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Good Turn-Based RPGS

ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
in Off-Topic
So, despite being one of my favorite genres, I haven't played a good turn based RPG in a long while. I'm not talking the top down tactics style, the old school JRPG style. I'm really out of the loop and looking for recommendations as I haven't kept up with any releases since FFXIII (I know). I don't have the budget for big AAA titles, but I'm open to just about anything.

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  • WarChiefZekeWarChiefZeke Member Posts: 2,669
    If you dont mind old school, try Wild Arms (only the first one), Legend of Mana, Persona 1 and 2 if you want something a little more out there, Legend of Legaia, or Chrono Cross.

    If you want (slightly) more modern stuff, try Star Ocean Till the End of Time, Persona 3-5, Suikoden 3, or Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne.



  • themazingnessthemazingness Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 702
    The Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics collection has a bunch you may have missed.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited February 2018
    It depends on what you mean by turn-based. If you are talking about the console-centric JRPG style, well I really don't know about anything amazing. If you have a Switch, I've heard I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphere are DECENT enough, but certainly nothing groundbreaking. Persona 5 got pretty rave reviews as well, but it's an acquired taste and would require a PS4, but it's price should have gone down quite a bit by now.

    If it doesn't have to be a JRPG, I can't recommend Darkest Dungeon enough, as I think it's one of the best games of the last 5 years. It is actually more similar to traditional JRPG-type combat than meets the eye.
  • Dev6Dev6 Member Posts: 721
    I'm not quite sure what kind of "turn-based" rpgs you're looking for so my recomendations might seem a little off.
    You mentioned FFXIII, have you tried the old ones? Steam has the 3D remake of FFIII and FFIV (along with the sequel), and a pretty good port of FFV (I love this one). The FFVI port is a bit... Meh. But it's still playable.
    I also recomend the PSP versions of FFI and FFII (currently playing this one). I've heard good things about the PSP version of FFIV but I haven't tried it myself.

    The Legend of Heroes - Trails in the Sky might also be something that you'll enjoy.

    If it doesn't have to be JRPGs, the Shadowrun trilogy is pretty good, specially Returns and Dragonfall. Hong Kong was a bit of a hit-and-miss for me.
    jjstraka34 said:

    If it doesn't have to be a JRPG, I can't recommend Darkest Dungeon enough, as I think it's one of the best games of the last 5 years. It is actually more similar to traditional JRPG-type combat than meets the eye.

    I second this, Darkest Dungeon is pretty damn good. If you end up playing it, be sure to grab the Musketeer. :tongue:
  • tbone1tbone1 Member Posts: 1,985
    Nethack. Worth every penny.
  • KamigoroshiKamigoroshi Member Posts: 5,870
    Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator. Not really great, but nevertheless rather interesting on the world setting side of things.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @WarChiefZeke @themazingness All very good recommendations, I happen to already have those :)

    Darkest Dungeon does seem VERY interesting.

    @tbone1 Nethack sounds like a rouguelike. Am I correct in assuming? That's not bad, I just need to expect it going in.

    @Kamigoroshi You know, I might have an unplayed copy of that on my hardrive somewhere...
  • Mantis37Mantis37 Member Posts: 1,177
    edited February 2018
    Nethack is a roguelike, the granddaddy of them. Pathos is a simplified modern conversion for tablets / phones. Sil is a Tolkienesque take I've been messing around with.
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  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    typo_tilly said:

    Hm... how about Anachronox? :) I want to play through that again.

    ooh yeah.
  • tbone1tbone1 Member Posts: 1,985
    @ThacoBell What @Mantis37 said.

