While JRPGs are a fun genre, completing them can take a ridiculous amount of time. We’re looking at this in terms of how long it takes to do everything meaningful in the game. Bonuses, extra content, main story, side quests, you name it.
Sometimes, games are simply made longer by grinding, or by having an incredibly lengthy story. Regardless of the reasons, there are some truly lengthy games in the JRPG genre.
There are some honorable mentions though, like the Disgaea franchise. Every game in that series could take 500+ hours, depending on what your ultimate goals are.
Which JRPGs take the longest to complete?
7) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (110 hours)
One of the newest JRPGs on this list, it’s also one of the longest. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is more than just a really long story.
It has to tell two complete narratives, as it has two main protagonists, and two full parties. Then you pack in all the classic Yakuza side quests and mini-games – of which there are tons.
Half the run time of this game is just the story, though. If you’re going to max out your Sujimon collection, spend time on Dondoko Island, complete all the mini-games, and 100% it in total, it’s still going to run you easily over 100 hours. At least this one’s an enjoyable experience to wrap up.
6) Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (118-120 hours)
While Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is one of the best JRPGs of the year, its length is a little on the frustrating side. The narrative is superb, and most of the extra mini-games can be fun – but not all of it.
The side quests are solid, and help give a variety of perspectives, and show off more of the world that the original game did not have the capacity to.
However, where the brunt of this game’s run time comes down to doing mini-games of a frustrating difficulty, and the absolutely baffling combat challenges. It can be soul-crushing to get to round 7 of an 8 round challenge, lose, and start over.
You could easily lose hours to each one of those fights. While it is a fun game, the producer has admitted he was at fault in how some of this content was handled.
5) Dragon Quest XI – (120+ hours)
Dragon Quest games are also quite lengthy, but few of them are quite as big as the latest mainline entry. A few of them are close – Dragon Quest 7 and Dragon Quest 9, as noteworthy mentions.
The DQ3 Remake can also easily cross 70 hours on its own. The majority of Dragon Quest XI’s runtime comes from the narrative as well.
It’s a three-act game, offering an unforgettable, emotional journey. That’s not where all the time comes from though. It’s a Dragon Quest game, so you’ll have to spend a lot of time grinding – efficiently or otherwise.
Then there’s all the Tockington extra content, and the infuriating Superboss. The vast majority of the 120+ hour JRPG is fun, but there are some moments of stress.
4) Persona 5 Royal (150+ hours)
Speaking of long franchises, Persona 5 Royal! This game can easily go from 120-150 hours, or perhaps even longer.
The main storyline of the game is easily 100 hours on its own, and then you have to consider the extra content that came with Royal, which makes it another 20-40 hours, depending on how you approach it.
One thing that makes Persona 5 Royal long is the extra, personal time you will likely have to invest in it. If you want to do everything, it may take two playthroughs.
On top of that, you will almost certainly have a spreadsheet, planning every single day-to-day action. That kind of planning makes it one of the longest JRPGs of all time.
3) Super Robot Wars 30 (150+ hours)
It’s a shame the Super Robot Wars games don’t really come West often. What’s not to love about the biggest and best mecha series clashing in epic turn-based strategy battles?
You cannot 100% SRW 30 in one playthrough, since there are plenty of branching paths. If you don’t keep up with which routes you take, it might require two or more playthroughs.
Just going through the main story is just about 40-50 hours, but then there’s unlocking all the side content, of which there is tons, getting all the hidden mobile suits, and upgrading your ship. You have to play through the game at least twice, since there are two protagonists, as well.
Hopefully, you don’t suffer a painful crash during the final boss, which has happened to some players – this forces you to replay a nearly hour-long battle.
2) Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (180+ hours)
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is easily one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo Switch – not to mention of all time. In general, the games in this series all run around 200 hours, or they certainly have the capacity to.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s main story could easily run you up to 80 hours. You also have tons of emotional side quests, extra fights, and going through all the storylines for each of the 20 characters.
There’s also the DLC, which only adds more to the length of this game’s runtime. Maxing out your party members, experiencing their stories, and then completing all the side content the beautiful Nintendo Switch RPG can feel like a chore sometimes.
However, as you get wrapped up in the story, you may not even notice the dozens of hours that just pass by.
1) Star Ocean: Till The End of Time (200+ hours)
Star Ocean: Till The End of Time is one of the shorter stories in this JRPG list, but why is it so long? It’s all the side content that comes with all Star Ocean games, that makes it longer.
You have multiple planets to explore, a crafting system to complete, huge sidequests, the arena, and everything else in the side-game catalog. You also have to account for Private Actions, and the Battle Trophies. This game could take anywhere in the 200+ hour range, easily.
While not a perfect JRPG, it is a classic, and if you’re looking to do everything in this game, pack a lunch: It’s gonna take a while.
JRPGs often have incredibly intricate stories to tell – that means the run time is never going to be short. In the early days of the form, there was less emphasis on the story and more on gameplay, but as time has moved forward, the game style evolved, now featuring some of the most memorable, emotional stories of all time.
