Do JRPGs with Side Quest Growth Have More Content Than Fire Emblem?
The debate over content volume in Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) often centers on playtime, narrative depth, and optional activities. Among the most discussed franchises is Fire Emblem, a tactical RPG series renowned for its strategic combat, character relationships, and permadeath mechanics. Meanwhile, many traditional JRPGs—such as Xenoblade Chronicles, Final Fantasy, or Tales of—rely heavily on side quests and growth systems to extend gameplay. But do these side-quest-rich JRPGs genuinely offer more content than Fire Emblem titles? The answer is nuanced, depending on how one defines “content” and what players value in their gaming experience.
Defining “Content” in Gaming
Before comparing, it’s essential to clarify what “content” means. In gaming, content can refer to:
- Main Story Length: The primary narrative arc.
- Side Quests: Optional missions that often reward players with items, experience, or lore.
- Character Development: Including support conversations, skill trees, and class changes.
- Exploration: Open-world areas, hidden dungeons, and secrets.
- Replay Value: New game plus modes, multiple endings, or difficulty settings.
While Fire Emblem games excel in several areas, they traditionally focus more on strategic depth and character interaction than on vast open worlds or countless side missions.
Side Quest Growth in JRPGs
JRPGs with robust side quest systems often boast enormous playtimes. Games like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 or Persona 5 offer dozens—sometimes hundreds—of optional quests. These tasks range from simple fetch quests to elaborate storylines that expand the game’s world-building. Side quests often integrate with progression systems, providing experience, gear, or abilities that aren’t accessible through the main story alone.
For example, in Final Fantasy XV, players can engage in hunts, fishing, and faction missions that add dozens of hours of gameplay. The growth here is tangible: characters become stronger, and the world feels more lived-in. This design philosophy prioritizes volume and player freedom, creating a sense of endless adventure.
Fire Emblem’s Approach to Content
Fire Emblem games, particularly recent entries like Three Houses and Engage, offer a different kind of richness. While they may not have hundreds of discrete side quests, they compensate with deep tactical gameplay, support conversations, and character customization.
In Three Houses, the main story can take 40-60 hours, but completing all routes requires over 200 hours. The game’s “side content” isn’t just a list of quests; it’s woven into the academy system, where teaching students, hosting tea parties, and managing relationships affect combat performance and story outcomes. The growth is narrative and strategic rather than purely experiential.
Moreover, Fire Emblem’s permadeath mechanic (in classic mode) encourages replayability. Each playthrough can differ significantly based on character losses, choices, and difficulty settings. This creates content through emergent storytelling—a feature less common in quest-heavy JRPGs.
Quantitative Comparison: Playtime and Volume
By raw numbers, many side-quest-driven JRPGs have longer total playtimes. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (though Western, it shares DNA with JRPGs) or Dragon Quest XI can easily exceed 100 hours with all side activities. In contrast, most Fire Emblem games average 30-50 hours for a single playthrough.
However, this metric is misleading. Fire Emblem often includes multiple campaigns or routes. Fire Emblem: Fates had three distinct story paths, while Three Houses offered four. Completing all routes can take as long as a completionist run of a large JRPG. Yet, the content here is more repetitive—reusing maps and concepts—whereas side quests in JRPGs often introduce entirely new scenarios.
Quality Over Quantity?
The value of content also hinges on quality. Fire Emblem’s support conversations and tactical depth are consistently high-quality, with minimal filler. Every battle matters, and character interactions feel meaningful. In contrast, many JRPGs pad playtime with repetitive tasks—collecting 10 bear pelts or defeating generic monsters. This can lead to bloated playtimes without substantive engagement.
That said, exceptional JRPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles integrate side quests into world-building, making them feel purposeful. The key difference is that Fire Emblem’s content is almost always curated and narrative-driven, whereas JRPGs often embrace quantity, allowing players to choose their level of engagement.
Player Agency and Content Engagement
Another factor is how players engage with content. Fire Emblem is linear in structure but offers deep customization within its framework. Players can min-max characters, experiment with class combinations, or challenge themselves with ironman runs.
JRPGs with side quest growth provide horizontal content—more things to do rather than deeper systems. This appeals to explorers and completionists who enjoy checking off lists and uncovering every secret. Both approaches are valid, but they cater to different preferences.
Conclusion: It’s About Depth vs. Breadth
Ultimately, JRPGs with extensive side quests often have more quantity of content—more hours of gameplay, more tasks, and more exploration. However, Fire Emblem games counter with density of content: rich tactical options, meaningful choices, and emotional narrative arcs. Neither is inherently superior; they simply emphasize different strengths.
For players who value vast worlds and endless activities, side-quest-heavy JRPGs will feel more content-rich. For those who prefer strategic depth and character-driven stories, Fire Emblem offers a more condensed but equally satisfying experience. In the end, the measure of content isn’t just in the clock—it’s in the memories created along the way.
