Turn based RPG vs Action RPG?

[Vyk]

I would love to say Turn-Based as it was always my bread and butter growing up. A quick look at my favorite RPGs includes FF6/7, Xenogears, Persona 4, Bravely Default. Some fairly great quality turn based experiences. But rarely was combat a big component of my enjoyment of those types of games. It was just something tacked on that I was okay with, while enjoying the story, world, and characters

When I look at the flipside, where people have mentioned KotOR, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, even Xenoblade, and The Last Story. We start to get into games where I legitimately enjoy the combat as a bonus to the story, world, and characters. These kinds of games have the strategy you'd have in a turn-based game, but with the addition of having to think on your toes, and micromanage a squad if necessary. Though most instances had the squad fairly competent in most situations, but the option was nice. I know Mass Effect got frustrating once in a while, but nothing generally game-breaking in my experience. Though I accept that these types of games don't jive with some people, I would argue its more of a preference in gameplay, rather than them being abysmally designed or anything. If its not your thing, its not your thing. But I much prefer this active tactical type of thing over things like Elder Scrolls, which is just passable action stuff more akin to regular action games like God of War and stuff. Just shoe-horned into an RPG environment. Fable had the same thing going for it

Though as far as the tactical action set-up, you can follow that train of thought to the extreme and get into active battle with pause found in Baldur's Gate and other infinity engine games, and now in Pillars. That gets a little intense, and is generally really difficult. It frustrates me more frequently, but at least it's not as dry and boring as the generic Final Fantasy set-up

It's not really one of the options, but I will say I also adore active strategy style games that take tactical role playing to the next level when you get into things like the new Shadowrun games, Wasteland 2, XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Within, or Divinity: Original Sin (which did it fantastically by also incorporating the environment and mixing of elements into the strategy)

[Araciel]

I'm not fast. Turn-based fo lief

[FooJones]

For me this is a more detailed question. Well, not that detailed, but...

It really depends with me. As someone who grew up playing both console/pc games like Dragon Warrior, Might and Magic, Betrayal at Krondor, etc. I have different tastes. If it's a party based game, I almost always want a fully turn based game. The exceptions to this would be MM6-MM9 (don't kill me for playing MM9). I felt the real time and turn based were great. For games like Divinnity: Original Sin or MMX, I want a fully turn based system.

If the game is more hack and slash like Diablo, I don't mind the live action game. For Final Fantasy, FFX and Tactics were godsends for me, though I didn't mind the ATB system of VII.

One of the things I hated about things like Baldur's Gate and NVN was having to pause the game and arrange things. It felt weird. It felt like micromanaging was even more difficult despite the pausing, since you had to backlog and see whatever happened between pauses. TES games I think are fine, as those would just be plain silly to have as turn based.

I guess it's all about the game and your preference, really. If I had to pick between the two, I would take the turn based rpg's in a minute. I really miss the days of things like Betrayal at Krondor and Ultima, but sadly those days are long gone except for the indie companies who keep my niche market alive.

[Zanmato]

Action RPG is the best if it's focused mainly on one hero, like The Witcher.
Turn-based RPG is the best when you control the entire team, like Final Fantasy.
That's my opinion, deal with it! :3

[Wolf Kanno]

So I just had a long discussion with a friend about this topic and discovered we are very much in opposition on this topic. What made this discussion interesting was discussing more of the longevity of the two systems. Is the current trend of Action-RPG battle systems simply a trend or a long term evolution of the genre?

What I mean by this, is whether you feel that Action based battle systems are basically what the genre has been moving towards all along and that while turn-based will never fully go away, this trend of one making up the majority of the genre's gameplay is here to stay, or is this simply a trend based on other gaming trends and this may all end up mellowing out in the next decade or two?

Another point I would ask is whether the combat system determines whether you would buy a game or not? Not necessarily in that its a deal breaker but would learning that your favorite RPG series next entry would utilize the opposing gameplay system make you less excited for it or would it even matter?

[Loony BoB]

I like both pretty equally now that I think about it. Just depends on the kind of mood I'm in.

[Fynn]

So I just had a long discussion with a friend about this topic and discovered we are very much in opposition on this topic. What made this discussion interesting was discussing more of the longevity of the two systems. Is the current trend of Action-RPG battle systems simply a trend or a long term evolution of the genre?

What I mean by this, is whether you feel that Action based battle systems are basically what the genre has been moving towards all along and that while turn-based will never fully go away, this trend of one making up the majority of the genre's gameplay is here to stay, or is this simply a trend based on other gaming trends and this may all end up mellowing out in the next decade or two?

Another point I would ask is whether the combat system determines whether you would buy a game or not? Not necessarily in that its a deal breaker but would learning that your favorite RPG series next entry would utilize the opposing gameplay system make you less excited for it or would it even matter?

So what side of the argument were you? :P

[Del Murder]

Another point I would ask is whether the combat system determines whether you would buy a game or not? Not necessarily in that its a deal breaker but would learning that your favorite RPG series next entry would utilize the opposing gameplay system make you less excited for it or would it even matter?

Yes it would matter particularly if it is a great departure from the traditional combat of the series. FFXV is somewhat of an example of this although the FF series has evolved its combat over time. However, if they made a Fire Emblem game that was not a grid tactical combat system or a Pokemon game that wasn't turn-based, then I would definitely pass on those. However, if there was a turn-based Kingdom Hearts game (like that Olympia mini game in 3D) I wouldn't automatically be opposed to it.

[Wolf Kanno]

So what side of the argument were you? :P

My answer is a bit complicated but my friend never heard it because he debates like Bill O Reilly and simply talks over in a louder voice to make his point when dealing with dissidents. As usual, I play gaming gadfly to to his discussion which just got him riled up.

[Ayen]

So what side of the argument were you? :P

My answer is a bit complicated but my friend never heard it because he debates like Bill O Reilly and simply talks over in a louder voice to make his point when dealing with dissidents. As usual, I play gaming gadfly to to his discussion which just got him riled up.

Did he say you'd do it live?

[Wolf Kanno]

So what side of the argument were you? :P

My answer is a bit complicated but my friend never heard it because he debates like Bill O Reilly and simply talks over in a louder voice to make his point when dealing with dissidents. As usual, I play gaming gadfly to to his discussion which just got him riled up.

Did he say you'd do it live?

I don't quite get what you mean? If you if we had this debate in a public format, then yes.

[Ayen]

So what side of the argument were you? :P

My answer is a bit complicated but my friend never heard it because he debates like Bill O Reilly and simply talks over in a louder voice to make his point when dealing with dissidents. As usual, I play gaming gadfly to to his discussion which just got him riled up.

Did he say you'd do it live?

I don't quite get what you mean? If you if we had this debate in a public format, then yes.

[Forsaken Lover]

Always and forever turn-based. I'm just not good at certain types of Action RPGs. I played some Kingdom Hearts and Lightning Returns and had to bail out of both of them because I sucked and I didn't foresee myself having any fun.

I'm not going to say turn-based requires more strategy or try to argue it's superiority, I just prefer it. It's what I grew up with.