How To Get Into Tactical RPGs | Backlog Battle

[@maniacal1870]

Shining Force will always be my favorite. From the moment I got my first SEGA Genesis and saw the screenshot of a Centaur fighting a Dwarf, I knew I had to play that game, and it introduced me to my favorite RPG genre.

[@Jay-yx5hq]

My first... and few dips into the genre of tactical RPGs was Final Fantasy Tactics when I was a youngster. I remember those long nights playing in the dark room and pretending to be sleep when the times call for it very fondly. Many, many years have passed and to this day, I still think back to that game with a deep desire to play again. I just loved it so much and it was such a great time. I forgot my main point, but yea, I loved this video and I definitely need to get back into it. I need to try Triangle Strategy now!

[@louvella-sama]

Check out Mercenaries Saga too! It's the same gameplay

[@entelin]

I saw a friend playing FFT back when it was new, I always liked the concept. I tried playing it twice on emulator later, once quite a long time ago and I remember only having tried. And again, just now. I have to say, that is the most painfully god awful slow game I've ever had the displeasure of witnessing. I get that it's a great game, the story is very well liked, the character building is great, the systems are probably good I assume. But my god. The first battle took like 10+ mins or so, and that was with only around 5 people on each side and only one of which you had any control over, which amounted to 3 turns. The amount of actual gameplay in that battle was like 5 seconds, and it took 10 mins. Almost the whole thing was just waiting for things to happen, and everything happened crazy slow. Even the text during story cutscenes came up at a painfully slow pace. I seriously have no idea how anyone could have tolerated this game. And no, I didn't get past the second turn of the second fight.

[@seawind930]

May want to try Tactics Ogre too. It was FFTactics predecessor (created by the same guy) and was originally concieved as part of that series beforre it got the Final Fantasy label

[@JayLachMe]

I *LOVE* TRPGs, largely because 1) I adore the character progression you typically see in these games, with branching paths for each character (the one thing holding Triangle Strategy from being my game of the year) and 2) I have a soft spot for political intrigue stories, and TRPGs tend to have a monopoly on these types of stories.

[@Zectifin]

It makes sense though. In a tactical game you're going to want enemies with a similar role so they are most likely going to be other humans, or at least creatures that are very humanlike. It wouldn't feel as heroic just murdering tons of people in a standard "save the world' JRPG, so its monsters you're fighting, which tends not to go the political route. I prefer the political and war stories. Instead of trying to be philosophical about human existence they can talk about the horrors of war and the effect it has on soldiers and how they don't know if they can return to a normal life afterwards.

[@useless1]

My first was vandal hearts and it made me love this genre so i would recommend that one if u like older games

[@Outshinedsg]

I find tactics games very relaxing to play myself, which is why I love them. Due to the turn based nature, you have ample time to carefully consider every decision and try to play for the optimal outcome. The best TBS games are transparent and all the information determining the outcome of your actions is presented to you up front. Your actions are mostly deterministic (or, at least, the random aspects can be accounted for) so the outcome is based purely on knowledge, creativity, and skill. I love the feeling of being handed very limited resources, in the form of manpower, gold, items, or what have you, and the challenge of fighting your way out of difficult battles while attempting to maximize the few advantages you have.

[@jericosha2842]

Completely agree

[@snek8421]

@@jericosha2842 Into the breach!

[@middle_pickup]

I got my start with tactical rpg's on Fire Emblem for the GBA. It's actually a great first timer game. It's very distilled to the fundamentals, and easy to wrap your head around. Perma-death only makes you stronger, forcing you to develop strategies that will take you to the endgame. All those game resets are necessary practice.

[@picleus]

Sacred Stones (FE8) is a good first one, likeable story and pretty noob friendly. FE7 is good too but I think the story is a bit not great. And FE6 is great but pretty darn tough for a new player.

[@middle_pickup]

@@picleus I liked the story okay. I'm biased though since I played it as a kid, and enjoyed it without really having a developed understanding of storytelling. Haha

[@mind-of-neo]

I always thought of Tactical RPGs as advanced chess games, lol. I'd never even seen non-grid ones! Thanks for all the info!

[@JayCruz49er]

Tactical RPG’s are definitely niche but if you get into them they sink their hooks into you and never let go. FFTactics, FFTactics Advance, FFT A2, Shining Force, XCOM, Valkyria Chronicles, there are really so many great ones. I’m replaying Tactics Ogre on my Switch for like the 10th time. Game is so good!

[@alecsabin1224]

For turn based the upcoming Tactics Ogre is a must

[@hundun5604]

It's on my backlog .😅

[@saltytbone]

I loved Front Mission 3. Didn't know remakes of the first 3 are planned. That warms my heart.

[@BacklogBattle]

Front Mission 1 comes out November 30th!

[@darkorion69]

Thank you for a video which is both thorough and inspirational. I am a lifelong fan of Tactical RPG's and you have done a great job summarizing the strengths that drew me to this genre many years ago. Please make more content about the games you love to play. I added 4 games to my wish-list just from watching this video.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you! The reviews I’ve made on this channel, while mostly new, do encompass many of the games I love. And in some cases, I manage to capture the spirit of why people love those games/series! Hope you enjoy the games and check out my other vids too!

[@tacticslc4805]

Haven't seen Into the Breach mentioned so.. I recommend it, really good indie game, a lot more focused on the thinking puzzle part that the other T-rpgs and since it's a roguelike, you have tons of replay value

[@BacklogBattle]

I'm going to give Into the Breach a shot! I've heard it recommended a year or so ago, but certainly not vocally in my recent posts!

[@ty_sylicus]

Into the Breach is brilliant but I never finished it. Seemed like it went on a bit long. Maybe I'll pick it up again.

[@teddycheddar1114]

Adding another voice for Into the Breach. Great game. I know it semi-recently got a massive free content update that I have yet to check out, but it’s become similar to Darkest Dungeon for me, in that I usually can’t go more than a year without getting the itch to hop back in.

