It's always pleasant to hear someone mention Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Easily one of my favorite games of all time and I still replay it regularly.
@@TheGamingShelf Revenant Kingdom definitely still has a lot of charm and I really enjoyed it but for different reasons. They got rid of the Familiars (my favorite part of the og) but in exchange, we got a more streamlined and fluid combat system. Both have their merits but I think we can all agree that Cross Worlds was a major let down.
@@TheGamingShelf I really like the sequel. I do wish they kept the familiar aspect rather than what they went with, but I respect their attempt at trying something new. The story does still have a good amount of charm and I like that the main protagonist is NOT the Isekai'd one for once. I do wish they showed Roland being more badass since his initial scenes are amazing, but I really like how he and Evan play off of each other and improve as characters in a slow, subtle way. It also fixed the AI issue I mentioned in a different topic where I felt that the NNK1 AI needed too much micromanagement. I still love NNK1 more though as a whole.
Atelier really is the chillest. I feel like it unlocked the part of my brain that most people find in farming sims. the gameplay loop is just soooo satisfying to me
I completely agree. The Atelier series are the games I felt most relaxed with when playing them. It does not hurt there are a LOT of them, and each one is really worth to play. The only one I did find a bit more stressful was Totori, that has brutal time limits. By the way - I also loved the Blue Reflection series from the same developer. Maybe a little bit less relaxing, but nevertheless very easy-going games...
@@jclosed2516 yeah I'll admit to not playing the Arland series yet because I hate strict time limits, but even without that, and even without all the games in the series that haven't come over to the US on modern consoles yet, there are soooo many games to play and it's great. I find them so relaxing and enjoyable, and if you like one game you're probably going to like the dozen or so others that are available. like I think the dev deserves so much more credit for putting these games out every year when they're always high quality and just really solid games. I should check out Blue Reflection! it looked a little too like "hehe us girls are soooo innocent" fanservicey for me, but I suppose Atelier can be like that too lol
@@mrp1234 I agree that the first Blue Reflection game has that "innocent girl" vibe. Although that vibe will be a bit different when you are near the end of the game for sure. Without giving too much away, there is some some harsh and depressing stuff in Blue Reflection: Second Light, although the general tone is optimistic and, indeed, cute...
is it weird that I found Trials in the Sky FC extremely cozy with the atmosphere and just going around doing main and side quests? Can't wait to play the rest of the Trails series!!
Maybe wiuth the Moguri mod, but that load in time for every battle and the battle speed... its just to slow and gets frustrating more than relaxing. Though the Moguri mod IMO fixes that.
I just started Dragon Quest XI a few weeks ago. While it doesn’t have the cost cutesy vibe that most of your list has, it definitely a relaxing game. I’ll be adding some of the games you listed to my list!
I was gifted at Christmas Harvestella on the Nintendo switch that I actually find quite relaxing, I enjoy taking care of the farm and is my go to game whenever I feel like I need to unwind, I'd just start a day, taking care of veggies and animals in the morning then go out in the world find the side quests to do, and if I've finished all the side quest I could find, then I'd progress through the main story, often a new dungeon, but the simple combat and the fact that you've got companions helping you as well does make it a breeze, I just have to make sure I have enough food to heal me, but otherwise a fun game to relax with in my opinion I also like the trails series for taking it slow, although when the story gets crazy, then yeah I get overexcited, but overall it is fun, turning on my Switch or Playstation, and go on adventures with either Lloyd, Rean or Estelle,
Persona 5 is pretty cozy because of the vibe and music when you're not doing dungeons and I find the kingdom building in Revenant Kingdom to be pretty cozy too. Edit: Discovered from this video that Yorushika did music for Ryza. Guess I'll have to play the games soon.
For me With the 3ds closing. The first thing I bought was the dlc for Fantasy Life. Heard such good things that I had to get it. Loved the game However the coziest franchise for me was Dragon Quest. The portability of it and whether playing on a DS, 3DS or switch. You could play an adventure anywhere. Loved playing on the beach or park and just enjoying it Awesome vid as always Taylor
the balamb garden music was my go to music when I was stressed in college and needed a break, it took me back to my elementary days living in a country town all alone in our house and all you can hear are birds with bright sunlight entering my room and not a care in the world. I wish I could go back
Yeah, Sky FC is extremely Cozy especially when compared to SC which is less Cozy (considering the main conflict) but still works for a list like this. I played Cold Steel I and II and the first Cold Steel is even Cozier in my opinion than the first Sky Game because it has the same type of Stakes but in a school setting and I loved Every Single Named Student!! [MINOR SPOILERS BELOW] ; : ; : That is, if you don't consider the final act of the game which is totally Uncozy. What a Brutal Sequel Hook. Cold Steel II jumps the stake in a big way!
Final Fantasy VIII is one of the most nostalgic games for me. My brother and I basically made up an entire AU with exaggerated versions of the characters where they all lived together and did dumb stuff. We still talk to each other as the characters, it basically became our secret language.
