Summary
- Triangle Strategy offers engaging turn-based tactical battles & a compelling story.
- Live A Live’s HD-2D remake features unique gameplay in various timelines.
- Bravely Default 2 is a classic JRPG entry with strategic turn-based combat.
Square Enix is known for developing quite a few amazing games with riveting turn-based combat. It was the bread-and-butter for this company for the longest time before they decided to branch out into other genres as the gaming industry evolved.
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However, even after all the time that has passed, Square Enix hasn’t forgotten its roots. The company still makes an effort to push turn-based combat in their modern titles, with some games earning a ton of critical and commercial success when everything clicks.
8
Triangle Strategy
The Turn-Based Tactical Battles Are A Blast To Play Through
- Released
-
March 4, 2022
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Aside from a poor name, Triangle Strategy is an excellent tactical turn-based game that players will have a great time with. The story can be a bit too in-your-face at times, but players who don’t mind epic and long-winded plots won’t mind this aspect of Triangle Strategy.
This game is perfect for players who love organizing their forces, making the most of the terrain in every stage, and utilizing special attacks to dominate enemies. As long as players aren’t too flippant with their strategies, they shouldn’t have a problem going through the bulk of this game’s content.
7
Live A Live
The HD-2D Remake With Its Compelling Turn-Based Gameplay Is A Treat
- Released
-
April 27, 2023
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
- Publisher(s)
-
Square Enix, Nintendo
Live A Live felt like an odd choice for a remake, but fans understood why Square Enix wanted new players to put some respect on this title’s name. It features a unique narrative structure and is arguably the catalyst that led to the creation of Octopath Traveler.
Players control adventurers across different timelines who must fight off an antagonist who embodies evil itself. This culminates in a final fight at Odio’s palace, where players either band together to stop the Dark Knight or flip the script and help the antagonist achieve his diabolical goals.
6
Bravely Default 2
A Classic Take On Turn-Based Combat That’s Engaging For Fans Of The Genre
- Released
-
February 26, 2021
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
Bravely Default 2 is the perfect jumping-in point for this fledgling JRPG series. It’s a standalone game that improves upon most elements from previous titles to make for a brilliant combat system.
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Players will love stocking their Brave Points and using them to unleash an immensely powerful attack that will decimate a boss’ health bar. This simple gameplay mechanic adds a ton of strategy to the game’s turn-based encounters, ensuring that players will have a great time assigning jobs to their party members and using their skills to take out the many bosses that stand in their way.
5
Final Fantasy Tactics
The Best Final Fantasy Spinoff With Challenging And Satisfying Turn-Based Tactical Combat
- Released
-
June 20, 1997
- Developer(s)
-
Square
- Publisher(s)
-
Square, Sony Computer Entertainment
To this day, many people hail Final Fantasy Tactics as the greatest spinoff game of all time. The world of Ivalice is a joy to explore, as players control Ramza and his allies in numerous strategic encounters where a single misstep can lead to a crushing defeat.
Players must make sure to optimize their jobs and wrack their brains in each encounter, helping the characters become stronger to deal with the many threats that stand in their way. Failing to understand how this game works will lead to some embarrassing defeats as players get stuck on certain notorious difficulty spikes.
4
Chrono Trigger
The Classic Turn-Based Combat Of This Game Has Aged Like A Fine Wine
Sometimes, it’s the simplest combat systems that end up being the most memorable. This is why Chrono Trigger continues to serve as an inspiration for several modern JRPGs that want their combat system to feel seamless and fluid at all times.
The lack of a battle screen transition and being able to see enemies on screen before combat seem like simple changes, but they were groundbreaking back in the day. It added a ton of character to each encounter as players unleashed Double and Triple Techs with Crono and his allies.
3
Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
The Most Polished And Engaging Combat System To Feature In The Series
- Released
-
September 27, 2019
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo, Square Enix
After what felt like the longest time, Dragon Quest was finally able to make a notable mark in the West with the release of the eleventh mainline entry. Echoes of an Elusive Age boasts an epic story that keeps on going and lets players enjoy some classic turn-based combat that is complex enough to keep things engaging in the long haul without getting too obtuse for most people’s tastes.
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Dragon Quest 11 is a must-play for fans of turn-based JRPGs that seems deceptively simple only to wow players with the sheer depth of this gameplay. The Luminary and his allies unlock different skills throughout an amazing adventure that leaves fans wanting more.
2
Octopath Traveler 2
The Battles In This Series Are A Ton Of Fun To Experience Every Single Time
- Released
-
February 24, 2023
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
- Franchise
-
Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler 2 is an amazing modern JRPG that boasts a riveting combat system. Players will love stocking up BP before unleashing a character’s ultimate attack that’s boosted to the max.
The gameplay is improved in small yet meaningful ways, letting players use Latent Powers to add some oomph to the gameplay. This near-perfect sequel has a combat system that looks and feels great to play, making it clear why so many people can’t get enough of Octopath Traveler 2‘s trappings.
1
Final Fantasy 10
Players Love The Conditional Turn-Based Battle System Of This Series
- Released
-
December 17, 2001
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Final Fantasy 10 needed to make a huge impact, since it was the first title in this series to feature on a new generation of consoles. The amazing visuals and a new Conditional Turn-Based battle system ensured that this game was a perfect evolution of the series that fans couldn’t get enough of.
It’s possible that later games would’ve continued to focus on turn-based combat if SquareSoft didn’t buckle under the weight of severe financial losses. As things stand, this is the last mainline Final Fantasy game to implement a turn-based combat system before the franchise became more experimental.
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