[@linuxviking]

I absolutely love tactical RPGs. Front Mission 3 was my first, I had no idea what the genre was when I was a kid. Now I play the X-COM games and Gears Tactics. Tactics Ogre is next.

[@sketchman7392]

Not a lot of people talk about this sub-genre which is a shame because I feel like there's a lot to tactical RPGs that people can get into if they only knew how cool and technical it is. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this sub-genre and may you enjoy your next journey into a world full of excitement and tactical gameplay! ♟️🎮

[@LC-pp4bb]

I love them, im currently playing Fell Seal while I wait on tactics ogre, its great by the way! I think having to have Tanks, DPS, Healer, etc... is what does it the for me, I love how you can switch classes, get passives & abilities from other classes and combine that to make your own unique class. And the battles requiring different strategies, like some enemies are weak against fire magic, or earth, but water heals them or does no damage. I think that's why I love them so much, the customizability of every part of your character. The pre-planning of battle. The combat. The scale. The magic (and magic effects). The classes. The items. Everything. Tho ill admit i really dont care much for story as long as it isnt terrible, but i feel the same way with movies & shows, story is always last for me in everything lol

[@NekoDavid]

Fell Seal was a godsend. It was an oasis in a droubt of the genre. I've nearly gotten every trophy on steam and I played it on switch as well =P

[@popskar]

My absolute favorite genre! You brought really good points for beginners, I’m glad more people are getting into tactical games! 2022 has been insanely good for tactical/strategy rpgs. I gotta recommend the Mario + Rabbids games, specially Sparks of Hope. They’re not the most difficult games, but they bring various new ideas to the genre and have a unique and fun play feel to strategy. It’s competing for GOTY with triangle strategy for me!

[@BacklogBattle]

Wow, that's high praise!

[@d_shuffles]

This video was a beautiful representation of the genre!! In the larger gaming community tactics RPGs dont get enough love, my only wish is that more people fall in love with it

[@Gpjr55]

Well been playing this genre for about 20 years and its still my favorite game type slow and steady is the way to go imo i dont like fast paced stuff as u can imagine everything from Final Fantasy Tatics, Fire Emblem, Fell Seal and many more ... i like the long battles ,the risk of losing someone 4ever, even the bad luck sometimes is amazing but shitty at the time ( me dying from a 1%crit or missing a 98% chance to hit ) i like the class sistems and customizing the characters how i please and i love the replay abiity of said games because the same battle can be diffrent if u have diffrent classes on the same soldiers , i understand its not a genre for everyone i think nowadays people have less patience or time to actualy think in a game and just act "brainless" to relax or have fun but i still would like to see more TBSRPG's in the current market anyway that's my 2cents have a good day everyone !!

[@Ashtarte3D]

I fell in love with the Tactical RPG subgenre back with the original OgreBattle: March of the Black Queen. I rented it from a Blockbuster Video and I think I was the only person that rented it because weeks later they decided to sell the copy they had and I hoovered it up. Ever since then I've played everything I can get my grubby mitts on. My recent favorites have been FE: Three Houses, the XCOM series, Hard West 1 & 2, Symphony of War (which is very like OgreBattle), Tower of Time and of course Mario + Rabbids. Super excited to play TacticsOgre again with the remake.

[@seawind930]

Ever tried Ogre battle 64? Not quite as good in the gameplay department as March of the Black Queen but the story made up for it.

[@tembakaugunung6139]

Why nobody talking about The Banner Saga?? That game have the most incredible trpg mechanic i've ever played. No ridiclous hundred and thousand damage, no crazy magic, so balanced and tight.

[@ZeroFksGvn]

My first was Vanguard Bandits on PS1, loved it so much that I went and found all the other ones on the PS1. Currently own all listed titles and am currently waiting for Tactics Ogre:Reborn, Front Mission Trilogy, and Metal Slug Tactics to come down the pipeline.

[@chrislyons3179]

As someone who has bounced off of the TRPG genre for years now, this was just the motivation I needed to give them a try again. I appreciate the thoroughness of the suggestions from you and the community, thank you!

[@danieladamczyk4024]

Try some cards games.

[@darwins.2646]

Thanks for tips Alex and the Backlog Battle community. I picked up all the 3DS Fire Emblem games throughout the years, before the prices skyrocketed and have always had a hard time getting through them. I’ve always been told that playing in ‘casual’ mode is not the right way to play, but permadeath has always given me a bit of anxiety. Glad to hear that you played through Awakening with permadeath off.

[@BacklogBattle]

Of course! The option is there, so I'm going to use it damnit! LOL And I'm glad the community helped you out with this!

[@errata2412]

Honestly I always turn permadeath off. Sometimes it's just too hard and stressful

[@anthonybeyondgames]

13 Sentinels was my gateway as well! Just beat it about a month ago and since having played and bested FE3H and started DioField

[@NachtKaiser666]

I would've put Valkyria Chronicles as a hybrid personally. I've played Strategy RPG for years and it really takes you by surprise the first time you take control of a Harter and come under fire in real time. You can even lose units before they act if you're not careful. It's really unique, I don't think I've played other games like it.

[@BacklogBattle]

I was toying with that, but ended up not doing so for reasons. I felt that it wasn’t too important to try and be too precise when it comes to categorization as the whole goal is to get people interested in the genre.

[@BlackJim]

Amazing game!

[@heliogonzalezsanchez8227]

also i recommend people to try out VC 2 and 3 if they already played 1 and 4, they are both good games and they give more background and story for those interested in learning more about the game's universe

[@errata2412]

I hit a bit of a wall with 1 at a certain point and stopped. I should try again.

