With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 making waves thanks to its turn based combat, we thought now would be the perfect time to bring up turn based games in general. The reality is, turn based RPGs never went away, and there have been so many great games released over the last few years that fans of the style really shouldn't miss out on.
So today we are taking a quick moment to bring up some of the more recent ones, and explain exactly why you shouldn't sleep on any of them.
Shin Megami Tensei
How about we get this big one out of the way first?
The Shin Megami Tensei series is massive. There have been countless sequels, side games, and entire side series under this banner, and they are simply outstanding. Yes, many of the older games are extremely hard and quite a bit dated by today's standards, but nearly all of the recent releases have knocked it out of the ballpark.
Many fans my be familiar with the Persona series (especially Persona 3, 4, and 5), but titles like Shin Megami Tensei IV, Shin Megami Tensei V, and even spinoffs like Tokyo Mirage Sessions have all been extremely solid entries in the franchise. They all feature an outstanding battle system, where hitting weaknesses grant extra turns, and each entry puts a new twist on the overall gameplay to keep it from getting stale. Persona includes a life simulator, SMTIV focuses on exploring Tokyo, SMTV throws you into the ruins of Tokyo in an open-world like setting, and TMS focuses more on solving puzzles in dungeons. Of course there is also the Devil Survivor tactical RPG series on the DS and 3DS, but these are not as easily accessible now days.
Looking at what we have easier access to today, Shin Megami Tensei III & V, and Persona 3-5 are great titles to start with.
Additionally, while not a SMT title directly, Metaphor: ReFantazio was developed by the Persona team, and uses a lot of both it and Shin Megami Tensei's systems. It is clearly an ATLUS game through and through, and another great turn based game to jump into.
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The Trails Series
The Trails series is a journey unlike any other. At the time of this article it is 13 mainline entries strong, and each one is filled with hundreds of characters to talk to, and an extremely deep and connected storyline. Dialogue updates after every single story event, and major revelations make you completely rethink everything you thought you knew. It is intimidating to jump into, sure, but those who are along for the ride know how special the series really is.
Putting aside the story however, Trails contains a deep turn based battle system, that continues to evolve with each and every title.
Earlier entries in the series put characters on a grid, similar to a tactical RPG, and players could use turns to reposition characters on the field. Later entries do away with the grid, but retain the same position based gameplay. Put characters into place, use crafts (special skills) or artes (magic) to hit as many enemies as possible. Eventually the game starts throwing in transformations, the ability to summon and use mechs, and much, much more. The newer games contain a real time element outside of battle as well, but real fights require changing back to the turn based mode to do actual damage and win.
All of this is expanded even further by the orbment system, which allows players to fully customize characters by slotting in different elements and skill orbs into their characters. Different combos create different effects, and in return unlocks new abilities to make use of. It adds an additional layer of strategy, and the game punishes those who fail to realize the tools available to them. (Or you can simply keep lowering the battle difficulty until you win...)
Like a Dragon (Yakuza)
With Yakuza's shift back to its original Japanese name Like a Dragon, also came a shift from action combat to being a full on turn based RPG. This worked surprisingly well, and has only gotten better with the release of Infinite Wealth.
Of course the series has always been known for its storytelling and characters, but Like a Dragon 7 takes things even further as a whole. It introduces a new main cast and follows them from rock bottom to the top, and throws them into countless wacky adventures as the main character role plays that he is in Dragon Quest. Sound crazy? That's because it is!
The battle system in the game does retain some of the real time elements from the previous entries, but in the form of the world around the character's still living on. Just because the party is watching each other as they decide what attack to pick, it doesn't mean the cars driving on the street are going to stop; in fact, they can run you or the enemies over for extra damage. That being said, the attack system is pretty much classic turn based, with different skills to choose from; however, the game does contain a timing system for extra damage and to block as well. This means you are always interacting with the fight, even when watching, and missing a timed input can be the difference between life and death. The game also has a class system to unlock new abilities and passive skills, and each character is pretty unique overall.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth takes things further by allowing players to move and position characters on the field, and some attacks now have knock back allowing for easier environmental attacks and combos. While the system may not be 100% perfect, the reality is, it isn't meant to be! It retains the over-the-top and random moments the action games contained, and that stays true to the Like a Dragon spirit.
The Atelier Series
The Atelier Series is known for being a cozy alchemy simulator, where players take control of a young alchemist, and simply live their life. Some entries in the series contain time limits, and every action you make passes time, and others let the player fully relax and move at their own pace. The games have a large focus on meeting characters and befriending them, with daily life events happening by being in the right place at the right time, but these "cute" happy go lucky adventures do have their fair share of bloodshed as well.
Being an alchemist requires going out into the world to gather materials to use, and these adventures usually lead the main character to encounter some sort of adversary as well. Not everything is as peaceful as it might seem, and combat becomes one of the biggest reasons to even begin crafting items.
