PDA

View Full Version : Tactical Grid RPGs



Del Murder
04-01-2014, 06:16 AM
Other than FF Tactics, Fire Emblem, and Tactics Ogre, what other grid-based tactical RPGs are there? I really enjoy this subgenre.

Scotty_ffgamer
04-01-2014, 06:19 AM
Jeanne D'Arc for the PSP is a pretty fun tactical RPG. Disgaea is pretty good too.

Del Murder
04-01-2014, 06:21 AM
I have Jeanne D'Arc on my list. Tried Disgaea once but it wasn't my thing. Maybe I just played the wrong one. It was the DS one.

Scotty_ffgamer
04-01-2014, 06:26 AM
That one is the first game in the series, but I've heard that the DS port was pretty bad. The PSP version is probably the best version, but the original PS2 version of Disgaea is good too. I've only played the PSP version, and I've never played very far. I have a problem with beating these kinds of games for some reason. The only game I've beaten that's similar to this genre is Valkyria Chronicles, but that's pretty different.

If you are more interested in having a serious story in the game, though, Disgaea probably isn't for you. Jeanne D'arc has a pretty good, serious story.

Jiro
04-01-2014, 06:28 AM
Front Mission is apparently great.

There's a Wild ARMs tactical rpg. Um. What's the crazy cross over one? Project X Zone. Yeah.

Sephex
04-01-2014, 06:52 AM
Shining Force. The second installment is one of my favorite Genesis games.

Skyblade
04-01-2014, 01:22 PM
Shining Force. The second installment is one of my favorite Genesis games.

Shining Force and Shining Force II are both good answers to this.

You could also try La Pucelle Tactics. I remember it being a pretty good game, but it came a little too late, and I was already starting to play too many of this style game on handheld, where I think they really shine.

Jiro
04-01-2014, 02:41 PM
Isn't La Pucelle (and Phantom Brave with it) in an extremely similar vein to Disgaea, though?

Skyblade
04-01-2014, 05:15 PM
Honestly, I don't know. I've played even less of Disgaea than I did of La Pucelle (even though I did have a handheld Disgaea game, I just never really got into it).

From what I remember of those two titles, La Pucelle seemed to be a little better on the tactical level, encouraging a bit more thought about movement and placement, due to the energy portal manipulation. But it's been a while since I've played it.

You seem to be right, though, as apparently at least one of La Pucelle's bosses showed up in a later Disgaea game.

Shauna
04-01-2014, 06:10 PM
Vandal Hearts is pretty great. :3

Bolivar
04-01-2014, 07:05 PM
Shining Force II was the first RPG I played to completion and has aged pretty well when I played it on the Sega HD collection for PS3. I'm hoping Atlus does something with it since they showed an interest in bringing back SEGA's older franchises.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is the high watermark of the sub genre IMHO. It's a masterpiece in every way a game can be but the PSP remake has the most impressive mastery of game mechanics that I've seen.

Valkyria Chronicles is the evolution of this subgenre and it seems only right that it came from SEGA. The PS3 original is a wonderful game and the PSP sequel is even better in some ways.

Del Murder
04-01-2014, 07:39 PM
I agree that the PSP remake of TO is the pinnacle of this subgenre. It's a masterpiece and should be a blueprint for how you do a remake correctly.

Bolivar
04-01-2014, 08:53 PM
I am honored to please my lord.

black orb
04-02-2014, 04:12 AM
>>> Tactical RPGs, Sudoku, Excel, etc.. All grids look the same to me..:luca:

Fynn
04-02-2014, 03:44 PM
I remember there being a stench I Muyo game like this on the SNES, but it was pretty terrible.

Pokemon Conquest, on the other hand, is fucking amazing.

Pike
04-02-2014, 04:06 PM
I believe The Battle for Wesnoth falls under this category (although I haven't played it in forever)

Loony BoB
04-02-2014, 05:05 PM
While many might not class it as an RPG, it certainly had the same general feel for me... XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Great game.

Skyblade
04-02-2014, 05:57 PM
Gameplay is definitely in the right vein in XCOM, but the lack of actual characters sort of hurts it. It's a tactics game, but not a tactical RPG.

Now, add in Fire Emblem style characters and conversations, and you would have an utterly brilliant Sci-Fi tactical RPG.

Spuuky
04-02-2014, 06:04 PM
Valkyria Chronicles isn't grid-based but it's a spiritually similar game. There's a big pile of various FFT games, of course, if you haven't played all of them.

Del Murder
04-02-2014, 06:18 PM
Yeah VC is this type of game without the defined grid basically. I've also played all the FFT games.

Some good suggestions here, many I've never heard of. Since I have the PSP lying around collecting dust, I think I'll start with Jeanne D'Arc and the VC sequel.

Spuuky
04-02-2014, 10:32 PM
There are some for the PC if you are interested in taking that route, although some are less RPG-ish than others. King's Bounty (great game) and Heroes of Might & Magic games have a lot in common with these and are kind of the 'western' equivalent.

NeoCracker
04-03-2014, 12:00 AM
Not technically a Grid, but go Play Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen on the SNES.