[@Twitchyx7]

Shining Force 2 for the Sega Genesis was my first tactical RPG at age 7 (1996). I didn't understand it at first and hated it, mostly because my other games were platformers like Sonic and brawlers like Golden Axe. Then my best friend's older brother came over and played it and I quickly got the hang of it. 4 years later and I've restarted Shining Force 2 over a dozen times, always getting stuck on the same part about 35-40% of the way through the game; sometimes leaving my Sega on for days at a time because the save feature didn't really work. (Walkthroughs and FAQs were only starting to be written, with a couple reliable cheat code sites.) In the end, I figured out the puzzle because it was literally the last thing I could do. Which ultimately made beating the game that much sweeter, never giving up on the adventure and seeing all my promoted heroes smash Zeon's army was super satisfying. (Also Sarah is best girl) 10/10, will revisit childhood triumph again

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you for sharing your story! I’m actually in the process of rediscovering these games as we’re playing through them as a couple

[@devindbass6711]

What a lovely video, I love tactical gaming, and the reasons that you provided really hit home with the reasons I love tactical RPGs. Thanks

[@BacklogBattle]

You're very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it! I plan on making similar videos for other genres too!

[@PVS-2024]

A nice, and brief, introduction to tactical/strategic RPGs. thanks for the insights and recommendations.

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re welcome!

[@D13373DSTI]

This video helped me get back into tactical / strategy RPGs. I also first played ultima 4 back on NES, really liked that style of play and then forgot about it until final fantasy tactics, which I absolutely LOVED. Then I really just fell more into other types of games and haven't played many true turn based RPGs since. I'm very glad I found your video!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you for your wonderful comment! I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who played Quest of the Avatar on the NES! And I hope you enjoy the other tactical RPG video I made!

[@robdiquattro5590]

Here to sing praises to 13 sentinels! Sci-fi story for the ages! One of the best stories, and story deliverance I've ever experienced. Xenogears and the Xenosaga trilogy were my previous Sci-fi GOATs, but 13 sentinels bumped them out for first place. WHY AREN'T YOU PLAYING THAT GAME?!

[@Sheebert]

Tactical RPGs are my favorite genre, triangle strategy was my game of the year.

[@WaruiDeshou]

Loved this video! I think you've done an excellent job selling the genre and preparing JRPG fans to ease into it. I shared it with a discord I'm on in hopes of getting some people to take a chance on some sweet sweet tactics. I also really enjoyed the process of getting to contribute to the video via your calls for comments in the community. Very cool.

[@Vrir16]

As a long time fan, some entries to check out are XCOM: Enemy Within and XCOM2, both of which are fantastic sci-fi tactics games where permadeath only enhances the connection you have with your squads.

[@richardcaraballo1185]

I was just about to comment this! The difficulty and rng might be a bit much for a beginner, but the presentation and story makes up for it imo.

[@xnightshadyx]

That's what I was coming to say, too. The two XCOMs are tactics at it's best.

[@tonymack]

I loved enemy unknown. I hated 2 so disappointed

[@Vrir16]

@@tonymack what didn't you like about 2 if I may ask?

[@dacx17]

In my 30 plus years in gaming tactics games are some of the very best games in the industry. I'll never stop playing. Hope FFT gets an amazing rework or remake imo. 😁😁

[@BacklogBattle]

I'm hoping that's next!

[@dacx17]

@@BacklogBattle btw love the videos about tac. rpgs :D really liked your take on the new tactics orge i can't wait to play it

[@armorvil]

I was surprised I had to scroll down that much for someone to finally mention the best TRPG : Final Fantasy Tactics (War of the Lions). I couldn't get into 13 Sentinels, too wordy / slow for my tastes (at least at the start), and the visuals during battle are totally unattractive to me. I felt like I was playing with dots and commas. In the same genre I'd take the low poly Wanzers and cities of Front Mission 3 over it any day (and shoutout for mentioning this awesome game in the video!).

[@dacx17]

@@armorvil yes i have to agree it is (to me) still the BEST trpg of all time lol with front mission in a close 2nd to tactics orge lol. oh, guys keep an eye for 'CAPES' a superhero tactics game on steam. the demo is up now, go have a look. i love it, looking forward to that one too lol

[@jayanthonymangubat1905]

what i want is FFT online. .to see who can build stronger party 😁

[@yy-hj4br]

I'm so happy I found another fan of 13 Sentinels' SRPG gameplay. Most fans think it's the weakest part of the game, but it's my favorite. There really isn't much like it. My favorite SRPGs are the Metal Gear Ac!d games. Both were really good, and I know people prefer the second game, but both are just as good for different reasons. They showed that stealth and deck building gameplay in SRPGs has a lot of potential. Too bad they probably will never see a port outside the PSP.

[@PVS-2024]

I love the acid games but never get too far in them. Something about the clunky card game in there makes it hard for me to get past 5-6 missions in either. If those decks were replaced by a random perk system, I'd be playing those all the time

[@huntervo4621]

This might be a weird and niche suggestion but if it’s available to you I think a great TRPG to get SMT and Persona fans into the series is SMT Devil Survivor 1 or 2. It blends deep visual novel aspects and relationship building along with tactical elements inspired by the SMT games.

[@BacklogBattle]

If this came out on Switch, you bet that it’d be one of the games I’d recommend!

[@RwnEsper]

I would so love to see these two games get Switch ports! And give us Devil Survivor 3 while your at it!

[@normallyimnuts767]

Those games are far from niche...but, I'd be hesitant to suggest them to anyone who was just getting into Strat/Tac RPGs. Too much going on here, unless they're already familiar with demon fusions and the other regularly included SMT quirks....then maybe give it a go. If you don't mind balancing learning new game mechanics on top of the complexity of any other SMT game.

[@spellfire2098]

so love the devil survivor games and a huge smt fan

[@nenodoodles3125]

Really nice video I wish I could have find it sooner!And i think the mental approaches that you mentioned are key to make the most of the game one is playing, specially take your time don't rush ,explore the map before each battle( if you can) and see what are the characteristics of the field and troops you are battling against, it will help you to make a starting strategy and chose your setup and characters to have the best chances to win. And if for some reason you don't win a battle, this is great because you can always try a different approach and learn what work and what didn't.