Although each entry has a different take on the battle system, almost all of them are turn based. Crafted items can be used in battle, and items can be made with different special effects applied to them. A simple bomb could be crafted as a bomb, or it could be made into a multi-hitting, multi-element, blast that also somehow poisons an enemy while putting another to sleep... (Okay, maybe not that crazy, but you get the picture.) This extends to equipment forging as well, where ultimate weapons can hit multiple times at once dealing different types of elemental damage. It is a lot of fun playing with these items, and is still just a small part of the overall combat.
Besides using items, party members have different skills and abilities to use as well, and often the games have different mechanics when it comes to using the party members in reserve. Atelier Escha & Logy especially had a crazy system where party members in the front row and back row could tag team out, and use combo attacks to follow up the previous hit. It ultimately would result in the entire party obliterating everything in their path in one go, with non-stop special attacks and magic flying everywhere. This game in particular had a much higher focus on combat however, with other entries being a bit more relaxed... But that doesn't make them any less fun though.
Octopath Traveler
Although the mainline Final Fantasy titles have shifted away from turn based gameplay, the spin-off Bravely Default series, and other side games have continued to focus on the classic style of combat. However, one in particular has really made a name for itself over the last handful of years.
Octopath Traveler is a unique concept of having eight different characters that have eight different stories, yet crossover with each other to help one another along the way. While the original entry didn't really have the cast interacting, the sequel attempted to fix that by adding additional storyline quests. Either way, the games are solid classic styled JRPGs, and they feature a unique take on the classic turn based formula.
Instead of simply picking attacks, every enemy has a set of weaknesses and shields that need to be broken to take them down easier. It is by hitting these weaknesses that a shield is removed, and characters can use points to either land more hits in one go, or to buff up one of their special attack skills. Octopath II takes it further by adding a unique special mechanic to each character, making party planning even more important for different situations. The game also features a double class system, where each character can equip a second class on top of their main one, and character specific field skills lets them interact with the world in different ways.
Need a better weapon? Just steal one with a thief! Going up against a stronger enemy? Go recruit a towns person to the cause and use them to attack instead! Why them and not the little monster you just captured? Because the monster is too cool to get hurt and used up in a fight.
It is stuff like this that helps the Octopath battle system stand out, and make it an even solider turn based RPG.
On another note, the multiple character setup is also a bit similar to the SaGa series or Live a Live... The first is an outstanding JRPG series, while the second is a really good stand alone title that has received a remake in the same style as Octopath.
Sea of Stars
There are a LOT of good indie RPGs out there. Way too many to list in a list like this, and picking just one is very difficult. However, I have chosen Sea of Stars for one reason, and one reason alone. It is one of the few turn based RPGs period, that can be played in co-op multiplayer.
While Sea of Stars doesn't take any crazy risks, what it does offer is a fun and refined RPG experience. Heroes set out on an adventure to save the world, and enemies appear on field and are fought right then and there similar to Chrono Trigger. All attacks require timing to fully pull off, and enemies have weakness locks to take out as well. Attacks can also be blocked with perfect timing, and each party member brings something new to the table. It is a very "safe" yet charming RPG, with some fun platforming elements mixed in as well. Of course there are also puzzles to solve, and a day/night cycle mechanic that changes the game, but we won't spoil all of the surprises on how it is used or how it works.
As a multiplayer game, each player takes control of one of the three party members, and they then take turns picking attacks once in battle. Of course outside of fights everyone is free to run and explore as much as they want, but the battles themselves require teamwork and actual planning. One person may setup something for a future turn, but without relaying that information to their friends, that opportunity can be missed. It makes for a fun and different experience, and is also a great way to introduce newcomers to the world of turn based RPGs. There are difficulty settings to make things easier or harder, and that ultimately helps it be a game that nearly everyone can play.
Dragon Quest
And to end this list, we have to go with what may still be the "king" of turn based RPGs.
Dragon Quest is a series that has stuck to its roots since the beginning. Yes there are side entries that try something different, and you have Dragon Quest IX that throws in multiplayer (with X being a full MMORPG), but for the most part Dragon Quest is still Dragon Quest. A classic turn based RPG through and through, and that is all there is to it.
Each entry is a grand adventure across the world, players are often given great freedom when it comes to exploration and party building, and there are countless attacks and abilities to learn and use in combat. The games reward players for actually exploring as well, and sometimes finding the right item or talking to the right person can become the key to surviving the next boss fight. It is this style of gameplay that continues to persist in each entry to this day, and it has yet to stop being fun.
Dragon Quest XI is easily the best entry point for new fans who want a modern experience, with Dragon Quest III's remake also being a perfect starting point. While XI features both a full 3D and classic 2D version of the game within one package, III uses the Octopath engine to replicate the old style while also doing something new. They are very fun games that turn based fans should not be overlooking, and can be jumped into without prior knowledge of the series.
And that about does it for today's list! Of course there are so many other games that could've been included, but we will be leaving it at seven for now. I hope you enjoyed reading, but before you go I want to ask you one thing: What is your favorite modern turn based RPG? Let us know in the comments below!
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