TL/DR at bottom

I'm not big on video game combat in RPGs, but realize that 75% to 95% of the game play can be combat centric.

I was brought up on turn based combat from my old pen and paper RPG days. It did not always make "sense", but was an accepted mechanic to keep chaotic combat somewhat organized. I mean, 5 or more players all shouting what they're doing all at the same time while the Game Master tries to have the NPCs doing things is untenable.

Enter computers (and consoles). Now things are more readily taken care in a smooth fashion. Turn based combat becomes less viable and action combat comes to the forefront. It makes more "sense", after all

In my search for video games where I can take control of a character and enjoy a world through my PC, I have come across lots of different combat types. I still prefer turn based combat, as that relies more on my strategic mind then my reflexes and reactions to what's happening on screen. But the turn based combat games I have played always have a "glaring glitch" somewhere. These "glitches" are not the same at all, but different "glitches" from game to game.

Three big examples for me are Neverwinter Nights (hybrid combat single player games), the Shadowrun series, and Valkyria Chronicles.

Neverwinter Nights tried to fuse turn based combat with action combat. We rolled for initiative and took our turns, sometimes pausing the action. But we also had hot keys for special abilities to throw in when felt like it. However, the glitch that drives me nuts in this series is the "random PC movement" that happens during combat. Yes, it "looks cool" for a character to move about during combat, but when a character moves into the range of another monster and then it comes into the battle, I get annoyed. Or when a character moves outside a door and suddenly stops attacking, I am almost ready to rage quit.

Shadowrun I enjoy, but the way we move our characters pisses me off. It is all or nothing. We click on the space we want our character to move to and then the PC does the pathing, all in one shot. We are unable to direct our character's movement. Opponents get to shoot at my characters as they move, so letting the computer plot the course is not always the best course.. I wish I could plot out the path to where I wanted to go instead of leaving it all up to my computer.

Valkyria Chronicles takes this a step further, because we get to shoot at the opponent, though this is controlled by the computer, not the player, which is where this game's "glitch" comes in. So many times, the members of my team in this game try to shoot the opponents when they are running behind tanks and other obstacles, wasting their precious shots in impossible situations. They just can not wait for the opponent to come from behind the obstacle, then shoot. Ugh! I want to slap those team members upside the head!

TL/DR: Seeking RPGs with "good" turn based combat

I realize most players today prefer action combat, but for those who prefer turn based combat, have you found an RPG that hits your "sweet spot?"

I've been playing the Banner Saga recently, and I really enjoy the way it did combat. The separate bars of armor and strength, the variety of classes, and the willpower system make the combat both entertaining and strategic.

I'm pretty forgiving as far as combat goes, so long as the game holds my interest!

Honestly try underrail, one of the best turn based combat in an RPG I played (and actually one of the best rpgs I have played in years).


X com is more strategy but still with heavy RPG combat mechanics. The older ones are more complex and run off of a point system rather than the two move system the new xcoms have.


Check out arcanum. It's a somewhat older rpg, but combat mechanics are pretty fun, great story and amazing character creation system.


Divinity original sin. It's a newer rpg, but the combat is the forefront and very very fun. Lots of combinations and mix matches you can do with combat and your character's attacks.

For the old school feel, you can't go wrong with the first six Final Fantasy games, and even up to 11 they are still turn based. I can't recall if you're familiar with the series, but turn based is what you are asking for and they are great RPGs.

Also, FF Tactics, if you like tactic games, it is one of the best examples you can find.


If you just want newer games...

Divinity Original Sin

Undertale

Divinity Original Sin

and Divinity Original Sin


Just keep in mind it's a rather difficult game to get into, because there's a lot to comprehend. But that's what all RPGs are all about, right.

Do you mean Undertale?

If so, I very much agree!

My favorite games with turnbased combat are still from the mid-90s, like http://www.gog.com/game/xcom_ufo_defense and http://www.gog.com/game/master_of_magic.

The only western RPG with turnbased combat I really enjoyed are the recent Shadowrun games, and that's kinda it, but there are plenty of excellent JRPGs. But again, they aren't recent, like Suikoden 1-5 for the PS1 and PS2.