[@BacklogBattle]

Great tips! Thank you for sharing! Glad you found the video too!

[@punk4rockorz]

TRPG is by far my favorite genre. Its both chilling but also something you break your head on even when you dont play. The sense of progression and feeling that you get to know the characters and battle system better and better is just so sattisfying. For me it was the mix of Advanced Wars and Fire Emblem 7 that got me into this genre. Because, portability is just such a luxury. I love my Switch with so many (T)RPGs and visual novels. Really feels like these genres gets the most out of the portability aspect as it is so easy and nice to do a couple of turns, chapters and put it away again.

[@BigHalfSteps]

I personally think The Last Remnant (PS4, Switch, PC, even on google store / appstore) is probably one of the best ways to introduce a tactical game to a beginner. The game is easy on you if you play the easy mode, but is definitely replayable by going beyond, grinding hard to get characters, items, special bosses and more challenges. In fact it is my number 1 favourite game. It's a fantasy tactical turn-based JRPG where you command a small army at once, each different from another, different weapon types, usages, magic, special abilities that can bombard the whole battlefield - and the unique aspect is that there is no grid. The battles are on a plane and you can check on the minimap where each of your squad is. You can flank enemies, get flanked, you can stall parties from attacking another party, use strategic positioning to escalate areal damage to hit multiple parties. In my book a masterpiece that deserves a sequel, just alone for the unique race called Sovani which are lynx-like humanoid people with four arms, using four one-handed weapons or two two-handed weapons. The game also features Quick Time Events for crits, debuffs or counter-attacks, so it keeps those who want more action from a tactical game satisfied. The story might be bit boring to some people, but unfolds in the later half of the game in a unexpected way.

[@tradnux5848]

Playstation1 introduced me to JRPGs, I loved the grandeur of quality art and riveting story, but I long found myself not enjoying grinding through mindless battles against random encounters. And then I tried Tactics Ogre, my introduction to TRPG, when I played this game I enjoyed the battles even if they took longer, even grinding for stats of various classes as part of my next battle strategy. Next game was Brigandine, that game was grand, it feels like you are a general trying to win a war and then a commander to lead single battles, there are many characters with interesting histories that you'll get to know and care about. I knew that TRPG is the genre I much preferred esp. games that has mercenary-like squad where you can recruit minor or unnamed characters that are open to stat growth and becomes valuable to battles. I am glad that game developers are still creating them and remastering the classics for modern gamers. Today, my Western and Japanese TRPG backlog is close to a hundred now, to which I could say I have enough supply to last a lifetime.

[@tradnux5848]

As for recommendation (easily accessible through modern hardware): - Tactics Ogre - Brigandine Legend of Runersia - Triangle Strategy - Fire Emblem Three Houses - Fire Emblem Engage - Unicorn Overlord - Battle Brothers - Wartales - XCOM 2 - Front Missions 1st - Advance Wars - Super Robot Wars - SD Gundam G Generations - Marvel's Midnight Suns - The Banner Saga

[@khairurrijalkhalis4172]

Tactical RPG is one of my favorite genres, at least it will be a good consideration when I want to buy a game. - Btw, my Tactical RPG experience is quite unique. I come from a small town in a developing country, and in the 2000s it was still quite difficult to get access to game consoles, especially original ones, even for the games you can only get from pirated CDs. when people already have PS1 I just got SEGA. And around 2007 when some of them already had PS3s I had a PS1 that was given to me by a cousin. And my love of Tactics RPGs started on PS1, from the game Suikoden 2. I know it's a TBS game, but their war mode uses a simple Tactics formula that got me started. Then I started looking and found Brigandine, an interesting tactical RPG with a good story, but because of that, pirated CDs often crash, so I'm looking for another game with rpg tactics as the main element. I also found Vandal Heart 2 and Front Mission 3, and because I like robots I took both. But my impression of the two is very different, Vandal Heart 2 has a story that is quite dark for a 9 year old child like me at that time but for some reason the story is very interesting and the battle system provided is unique because in the movement phase one character and 1 enemy run simultaneously makes the possibility of a miss attack more on a target not in a position than a miss because of the system. But Front Mission 3 I really didn't like it, it has a unique story, especially like the military, but I realized when playing tactical rpg, when I shoot opponents from afar I don't like them returning fire. - but i still like robots so i am looking for another tactical rpg robot games that cant shoot back every time. And I found Vanguard Bandits, uniquely the knight robot is something I've never seen at the time, especially when I grew up watching Gundam anime where they shoot each other. And I love it so much, I really feel like the main character is me compared to Vandal heart 2 where I still feel like I'm moving other people's stories. Moreover, they use 3D animation for the battles and have branches in an attempt to reach the ending. Then the tactical rpg that I played started to be more or less, especially when I had a computer and found Emulators for VBA and NDS. Play the games Onimusha, Tactics Ogre, Final fantasy tactics, and Fire Emblem in VBA. Continued on the NDS continued the Fire Emblem series, and a few other games I can't remember, but the one that caught my eye the most was Pokemon Conquest. Combining Pokemon with tactical rpg, with the main characters Azai Nagamasa and Eevee which I really liked at that time.

[@ty_sylicus]

Great video. I really like this style of introducing genres. Thank you! I didn't even realize hybrid was a thing as I haven't played any new tactical RPG games recently outside of Fire Emblem (an all-time favorite of mine).

[@roxstar5088]

I like TRPG's because you have a large roster of (if it's a good TRPG's) interesting characters, all with their own drive, personalities and ambitions. It's also why I like Colony survival games like Rimworld over city builders like simcity. This and I just like more slow tactical gameplay in my games over fast flashy ones that leaves no impression other then "lets go to the next." In a typical RPG, I don't think back about mob battles but only focus on the boss battles, and even those only a few actually stick. In a TRPG I have so many times that I remember "minor" battles because something happened that stick. A set-up tactic that worked perfectly for example.

