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For a first playthrough, use the mainline games in release-oriented order, then add expansions and continuity-heavy spin-offs after the entry they assume. Treat chronological order as an optional replay route, and check what a remake actually covers before using it as a substitute: some remakes replace one release, while others expand or continue a story across several games.
The default answer: start with the mainline release order
“Right order” usually means the order that gives a new player the intended introductions, mechanical progression, and reveal timing. In most JRPG series, that is the mainline entries in release-oriented order. The first game establishes the setting and vocabulary; later games can then refer to those ideas without stopping to explain them.
Release order is not always identical to a strict calendar timeline. A prequel may be set decades earlier but written for players who already know the later game. Playing that prequel first can turn a mystery into exposition, reveal a character’s fate early, or make an older combat system feel like a step backward. Use chronology when you are deliberately replaying a series and want to study its history, not when you are trying to protect the first experience.
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Before launching anything, separate the series into four groups:
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- Mainline entries: numbered or otherwise central releases that advance the primary continuity.
- Remakes and expanded editions: reworked versions whose coverage may be limited, expanded, or split across releases.
- Expansions: story content designed to extend a particular game.
- Spin-offs: side releases that may share a world, characters, or continuity without being required for the main plot.
This inventory prevents the most common mistake: assuming every release belongs in one uninterrupted chronological list.
How to build a first-playthrough route
1. Identify the mainline spine
Write down only the core entries first. Use the publisher’s numbering, naming, or series descriptions rather than a fan-made timeline. If an entry is described as a sequel, place it after the game it follows even if its setting begins earlier. If the publisher presents several games as one continuing project, preserve that stated sequence.
2. Use the original release sequence for that spine
Play the mainline list from earliest release to latest release unless a specific game is explicitly inaccessible or superseded. This order protects references and mechanics that were designed to build on one another. It also lets you decide, with context, whether a later remake is worth adding rather than treating it as mandatory homework.
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For each non-mainline game, record the entry it assumes. A side story that follows the cast, setting, or ending of a particular mainline game belongs after that game. If its prerequisite is unclear, leave it out of the first run instead of guessing; you can add it during a replay once you know which continuity it uses.
4. Check the version you can actually play
Availability differs by country, platform, language, and edition. A “complete” collection may omit a particular release, while a digital listing may use a regional title or a different version number. Confirm the platform and edition in your region before committing to a route. If one entry is unavailable, do not silently replace it with a remake until you have checked the remake’s scope.
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When chronological order is useful
Chronological order is a valid second route, not a universal correction to release order. It works best when you already understand the series’ central relationships and want to trace its fictional history from earliest events to latest.
Chronology can be rewarding for three reasons:
- It groups historical events that are scattered across releases.
- It highlights foreshadowing and callbacks that are easy to miss in release order.
- It gives a coherent timeline for a replay after the original reveals no longer need protection.
Its costs are equally concrete. A prequel can spoil a later game’s identity reveal; an early-set spin-off can assume knowledge of characters introduced in a later release; and an older title may lack quality-of-life features you have become accustomed to. If you choose chronology, keep a spoiler list beside the timeline and decide whether you are comfortable learning outcomes before their original presentation.
How to place a remake or remaster
The word “remake” does not describe one fixed relationship to an original. Classify the project before deciding where it belongs.
One-for-one replacement
A replacement remake retells essentially the same portion of the story with rebuilt graphics, systems, and interface. For a first playthrough, it can serve as the playable version of that original entry if it preserves the same narrative coverage. You should still check whether scenes, endings, or routes were added, because “replacement” does not guarantee identical content.
Expanded remake
An expanded remake covers the original game’s role but adds chapters, characters, or revised events. It can be your first version of that chapter when accessibility matters, yet the additions may assume familiarity with the original’s structure. If you later want to understand what changed, play the original after completing the remake rather than alternating scene by scene.
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Continuation or reconstruction project
Some projects use a familiar title while rebuilding the story over multiple releases. In that case, the first installment is not a complete substitute for the original arc. Keep the original and remake-project routes separate, and follow the publisher’s sequence for every remake-project part.
Square Enix describes the Final Fantasy VII Remake project as a three-part reconstruction of the 1997 game on its official series portal: https://www.jp.square-enix.com/ffvii_remake/. That description means the first remake-project game should not be presented as replacing the entire original story. It is the opening part of a distinct route.
Remake decision checklist
- Read the publisher’s description and note whether it says remake, remaster, sequel, reconstruction, or continuation.
- Compare the stated story coverage with the original’s full scope.
- Check whether later parts are already released in your region or are still unavailable.
- Choose one route for your first run instead of switching between original and remake versions mid-chapter.
Where expansions belong
Place an expansion story after the game it extends. This rule applies even when the expansion is set earlier in the fictional timeline, because its writing, systems, and references are normally designed for players who have completed the base game.
Use the game’s own menus or publisher documentation to distinguish an expansion from a separate sequel. A downloadable chapter that requires a completed save belongs after the base game. A standalone release with its own opening and progression may be a spin-off or sequel instead. If the expansion changes the ending or resolves a cliff-hanger, finish it before moving to a later mainline entry that depends on that resolution.
How to place spin-offs
Continuity-heavy spin-offs
Put a continuity-heavy spin-off after the mainline entry it assumes. Signals include returning immediately to that game’s ending, importing its cast without introduction, or referring to a decision the player made there. Treat it as optional for a first run only if the mainline plot remains understandable without it; otherwise, label it a bridge and schedule it before the next dependent entry.