Never tried undertale, but I have seen lots of jokes about underrail and undertale having close names.


Underrail is a classic RPG with a darker setting that pays homage to the old fallout games, while being a bit more heavy on the combat, and is an insanely huge game (I'm 120 hours in and still on my first play through and not done the story yet).


Lots of options in combat though, it's quite the gem.

I'm really not that picky. It is just when I have a "plan" and the game AI does something with my character that screws it up that I get rather perturbed

@Pluto: I've looked into the FF series. I seriously need to try those games out.

Great suggestions, folks. I'll be looking into these games more deeply. (I've started a list!) Thanks

You should check out "Stranger Of Sword City".

It's been out for a little bit now but just recently made it to the XBox ONE.

It is so beautifully different from anything else out there.

Story and character interaction plays like a Japanese interactive novel.

Level design is not unlike Bethesda's own "Arena" though with your character and party moving 1 space/section at a time.

Combat is not unlike earlier Final Fantasy games, turn based where character / monster stats determine the priority of attacks, you confirm your parties actions and see how they play out.

One thing they do which I've not seen anywhere else is there are areas where your party can hide... and get the jump on monsters carrying gear (you can even 'sus' out what they're transporting if you're looking for a certain type of gear).

It's a bit hardcoe but it's so different it's a lot of fun.

It also sounds like it fits the bill of what you're looking for. You might want to check it out.

You see, I don't "prefer" either combat style. They both have their merits, and I'll happily play either of them.

My favourite action RPG would probably be Dragon's Dogma, because, well... just play it. It's fantastic.

As for Turn-Based RPGs, I do tend to play Turn-Based Strategy games more. Like someone mentioned, the first six FF games are all turn-based, with IV adding the ATB system. Fire Emblem games are kind of RPGs, but predominantly strategic. The first two Paper Mario games and the Mario & Luigi games are turn-based RPGs.

Most actual "high fantasy" has graduated to fully-fledged action for their combat, so I can appreciate your predicament.

You need to seek out niche titles, and even if you're not a Nintendo gamer, they have some of the best-preserved niches that are still around. Pretty hard to find the kind of games you're looking for.

I have got to hand it to "Dragon's Dogma".

That had, hands down, the most visually impressive Spell Casting I've ever seen in a video game.

Your most powerful spells to time to cast but hit with the most visually stunning and satisfying results.

I haven't actually played it, but maybe you could check out Obsidian's http://eternity.obsidian.net/? It got good reviews, and Obsidian seems to do good stuff in general.

True, and whilst I maxed all the classes, I tended to prefer to hire a Pawn or two for magic. I generally play Strider, Ranger, Assassin or Magick Archer, with my main Pawn on Ranger too. I hire a Mage for healing and a Fighter/Warrior for tanking/aggro. Most of the time, I never see those spells.

The combat is just astounding though. And the plot twists, after dozens of hours of the game being very standard and predictable, it just does the best, and most welcome, surprises on you.

Fighting Dragons in Skyrim was forever rubbish after playing Dragon's Dogma. And Bitterblack Isle is great fun imo. You know, my friend ran past the "surprise" in the first proper room of Bitterblack, because he went there underlevelled. He managed to get himself killed by picking on a Prisoner Gorecyclops though, which was hilarious as he was playing on Hard and got trashed in one hit.

If anyone at Xbox reads this, please make Dragon's Dogma : Dark Arisen backwards compatible. It'll give me the opportunity to preach some more about it. Same goes for XCOM : Enemy Within.

I would rather do turn based if I get the chance, but will much through anything if I like the game well enough (KILLER 7 god what an odd game that I love to pieces and its a rail shooter i guess).