  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    I would NOT recommend Nethack as a first rogue-like, or even a remotely casual one. That honor has to go to Tales of Maj'Eyal, which you can get (even with it's expansion packs) for about $10. It is easily best game in the genre in my opinion, with almost limitless class and build options, and it IS turn-based. It straddles the line between an action-RPG skill system and rogue-like game mechanics. Still fairly hard to get into, but not the decade-long chore that can be involved in finally beating Nethack. Plus, it has actual graphics, rudimentary as they are.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @jjstraka34 Tales of Maj'Eyal was my first roguelike, and probably my favorite. Though the only "hardcore" one I've tried is Angband.
  • Mantis37Mantis37 Member Posts: 1,177
    Pathos has graphics, in a tileset fashion. I found it good for quick bursts of clearing floors but it doesn't have as much depth as some roguelikes:

    https://pathos.azurewebsites.net

    Hoplite is another light alternative, half puzzle half roguelike, good fun for a short while.
  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164
    I actually love Temple of Elemental Evil, and think it is the best video game adaptation of the Dungeons and Dragons rule system. If you install the necessary mods it is a very enjoyable experience.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @booinyoureyes I'm not quite as much a fan of the top down turn based style. Those kind of fights tend to drag on a little too long.
  • WarChiefZekeWarChiefZeke Member Posts: 2,669
    edited February 2018
    Since I'm sure you speak Japanese, maybe you should give Treasure of the Rudras a try. It has SNES graphics because its a SNES game, but the best looking art of that era I've ever seen bar none.

    Of course, you would have to order a super famicom and track down a copy of this obscure and very old game to be able to play it. Using any other method including the very easily available fan translation is unacceptable.
    Post edited by WarChiefZeke on
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    hehehe
  • JoenSoJoenSo Member Posts: 910
    Epic Battle Fantasy 3 and 4 for a more silly kind of experience. I've never really played any Final Fantasy games, but I get the feeling that Epic Battle Fantasy is much more enjoyable if you have.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Well, I DO like Final Fantasy.
  • Dev6Dev6 Member Posts: 721
    ThacoBell said:

    Well, I DO like Final Fantasy.

    FF deserves more love in this forum. I feel like a lot of people "hate it" without having actually played it.
  • WarChiefZekeWarChiefZeke Member Posts: 2,669
    edited February 2018
    Final Fantasy was great up until 10 and then became generally unbearable, least in my view. Really enjoyed Tactics especially.
  • Dev6Dev6 Member Posts: 721
    The most recent one I played was XII. The story was a bit meh for me, but the game was fun as hell to play.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Final Fantasy is an odd duck. Every release has MAJOR differences from each other. It tries so many new things, that every release is likely to alienate more than a few people. Personally, this is one of the things I love most about it, as its always trying something new (something sorely needed among AAA titles these days). Even when games that I don't particularly enjoy (FFXII and XIII-3, and VIII, and XV at least mechanics wise) I never really get upset, because I know the series takes risks.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    FFXI is the most obtuse MMO ever released, and is still going strong today (I have subscribed off and on over the past few years). It is almost impossible to play without a Wiki open in your web browser. FFXII is for people who wanted something reasonably similar to XI but in a vast, single-player universe. I have the remaster on PS4, but haven't popped in the disk yet. XIII and it's sequels generally suck. XIV is a damn good modern MMO that I actually think has overtaken WoW as the best in the genre. XV is certainly a bit of an acquired taste, but I like the characters, and I thought the combat system was a bold innovation, all things considered.

    VI remains the best game, followed by IX. I think VII is vastly overrated given it's all-time great status. On the next level down, I'd put IV, VIII, and V. I-III don't do much for me.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    The only JRPG I've ever really played was Okage. The combat system was nothing special, but the writing and the characters were very charming and memorable. It made a great story.
  • SethDavisSethDavis Member Posts: 1,812
    Baten Kaitos is really good, if you have a wii or gamecube sitting around and can find a copy hiding somewhere
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    My favorites are VII, IX, VI, and XIII (gasp) in that order.
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  • Dev6Dev6 Member Posts: 721
    edited February 2018
    typo_tilly said:

    ! You're not allowed to like VII and VI! There are rules! >:c

    Are you allowed to think both are incredibly overrated? Because I do. :tongue:

    EDIT: I, hmm. I made a FF thread.
    Post edited by Dev6 on
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