[@joker9in]

The reason i love tactical rpgs is the complexity of combat. I first got into rpgs with the old school jrpgs like final fantasy breath of fire on the playstation. I loved these games, and i still do to this day. The great stories, lore rich worlds, and complicated characters spoke to me in a way that video games had neved done before. Because of that i often didnt care about the shallow combat these games had. You know how most fights boiled down to; attack, attack, attack, cure, attack, and attack. It didnt much matter to me because these games strengths far outweighed their weaknesses. Tactical rpgs were a godsend for me because combined the tactical combat of an rts with character and story of an rpg. Combat was now one of the funner parts of the game. Ive discovered many different forms of rpgs since then and i love them all, Action rpgs, open world, crpgs, etc... At the end of the day tactical rpgs are still my favorite.

[@tizianopilla962]

Never been a fan of turn-based combat games (let alone S/TRPGs) and yet, after trying Disgaea 5 demo last week I remained charmed. It's interesting to see how tastes change with time :D

[@BacklogBattle]

It's pretty fun to check on how our tastes change from time to time!

[@RedSpade37]

If I may chime in here, I wanted to say: If Disgaea 5 is your first in the series, then you are in for several treats if you go back and play 2 and 4!

[@FunkyMcBacon]

@@RedSpade37 more than welcome to chime in my friend :) Yes I red on several Reddit posts that Disgaea 5 is much more polished and accessible, when it comes to gameplay. That’s actually one of the main reason I am interested in it. I also tried the demo for 4 but it didn’t give me the same feeling of accessibility

[@RedSpade37]

@@FunkyMcBacon I'm speaking from bias, of course, and I've played them all, I think, and in my opinion, 2 and 4 are the most fun, but you also can't go wrong with the original, but yeah, 5 is a great place to start! I wish you good luck, and may all your hits be crits!

[@tizianopilla962]

@@RedSpade37 Appreciate your time in guiding a newbie of the series like myself. I will give the demo of 4 another go later today and see if it clicks, since the game on switch is on sale. If it doesn't, I'll stick with 5 and maybe go back and try 4 as well :D

[@farisaddaukas3281]

It wasn't me who was looking for this genre, but this genre that found me My first two games that made me falling love with this genre is fft and hoshigami (ps1) then i discovered another masterpiece Front mission n brigandine (ps1)

[@pickleioi9058]

Tactical RPGS are my favorite type of turned based RPGS, and the only modern turn based RPGS I play besides Persona. Hybrid RPGS are also good. I’d recommend anyone who enjoys TacRPGS to try Valkyria Chronicles. It’s a very fun modern warfare type TacRPG, and has some of my favorite gameplay in the genre.

[@TrynePlague]

Front Mission 3 got me into TRPGs, love that game. I still remember spending hours trying to hack through websites to get new parts hahah. I would also love to see the Vagrant Story battle system integrated into a TRPG.

[@BacklogBattle]

I’d love Vagrant Story to come back fully voice acted. It begged for it even back in the day!

[@CodyM1990]

Nice video. This has been my favorite genre since I first played Final Fantasy Tactics on ps1. Moved over to the brutal Dynasty Tactics on ps2 and have been playing the genre ever since.

[@Fenrisulf87]

Banner's saga is a great entry for the genre.

[@mykemztr]

Amazing job as allways !! Really well explained and lots of details of this genre that i love a lot. Mega fan of your channel day by day!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks a ton! Glad you liked the video!

[@YuiYounha]

Tactical RPG are my second best genre to play(4x game is the first. e.g. Civ 6 & CK3). I like to think/plan in games rather than rely on reflex and eye and hand coordination games like souls/action game. My fave TRPG are Super Robot War Series and Tactics Ogre.

[@rogersnick17]

Love this vid. Bought a Switch for games like this (Wagroove was first.) The convenience allows me to actually finish all of the games now. Been playing all of them on Steam Deck now and can't wait for Tactics Ogre Reborn.

[@nekonekomelfred]

The great thing about TRPGs is that you're like playing a chess. You have to think carefully how you make the moves and win the battles. I'm also at first dont know the flow of TRPGs. I'm used to TB RPGs where you just aproach the enemy like typical battles. But when i get the hang of it, i become to love TRPGs. I like playing Super Robot Wars and Disgaea series and Tactic Ogres.

[@asawarai]

Just wanted to say thanks for making this! I’m a long time fan of the genre (mainly Fire Emblem) and I appreciate your efforts here.

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re welcome! Always happy to try and introduce people to something new!

[@rbenusa]

FM III is what got me interested in TRPG, but Super Robot Wars F on the PSX is what really hooked me.

[@rob.carc.2379]

If you all like TRPG def recommend to look at the Tactics Ogre series, which has directly inspired FFT. A new Tactics Ogre game is coming out next week on consoles and PC (new version of LUCT from PSP).

[@nateb2715]

Tactical RPGs always reminded me of playing a board game. I loved DnD as a kid but never had any one that wanted to play. TRPGs brought that feeling to life even all by myself

[@FamousActor1989]

Just came across your video! I recently borrowed Digimon Survive from a buddy. As a longtime Digimon fan, I’ve been enjoying it. My buddy got it cause of the tactical rpg fighting, but was underwhelmed by it because he’s a die hard for tactical rpgs, and the game didn’t prove challenging enough for him. However, as a newbie to this, I’ve been enjoying it. It’s made me want to research the genre as well as visual novels. Your video was excellent for us beginners. Thorough and well said. Appreciate it and subscribed!

