Summary
An important aspect of many JRPGs is the companions who accompany theprotagonist throughout the game’s narrative journey. These companions often set the tone of the story, interacting with the surrounding world while the main character remains silent. In various titles within the genre, this cast consists of younger figures, reflecting themes such as growth and discovery.
However, some JRPGs take a different approach by featuring an adult cast with more mature characters. These members bring a new perspective to the narrative, exploring deeper and more complex themes such as sacrifice, duty, and redemption. A JRPG with an adult cast tends to offer a richer and more engaging narrative experience for those seeking more mature stories.
As a JRPG with an adult cast,Lost Odysseyfeatures Kaim, an immortal with over a thousand years. The narrative delves intothe characters' memories and experiences, providing a detailed view of their trajectories and motivations throughout the journey.
Kaim’s companions, such as Seth and Jansen, are adults with distinct pasts and their own responsibilities. This composition allows players to follow the individual development of each team member, enriching the gaming experience with different perspectives and personal stories.
Final Fantasy 6is a classic example of a JRPG with a predominantly adult cast. The story takes place in asteampunk world where older characters, such as the veteran knight Cyan and rebel leader Banon, play crucial roles in the narrative, also bringing interesting storylines that enrich the plot with themes of loss and duty.
Despite featuring younger protagonists like Terra or Celes, the older party members add layers to the story. Sabin and Edgar, brothers with real responsibilities, and Setzer, an airship pilot with a complex past, exemplify the cast’s maturity. The interaction between characters of different ages makes the story richer and more multifaceted.
6Xenosaga Episode 3: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Mature Themes In A Mecha-Focused JRPG
Xenosaga Episode 3: Also Sprach Zarathustrapresents a predominantly adult cast, with the exception of Momo, a Realian with a youthful appearance. Characters such as Shion Uzuki and her brother Jin, along with the cyborg Ziggy, are older and carry deep histories, dealing with their choices and responsibilities while facing cosmic threats.
Even KOS-MOS, technically only three years old, possesses unique complexity as a conscious weapon. The game’s focus lies in the maturity of the characters, who, instead of discovering the world, strive to protect it, dealing with the consequences of events from the franchise’s previous two games and concluding the series epically.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishmentis an excellent example of a JRPG with an adult cast, differing from the franchise’s more recent titles. While current games focus on teenage protagonists and school life,Eternal Punishmentfeatures more mature characters, such as the 24-year-old protagonist Maya Amano, addressing deeper and darker themes.
The narrative explores moral dilemmas and traumas, offering amore adult and psychological experience. This approach sets the early games apart from the newer entries in the series, which concentrate on existential questions and internal conflicts while maintaining the supernatural elements that define the franchise. This combination provides players with a different experience compared to the series' more recent games.
Except for Tressa, who is only 18 years old, themain characters inOctopath Travelerare mostly between 20 and 30 years old, making the game an excellent choice for those seeking a JRPG with an adult cast. This allows players to follow the narrative from the perspectives of different characters.
The game’s premise is based on the fact that each of the eight characters has their own story and problems to resolve, up to the point where all their stories interconnect through a common enemy. This approach, in addition to being charming, allows each character to have even more complexity within the game.
Vagrant Storyis a standout JRPG that features an adult protagonist, Ashley Riot, an elite agent known as a Riskbreaker. Nearing 30 years old, Ashley breaks the mold of typical JRPG heroes, who are often teenagers, so, his mature perspective adds depth to the game’s intricate storyline set in the dark, medieval city of Leá Monde.
The game delves into themes of political intrigue, betrayal, and personal redemption. Its gameplay combines action and role-playing elements, emphasizing weapon customization and strategic combat. Vagrant Story offers a rich and engaging experience, distinguished by its complex narrative and the uncommon presence of an adult hero in the genre.
Developed with a global audience in mind and not just the Japanese market,Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journeyintroduced themesdifferent from other games in the franchise, being an excellent JRPG with a predominantly adult cast. The story, for example, revolves around an anomaly called Schwarzwelt, which threatens to destroy planet Earth.
To prevent this, an elite team composed of various soldiers and scientists is assembled, with the protagonist being a military officer aiming to stop this phenomenon from annihilating humanity. The science fiction theme, combined with the ethical dilemmas the game addresses, makes the narrative even deeper, even by the standards of theShin Megami Tenseifranchise.
Before adopting RPG elements, theYakuzafranchise already featured stories related to middle-aged adults. However, with the release ofYakuza: Like a Dragon, the series became one of the main JRPGs to feature an adult cast. Led by the protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, who is about 42 years old in the game.
Additionally, the rest of theYakuza: Like a Dragoncast consists mostly of older characters compared to other JRPGs, each with complex life stories and troubled pasts. This distinctive approach gives the game significant emotional depth, even with its eccentric moments, exploring each character’s story in an interesting manner.