So happy you put Lunar silver star harmony, one of my favourite JRPG’s ever it’s so cozy the story and characters feel like you’re watching a show love it, and great vid as always Taylor 👍🏾👌🏾
I love the Rune Factory series so much, RF3 was my introduction to the series and I'm so happy its getting a remaster! I need to get back into Atelier Ryza, I love the atmosphere about it but for some reason I'm struggling a bit with learning the alchemy system :') I played Atelier Annie on the DS but Ryza is definitely a bit more complex in comparison
@@TheGamingShelf Well, I am biased towards Sophie as despite owning a PS1 and 2, Sophie was my first, alongside Sophie 2, the Ryza Trilogy, Rorona, and Escha and Logy. Haven't played the city building spinoff or the fourth Arland game
It is but their hasn't been a ENGLISH voice acting version since Mana Khemia 2 PS2 game since 2008 since the 2010 onwards Atelier games are ALL in Japanese voices with no way to change those to English. But that's not the main reason that Mana Khemia 2 was the last type of those games I played its because of Time limit systems that some of the later games had that and I don't like my Alchemy item systems requiring to make like 10+ items just to make a SINGLE one that's why the 3 Ryza games I'll never play them even on EASY mode at all.
@@TheGamingShelf For me, my favourite will always be Atelier Iris... although out of all the other ones I've played, the atelier Ryza series is my favourite due to the ability to take however long you want. Currently working my way, slooooowly through Ryza 3
For me Atelier Ryza series, Dragon Quest Treasures, Harvestella and Rine Factory are my cozy JRPGs of choice. At the moment I’m absolutely obsessed with Octopath Traveler, and although it’s pretty easy going and combat isn’t too too crazy and there’s a lot of cutscenes and stories, I don’t know if I’d call it cozy. But if you like any of the above games I would highly highly recommend Octopath traveler. Octopath traveler 2 is my game of the year for 2023.
Fantasy Life and Ni No Kuni are such great additions to this list, especially fantasy life. It’s by far my favorite 3ds game and is the game i would choose if I had to pick a single game that meant most to me as a kid, just so so fun. I wish i was still in 4th grade playing this when it came out again 😅
The blue reflection series are my favorites :) blue reflection second light is just so wonderful with its relaxing beautiful art and amazing combat. The first game is good too but way more janky
The drawing mechanic is awesome in ff8. It's very quick way to buff you characters where other games require grinding which takes a lot longer. the draw also scratchs a collecting itch. Personally i'd have put FF15 in the list because it's an action game where you hold the attack button rather than tire your fingers with bashing and the car practically drives it self and it's very relaxing doing the side quests and driving between them and taking in the views.
Atelier Ryza is known for being a masochist's comfort food & "waifu bait hell" game due to hellish grind and the ridiculous enemies. So outside the aesthetics i don't think the battle would be cozy and comfy
Great list! Unfortunately, I couldn't get into Chrono Cross and I can't for the life of me understand the battle system. I definitely agree with Pokemon and Rune Factory though. Funny enough, I watched this video while playing Rune Factory 5.
Mana Khemia 2, to me, Is the absolute best game in the Atelier series. 😊. It's on the PS2 but it's relaxing and absolutely hilarious! One of the funniest games I've ever played.
Big thumbs up for Fantasy Life, such a good game. Probably should go on every "underrated" list. My list of "relaxing:" Prob the first two Zelda games, Zelda and Link to the Past. Old school vibes, the eShop for 3DS is closed now but they're still good. Link's Awakening remaster on the Switch was great too, the end boss is tough, but the rest of the game is just like run around and do stuff. Sakuna of Rice and Ruin was a fun and mostly chill game too. I also like the Phoenix Wright series, Ace Attorney Chronicles on the Switch was fun what I played of it, the court cases are tough but the rest of the game is basically a visual novel. I also liked AI Somnium Files, it was one of these walk around and solve mysteries games, kinda fun even if a bit low budget.
Sakura Wars is pretty chill too.. it's not very complicated, has a pleasant history and very straighfoward combat. I had over 200h in Rune Factory 4 in the 3DS, so it's probaly my game to relax lol
Love this list! Although Rune Factory 5 should really only be played on PC. I have both and the switch version is just vexing... Fantasy Life is probably tied at first place for me with Rune Factory 4, and I also really enjoyed Dragon Quest Builders. By the way, if you liked Lunar, my favorite golden oldie is the first Grandia. There is a 'remastered' version on PC/Switch. Most of the game is fairly light hearted, all about the journey instead of the goal. I'm biased because I grew up on this game but the music is wonderful to me.
