For avid RPG fans in the west, the JRPG moniker serves as a symbol of guaranteed enjoyment. The genre certainly is not for everyone, but those who love JRPGs understand how incredible they are.
Icons like Final Fantasy, Suikoden, and Chrono Trigger have impacted and influenced the greater gaming industry as a whole and proved there is a thriving market for JRPGs in the west. While significantly different from the average JRPG, tactical or strategic JRPGs have not only defined a genre of gaming, but also offer some of the most in-depth gameplay and narratives in gaming history.
10 Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten
Any Disgaea could easily slot into this list, but Disgaea 4 has always felt like the strongest iteration. Featuring the voice work of Troy Baker in the lead role of Valvatorez, Disgaea 4 put all of its successes from previous entries together while dropping some of the things that did not work.
The end result is a tactics style S/JRPG that utilized solid strategic thinking to create massive chains of damage and clear a mission. With a vast array of unit types to choose from and a lengthy but fun narrative, Disgaea 4 is the perfect example of what a quality strategy RPG should look like.
9 Resonance Of Fate
While not explicitly a strategy RPG, Resonance Of Fate offers some of the best tactical turn based gameplay in recent years. Set in a steampunk setting of a city built in layers, Resonance of Fate features a strong set of characters working odd jobs for, usually, the wealthy. Combat showcases a turn based system in which the characters wield a style of firearm that deals certain types of damage (direct and scratch).
On the surface, the system may feel redundant until it becomes extremely complex. Those who dig in and learn the ins and outs of Resonance of Fate can pull off beautifully executed tactical combos to clear set pieces in a hurry. Attacking enemies head on will almost never work (especially against boss foes), so moving the team around, pushing combos while creatively using the Tri-attack, and finding proper cover make for a pure tactical treat.
8 Vandal Hearts II
The original Vandal Hearts is a solid SRPG in its own right, but Vandal Hearts II took the successes of the original and crafted a more mature, brutal, and narrative focused approach to its strategic gameplay. Similar in execution to the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics, Vandal Hearts II tells the story of Joshua and his plight during a civil war that pulls apart his world.
During combat, however, player controlled characters and the enemies make moves during the same turn. As a character is commanded, so too is an enemy, which adds an extra layer to the strategic combat. Keeping track of which enemies expended turns or predicting the current movements of enemies creates a much tougher scenario that requires careful planning.
7 Shining Force
The original Shining Force is a pillar of strategic excellence and continues to have a strong influence on strategy and tactical JRPGs. Shining Force is one of the best examples of small-scale strategy combat similar to Fire Emblem.On the Sega Genesis, where great RPGs were not often found, Shining Force shone among the competition, and its battle transitions (when characters would enter combat) are still some of the most memorable thanks to its unique art style. Plus, the game was legitimate as a strategy RPG, often catapulting players into scenarios that required quick thinking and smart use of their units.
6 Front Mission
Before succumbing to the mech-based action game that nearly killed the franchise (Front Mission Evolve), Front Mission was one of the premier strategy JRPGs. Its mech-based tactical gameplay allowed players the ability to complete various scenarios within a Final Fantasy Tactics style.
Players also had the ability to customize their mechs to meet the strategic needs of each mission. With Front Mission 2 Remake and the first game remade before it, here is hoping more Front Mission titles are on their way.
5 Fire Emblem: Awakening
The Fire Emblem franchise is a well-chronicled and celebrated series of some of the best strategy RPG games on the market. Fire Emblem: Awakening, the first Fire Emblem title to grace the Nintendo 3DS handheld, put together one of the best Fire Emblem efforts to date.
Awakening created some of the series’ best characters while putting together some of the best scenarios, especially for the 3DS Fire Emblem games. In line with traditional Fire Emblem games, playing on the normal setting means each action matters. If a character is killed, they are dead for good.
4 Valkyria Chronicles
One of the greatest tactical strategy JRPGs of all time, Valkyria Chronicles, made a huge splash when it launched on the PS3 in 2008. It employed a powerful war story with intimate characters and side narratives that examined tough topics like racism and the effects of war. Players control Welkin and his tank, alongside his contingent of soldiers, as they plod through various missions.
Combat is fast and brutal, and a miscue can cause significant damage to the war front. Each unit type has its strengths, weaknesses, and range limitations. All of those factors needed to be considered before battle. Maps were often expansive and allowed for multiple strategies to achieve victory. Blindly charging into battle was a great way to wipe, and finer aspects of tactical combat would win the day.
3 Vanguard Bandits
Another Atlus strategy JRPG of the PlayStation One era, Vanguard Bandits was an extremely complex mech battler that featured game altering choices and consequential actions. The strategic combat of Vanguard Bandits is top tier in quality, and it was always a joy to watch the small-scale combat transition to a battle screen as the mechs would pummel each other.
What really made Vanguard Bandits stand out after its terrific gameplay was its multiple endings. Choices made in combat and in dialogue could shift the narrative wildly, and endings were not simply cinematics after the final battle. With the worst ending, players could find themselves eliminating each character they previously called comrade.
2 Dragon Force
In today’s modern age of gaming, gems like Dragon Force do not often receive the attention they deserve, especially when they are buried on the doomed Sega Saturn. Still, that should not take away the pure tactical genius of Dragon Force. Players could choose to play as one of eight characters attempting to take control of Legendra. Combat worked in real time, but politics also played a role.
Prior to battle, players could choose to attack, talk, or retreat. Talking allowed players to negotiate with opposing forces and gain new allies, while retreating would cause defeat and potentially alter future battles. Dragon Force was a layered tactical game that featured enormous combat (with up to 200 soldiers battling) that felt like a fraction of the large-scale war the player was engaged in. It is an ideal strategy game.
1 Final Fantasy Tactics
Few games stand the test of time quite like Final Fantasy Tactics. The story of Ramza and Delita, two friends separated by the horrors of war, differences of opinions, and familial ties. The narrative is dark and deep. The characters are so memorable, they are still spoken about today. Perhaps the most iconic piece of Final Fantasy Tactics, however, is its gameplay.
It is the golden standard for strategy RPGs and comparisons will likely always be made back to Tactics. The attention is well deserved, too, as the scenarios are immaculately built. The game is challenging enough to require thoughtful decisions, and the story touches upon difficult subjects while remaining entertaining and endearing. The villains range from pure evil to highly sympathetic, and the near infinite amount of replayability will never cease to entertain its audience.