Summary
Tactical RPG fans have a lot of choices spread across the various consoles out there including the Steam Deck. Nintendo’s biggest tactical series isFire Emblemwhich they have grown closer to over the past decade. PlayStation fans have seen a smattering of random things likeFinal Fantasy Tacticsand the variousDisgaeagames.
Those are all great franchises but not every tactical RPG has been blessed with countless sequels or even one. These examples, not tied to any pre-existing franchise, only got one shot. So, whilePokemon Conquestwas only one game, it is tied to the largerPokemonandNobunaga’s Ambitionfranchises, thus it doesn’t count. Here are some great examples that do count though.
7ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat
A Lost Mistwalker Gem
ASH: Archaic Sealed Heatis one of the few games that Mistwalker developed that did not get released officially in the West. It’s a tactical RPG not connected to any of the other Mistwalker projectsunder Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also helped createFinal Fantasywithin Square Enix.
Players will move around a grid like in a typical tactical RPG but when players attack, things will phase into a turn-based battle. The system is similar toShin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivorwhich did get released in North America. For those interested, there has been some effort on an English fan patch forASH: Archaic Sealed Heatand it is worth it to see this unique tactical experience on the DS.
Most Square Enix fans know Bahamut as a Summon in theFinal Fantasyseries. In the glory days of the SNES, they had other plans with The King of Dragons butBahamut Lagoonwas not tied toFinal Fantasyat all. It was a linear tactical RPG wherein Hero units could move across a grid-based map.
When they engaged with an enemy, battles would switch to a typical turn-based layout. Heroes could have a squad of soldiers with them divided into classes along with powerful dragon allies. Magic could be used in the field as well before engaging in turn-based battles.
5Children Of Zodiarcs
Roll The Dice
There was a point in the mid-2010s when Square Enix started funding indie projects via their Square Enix Collective branding.Children of Zodiarcswas one of those projects that was developed by a studio in Montreal, Cardboard Utopia, for Square Enix so it’s still framed in the guise of a JRPG. It’s a throwback to old-school tactical games with no voice acting and a heavy emphasis on dice.
Every action players take requires the roll of the dice which can increase attack power, grant bonuses, and improve accuracy. There’s alsosome card selectionin the mix too and this tactical game is not an easy one to master.
Intelligent Systems is a developer known for its tactical RPG prowess thanks to theFire Emblemseries.Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.is a bit different as the gameplay is more in line with theX-Comfranchise. Characters are based on folklore and older books like The Lion fromThe Wizard of Ozappear.
Aliens are invading Earth and President Lincoln commands a secret organization hellbent on stopping paranormal threats. Characters use steam to move and act on their turns and leftover reserves can have characters counterattack when enemies move. Despite their legacy, Intelligent Systems was not given another game to develop.
Jeanne d’Arcwas aone-off from Level-5on the PSP. It was a historical reimagining of the war between England and France involving Joan of Arc with a twist. This European countryside was filled with magic and anthropomorphic animals.
The tactical battles played out on traditional grid-based maps wherein units could move and attack enemies. The big gimmick revolved around magical bracelets that could turn certain units into powered-up versions of themselves like a Power Rangers transformation. It was a nice way to help differentiate itself from other tactical RPGs at the time.
Kartia: The Word of Fatewas developed by Atlus and it had some big names attached to it. Kouji Okada was the producer and he had directed and producedseveralShin Megami Tenseigamesbefore this. Art was handled by Yoshitaka Amano who had worked on concept art forFinal Fantasysince the beginning.
Battles were handled on grid-based maps but instead of hero units doing all of the fighting, they could summon monsters in large quantities to aid them too. This gave the gameplay an RTS edge to it that not many tactical RPGs have tried and it’s a shame this game was a PS1 one-off.
1Lost Dimension
There’s A Traitor In Your Midst
Lost Dimensionwas developed by Lancarse who had worked withAtlus on several projectslike the first twoEtrian Odysseygames. This tactical RPG has no grid and players can instead move freely on their turn before taking action.
The game is about an elite squadron of psychics shortly who are sent in to stop a group of terrorists but there is a twist. As players progress, they have to figure out who is a mole for this terrorist group and the results differ with each playthrough. Think of it likeAmong UsmeetsValkyria Chroniclesand that’s about the sum of it.
