RPG Grind Time – The Underappreciated Art Of The Strategy/RPG

It's weird, but I can't remember the first strategy/RPG I
played.

It's weird, but I can't remember the first strategy/RPG I
played. I'm guessing it had to be Final Fantasy Tactics since that's the
earliest one that immediately comes to mind, but I didn't get hooked until the
PS2 era, thanks to Disgaea and Growslanser. Later, handhelds became the premier
destination for these experiences; it felt like they came out in droves for the
DS and PSP. This really felt like the era where these titles were at their best,
with gems like Jeanne D'Arc and Luminous Arc alongside awesome remakes, such as
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions and Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling
Together. Titles like these are near and dear to my heart, because strategy/RPGs
make me think about my actions more than any other genre.

For those not in the know, most strategy/RPGs combine
grid-based gameplay with a turn-based battle system. Movement and placement of
your units mean everything, forcing you to make the most of every turn you use.
In some ways, they play out like one big board game: moving across the map,
fighting baddies to level up your crew, and optimizing your way to the finish
line. The magic is in the planning and seeing the fruits of your effort come together
as you build your party, since many games allow you to customize characters and
their abilities. It may seem like combat plays out slowly, but some of these
tactical battles have been the most intense fights I've had in games. You often
have to think on your feet, as one wrong move can cost you a valuable unit, or
reinforcements might suddenly rush the battlefield forcing you to adjust your
strategy.

For a while, the genre felt like a niche thing only the most
dedicated fans delved into, but series like Fire Emblem and Disgaea have continued to
popularize it for a wider audience. Unfortunately, although people are
certainly more of aware of the genre today, it still struggles in this modern
generation. I play plenty of fast and flashy games, but I find the strategy/RPG
is a more subdued, but more rewarding challenge. Thankfully, developers haven't
given up on finding new ways to captivate gamers, such as Fire Emblem giving
its marriage system another shot and The Banner Saga providing a choice-driven
narrative. I recently reviewed Grand Kingdom, which ditches grid-based
battles and makes combat more action packed, and it really impressed me.

I often have people ask me what strategy/RPGs I recommend.
Honestly, you really can't go wrong with many of them released in the last few
years. Most of these are created in Japan, and only the best of the best seem
to make their way over here. If you're looking to get into the genre or just
want to make sure you've played the best stuff, here are some essentials:

Final Fantasy Tactics
(PS1, Mobile, PSP): Consider this the "required reading" of the bunch. This
game certainly popularized the genre and features one of the more memorable
storylines about childhood friends Ramza Beoulve and Delita Heiral, who hail
from different social backgrounds. The war challenges their friendship and
pulls at the heart strings in more ways than one. I give The War of the Lions
remake (available on iOS, Android, and PSN for Vita/PSP) a nod for having a
superior translation and boasting more characters, new cutscenes, and new jobs.

Valkyria Chronicles
(PS4, PS3, PC): This game was a hidden gem in the PlayStation 3's library
and now has a Remaster available on the PlayStation 4 and a port on PC. It's as
great as it's made out to be. The game is an alternate take on World War II and
blends quasi-shooting with strategy/RPG elements wonderfully. It loses the
typical isometric grid in favor of two different points of view, allowing you
to see the map as a whole and then focus in on specific units through a
third-person view where you control individual units in real-time. The art
style is gorgeous and it has its share of surprises on the battlefield, but it
also has some really cool characters along for the ride. Joe Juba does a great
job explaining why it's so great in this blog postand his review. We finally
agree on something!

Fire Emblem Fates:
Birthright (3DS): The long-running Fire Emblem series has had a resurgence
for a reason with both Awakening and Fates. Intelligent Systems has been making
its hardcore games more accessible by having peramdeath optional, adding
multiple difficulty levels, bringing back the marriage system, and implementing
fun new ideas such as Fates' My Castle where you have a headquarters to build
up and a place to socialize with your troops. Birthright is the best bet for
beginners since it allows you to grind for experience with free maps, while
Conquest doesn't and focuses more on managing resources. You can also start
with Awakening and be just fine, which has some of the better relationships.
Anyway, play for the tense combat, stick around for the romance and matchmaking
your party members to have their children join the fight. For more on Birthright, you can read Javy's wonderful review.

