The saddest JRPGs, ranked

Key recommendations

• Final Fantasy 15: Tragedy strikes as Noctis faces loss and sacrifices himself for others.
• I am Setsuna: Heroes defy fate in a sad world to bring peace and end sacrifice.
• Crisis Core: Characters break apart in a dark story full of emotion and sacrifice.

Most people assume that JRPGs are filled to the brim with chirpy characters and stories, which is true to an extent. However, it is only after players check out some of the most popular and famous games in the genre that they realize the level of nuanced storytelling present in these games. Some of the best JRPGs have emotional stories that will make fans shed a tear more than once.

These sad moments can come out of nowhere or build up slowly over the course of a masterfully crafted game. Even though players might not be so happy to play a JRPG that messes with their emotions, the strong character moments and engaging narratives ensure they'll be on the edge of their seats for the entire experience.

5 Final Fantasy 15

The Happy Boy Band's energy is crashing

Most gamers familiar with Hajime Tabata know how much he loves tragedies in his video games and Final Fantasy 15 is not an exception. The game lulls players into a false sense of security with a bright and engaging open world and amazing camaraderie among the main cast, only for the tragedies to start piling up. Noctis' father dies in an enemy invasion, the woman he is engaged to dies at the hands of his enemy, and his best friend loses his sight trying to protect him.

After being drawn into the Crystal to absorb the knowledge he needs to stop Ardyn, Noctis returns to a world where demons are on the rampage. He reunites with his friends and embarks on one last adventure where he returns to Insomnia and takes out Ardyn at the cost of his own life. The final scene shows Noctis and Lunafreya enjoying their marriage in the afterlife, with the protagonist looking fondly at a player-chosen image that embodies their journey before the game comes to a close.

4 I'm Setsuna

Virgins are sacrificed in a world stuck in a cycle of sadness

Many people can label unfairly I'm Setsuna as an imitation of Final Fantasy 10his story and Chrono Triggerhis fight, but there's more to this title than meets the eye. The idea of ​​a world sacrificing an innocent maiden to appease a selfish god and prevent him from destroying their existence is as bleak as they come and I'm Setsuna he leans heavily in a sad atmosphere. The snow-covered world is melancholy, and the characters can't stop talking about how their world is constantly on the brink of destruction.

That's why it's so heartwarming to see the heroes take their fate into their own hands, refusing to let Setsuna become another sacrifice. They take on this malevolent entity and bring it down, finally bringing peace to a world that has been mired in sadness for the longest time.

3 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion

The breakdown of each major character is difficult to witness

In many ways, Zack is the perfect protagonist for a game like Core of crisis. He's a charming and optimistic individual who doesn't let anything wear him down, making him a shining beacon of light in a title that's full of dark undertones and sad moments. The new characters in this title are a joy to interact with, with Angeal being a notable mention. Seeing his mentor slowly become disillusioned with the idea of ​​being Shinra's tool and forcing Zack to end it is an emotional moment, with the Buster Sword passed on to Zack not long after.

Sephiroth is also sometimes presented in a sympathetic light, making his eventual descent into madness harder to digest. Of course, Cloud's ordeal cannot be forgotten after he sees Nibelheim set on fire by Sephiroth, prompting him to defend himself and fight Sephiroth alongside Zack before the duo is taken away to be experimented on by Hojo and other humans of Shinra science for four long years. This heartbreaking detail is revealed in Aerith's letter, who has been waiting for Zack all this time without losing hope. Unfortunately, their reunion did not take place, with Zack losing his life in a backlash as they battled waves of Shinra troops to protect Cloud.

2 Koudelka

The main characters have been through a lot

Fans might be familiar with Shadow heartsbut what players don't know is that this game is technically a sequel to a PS1 JRPG that was overshadowed by its release Final Fantasy 9. Koudelka is a gothic RPG that is as dark and disturbing as they come. The eponymous heroine trio, James and Edward, explore the Nemeton Monastery to dispel the horrors that plague it. This haunting is much more personal than the players assume. The spirit is revealed to be James' long-lost love, Elaine, whom he gave up because he felt she was better off in the arms of another. This backfired, since she died and her husband tried to bring her back, only to bring back a vengeful spirit that killed her and haunted the monastery.

The most thematically appropriate ending involves the players losing to the final boss so that James can right his wrongs and sacrifice himself to destroy Elaine's spirit, which looks awful Koudelkahis story is. The main character herself endured a hard life. She reveals in a candid bonding session with Edward that her affinity for magic caused her mother to abandon her when she was only nine years old, forcing her to endure horrible things that shut her out of the world for a long time.

1 Persona 3 Reload

The theme of loss is pervasive throughout the world

Persona 3 has a strong emphasis on themes of loss, and fans have rightly pointed this out rechargeLively menus and sleek presentation can clash with dark undertones. That may be true to an extent, but you only have to look at the improved presentation of the remake to see how much the story benefits from it. The emotional journey the players are involved in is deeply tragic, with numerous characters close to the main cast dying as the heroes experience loss after loss.

Even after players think they've saved the world by taking out Nyx, there's one last punch to the gut at the end, where the protagonist's friends regain their memories and run to their dorm in hopes of reuniting with their friend. However, they are too late, and the hero breathes his last in Aigis's lap as the last of his life goes out.