[@sinisterdesign]

Interesting video! I'd say it's more than just a tactical RPG's battles being individually shorter than exploring JRPG dungeons--there's a quality difference there, too. You're trading in a bunch of highly repetitive, low-complexity encounters for one big, interesting one. If a JRPG dungeon is a plate loaded up with circus peanuts, then a TRPG battle is a slice of tiramisu: the tiramisu is dense and individually much more filling than any one marshmallow, but once the meal is over it'll leave you with a more complex and interesting flavor relative to the total calories consumed. By the way, game recommendation: you should totally check out Telepath Tactics: Liberated. It's highly rated for a reason. 😉

[@zerohbeat]

Hope this video gets more people to enjoy the genre :D! I always liked more strategy based games.... I used to be quite good at Age of Empires & Starcraft. "Feels like chess", executing my ideas and having the ability to experiment, enjoying fantasy elements and medieval settings are probably some of the main reasons I like S/T RPGs. One day I saw Disgaea and somehow I knew that I need to play that. I bought a PSP, Vita and the Switch just so that I can play Disgaea! haha.. (I even bought Disgaea 5 twice - in English and Japanese). In some ways, Disgaea has ruined me as it has generally very quick battles, can set your own goals and I actually enjoy grinding in this game series haha

[@S.O.G13]

Tactics ogre is another great game to give a try. This is such an amazing genre of people only give it a fair shake.

[@BacklogBattle]

Definitely would recommend it, but not for beginners.

[@thatguymatt5816]

These are all valid tips but I can’t help but disagree with the “start out on easy mode”. I feel like part of the draw is feeling that (fair) challenge that makes you want to level up and sometimes that disappears on easy mode

[@PVS-2024]

I agree with you, with a major caveat. it depends on how systems-heavy the game is. I feel like playing a very menu deep game that kicks your butt quickly may not necessarily be best viewed on a harder difficulty. always being able to ramp up the challenge after understanding how to play is a tenant of gaming I stick to, no matter the genre. Also, sometimes feeling like an OP boss like character is a satisfying release after a 9-5 grind.

[@thatguymatt5816]

@@PVS-2024 hahaha yeah that’s a good point. Depends on the type of experience it is in the first place!

[@BacklogBattle]

I appreciate the comment! I do think though that trying to play a game on normal in a genre people are unfamiliar with can lead to frustration if expectations are not managed properly. The reason for this is that logically, assuming that players know what’s fair in a genre that’s foreign to them is putting the cart before the horse. How do I know what’s fair in a genre that I have zero experience in? And if, say, I do play the game on normal and find that it gets too hard fast, the thought of having to replay it in an easier setting - if the game doesn’t allow for players to adjust on the fly - is even more heartbreaking. No one likes wanting to replay through content they’ve already played. It took me more than 12 years to figure out how to play Souls games, for instance, because there simply was no way to adjust the difficulty. And I know I’m opening a whole can of worms on that, and I am not saying it should have selectable difficulty, but ultimately what I’m trying to say is that it all depends on the individual’s comfort level, which does go back to the original comment I read. And by saying Easy is a perfectly good way of learning games, it helps relieves the stigma of playing these difficulties a tiny bit, as there are folks who can’t help but insult others who either use guides or want to play games on easy for a variety of reasons.

[@zerohbeat]

I can really relate with that. I find myself always selecting "hardest" difficulty initially on any game.... Slowly over time I may switch to the lower difficulty/ies depending how I feel. Eg maybe I just want to blaze through the story or the difficulty "feels" too cheap...

[@thatguymatt5816]

@@BacklogBattle gotcha. I see where you’re coming from now 😊

[@Xammblu_Games]

TRPGS featuring multi class/job characters are my very favorite part of the genre! Be it finding the synergy between skills or permanent passives, or just grinding it out until each member gets a cherished skill (like counterattack!) is one of my favorite gaming passions. Two titles that shine in this regards are Fell Seal: Arbiters Mark and God Wars: Future Past.

[@emilykline8586]

Thanks for the tips! It’s a genre I definitely want to try but seems intimidating sometimes. I’ve particularly had my eye on 13 Sentinels, so I’m glad to hear you like it so much!

[@BacklogBattle]

I can't say enough good things about it! Check out my review if you have some time! It's very comprehensive and spoiler free!

[@DieB4MeGaming]

I'm A Tactual RPG Fiend since FF Tactics 😎

[@teddycheddar1114]

Great video! I’m relatively inexperienced as far as TRPGs go, but, as always, your video has encouraged me to give more a go. Also, not specific to this video, but your channel in general has really caused my verb set in how I think and talk about games to expand by leaps and bounds. You do great work.

[@vaporsaver]

FF Tactics Advance and Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis were my first tactical rpgs, on GBA. Always love the Japanese trpgs, but i'd like to give some honorable mention to some of the western tactical RPGs, like Divinity: Original Sin 2 which plays just like a turn based tactical jrpg, but without the grid. Great writing and quests. Then there's Pillars of Eternity and Tyranny, which are more what we're calling hybrid here, also referred to as real time with pause, but Pillars of Eternity 2 actually allows for the choice between turn based and real time with pause. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous allows you to switch between combat modes on the fly, which is pretty nifty. The Shadowrun games are turn based cyberpunk trpgs. And many more! Great western tactical rpgs I feel like should be supported, so they can make more of them.

[@micallefrederick9622]

In my opinion, apart from the obvious successful titles like FFT, a hidden gem on the playstation 1 is Vanguard Bandits, a mecha strategy rpg that has 5 endings. And an absolute marvel is Ogre Battle 64, the story is spectacular and as soon as you get a grasp of the hidden gameplay features that are never explained properly, you’ll be seeing the fruits of your labour.

[@GODSPEEDseven]

My all-time favourite Tactical RPG has always been Jagged Alliance 2.