Rune Factory series is sooo underrated. It basically ruined other farming sims for me. Having skills that level up with almost every action you do (like walking, farming, eating, combat etc.) is so satisfying. It makes you feel like you're constantly making progress with everything you do in the game as your character keeps on getting stronger. Plus of course the combat with all the RPG elements and dungeons you'd expect from an RPG. Farming life simulation + RPG is absolutely amazing combo. And there's such a ridiculous amount of content in those games too. I hope that one day the series will get the recognition it deserves.
I'm sorry but Rorona is a mistake to recommend as a cozy JRPG. At least for newer people to the Atelier series. It has a cozy feeling but the "doomsday clock" on first playthroughs will have you stressed out as you fail and reload the beginning of every stretch of missions. I got through it fine but I had played the dusk trilogy before Rorona. My friend got so heated about the game since it was their first Atelier game. It took me buying them a copy of Ryza for them to finally get into the series.
Lunar looks good is it also on ps4 or switch by any chance i have never heard of that one before I have never played chrono cross but if its cheap i might get it so I have never played any atelier game before i want to play them but i dont know which one and all of them together is €270 so i dont know what to do i want to play them but they are so expensive I love pokemon Scarlet and so many other pokemon games of course as well way too many to say so yeah I have never played Rune factory but yeah it reminds me of animal crossing and a JRPG so yeah is it also for ps4 if so i will buy it someday on there if its cheap that is
wait- etrian odyssey is coming to pc?? haha yesss i looooooooove the mapping mechanic for that game so much. so happy to see chrono cross on this list. ive never played a rune factory game im def going to have to check it out sometime.
As polarizing as they are, the Hyperdimension Neptunia games are just as relaxing for me as everything else on this list, especially in NG+. Star Ocean games as well.
For me, that game has always been Grandia 2, there isnt much grinding to do as u move on from1 area to the next and i just enjoy the vibe of each town, even if things get dark.
It’s bothering me, what game is the opening song from? Is it from one of the later Ys games? Really cool list. Definitely feel the same on some of these.
About the Atelier series, since I never played any of them, would you also consider the Iris series on the PS2 as relaxing or less than the other ones? Thanks in advance for all your precious pieces of advice!
i never got to beat dragon quest builders 2. the whole oasis quest was weird because the requirements to make one was weird, and it wasn’t registering the bodies of water i was making so i never got to move on. really enjoyed it too.
omg.. that sounds so nostalgic T^T I still to this day have the spring/summer themes as one of my alarms for getting up in the morning, beautiful game.
This is great list.For me the Atelier games and it's spin off like the mana khemia and iris series it's one comfy games i play when i got burnt out of some depressing rpg story like tactic ogre or smt games. The same thing i played dragon quest games when i got burnt out of rpg that have some kind of gimmick in it's battle system like in legend of dragoon or persona.. Sometimes simple things is the best for me.
I'm interested in Rune Factory 5, but not so much in the combat. When combat becomes necessary, how much time do you have to go into it? I just wanna farm and I know Xseed worked on this, so I'm confident the farming aspect will be good.
Atelier is relaxing as long as you don't mind bad endings. The time limit in some of these games are super strict with barely room for errors. Rorona post game can also be pretty brutal if you haven't expert knowledge of synthesis at that point, the difficulty spike is not relaxing at all. Totori is even worse. I mean I love the games and have every entry of the series since the PS2 era but I never found it that relaxing like everyone says, I get the cozy slice of life par though, that's something I like very much.
Well - They stopped with those time limits after Atelier Ayesha, so there are lots of Atelier games that are very relaxing. Yeah - Atelier Firis and Atelier Escha & Logi have a kind of time limit, but these are so relaxed, that you actually have to put some real effort in it to miss that time limit. So, If you hate time limits then 4 games are not for you, and 10 games are "good to go" (I am not counting the games before Rorona, because they are console only).
Doki Doki Literature Club, you're in a literature club and together with other characters you write poems and just hang around (no pun intended). Also there are romance options so it's just cute and relaxing game 😊😉
@@TheGamingShelf It being good or not depends on your taste, but for me YES! It's the easiest, most comfortable dungeon JRPG I've ever played (Ok I maybe lying because I remembered Dragon Lapis being a good rival to it). I got this game on 3DS at full price of $5. It was ported to switch at a higher price with a few extras included. This game removes all things annoying about JRPGs. There's no tutorial, random encounters (though the enemies are still randomly selected), CRITICAL HITSSS, sudden misses unless it's a stat or ailment move, overly complicated battle systems, and clichés (exept for fighting gods). Also there's no story in this game. Only a very few cutscenes and only 1 npc. No joke. You're given 5 or 6 characters to play around with, but use 3 at a time and have many different ways to strengthen them up. You go inside one of the 5 dungeons to gather crafting materials and battle monsters for tres (works as both exp & currency somehow). When you return back to town your hp AND items are replenished/restocked back up to the highest number you got it to right before you entered the dungeon automatically without a cost. Saving you from needing to go do it all by yourself and it all goes fast, smooth, easy, and responsive. If you die in the game there's no consequence. It will just take you back to town with all that you've collected in the dungeon. A little spoiler the game is actually pact with content and replay value for $5. It just won't reveal it to you until you've beaten the main game.