The Banner Saga (PS4,
XB1, PC, Mobile): If you feel like your actions don't have enough
consequences in gaming, you should try The Banner Saga. This Viking-themed
tactical game comes from a team of former BioWare developers and tells a mature
story where you call the shots and deal with the consequences to your choices.
The Banner Saga rarely makes things predictable, keeping you guessing about
your non-combat decisions as much as your next battle move. It also has a
sequel that lets your choices carry over. Talk about living with your decisions
for more than just the moment. For more on The Banner Saga, check our review of the firstand secondgames.

Grand Kingdom (PS4,
Vita): Grand Kingdom just came out and it boasts tons of customization, a
fun online mode, and one of the better battle systems I've experienced as of
late. Encounters are a cross between turn-based and action gameplay, where
every character has their own action gauge to determine movement and attacks.
You can combo up attacks with your close-ranged characters and time your
attacks with a meter using your ranged characters. Set these up right and you
can launch characters in the air and send them into objects in the environment
for deadly damage. After you learn the ropes, you can take your party online
and fight other players to prove your skills. For more, check out my review.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us
Cling Together (PSP): Tactics Ogre has a lot of prestige like Final Fantasy
Tactics, so consider this another required playing if you're a fan of the
genre. Better yet? Both are by the same director: Yasumi Matsuno. Matsuno likes
to tell more serious tales and this game has law, neutral, and chaos alignments
depending on your actions. This adds intriguing dilemmas to your decisions. Do
you uphold your alignment if it means killing innocents? Tactics Ogre tells a
compelling story about protagonist Denam Pavel and his friends during a war
with plenty of plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. The PSP game
can be downloaded on PSN and works on the Vita.

Jeanne d'Arc (PSP): I bet you thought Level-5 could only do action/RPGs. This strategy game is one
of its finest efforts and shouldn't be missed. Yes, this is based on the iconic
Joan of Arc and it takes place during the Hundred Years' War, but this
reimagining has a twist with magic and demons involved in the battle.
Controlling Jeanne and her party through a semi-accurate map of France is fun,
and fighting battles where every character and enemy has a weakness and
strength to one of three different affinities is equally exciting. This is
another PSP game that will also work on your Vita if you download it off the
PSN store.

Shin Megami Tensei:
Devil Survivor 2 - Record Breaker (3DS): Shin Megami Tensei is known for
its quality RPG chops, and its Devil Survivor series doesn't disappoint. I
recommend this game over the first one, as I found the characters more
endearing in Devil Survivor 2. Devil Survivor 2 - Record Breaker comes with the
entire second game, plus an extra beefy 25-hour scenario that picks up where
the original ending left off. SMT hallmarks are all around: demon fusion,
exploiting enemy weaknesses, exploring modern-day Tokyo, and a dark storyline.
If you already like SMT games, this might be a option for a strategy/RPG since
it adds everything fun about those games (even a social system), but also has
you moving characters across a grid and entering turn-based battles whenever
you attack an enemy. For more, you can read my review.

Disgaea 4 (PS3, Vita)
or 5 (PS4): For those who want something less serious with off-beat humor,
you must try a Disgaea game. The Disgaea series has no filter and isn't afraid
to poke fun at anything, including video game tropes. In these games, you enter
the Netherworld, which is really just a zany hell with selfish, evil characters
who will do anything to get ahead, but still end up making you like them in the
end. The gameplay is also complex, giving you throwing/stacking abilities,
special skills, and geo panels that give bonuses and penalties. You can even
level up your characters to ridiculous levels like 9,999. Disgaea 5is the
newest entry and looks the best, but I'm still a pretty big fan of Disgaea 4.
You can't go wrong with either one, and I like that there's nothing quite like
Disgaea on the market.

What are some of your favorite strategy/RPGs, and what do you
love about the genre? Comment below!