With the Steam Winter Sale in full swing and featuring plenty of JRPGs, you may be wondering which ones can run on your PC. Well, we’ve put together a handful of JRPGs you can play even if you’re rocking low-end PC hardware.
I compared the specs on two separate low-end rigs to put this list together. The first was the cheapest ($150 US) laptop I could find new at retail. The second was a middle-of-the-road, non-gaming PC from about 10 years ago.
Both PCs meet at least the minimum requirements of the following games.
PC JRPGs you can play even on low-end hardware
Chained Echoes
One of the best JRPGs in years kicks off our list. Chained Echoes offers a refreshing take on the role-playing genre that is perfect for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Given the art style, this should run ok on pretty much any hardware. However, keep in mind some of the effects may cause a few slowdowns, but that matters a lot less in a turn-based game.
Sea of Stars
Another great retro JRPG that dropped in 2023 was Sea of Stars. Similar to Chained Echoes, the art style means it is not very demanding at all. While I would prioritize Chained Echoes over this, it’s still a fantastic love letter to classic JRPGs worth picking up even on a weaker PC.
Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler has a ton of content, so there’s a lot of bang for your buck, especially picking it up on sale. However, the second game’s requirements were a bit too high for the PCs I based this list on, so you will need to stick to the first entry if you are rocking low-end PC hardware. It’s still worth a purchase though as the original Octopath Traveler is considered a modern classic by many fans of the genre.
Undertale
Undertale doesn’t get talked about too much these days, but if you’ve somehow never played it, now is the perfect time to pick it up. It can run perfectly on basically any hardware and isn’t overly long, so more casual gamers can enjoy it, even on multiple playthroughs. I’d say Undertale is one of those games that’s sort of “required playing.”
Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden
This was a pleasant surprise putting this together! Two of the greatest JRPGs of all time are playable on lower-end rigs. Both are also on a steep sale and packaged together. As far as pure value goes, this is a great pickup regardless of your hardware. Sadly, Persona 5 needs a little beefier specs to play, but there’s plenty of gameplay in 3 and 4 to keep you satisfied.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster
Another solid pickup is Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD. This remaster wasn’t everything we’d hoped it would be. However, it was a serviceable way to get one of the best JRPGs ever onto modern hardware. Given the age of the original game, it’s not that surprising you can play on low-end hardware. Keep in mind, that this game doesn’t have a ton of the quality-of-life features some modern games may have, but it’s still an absolute must-play JRPG.
All Final Fantasy games up to X
PC has every single mainline Final Fantasy available to play. The craziest part is that you can play almost all of these on basically any hardware. With the 2D games and their age, I expected this. However, I was surprised that even Final Fantasy X can run on low-end rigs. I’d grab any Final Fantasy you can if you’re looking for some great PC JRPGs.
Chrono Trigger
I fully endorse owning Chrono Trigger on every platform you can. Thankfully, pretty much any PC can run it well. I played this on my old beater laptop from college over a decade ago. Heck, my graphing calculator from college could probably run this. If you’ve never played it please experience not just one of the best JRPGs, but one of the best games of all time.
Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky trilogy
I’ve been saying this for a while now: Please play the Trails in the Sky trilogy. They’re the beginning of the overall Trails series and I think starting with them is the absolute best starting point. Not only are they playable on even the most humble PC setups, but PC is actually the only way to play this whole trilogy on anything modern. They’re a slow burn, but if you like great characters and intriguing storytelling, the overall build up is unlike anything else in video games.
Tales of Symphonia
While this game may have aged a little worse than some other classics on this list, it’s still a great JRPG. Luckily, not only is it playable on a low-end PC, but it’s also constantly on sale for $5 or less. This game is easily worth four times that amount. I highly recommend adding it to your collection, but keep in mind it may not wow in 2023 like it did in 2004.
So, hopefully, this will give you a few ideas of some great JRPGs you can pick up on PC, even with low-end hardware. Additionally, Steam has a generous return policy, especially if your PC can’t run a game. So, if you’re worried your PC is still not up to snuff, you can always try a game out!
The Steam Winter Sale runs from December 21 through January 4.