I always found FFXII to be the most relaxing since you can set it up so all you need to do is walk and enjoy the scenery. ...Although that comfort might just come from familiarity. The bosses are pretty stressful on a blind run...
Did I miss any relaxing JRPGs? Share your favorites in the comments 👇
Final Fantasy IX also has that beautiful, fairy tale-like world. A lesser known game I find very cozy and comfy is Blue Reflection.
Doki doki litterature club!
Dragon quest Xi is definitely a "fall asleep as you play " game. I love it.
#10 the banner reads Final Fantasy VII Remastered in the video 😊
the OG Harvest Moon / Story of Season which are much better than RF series
and i think you missed out on Nintendo Dogs / Cats
It's always pleasant to hear someone mention Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Easily one of my favorite games of all time and I still replay it regularly.
It’s really special for sure! How did you like the sequel?
@@TheGamingShelf Revenant Kingdom definitely still has a lot of charm and I really enjoyed it but for different reasons. They got rid of the Familiars (my favorite part of the og) but in exchange, we got a more streamlined and fluid combat system. Both have their merits but I think we can all agree that Cross Worlds was a major let down.
@@TheGamingShelf I really like the sequel. I do wish they kept the familiar aspect rather than what they went with, but I respect their attempt at trying something new. The story does still have a good amount of charm and I like that the main protagonist is NOT the Isekai'd one for once. I do wish they showed Roland being more badass since his initial scenes are amazing, but I really like how he and Evan play off of each other and improve as characters in a slow, subtle way. It also fixed the AI issue I mentioned in a different topic where I felt that the NNK1 AI needed too much micromanagement. I still love NNK1 more though as a whole.
Playing it atm for the first time, I’m about 40 hours in and it’s amazing.
Atelier really is the chillest. I feel like it unlocked the part of my brain that most people find in farming sims. the gameplay loop is just soooo satisfying to me
I completely agree. The Atelier series are the games I felt most relaxed with when playing them. It does not hurt there are a LOT of them, and each one is really worth to play. The only one I did find a bit more stressful was Totori, that has brutal time limits.
By the way - I also loved the Blue Reflection series from the same developer. Maybe a little bit less relaxing, but nevertheless very easy-going games...
@@jclosed2516 yeah I'll admit to not playing the Arland series yet because I hate strict time limits, but even without that, and even without all the games in the series that haven't come over to the US on modern consoles yet, there are soooo many games to play and it's great. I find them so relaxing and enjoyable, and if you like one game you're probably going to like the dozen or so others that are available. like I think the dev deserves so much more credit for putting these games out every year when they're always high quality and just really solid games.
I should check out Blue Reflection! it looked a little too like "hehe us girls are soooo innocent" fanservicey for me, but I suppose Atelier can be like that too lol
@@mrp1234 I agree that the first Blue Reflection game has that "innocent girl" vibe. Although that vibe will be a bit different when you are near the end of the game for sure. Without giving too much away, there is some some harsh and depressing stuff in Blue Reflection: Second Light, although the general tone is optimistic and, indeed, cute...
I get what you mean, its how i feel when I play fire emblem 😂
Agree 100%. And the alchemy is addicting. I wish more games had alchemy.
is it weird that I found Trials in the Sky FC extremely cozy with the atmosphere and just going around doing main and side quests? Can't wait to play the rest of the Trails series!!
Same! What a comfort vibe that game was
True true
I think FFIX fits here more than FFVIII or maybe half of the list. But it is just me. If I need to chill I escape to FF9.
Maybe wiuth the Moguri mod, but that load in time for every battle and the battle speed... its just to slow and gets frustrating more than relaxing. Though the Moguri mod IMO fixes that.
FF9 is my fav! 😎
I wholeheartedly agree
I don’t like FF9. 8 and 10 are very relaxing for me.
@@Kuriatis yeah, moguri rocks. Better than squares remaster.
I just started Dragon Quest XI a few weeks ago. While it doesn’t have the cost cutesy vibe that most of your list has, it definitely a relaxing game. I’ll be adding some of the games you listed to my list!
Chrono cross!! My favorite JRPG of all time! Remember played It so many times as kid and now as remaster! Very relaxing, specially songs!
Nice! Yeah the music in that game is unreal. Who were your favorite party members?
@@TheGamingShelf Very hard tô say! But Gleen and Leena are for sure God tier!
Very solid list and I 100% agree with your top two picks. Relaxing games are my favorite, and I especially love when they’re bright and colorful.
Have you played the Atelier games? If you like bright, colorful games they’d be right up your alley.
@@TheGamingShelf I’ve actually tried them and did not like them. I wanted to, but I hated the crafting. Maybe I should give Ryza a chance though.
