Summary
JRPGs have experienced a resurgence in modern times, with many developers adding their unique spins to this genre and letting players enjoy stylish, fast-paced games. The turn-based combat of these games has always struck a nerve with newcomers who don’t appreciate how slow these battles can be.
Whilemost modern JRPGsdo a great job of letting players enjoy faster turn-based combat, there are some titles that revel in combat systems with a slower pace. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, with the game’s mechanics getting their time to breathe as players experience the depth of these combat systems firsthand.
Resonance of Fateis one of the most unique JRPGsplayers can get their hands on. The focus on industrial grays and exploring the world by uncovering different hexes adds to the game’s novelty.
Of course, the most unique part ofResonance of Fateis a deceptively complex combat system. Players who don’t spend hours engaging with the tutorial will find themselves struggling with basic combat encounters that go on for ages as a player’s hero gauge depletes and they become useless in battle.
The Last Remnantrevels in its complexity, with players being bombarded with information as they figure out the best way to move their troops and engage enemy forces. Everything from positioning to a unit’s strength governs their chances of winning battles.
This can lead to puzzling moments where players spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out the best approach in each combat scenario. It may sound time-consuming, but players who understandThe Last Remnant’s combat system will love taking on its many challenging enemies and bosses in nail-biting encounters.
A huge reason why fans labelFinal Fantasy 8as the black sheep of the PS1 trilogy is because of its Junction system. Players are encouraged to draw as many units of magic as possible from their enemies to Junction this magic to their stats and enjoy impressive bonuses.
It seems time-consuming, but players willing to put in the work will love how powerful their characters will feel after a point. As long as players are prudent about drawing powerful magic, they should have no problems dealing with the bulk of the game’s encounters.
Etrian Odysseyis a game that revels in its difficulty, with players loving this hardcore dungeon-crawling series to bits. Everyone has their personal favorites, although most fans will agree that the fifth mainline entry is one of the very best in the series.
Players must make it a point to equip themselves with the best gear and ensure that they bring a well-balanced party into the dungeon. Even after this, some boss battles can take a while to complete, but players will feel a great sense of satisfaction after taking out a boss who was giving them a hard time.
Fans of theYakuzaseries weren’t sure ofLike a Dragon’s shift to a turn-based JRPG, but Ichiban’s infectious charm and the game’s hilarious combat meant that players were willing to stick with this game for the long haul. However, even the biggest supporters of the combat couldn’t deny that it was pretty time-consuming.
Regular combat encounters took a while to complete, and players were encouraged to grind and deal with some of the difficulty spikes that arrived later on. Thankfully, the presentation of the combat is engaging enough for players to stick with this title till the very end, especially given the emotional weight of the story.
One of the most unique JRPGs on the PS1 that lets players explore the glorious land of Ivalice,Vagrant Story’s amazing localization and fun combatmake it a blast to get through. However, the lack of leveling means that players must be smart about exploiting enemy weaknesses.
Failing to do so means that players will spend a long time in encounters after the starting area where their weapons do little to no damage. This is why it’s important to understand how the combat works and mix-and-match equipment to beat enemies and bosses handily.
Shin Megami Tenseiis a hardcore JRPG franchisethat fans love, with the third entry introducing a Press Turn mechanic that lets players exploit weaknesses to use more actions in combat. However, this applies to enemies too, which can make things deadly if a boss is constantly targeting a party member’s vulnerability.
This is why it’s important to recruit demons that can handle a boss' moves and target their weaknesses to give players more turns in combat. Micromanaging the party for every boss may take a while, but players who love the game’s tactical combat will feel a great sense of satisfaction as they beat down the many enemies that come their way.
Final Fantasy Tacticsis one of the greatest tactical JRPGs of all time that surprised everyone when it came out. The world of Ivalice felt richer than ever as players controlled Ramza and his allies as they navigated the dangerous and intricate web of The Lion War.
From the very first battle, it’s clear that the combat in this game takes a while. Every encounter is a tactical affair where players must gain a positional advantage and use their party members in appropriate situations based on their skills to turn the tide of battle. On top of this, the game boasts some notorious difficulty spikes that can take ages to surpass if players aren’t prepared for this development.
