn-based JRPG in the way it plays - with its developers saying it's inspired by games like Chrono Trigger - shouldn't be called that because its developers are Canadian. At the end of the day, genres are used to help people figure out how a game plays and shouldn't be a hill for *anyone* to die on. This video is all about celebrating the games featured here, games that you can play for less than 30 hours. And if someone did play these games and enjoyed them, who cares if they're "properly labeled as a JRPG." It's more important that we get to share the experience of playing these games and celebrating them with each other.

[@ShinoSeven]

I agree with Alex here. A game doesn't need to have been made by japanese devs to be considered a JRPG. Nor does it need to be turn-based. If an american chef makes a lasagna is it no longer considered an italian dish?

[@Studycase3000]

I loved your (well I love them all❤) best of the year so far. I was eyes a poppin when I saw ✨No Rest for the Wicked✨ You mentioned you COULD make an entire vid on it, if you even got talking about your experience. It looked amazing. could you possibly do even half of, or a short vid diving deeper on your thoughts please? Thank you for even considering and have a wonderful weekend to you ALL. edit: I'm ehem nearing 60 and love games like my 20's were yesterday ( ahhh sweet sweet youth😂~🤔~😭~🙃) So belated Happy Birthday and you have another 40 easily ahead to enjoy playing...and you didn't start at birth so more than you've already had, YAY.✌

[@marjolycookie4813]

Live a Live is definitely my top pick for short excellent titles, but I love seeing Rhapsody mentioned as that is a personal favorite. I’d like to shoutout Tokyo Mirage Sessions, it’s a blast to play and under 30 hours to finish. I have no patience any more so short JRPG are better in my eyes.

[@ashura_amane8499]

Ys Origin