@@TheGamingShelf Is crafting hard in Ryza? Crafting has always been a feature that pushes me away from a game because I can’t get the hang of it
I was gifted at Christmas Harvestella on the Nintendo switch that I actually find quite relaxing, I enjoy taking care of the farm and is my go to game whenever I feel like I need to unwind, I'd just start a day, taking care of veggies and animals in the morning then go out in the world find the side quests to do, and if I've finished all the side quest I could find, then I'd progress through the main story, often a new dungeon, but the simple combat and the fact that you've got companions helping you as well does make it a breeze, I just have to make sure I have enough food to heal me, but otherwise a fun game to relax with in my opinion
I also like the trails series for taking it slow, although when the story gets crazy, then yeah I get overexcited, but overall it is fun, turning on my Switch or Playstation, and go on adventures with either Lloyd, Rean or Estelle,
I never knew you can combine relaxing and existential crisis, but then Harvestella happened.
I love the Atelier series. The music and gameplay is just phenomenal...
Persona 5 is pretty cozy because of the vibe and music when you're not doing dungeons and I find the kingdom building in Revenant Kingdom to be pretty cozy too.
Edit: Discovered from this video that Yorushika did music for Ryza. Guess I'll have to play the games soon.
For me
With the 3ds closing. The first thing I bought was the dlc for Fantasy Life. Heard such good things that I had to get it. Loved the game
However the coziest franchise for me was Dragon Quest. The portability of it and whether playing on a DS, 3DS or switch. You could play an adventure anywhere. Loved playing on the beach or park and just enjoying it
Awesome vid as always Taylor
My cozy jrpg is trails in the sky. The music is so cozy and relaxing
Great choice! Have you played the Cold Steel or Crossbell games?
@@TheGamingShelf nope. Honestly my backlog is full of classic, and to invest time in trails series it'll need a full commitment 🙂
The 2 Crossbell games look and play VERY similarly to Sky. I would consider giving them a try if you have the time 🙂
@@TheGamingShelf thank you for your recommendation. I'll consider it, keep up with more great jrpg videos 👍
Thank you for mentioning Fantasy Life. It is by far the most relaxing game for me. Really looking forward to the new game for the Switch.
the balamb garden music was my go to music when I was stressed in college and needed a break, it took me back to my elementary days living in a country town all alone in our house and all you can hear are birds with bright sunlight entering my room and not a care in the world. I wish I could go back
Same. That song cured so many sleepless nights. That whole soundtrack is low key underrated.
For me the Disgaea series actually feels pretty relaxing, especially when you get in the zone and grind for hours
Yeah, Sky FC is extremely Cozy especially when compared to SC which is less Cozy (considering the main conflict) but still works for a list like this.
I played Cold Steel I and II and the first Cold Steel is even Cozier in my opinion than the first Sky Game because it has the same type of Stakes but in a school setting and I loved Every Single Named Student!!
[MINOR SPOILERS BELOW]
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That is, if you don't consider the final act of the game which is totally Uncozy. What a Brutal Sequel Hook. Cold Steel II jumps the stake in a big way!
Final Fantasy VIII is one of the most nostalgic games for me. My brother and I basically made up an entire AU with exaggerated versions of the characters where they all lived together and did dumb stuff. We still talk to each other as the characters, it basically became our secret language.
That’s so cool! I love hearing stories like that. Can you share any?
FF VIII is my go to chill game. Nothing like listening to Balamb Garden music for hours while wandering around playing cards.
FINALLY some love for Rune Factory 5. I love that one, and even though it had the issue on the switch, i just thought it was so charming.
RF4 will always be my favorite from the series
Great video idea! Interesting topic!
So happy you put Lunar silver star harmony, one of my favourite JRPG’s ever it’s so cozy the story and characters feel like you’re watching a show love it, and great vid as always Taylor 👍🏾👌🏾
Thanks Bruvv! Yeah Lunar rocks. Have you played 2?
@@TheGamingShelf Never got round to it for sure wanna check it out tho
I have but the PSP version of Lunar 1 FAILED so badly that Eternal Blue never got a PSP version.
I always take an Etrian Odyssey game with me on vaccations, prefect game for disconnecting from the grind.
Chrono Cross music alone is a comfort to me.
Same. That OST is magical.
Noticed a slight typo in the Banner introducing FF 8. The roman numerals read 7. 8 is VIII.
Ah shit lol. Oh well
I do not know if writing a whole different number could be considered "slight typo" though xD
I love the Rune Factory series so much, RF3 was my introduction to the series and I'm so happy its getting a remaster! I need to get back into Atelier Ryza, I love the atmosphere about it but for some reason I'm struggling a bit with learning the alchemy system :') I played Atelier Annie on the DS but Ryza is definitely a bit more complex in comparison
Yeah Ryza definitely adds some complexity but stick with it! You’ll figure it out eventually.
Atelier is such a great series
It really is! I’m so glad it’s getting the love it deserves. Which games are you favorites?
