Hello all…My roommmate is/was a huge fan of Shining Force on the Genesis. He’s been looking to find similar games on any of the newer consoles. I showed him FF7 and FF8 which he doesn’t care for (the random battle drove him nuts as well as their definition of turn-based). He’s specifically looking for the trun-based system used in Shining Force.
My question now is - what game would you recommend for someone like him? I told him that it’ll be hard to find games using Shining Force type turn-base since it’s fairly simple and games have evolved (FF type turn-base with the meter etc etc). He also doesn’t like games that are too cutesy (Chrono Trigger). Am I asking for the impossible?
Eh, turn-based strategic RPG are still a thriving genre. Here are a list of games for your considerations
Disagoa - Hours of Darkness, PS2 - May be a bit too cutesy for your friend, but it is tactical all right.
Dynasty Tactics - Not exactly a RPG, but it is a turn-based fighting game with a nify combo system worth looking into.
Arc the Lad Series - Very much like Shinning Force, except without the attacking transition.
Atelier Iris, Eternal Mana - Fantasy-anime-themed RPG. A dead ringer for FFT.
Growlanser Collection - A couple of old-schooled, Shining Force-style tactical RPG re-released for the PS2.
Lord of the Rings Tactics - For the PSP, coming soon!
However, if your friend really wants those old-style games with the same old style graphics. he may be out of luck. There’s good old Final Fantasy Tactics and Orge Tactics, but good luck finding a working PS1 for those.
ANY PS1 game will work on a PS2. PS2s are backwards compatible, and I was delighted with this, as I have oodles of PS1 games that I still play on my PS2…including Final Fantasy Tactics. The game WILL need a PS1 memory card, though, and those are still being made, and are readily available for purchase. If Roomie thought that Crono Trigger was too cutesy, then he should avoid Kingdom Hearts at all costs. I very nearly go into sugar shock each time I try to play it.
Disgaea is funny and addictive - it is the best of the genre in my opinion, and offers countless hours of gameplay if you want to plumb its secrets. (Characters can achieve 9,999th level.) You can beat the main story of the game at level 120 though, so one needn’t grind.
The same company offers a few other similar but different ones - the only one that springs to mind is La Pucelle Tactics.
Though, if you find Chrono Trigger cutesy, these will probably overwhelm your cuteness tolerance. (Though Disgaea backs it up with a wicked and off-center sense of humor)
EXTRAKUN - I realize that SRPGs are still big business…my roommate is just no fan of the FF style of turn-base (where a meter has to fill up before a character can attack) as well as the random battle function.
He looked at Disgaea but found it too cutesy…I have a playable PSone so that wouldn’t hold him back.
Makai Kingdoms - by the makers of Disgaea, with more complexity. It’s still as “cutesy” as Disgaea, though, but the depth of character development is amazing.
The Front Mission series - I know number 4 is still in stores. Pay no attention to the cover (what the heck were they thinking?!), this is a turn-based mech combat game.
Gladius is an under-appreciated title that involves, surprise, gladiator combat with some Egyptian, Norse, and other western mythologies mixed in.