If you're an anime fan and a gamer, chances are you've played your fair share of JRPGs. And although the genre is lively and full of great titles right now, sometimes you need a break from the JRPG formula for a different sort of gaming experience.
Luckily for you, there are loads of other anime-inspired games that you can check out without sinking all your hours into a narrative-heavy roleplay. If you love anime and need a break from JRPGs (or just straight up don't like the genre), there's a game on this list for you. Many of them are either based on anime, or have an anime based on them (like the mobile rhythm game depicted above, which is based on the Love Live! anime). Check 'em out!
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle
Only available on PS3 consoles, this is a fighting game that's based on the popular anime, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. You can choose your fighter character our of various familiar faces from the anime, including Jonathan Joestar and DIO.
But if this game isn't quite your style, there are several other games based on this IP that you can pick up instead -- including JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven for the PS4.
One Piece: Burning Blood
This is another fighting game, based off the One Piece anime. You can play as many of the series' familiar characters -- including Luffy, Zoro, Sir Crocodile, and Doflamingo. Burning Blood is available on PS4, PS Vita, and Windows PCs.
Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness
Next up is a virtual novel based on the Psycho-Pass anime. Dubbed Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness, this game takes place sometime within the anime series' first 12 episodes. However, it does not cross over into the show's established story. The characters who appear in this game, including the two playable characters and the antagonist, do not make an appearance in the anime.
This game is available on PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
Yomawari Night Alone
Yomawari Night Alone is one of the only games on this list that isn't based on an anime and doesn't have an anime adaptation in the works. But it has a rather cute animated aesthetic that anime fans will find familiar and enjoyable.
In this survival horror experience, a little girl has to explore her hometown to find her sister and dog. In order to make sure she doesn't get caught by monsters during her venture, she has to make good use of light as she wanders about town.
This game is available on PS Vita and Windows PC.
Ib
Ib is another game that doesn't have an anime to use as source material. But much like Yomawari, Ib boasts an aesthetic that will have special appeal to anime fans. In this RPG Maker horror game, a young girl gets trapped in an alternate world after going to an art gallery with her parents -- and now she has to find her way back.
This is a choice-driven game that will result in different endings based on the decisions that you make while you play. It was originally designed in Japanese, but a translated version is available at the link below.
Danganronpa Series
Unlike the first few games in this list, one of the games in this series, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy, actually had an anime based on it (rather than the other way around). This game is about a group of high school students who are trapped in their school. In order to get out, a student must murder another student and get away with it. As you play, you must discover the murderer -- similar to the Phoenix Wright series.
Trigger Happy was originally available on PSP, but has since been ported to Android, iOS, PS4, PS Vita, Mac, PC, and Linux.
Ensemble Stars
The last game on the list is the Japanese-only game, Ensemble Stars. It's similar to LoveLive! School Idol Festival in many ways, though it's not a rhythm game. Instead, this mobile game has you collecting cards of various high school students and putting them into groups to get as much power as possible. You can then battle other players' groups, or play through events and earn more cards/currency.
An anime has been announced for this game, but we don't have a solid release date yet.
Because it's Japanese-only, you'll need to take some extra steps in order to play this game. Most importantly, you'll need access to the Japanese storefront of Google Play. You can get this by either using a VPN and a second Google account to gain access, or by downloading a program called QooApp that gives you access to a number of games from Japan, China, and Korea. (And yes, it's been deemed safe by its users.)
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What are your favorite anime-inspired games to play? Are you planning to check out any of the titles on this list, or have you played through them all already? Let us know down in the comments!
Published: Aug 24, 2017 01:18 am