@@TheGamingShelf Well, I am biased towards Sophie as despite owning a PS1 and 2, Sophie was my first, alongside Sophie 2, the Ryza Trilogy, Rorona, and Escha and Logy. Haven't played the city building spinoff or the fourth Arland game
It is but their hasn't been a ENGLISH voice acting version since Mana Khemia 2 PS2 game since 2008 since the 2010 onwards Atelier games are ALL in Japanese voices with no way to change those to English.
But that's not the main reason that Mana Khemia 2 was the last type of those games I played its because of Time limit systems that some of the later games had that and I don't like my Alchemy item systems requiring to make like 10+ items just to make a SINGLE one that's why the 3 Ryza games I'll never play them even on EASY mode at all.
@@veghesther3204 What? Sophie, Iris, and Lydia and Suelle were all in English. It only became JP only after
@@TheGamingShelf For me, my favourite will always be Atelier Iris... although out of all the other ones I've played, the atelier Ryza series is my favourite due to the ability to take however long you want. Currently working my way, slooooowly through Ryza 3
The Atelier franchise really stands synonymous with relaxing jrpgs
For me Atelier Ryza series, Dragon Quest Treasures, Harvestella and Rine Factory are my cozy JRPGs of choice. At the moment I’m absolutely obsessed with Octopath Traveler, and although it’s pretty easy going and combat isn’t too too crazy and there’s a lot of cutscenes and stories, I don’t know if I’d call it cozy. But if you like any of the above games I would highly highly recommend Octopath traveler. Octopath traveler 2 is my game of the year for 2023.
Loved this! Makes me want to come up with a list of my own - I've always wanted to do a cozy JRPG video!
Fantasy Life and Ni No Kuni are such great additions to this list, especially fantasy life. It’s by far my favorite 3ds game and is the game i would choose if I had to pick a single game that meant most to me as a kid, just so so fun. I wish i was still in 4th grade playing this when it came out again 😅
The blue reflection series are my favorites :) blue reflection second light is just so wonderful with its relaxing beautiful art and amazing combat. The first game is good too but way more janky
Thank you for putting chrono cross in here. Absolutely love that game, i usually go back and play at least once a year
Of course! The music is absolutely incredible and the vibe is simply unmatched.
The drawing mechanic is awesome in ff8. It's very quick way to buff you characters where other games require grinding which takes a lot longer. the draw also scratchs a collecting itch. Personally i'd have put FF15 in the list because it's an action game where you hold the attack button rather than tire your fingers with bashing and the car practically drives it self and it's very relaxing doing the side quests and driving between them and taking in the views.
I always felt the combat in Blue Dragon was pretty chilled out.
Atelier Ryza is known for being a masochist's comfort food & "waifu bait hell" game due to hellish grind and the ridiculous enemies. So outside the aesthetics i don't think the battle would be cozy and comfy
@5:33 *"Collect a HUGE roster..."*
That is an _understatement!_
Fantastic list! For me, I would add Harvestella, Magic Knight Rayearth (Saturn), Tales of Symphonia, and Kingdom Hearts to the list.
When u mentioned FFVIII, the tag that was wrote for it in the video was written as VII
Great list! Unfortunately, I couldn't get into Chrono Cross and I can't for the life of me understand the battle system. I definitely agree with Pokemon and Rune Factory though. Funny enough, I watched this video while playing Rune Factory 5.
Mana Khemia 2, to me, Is the absolute best game in the Atelier series. 😊. It's on the PS2 but it's relaxing and absolutely hilarious! One of the funniest games I've ever played.
Big thumbs up for Fantasy Life, such a good game. Probably should go on every "underrated" list.
My list of "relaxing:" Prob the first two Zelda games, Zelda and Link to the Past. Old school vibes, the eShop for 3DS is closed now but they're still good. Link's Awakening remaster on the Switch was great too, the end boss is tough, but the rest of the game is just like run around and do stuff. Sakuna of Rice and Ruin was a fun and mostly chill game too. I also like the Phoenix Wright series, Ace Attorney Chronicles on the Switch was fun what I played of it, the court cases are tough but the rest of the game is basically a visual novel. I also liked AI Somnium Files, it was one of these walk around and solve mysteries games, kinda fun even if a bit low budget.
Sakura Wars is pretty chill too.. it's not very complicated, has a pleasant history and very straighfoward combat.
I had over 200h in Rune Factory 4 in the 3DS, so it's probaly my game to relax lol
Ni No Kuni is one of the best games ever. Definitely took me by surprise and instantly fell in love with it.
Thanks for the list. Lunar games look so good but are so much money nowadays. I wish someone would port them in a collection.
Fantastic list, man!
I'm glad this video opened with the Atelier series.
Fantasy life was my go to game for years on 3ds im so exicted for the next fantasy life.
As a recommendation I suggest you play River King Mystic Valley for the NDS,it's a fishing RPG which it's interesting and relaxing too
I really need to check out Lunar already. I've heard such good things about it.