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Independent spin-offs
An independent spin-off can be played after the nearest shared-world entry, or saved for the end. It may use the same names and setting while telling a self-contained story. Playing it later avoids interrupting the mainline momentum and reduces the chance that a cameo is mistaken for a required plot point.
Gameplay-first spin-offs
Some side releases exist primarily to present a different genre or battle system. Place these according to continuity only if they contain story material the mainline later references. Otherwise, choose them based on interest and platform availability; there is no benefit in forcing a mechanically unrelated game between two narrative chapters.
Choose a route with this decision matrix
| Route | Best for | Spoiler risk | Continuity requirement | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainline release order | First-time players | Lowest for intended reveals | Follow each entry’s stated predecessor | Older mechanics may appear before modern quality-of-life features |
| Chronological order | Replay or timeline-focused play | Can reveal backstory early | Requires a reliable in-universe timeline | Prequels may assume knowledge of later releases |
| Original-continuity route | Players who want the complete original arc | Preserves the original reveal structure | Original mainline entries plus checked prerequisites | May require older hardware, ports, or interfaces |
| Remake-project route | Players who prefer rebuilt presentation | Depends on how much the remake changes | Follow the publisher’s stated part sequence | A multi-part project may not yet cover the whole original story |
| Mainline plus selected spin-offs | Readers who want extra world or character context | Varies by spin-off | Play each after its named prerequisite | More playtime and possible continuity branches |
Use the first row unless one of the other routes matches your specific goal. The matrix separates a narrative choice from a hardware choice: a modern remake may be easier to play, but convenience alone does not prove that it covers the same story.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Worked example: Final Fantasy VII
Original-continuity route
For the original route, start with the 1997 Final Fantasy VII, then add related entries only after checking what each one assumes. Square Enix maintains a separate title listing for the original release at https://jp.finalfantasy.com/titles/finalfantasy7. That separate listing is important: the original game remains its own release path rather than being erased by the remake project.
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- Play the original Final Fantasy VII.
- Check each related release for a direct prerequisite or continuation link.
- Add a continuity-heavy entry only after the original game it references.
- Leave independent side stories until the mainline experience is complete unless you specifically want a genre change.
Remake-project route
Choose this route when you want the rebuilt presentation and are comfortable treating it as a separate reconstruction. Follow the remake-series parts in Square Enix’s stated order rather than inserting the original between them. Because the project is described as three parts, completing its first part does not equal completing the entire 1997 narrative.
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Collection choice
Square Enix lists a trilogy edition for the remake series at https://www.jp.square-enix.com/ffvii_revelation/. It is a concrete physical-product option when that edition is sold in your region. Confirm the included games, platform, language, and regional compatibility on the current listing before purchase; availability can change.
A repeatable workflow for any JRPG series
- Make a release list. Record every mainline entry, remake, expansion, and spin-off without assigning an order yet.
- Label each relationship. Use “mainline,” “replacement remake,” “expanded remake,” “continuation,” “expansion,” “continuity-heavy spin-off,” or “independent spin-off.”
- Draw the mainline spine. Sort core entries by release-oriented sequence.
- Attach prerequisites. Draw an arrow from every side release to the game it assumes.
- Choose one first-playthrough route. Do not combine an original route and a split remake route unless the publisher explicitly presents them as sequential.
- Verify access. Check your region, platform, language, edition, and whether a collection includes all advertised parts.
- Keep a replay list. Put prequels, alternate versions, and optional side stories there so curiosity does not disrupt the first run.
Common ordering mistakes and fixes
Starting with the earliest event in the timeline
Symptom: A prequel opens with references that make little sense, or a later game’s surprise is already obvious.
Fix: Move the prequel to a replay route and start with the earliest mainline release.
Assuming every remake is a replacement
Symptom: You finish one remake installment expecting the whole original story and discover that major sections are absent.
Fix: Check the publisher’s stated scope and whether the project is split across releases. Keep the original-continuity and remake-project routes distinct.
Putting an expansion before its base game
Symptom: Characters, systems, or a late-game outcome are introduced without context.
Fix: Complete the base game first, then load the expansion through the game’s supported menu or edition.
Treating a cameo as continuity
Symptom: You insert a side game solely because it shares a character name, then lose the mainline narrative thread.
Fix: Require an explicit story dependency before moving a spin-off into the main route. Otherwise, save it for after the nearest shared-world entry.
Ignoring regional availability
Symptom: A recommended order contains a title you cannot buy or play in your country.
Fix: Rebuild the route around releases available for your platform and region, and state clearly where a missing entry changes your experience. Do not assume that a similarly named edition contains the same content.
What to do when a series has no single “correct” order
Some JRPG franchises contain parallel continuities, anthology-like numbered games, or remakes that deliberately reinterpret earlier events. In those cases, publish or follow two clearly named routes instead of forcing one master timeline:
- First-playthrough route: mainline release-oriented order, with only prerequisite side stories.
- Replay route: chronological or remake-focused order chosen for a specific purpose.
State what each route assumes, what it covers, and what it leaves optional. That transparency is more useful than calling one list definitive when the publisher’s own releases support multiple continuities.
Quick Recap
Final checklist before you press Start
- Have you identified the mainline entries separately from side content?
- Are you using release-oriented order for a first playthrough?
- Did you verify whether the remake is a replacement, expansion, or multi-part reconstruction?
- Is every expansion placed after the game it extends?
- Does each continuity-heavy spin-off have a named prerequisite?
- Have you checked platform, region, edition, language, and collection contents?
- Have you reserved chronology and optional side stories for a replay unless their prerequisites require them earlier?
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