Myst brought up somewhere else Suikoden which (that I had forgoten ) i really dug 3,4,5 and thats the ones I could get my hands on heh

I wonder if wizardry (there are a few really good ones of those)

Or Hero's of might and magic might fit the bill as well (not as rpg..y I suppose but fun )

And YA Dragons dogma...... from a not great at fighting type player...... Good heavens did this game get the combat right..... I agree with Azrael00, and Ephidel. THat really spoiled Skyrim so called dragons for me as well heheh

Hrm. Just could not get into the combat in DD:DA (got it "free" on PS+). Along with some of the odd difficulty decisions they made (sidequests being harder. path to sidequests being harder than the sidequests themselves. etc). Think I made it to the spiral dungeon under the first big city before I gave up.

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I'll second/third/whatever Divinity Original Sin. Wasteland 2 might also be a possibility, if you're looking for something sci-fi/Fallout-y.

(And while you're looking at Final Fantasy games, check out Final Fantasy Tactics.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_role-playing_game games are a sub-genre of JRPGs, featuring turn-based combat on grid maps, frequently with larger parties/armies)

a bit of an oldie, but the might and magic (err, 6-9 anyways) games always let you switch between turn-based and real time combat at will via the space bar.. each mode has its pros and cons

Would KotoR fall in there?

I've got Wizardry 6, 7 Gold, and 8. I've also got all of the HoMM series

I'll have to plug in the Wizardry games and see how they fare. I love the HoMM series

I do have the M&M series, too, funnybunny. I think I should try #7 Mandate of Heaven again.

KotOR is mostly turn based. I'd say it leans more to turn based as moving and attacking is kind of hard. It's not quite as strategic as some other games where PC positions matter much, but obstacles can be good shields. The combat in KotOR never really "grabbed" me. I felt like I was fighting against my party members most of the time

More games for me to look into! Awesome

PS: Not a console RPG player, so Dragons Dogma is out

It did pop up on Steam a month or two ago. But it's definitely all-action.

Hey ALbquirky,

I do tend to bring them up (well alot cause I liked them) But have you played Jagged alliance (turn based Merc shooter) I dont hang around Bear Pit (those guys knowledge of guns scares me) but there is a lot of love for the early ones , well was with tons of mod's to make the base games better.

Along those lines Fallout 1-2 and Tactics are pretty good (the first 2 way more RPG than tactics it is a tad closer to Jagged without the Mercenary interaction which made that game great)

Also since I guess there is a New Masters of Orion coming out (man the voice cast on that is a who's who heheh) the first 2 were really fun (time goggles maybe a bit dated) if managing a space fairing race is something you might like.

Heheh I always think to myself I really should try and find those old SSI dnd games and see if they still hold up. Every once In a while I bust out the Pool of radiance, and goof off in it. (so many bugs in these heheh I bet a more savy comp user could find great patches)

Not exactly Turn based but Legend of Grimrock comes to mind.

Like Kiralyn2000 said, it has been released on PC a couple of months ago. I mean, this is after several years and lots of campaigning by a comparatively small group of fans asking Capcom to bring it to PC. I'm a console gamer, but my brother games on PC and he was always pretty envious after seeing me play it, knowing it wasn't available on his platform.

I'm hoping that we'll get a bit of interest generated for the game, as I think a sequel would be something to really blast TES in combat terms. Hopefully Bethesda will actually overhaul the combat for TES VI if we start to see other high fantasy RPGs doing a much better job.

I actually did get Jagged Alliance 2 from GOG for free a long, long time ago. I don't think I ever booted it up, though it is installed

I've tried FO 1&2 and had trouble getting into them. I bought Tactics awhile back, but have not tried it out, yet.

Master of Orion I have. Most "new remakes" of old titles I look askance at. They inevitably change a major portion and miss why I enjoyed the older games. I have seen a few tidbits on the new one, though

I've tried Grimrock (the first one) and did not enjoy it much.

@Kiralyn and Ephidel: Strange. I went to Dragons Dogma own http://www.dragonsdogma.com/purchase.php?lang=en and they listed only the PS and X-Box availability. (I hope folks don't have to input their age to see the store link.)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/367500/

Here's the Steam page. (And yeah, it has an age check)

I tend to look for Steam games, in the actual Steam client/webstore, not by going to the developer web page. But I knew about DD anyway, from when it came out - there were a bunch of notices in the Steam client.