Atelier best series for me is atelier 3 grand phantasm...its just the best.
Is it really that good? I mean, Im started console with ps4 and now ps5 so never playing series from ps1 or ps2.
I am so glad to see Etrian Odyssey getting some love. Those games are a great escape.
Couldn't agree more! You looking forward to the upcoming HD ports?
Final Fantasy 8 finally get's some credit.
Love this list! Although Rune Factory 5 should really only be played on PC. I have both and the switch version is just vexing...
Fantasy Life is probably tied at first place for me with Rune Factory 4, and I also really enjoyed Dragon Quest Builders.
By the way, if you liked Lunar, my favorite golden oldie is the first Grandia. There is a 'remastered' version on PC/Switch. Most of the game is fairly light hearted, all about the journey instead of the goal. I'm biased because I grew up on this game but the music is wonderful to me.
Yes! Grandia is incredible, great pick. Same studio that made Lunar.
Rune Factory series is sooo underrated. It basically ruined other farming sims for me.
Having skills that level up with almost every action you do (like walking, farming, eating, combat etc.) is so satisfying. It makes you feel like you're constantly making progress with everything you do in the game as your character keeps on getting stronger. Plus of course the combat with all the RPG elements and dungeons you'd expect from an RPG. Farming life simulation + RPG is absolutely amazing combo. And there's such a ridiculous amount of content in those games too. I hope that one day the series will get the recognition it deserves.
I'm sorry but Rorona is a mistake to recommend as a cozy JRPG. At least for newer people to the Atelier series. It has a cozy feeling but the "doomsday clock" on first playthroughs will have you stressed out as you fail and reload the beginning of every stretch of missions. I got through it fine but I had played the dusk trilogy before Rorona. My friend got so heated about the game since it was their first Atelier game. It took me buying them a copy of Ryza for them to finally get into the series.
Rorona made me laugh out loud so many times, which I did not expect. The English voice acting is pretty great too if I remember correctly.
Lunar looks good is it also on ps4 or switch by any chance i have never heard of that one before
I have never played chrono cross but if its cheap i might get it so
I have never played any atelier game before i want to play them but i dont know which one and all of them together is €270 so i dont know what to do i want to play them but they are so expensive
I love pokemon Scarlet and so many other pokemon games of course as well way too many to say so yeah
I have never played Rune factory but yeah it reminds me of animal crossing and a JRPG so yeah is it also for ps4 if so i will buy it someday on there if its cheap that is
wait- etrian odyssey is coming to pc?? haha yesss i looooooooove the mapping mechanic for that game so much. so happy to see chrono cross on this list. ive never played a rune factory game im def going to have to check it out sometime.
Lunar is absolutely delightful. The IOS port is fantastic too, easy to get and only a few bucks!!
As polarizing as they are, the Hyperdimension Neptunia games are just as relaxing for me as everything else on this list, especially in NG+. Star Ocean games as well.
BEYOND excited for the new Fantasy Life game!
I find Octopath Traveler & Chrono Trigger to be pretty relaxing JRPGs but Ni No Kuni and Chrono Cross are excellent choices too.
For me, that game has always been Grandia 2, there isnt much grinding to do as u move on from1 area to the next and i just enjoy the vibe of each town, even if things get dark.
Lunar Silver 1st and 2nd story are another level of rpg.
It’s bothering me, what game is the opening song from? Is it from one of the later Ys games?
Really cool list. Definitely feel the same on some of these.
Ys Seven!
@@TheGamingShelf Thank you! That was bugging me haha.
About the Atelier series, since I never played any of them, would you also consider the Iris series on the PS2 as relaxing or less than the other ones? Thanks in advance for all your precious pieces of advice!
I adored fantasy life, it's a shame lvl5 hasn't made a sequal to it. I'd love to play it on switch.
i never got to beat dragon quest builders 2. the whole oasis quest was weird because the requirements to make one was weird, and it wasn’t registering the bodies of water i was making so i never got to move on. really enjoyed it too.
I do have the means for Lunar - I downloaded the latest undub English ROM for PS1.
Saving $$$ is most important.
6:10 Describes my personal preferences for jrpgs as well I feel like.
Im playing Rune Factory Frontier for the wii on original hardware with a CRT. Its so relaxing.
omg.. that sounds so nostalgic T^T
I still to this day have the spring/summer themes as one of my alarms for getting up in the morning, beautiful game.
@@MokuTom hell yeah. Its actually my first playthrough. I always wanted to play it since 10 years ago and i finally got around to it
Awesome list!
Glad you enjoyed it! What relaxing JRPGs do you enjoy?
@@TheGamingShelf Blue Reflection Second Light is the first that comes to mind.
Sick video , subbed
Thanks for the sub! I appreciate it 😄
To add to the list Fire emblem and Octopath have been very relaxing for me, very straight forward games with nice characters and stories nodders
Playing rune scape is extremely therapeutic
FYI, the slide-in for FF8 actually says FF7.