[@ガリ-ダメラム]

Hi there 🙂 I'm from the UK I have just recently subscribed to your channel. I just watched this vid and really took me back! I started rpgs and tactical rpgs back in the super Famicom/playstation 1 era I have lots of fond memories of playing ff-tactics back then I had to import this game from the USA as the UK didn't get ff tactics until the psp! I remember going in blind I had never played a tactical rpg before I was 16? If I remember correctly but everything about this amazing looking game just pulled me in the visuals the character's magic and the deep back history of ramza beoulve and delita hyral I was hooked! Even though after 2 or 3 days I was still learning all the systems of this great game 😄 I think there was a character called marquis elmdor? And with my super souped up thief class after 2 or 3 grueling attempt I managed to steal all the genji equipment he was equipped with! I remember this game at the end bringing a tear to my eyes because of what had happened and the realisation the game was over😟. After that I went on to tactics ogre years later I'm really looking forward to reborn next week also keep up the great work! Love your videos I'm sorry this isn't directly about this video but I just wanted to share this moment because of watching your video and my love of jrpgs and trpgs. Thanks and now I think I'm going to check out some more of your uploads 🙂. good luck with your channel in the future.gaz uk

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you very much! Here's hoping Final Fantasy Tactics gets a remake in the future!

[@viceanterra3]

I remember getting into a gaming rut back when the 360/PS3 gen was ending. I had a 360 played gears dark souls, CoD, and battlefield mostly for years and found myself falling out of love with gaming. Exploring other genres was the best thing I could have done. I used to play a few jrpgs back in the PS2 days but that was years prior and I wanted to fall back in love with the genre. Thats actually how I got into Xenoblade with XC2. I'm hardcore back into jrps now and Ive even expanded to playing visual novel type games like Pheonix Wright and Danganrompa. Altho I haven't finished either first title, I have a strong appreciation for the genre now when I'm in the right mood. I'm also diving back into fighting games after not partaking is close to a decade. And with this video I'm going to try my hand and TRPGs one more time. Gaming is a massive medium/hobby and there are so many avenues you can take and so many communities you can be a part of.

[@Zatiels]

I'd recommend the XCOM series. Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2 are Tactical RPGs through and through, maybe not too easy to undertand at first, but very rewarding when you do and clean a map with only overwatch

[@calarom]

Final Fantasy Tatics: war of lions, cant go wrong with it.

[@hundun5604]

I see it's becoming popular these tactical-rpg games. Final Fantasy Tactics is still one of my all time fav. games. (Btw, some people like Disgaea a lot.) People thought I was nuts. It was such a niche when I was young. Anyway, these type of games work very well on handheld consoles.

[@feeamerie5011]

Mercenaries games are a great introduction to tactics RPGs and I’d recommend them for people new to the genre.

[@clay.invictus]

Well crafted video. I am trying to get into playing Fire Emblem games since I want a change from fantasy/adventure genre to turn-based/tactical.

[@sparda123dante]

Divinity Original sin 2 is a must, probably the best tactical rpg that I have played

[@Outshinedsg]

Ah, now you've got me pulling up the Shining Force 2 OST again, haha.

[@Sacraty]

Totally agree on Front Mission 3. I love everything about that game!

[@BacklogBattle]

Are you looking forward to the remake/remaster?

[@Sacraty]

@@BacklogBattle heck yea! I actually heard this from your video the first time and it got me really excited!

[@azure8696]

Strategy/Tactics games are a fun way to stimulate the mind. Some of these later game maps can get crazy AF, like for example the Super Robot Wars games.

[@iveybullard8988]

This is a perfect video for me. Ive played a few of the classics, fft, front mission 3 and valkyrie profile on the ds. But i just cant seem to get into them these days but i own a lot of them. I want to get into them so im trying.

[@nojuanatall3281]

I started with FFTA, then advance wars 2, then went to xcom enemy within, followed by FFT war of the lions, fire emblem awakening, then front mission and now xcom2 is my jam. I'm currently eye balling mario v rabbids kingdom battle, xenonaughts and triangle strategy.

[@vilan218]

XCOM is one of my fave TRPG. You will always think before you move, as the consequence of a wrong move may cost a lost unit or two permanently. Think of XCOM as darksouls of TRPG.

[@baladasanudas]

Shining Force 1 & 2! These were my first TRPG's.

[@hermesonaires7047]

Not a recommendation to newcomers, but if you already a seasoned tactical player in some degree, Disgaea series is PURE GOLD!

[@Sheamu5]

I don't know how hard it would be to play now but another tactical rpg I have very fond memories of is Ring of Red on ps2

[@BacklogBattle]

I remember that one!

[@nikolamatasin3877]

Just throw them into the deep end with Disgaea games. :D The big draw to me for the genre is usually characters, and... how engaged I can get with battles, it doesn't matter if they're hard or not, but I'm not just going through paces, but carefully planning my actions. And the fact that most of the games, allow you to have different approach and still be successful is sugar on top. Even all the same characters, levels, skills, equipment as someone else, and still having completely different approach. While most RPGs shoehorn you in the same pattern of playing, especially the more difficult the content gets. Not like SRPGs aren't to blame there either, FFT for example at times was so limited in options... Tactics Ogre LUCT too. Another great thing is satisfaction of cracking the system, grasping it all, and it all coming together, while it's present in majority of RPGs ofc, dunno why, but in SRPGs it usually feels completely different. My favorites in the genre are Devil Survivor games, I'm a huge SMT fan, and those games have fun combat, good characters, some of my favorite demons from previous games, and... allow for more customization too (early to mid game at least, late game shoehorns you in with less options for demons on higher levels). Disgaea series, because they're fun, and goofy, but know when to take themselves serious too, so telling a story, while being funny, is not something that many are able to achieve. And Front Mission 3, because game is just... great all over, so engaging in every aspect, and I even hate mecha genre usually, I've watched 700+ anime series/movies, and don't think 10 of them are mecha... but like there are some exceptions there, there FM3 is exception too.

[@BacklogBattle]

Would you really recommend it? I’ve seen others say the same thing!