Easily one of the best SRPG's ever made, though I do suggest checking how the Ali/cha/Rep numbers work online, there are quite a few things that affect it the game doesn't tell you ever. :p

CimminyCricket
04-03-2014, 04:01 AM
The DS version of Disgaea was absolute trout. It's the only version of the game I have yet to beat. Purchase one of the newer versions for the PSVita or something. Phantom Brave and Makai Kingdom are great, but they are gridless. The Growlanser series is tactical and gridless, but those games are fantastic. The only issue is that very few of them get ported. If you still have a PS2, you should pick up Growlanser Generations.

tldr;

Forget about Disgaea DS and try one of the other ports. The PSP version is the best out of the 3.

Skyblade
04-03-2014, 06:18 AM
Forget about Disgaea DS and try one of the other ports. The PSP version is the best out of the 3.

Maybe that's why I could never get into it. I have the DS version.

NeoCracker
04-03-2014, 09:27 AM
Also, if you're into getting Japanese games with Fan Translations, Bahamut Lagoon is wonderful, and is an old Square title!

CimminyCricket
04-03-2014, 02:31 PM
Forget about Disgaea DS and try one of the other ports. The PSP version is the best out of the 3.


Maybe that's why I could never get into it. I have the DS version.

I've always considered throwing my copy away.

black orb
04-03-2014, 04:44 PM
Forget about Disgaea DS and try one of the other ports. The PSP version is the best out of the 3.


Maybe that's why I could never get into it. I have the DS version.

I've always considered throwing my copy away.
>>> I heard you can unlock Plenair there..:luca:

Wolf Kanno
04-03-2014, 07:43 PM
I don't know what it is, but over the years I have kind of fallen out of love with this genre. I used to be all over it back in the PS1/early PS2 days but I don't know, I just can't really get into them anymore. Probably why even a year later, I'm still trying to finish Suikoden Tactics even though its not a bad game at all. I still have the PSP remake of Tactics Ogre sitting on a shelf staring at me, and while I would love to see what all the fuss is about, I just can't bring myself to start playing it.

Fynn
04-03-2014, 07:57 PM
Probably because they're always so time-consuming!

Wolf Kanno
04-03-2014, 08:05 PM
I think that is part of it, I also feel like they are a genre that tends to suffer from superfluous customization.

Vyk
04-04-2014, 05:47 AM
This is probably more justified in the "Unpopular Opinion" thread, but I constantly try to get more into this genre than I am, but the fact that all tactical games tend to be grindy with nothing but battles and stories. I get burned out and turned off too quick to really dig in very far. I want to do more with a game than just battle battle story battle story story battle. If any other genre did this, they'd get completely panned for taking out immersion or exploration or whatever. I can't imagine playing Final Fantasy with nothing but battles and story cut-scenes. But God Damn if everyone doesn't love Final Fantasy TACTICS for doing just that. Ugh. It's why I'm constantly on the look out for a good successor to Shining Force. Games need down time to unwind between intense activities. My down time between battles in a game should not be me sleeping or going to work. It should be incorporated into the game to help with pacing and stuff

Anyone have any theories why the entire genre is designed that way? And on that note, I'd really really love to know what secret everyone else has for tolerating that kind of slogging through. Especially when a lot of these games are 80 - 100 hour games

Skyblade
04-04-2014, 06:08 AM
I don't know why no one has copied Shining Force and added in overworlds and towns. Like, seriously, I have no clue. That was awesome, and I want more.

That said, Final Fantasy Tactics games have a bit more, especially A2, where there is a ton of variety to the types of combat, and tons of optional character moments in inns, or when traveling the map.

Fire Emblem brings in a ton with the Support system. Other games have had hidden shops and items, which also help.

But, really, it's the characters, stories, and worlds that carry these games. The combat is only engaging as long as you have a backdrop. It's not just "fight battle here", it's "escape from castle while being attacked" or "rescue captured person". Don't think of it as one long fight scene. Think of it as a mission or dungeon, with fights scattered throughout when two characters meet. It's just how you approach things that's a bit different then.

Vyk
04-04-2014, 06:56 AM
...Interesting perspective. I'll have to try to remember to look at things differently the next time I give one a try then.

CimminyCricket
04-04-2014, 07:19 AM
Forget about Disgaea DS and try one of the other ports. The PSP version is the best out of the 3.


Maybe that's why I could never get into it. I have the DS version.

I've always considered throwing my copy away.
>>> I heard you can unlock Plenair there..:luca:

You can, but she's overrated and I never used her. :/

Bolivar
04-04-2014, 02:16 PM
This is probably more justified in the "Unpopular Opinion" thread, but I constantly try to get more into this genre than I am, but the fact that all tactical games tend to be grindy with nothing but battles and stories. I get burned out and turned off too quick to really dig in very far. I want to do more with a game than just battle battle story battle story story battle. If any other genre did this, they'd get completely panned for taking out immersion or exploration or whatever. I can't imagine playing Final Fantasy with nothing but battles and story cut-scenes. But God Damn if everyone doesn't love Final Fantasy TACTICS for doing just that. Ugh. It's why I'm constantly on the look out for a good successor to Shining Force. Games need down time to unwind between intense activities. My down time between battles in a game should not be me sleeping or going to work. It should be incorporated into the game to help with pacing and stuff

Anyone have any theories why the entire genre is designed that way? And on that note, I'd really really love to know what secret everyone else has for tolerating that kind of slogging through. Especially when a lot of these games are 80 - 100 hour games

It's certainly a weakness of the genre and it makes Shining Force stand out probably more than it has the right to whenever I replay it. Personally, I think Tactics earns it's place though because of just how good the artwork and story are. I admit some games I had to press on just because I like the genre I guess.