Oops 😆
This is great list.For me the Atelier games and it's spin off like the mana khemia and iris series it's one comfy games i play when i got burnt out of some depressing rpg story like tactic ogre or smt games. The same thing i played dragon quest games when i got burnt out of rpg that have some kind of gimmick in it's battle system like in legend of dragoon or persona.. Sometimes simple things is the best for me.
I still no next to nothing about chrono cross since seeing it a shelf over 20 years ago. Might look into it
It’s definitely a cool game! Combat system is a little weird but as whole it’s great.
wrath of the white witch *can be relaxing but it’s also kind of dark and kind of sad sometimes 😅
There’s a balance for sure lol
How is Steambot Chronicles not in this list? It even tells you on the title screen that “it’s a relaxing non-linear adventure” 😅
I'm interested in Rune Factory 5, but not so much in the combat. When combat becomes necessary, how much time do you have to go into it? I just wanna farm and I know Xseed worked on this, so I'm confident the farming aspect will be good.
You don’t have to do combat that much, but if you just want to farm I might wait for the Wonderful Life remake coming this year.
Seeing best girl Rorona given respect in the post-Ryza world is a sign of true culture.
Atelier is relaxing as long as you don't mind bad endings. The time limit in some of these games are super strict with barely room for errors. Rorona post game can also be pretty brutal if you haven't expert knowledge of synthesis at that point, the difficulty spike is not relaxing at all. Totori is even worse.
I mean I love the games and have every entry of the series since the PS2 era but I never found it that relaxing like everyone says, I get the cozy slice of life par though, that's something I like very much.
Well - They stopped with those time limits after Atelier Ayesha, so there are lots of Atelier games that are very relaxing. Yeah - Atelier Firis and Atelier Escha & Logi have a kind of time limit, but these are so relaxed, that you actually have to put some real effort in it to miss that time limit. So, If you hate time limits then 4 games are not for you, and 10 games are "good to go" (I am not counting the games before Rorona, because they are console only).
You can change the ff8 ballroom music 😮. I finished that game twice and didn't know that. Goddammit.
ff8 has so relaxing music :) i mean not the man with a machine gun theme but alot of them XD
I can't wait for a new Fantasy Life ☺️ I put well over 100 hours into the 3DS one!
Hell yeah nice! New one looks great. What are you looking forward to most about it?
Wow I own several of these for my 2DS. 😏👍
*gasp* relaxing AND JRPG's
I love both of those
I'm in
The best combo 😊
Doki Doki Literature Club, you're in a literature club and together with other characters you write poems and just hang around (no pun intended). Also there are romance options so it's just cute and relaxing game 😊😉
Cozy games hypeeeeeeee. Fantasy life is >>>>> all other cozy games in history
etrian series is COZY????? boy that FOE sure chill as hell
etrian cozy, ha, that is nvr a word i would use with those
FF8 is the greatest story I've ever played in the series. I hope one day Square Enix will make a remake.
Hope they make a DQ builders 3
Same! Would be amazing.
What about Brave Dungeon developed by INSIDE SYSTEM?
Never heard of it 😳 Is it good?
@@TheGamingShelf It being good or not depends on your taste, but for me YES! It's the easiest, most comfortable dungeon JRPG I've ever played (Ok I maybe lying because I remembered Dragon Lapis being a good rival to it). I got this game on 3DS at full price of $5. It was ported to switch at a higher price with a few extras included.
This game removes all things annoying about JRPGs. There's no tutorial, random encounters (though the enemies are still randomly selected), CRITICAL HITSSS, sudden misses unless it's a stat or ailment move, overly complicated battle systems, and clichés (exept for fighting gods). Also there's no story in this game. Only a very few cutscenes and only 1 npc. No joke. You're given 5 or 6 characters to play around with, but use 3 at a time and have many different ways to strengthen them up. You go inside one of the 5 dungeons to gather crafting materials and battle monsters for tres (works as both exp & currency somehow). When you return back to town your hp AND items are replenished/restocked back up to the highest number you got it to right before you entered the dungeon automatically without a cost. Saving you from needing to go do it all by yourself and it all goes fast, smooth, easy, and responsive. If you die in the game there's no consequence. It will just take you back to town with all that you've collected in the dungeon.
A little spoiler the game is actually pact with content and replay value for $5. It just won't reveal it to you until you've beaten the main game.
Ahh Chrono Cross with The Scars of Time...
Chrono Cross is my favorite game of all time
Great choice! Do you have a favorite song in the game?
(**Quotes Captain America**)
: " I'll add it on the list.. "
😏
I always found FFXII to be the most relaxing since you can set it up so all you need to do is walk and enjoy the scenery.
...Although that comfort might just come from familiarity. The bosses are pretty stressful on a blind run...
Haha that’s a good point! Kind of. I r go just have the game play itself.