Summary
Turn-based JRPGs are renowned for providing challenging battles thattest players' understanding of the mechanics. Although the genre often includes grinding tools, which allow character improvement and ease certain battles, these games do not lose their tough essence. Complex bosses and enemies with unpredictable abilities ensure challenges that reward the effort.
Thus, many games stand out by requiring refined strategies and efficient use of resources during crucial moments of gameplay. In this way, thebest Turn-based JRPGs with challenging combatare those that do not merely offer fair difficulty but present unique challenges for players to overcome adversities, while valuing the efforts in creating builds and party composition.
WhileFinal Fantasy TacticsandFire Emblemaren’t traditional JRPGs, their tactical combat and challenging gameplay make them beloved by JRPG fans, which is why they’re included.
Despite not offering many challenges during the main story of the game, with players only needing to grind a few levels whenever they encounter a challenge they cannot face,Octopath Travelerundergoes a radical difficulty change in the postgame. This is because the Ruins of Hornbug, adungeon exclusive to this part, presents an extremely punishing challenge.
Players face several different bosses in succession, where characters need to be well-equipped with items and abilities to handle the large number of enemies. Fortunately, these challenges can be overcome with good management of the available resources in the game and appropriate tactics to triumph in the Ruins of Hornbug challenges.
Even being more accessible than the first two titles in the franchise,Dragon Quest 3, as well as its HD-2D remake, still presentschallenges for those seeking Turn-Based JRPGs with with tough battles.The game features spikes in difficulty, especially during boss battles, which can cause issues even for well-prepared groups.
The party customization system is one of the game’s main attractions, allowing unique class combinations that adapt to each person’s play style. However, this freedom comes with responsibilities: without adequate knowledge, it’s possible to create unbalanced compositions, making progress even more complicated. This complexity contributes to the game’s depth and charm.
Games with a more strategic approach, such asFinal Fantasy Tactics, tend to offer greater difficulty to players during battles, mainly because it is necessary to position troops correctly and also rely on luck to not miss attacks. Thus, players are constantly challenged to make the best possible moves to eliminate adversaries and avoid losing their own units.
Final Fantasy Tacticsalso has a steep learning curve, which takes some time for players to fully get accustomed to the game’s mechanics and better handle the challenges. Additionally, at certain points in the story, some difficulty spikes occur, which can surprise those on a first playthrough with some unexpected challenges.
The unique approach of the battle system makesThe Last Remnantone of themost complex JRPGs of its time. Instead of controlling characters individually, players command groups called unions, requiring detailed strategies to balance roles such as attack, support, and healing. The absence of a traditional leveling system further complicates progress, as improvements depend on performance in battles and the selection of challenging enemies.
Thus,The Last Remnantstands out as a JRPG with challenging combat due to its mechanics that punish wrong choices and favor intense fights against stronger monsters. Encounters with bosses or rare enemies can quickly defeat poorly prepared teams, while resource management and statistic-based progression complicate the journey for those who do not master the mechanical nuances.
From its inception,Fire Emblemhas always been afranchise offering difficult battles to players, but while the more recent entries in the series provide some tools to reduce difficulty, the retro games did not ease the challenges. Thus,Fire Emblem Thracia 776is known for having a high difficulty spike from the beginning of the journey.
Throughout the new stages, the challenge usually becomes even greater, with more powerful enemies appearing across the new maps and requiring players to always have careful planning when advancing troops. Otherwise, a wrong move or bad luck with the game’s RNG could mean the death of an important character.
3Etrian Odyssey 2 HD
JRPG Does Not Offer Much Ease For Players
Although not as popular as other Atlus franchises, theEtrian Odysseyseries is known among fans for offering great difficulty to players, where it is necessary to explore various procedurally generated dungeons and also make map notes along the way. Thus, for a player who does not pay attention to all the details, the level of difficulty becomes even higher.
Furthermore, the character creation system inEtrian Odyssey 2 HDrequires a balanced team, with skills carefully distributed among the classes. Lack of planning can make encounters even more difficult, especially against the dreaded FOEs, which test even the most experienced players. Thus, this game has great appeal for players who enjoy JRPGs with challenging combat.
Known for being a franchise that offers significant difficulty to players, mainly due to its combat and darker setting,Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturnenot only maintains the series' formula but also provideseven more challenges for players. This is because good planning is necessary to handle the various battles embedded throughout the adventure.
One specific battle, against the Matador, is always mentioned as one of the toughest battles in this JRPG, mainly because it can catch many players who did not pay attention to unexpected dialogues. However, it is just one of several other difficult combats thatShin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturnehas, thus players must always be updating the party with new demons.
In the era of 16-bit consoles, many difficult turn-based JRPGs stood out by challenging players through unbalanced combats.The 7th Sagais a notableexample of this era,as it requires players to master their strategies to survive constant challenges, being very punishing with the mistakes made and also placing a great emphasis on grinding.
In addition to intense battles, the game features relentless bosses and the need to evolve characters carefully to handle these challenges. Progression is not linear, forcing players to explore each area in search of improvements, and even the simplest random encounters could quickly become tough fights, as all enemies are stronger than the character.