[@nikolamatasin3877]

@@BacklogBattle I love Disgaea series, but it's not for everyone, some people can find it too hard, because it's not... as intuitive as you'd expect it to be, tho I don't find it hard at all, and I've found it intuitive, I've "just clicked" with the series. Some others may find it overwhelming with how much stuff you can do in them, like main story is normal length, but game starts after that, many fans will say. And while you may finish the main story with like... level 50-70 characters based on how many of them you've used, how much you've mastered combo system, did you grind at all (which isn't needed for main story at all imo)... side content will have you push characters to levels... effectively 50000 or more (even tho 9999 is max, you'll be resurrecting characters, for additional bonuses). If you're willing to dive in that deep. If you like the genre, I'd definitely suggest you give it a go, and play how it suits you and stop where it suits you, without concerning yourself with "doing it all". I've invested 250+ hours in Disgaea 1 and 150+ in Disgaea 2. X_x Disgaea 3 and onwards can be seriously overwhelming even for veterans of the series. There's just so much to do, and it can be somewhat poorly explained in the game too. Additionally... their story and characters can be seen as quite... overwhelmed by goofiness and funny stuff, that it seems like games have no story at all, or that story in unimportant. And many people try to throw it all away, and diss on the game for not being serious and not having a proper story. I disagree with that too, tho sometimes things may not be as clear as you'd want them to be, game has proper story, and it's progressed with humour and characters have much more depth to them, then it seems at first too.

[@ValeVin]

Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics made me fall in love with the genre, but I think if I were recommending TRPGs to someone new, I'd probably point them to Fell Seal. The gameplay is just so good, and even the writing/character holds up a lot better than something like Triangle Strategy. There's also the multiple difficulty sliders. Watching a few friends play, everyone took a different approach in regards to permadeath, drowning, and all the other difficulty options. (I liked to buff the number of enemies on a map as high as it would go, including an extra 'elite' unit per level, but I'd turn off wounds and permadeath.) I'm hoping when TO:Reborn releases, it'll be a new entry point for people. Heck, maybe we'll see remasters (or just new releases) of the other games in the series.

[@TheTacticalRPGOdyssey]

Tactical RPGs are the best! I might be a little biased. I've never heard of that Ultima NES game thanks for the recommendation. And great point about how Tactical RPGs allow the player to express themselves through their playstyle, I've never thought about it that way. Bahamut Lagoon is great underrated SNES TRPG btw!

[@Ajhmee]

I started to play TRPG with Super Robot Wars and Little Master on Gameboy when I was a kid. Then Front Mission, Tactics Ogre, Lanrisser, Fire Emblem. My favorite TRPG is Front Mission.

[@arjun220]

Finished FF tactics on ps1 back when I was in gradeschool. Those were the days.

[@CNscotchtape]

Man you would love BATTLETECH. It checks everything on your list like 13 Sentinels.

[@SwitchCorner]

I was sold at 13 sentinels in the opening moments

[@KingZarkon]

Just found your channel and now I’m a fan! Thanks

[@BacklogBattle]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@bkillinm]

You should give “Into The Breach” a try feels like it would be right up your alley with the mechs it’s an amazing trpg don’t sleep on it.

[@BacklogBattle]

A lot of people here in the comments recommended it too! I actually have a part 2 of this video where I recommended it!

[@OGpackirby]

the first that i played in the genre was probably between the project x zone games and fire emblem awakening ever since i started to love them so much is like an rts where you well, manage an army and do stuff but without city building or economies, just combat and that's what i like about it

[@OGpackirby]

ok it will sound weird but yeah

[@TheYdyp]

I'm surprised no mention of Disgaea anywhere, but I guess a lot find it to much focus grinding and lesser so on the story. And I can certainly put my thumbs up behind Valkyria Chronicles.

[@annalisemeder8894]

For far too long, I thought I just didn't like JPRGs, until I played Fire Emblem 3 houses. At first I thought it was the turn based combat, but I really like other games with this mechanic; The Heroes of Might and Magic series, Inscryption, Darkest Dungeon, Splay the Spire, and many others, so that wasn't it. FE3H made me realize it's that in a lot of traditional RPGs (like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, even Earthbound) I found the combat boring because it just felt like trading blows. It's so much more fun to think about where to place your units, and how to force the enemy into a corner. Definitely worth a second look at these if you're like me, and have written them off for that reason. I found it really helpful to identify specifically why I like one game, but not another, even if they're in the same/similar genre.

[@Outshinedsg]

As far as TBS games I'd recommend, I think Fire Emblem is easily the most accessible to get into. The mechanics are super easy to understand and the characters will draw you in and make you want to keep playing. If you have access to them, I'd actually recommend the simpler games like the original Fire Emblem on GBA, The Sacred Stones, or Path of Radiance on the Gamecube. Three Houses is a game that a lot of people enjoy as well and is easier to find these days. Advance Wars is another awesome game. If you lean more into the deterministic chess/puzzle solving aspects of the genre, then you will love this series. Every map basically asks you "How am I going to be able to beat this with just these units?" and there is always an elegant solution. Any of them are good but I personally enjoy Advance Wars 2 the most. If you enjoy TBS games with mecha, you might enjoy checking out the older Front Mission games or the Super Robot Wars / Robot Taisen series. I have really fond memories of playing Front Mission First on the DS and it's still a great game. One of the few TBS games I've actually completed multiple times. Super Robot Wars games will usually not have the deepest story, but it is really fun to deploy mechas from popular series and the games often have incredible attack animations which is one of the highlights of this franchise. If you want to go back further, Final Fantasy Tactics, or more specifically its inspiration Tactics Ogre, is one of the defining games of the genre. If you liked Triangle Strategy, Tactics Ogre is the game it is directly paying homage to. Shining Force 2 is amazing (arguably one of the best games ever made) and is essentially Sega's answer to Nintendo's Fire Emblem games of the time.