-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
(Lack of) General Consensus: Best JRPG battle system ever?
- Thread starter redfox088
- Start date
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Can I be the odd man out and say I really liked SaGa Frontier's weird system of randomly learning techniques mid-battle?
Big fan of Bravely Default's system. Great turn based action and really appreciated the gimmicks that made the grind fun. Set a great standard for modern turn-based games.
Shadow Hearts is a close 2nd, the ring system was simple but added another element that I really appreciated.
Shadow Hearts is a close 2nd, the ring system was simple but added another element that I really appreciated.
Teriyaki Blues
Member
Turn-based: Phantasy Star IV. Macros. Combos. Vehicle combat. Oh my. This is one of my all time favorite games, and I find the combat more interesting than a Dragon Quest game. Which would probably be my second choice. DQ is the most influential one overall, I think.
Action-based: Fantasy Life. Odd pick maybe but everything (except for the magic system) was pretty good in my opinion. The difficulty level was right up my alley. Also you can kinda beat the main story without fighting anything if you want to. I found it way more satisfying than the Rune Factory series or even one of the Zelda games. Secret of Mana is a good contender, especially because Multiplayer was super fun.
Strategy: Jeanne d'Arc or Shining Force III. Tough call.
ATB: Probably FFIX. I haven't played an ATB game in a while though.
MMO: FFXI. Very unique.
Best RPG with a Sports-Based Combat System (Is this a category?): Inazuma Eleven.
Side notes: I really enjoyed the Miitopia demo. So often games that have AI partners, they are dumber than dirt. These ones actually do what you want them to 99% of the time and the other 1% is hilarious. Turn based auto battle with occasional player intervention based on varying circumstances is good? And it has a speed-up feature? Really looking forward to the full game.
Maybe I should give the Grandia games another shot but I struggled with their combat for some reason. Been a while so I don't remember why I found them vexing. Do you switch characters while you're in combat or something? I tend to find that frustrating when the other members are controlled by dumber than dirt AI if you don't directly control everything.
Action-based: Fantasy Life. Odd pick maybe but everything (except for the magic system) was pretty good in my opinion. The difficulty level was right up my alley. Also you can kinda beat the main story without fighting anything if you want to. I found it way more satisfying than the Rune Factory series or even one of the Zelda games. Secret of Mana is a good contender, especially because Multiplayer was super fun.
Strategy: Jeanne d'Arc or Shining Force III. Tough call.
ATB: Probably FFIX. I haven't played an ATB game in a while though.
MMO: FFXI. Very unique.
Best RPG with a Sports-Based Combat System (Is this a category?): Inazuma Eleven.
Side notes: I really enjoyed the Miitopia demo. So often games that have AI partners, they are dumber than dirt. These ones actually do what you want them to 99% of the time and the other 1% is hilarious. Turn based auto battle with occasional player intervention based on varying circumstances is good? And it has a speed-up feature? Really looking forward to the full game.
Maybe I should give the Grandia games another shot but I struggled with their combat for some reason. Been a while so I don't remember why I found them vexing. Do you switch characters while you're in combat or something? I tend to find that frustrating when the other members are controlled by dumber than dirt AI if you don't directly control everything.
Plague Doctor
Member
Persona 5's combat never got old for me.
I think it shows how important enemy balance is. Pokemon's battle system is pretty good but you would never notice it unless you mess around the multiplayer. The single player campaigns are so braindead easy you barely even need to take advantage of type advantage, let alone advanced strategies.
It's the same problem many FF titles have. Interesting systems in place, terrible balance that makes it so you can steamroll through everything by just spamming attack or Fire/a/aga and Cure/a/aga on boss fights.
This is also where Atlus usually succeeds on their games, though it sometimes depends on which difficulty you choose.
ldcommando
Banned
Grandia
Night Hunter
Banned
My personal favourites from the games I've played were Persona 5, Grandia 2 and Baten Kaitos. Oh, and the Airship combat in Skies of Arcadia.
Strangelove77
Member
FFX-2 or Shadow Hearts Covenant. Either one.
My favourite turn-based battle system would have to be Romancing Saga Minstrel Song (PS2).
Using multiple weapons, randomly learning new attacks in battle, being able to choose the order of attack execution to chain into powerful combos and some over the top animations and it is just a hell of a lot of fun.
https://youtu.be/FOo19WMkoGI?t=42s
FFX would also be at the top of my list.
Using multiple weapons, randomly learning new attacks in battle, being able to choose the order of attack execution to chain into powerful combos and some over the top animations and it is just a hell of a lot of fun.
https://youtu.be/FOo19WMkoGI?t=42s
FFX would also be at the top of my list.
DanielJr82
Member
Love the battle system in FFX and FFXII.
SatoAilDarko
Member
Definitely Xenoblade Chronicles X. I really enjoy switching from gun to melee, the soul voice system to heal, the mech combat, the 4 member party. the ability to target body parts and remove them.
Specifically turn-based would be the original Baten Kaitos. The second improves upon the first by removing that defense section but the joy of order cards 1-9 or 9-1 by selecting numbers in the corner is exhilarating when you have to decide in seconds which numbers to select.
Specifically turn-based would be the original Baten Kaitos. The second improves upon the first by removing that defense section but the joy of order cards 1-9 or 9-1 by selecting numbers in the corner is exhilarating when you have to decide in seconds which numbers to select.
adversarial
Member
Xenogears
Night Hunter
Banned
Honestly, I loved Persona 5, but the fact that it's Game Over when the main character bites it and enemies can have instant kill attacks kind of rubs me the wrong way.
PaulBizkit
Member
Turn-based battles with gimmicks
Examples:
- Bravely Default's brave and default system
- Super Mario RPG's timed hits
I've never played a Grandia game, should I skip the first one?
Examples:
- Bravely Default's brave and default system
- Super Mario RPG's timed hits
I've never played a Grandia game, should I skip the first one?
killatopak
Member
Legaia/Xenogears system.
Etrian Odyssey series is by far my favourite.
Battles you thought you had lost can totally turn on one simple move, often one that 'feels' like it makes sense.
'Oh man I'm screwed here if I take one more attack... What if I took a chance at binding the head of the main spell-caster so that the other one spends a turn casting a spell to unbind it and have the rest of the party link fire attacks to see if we can do enough damage to the melee enemy to take it out, even though that will leave two of us without MP... There's only a medium chance the bind will hit, and if it doesn't I'm done, but if it does....'
When the plan comes off you feel like a genius. When it fails it's agony. Figuring out what enemies are best fought in what ways is fun, too. Or what about when you're down to two characters left and through clever use of healing abilities, MP management and items you get your entire party back on its feet... amazing feeling.
It's always interesting, always fair, and leads to balanced fights. It's basically the opposite of the useless 'Simon Says hit the weakness' Press Turn system.
Surprised at all the Xenoblade mentions. It's only half a good system - what you do as the player is fun, but the enemy / encounter design never really makes any interesting use of your options at all. 90% of the game is just going through your rotations the exact same way. At least Melia is fun to play, whereas in XCX no one is.
Battles you thought you had lost can totally turn on one simple move, often one that 'feels' like it makes sense.
'Oh man I'm screwed here if I take one more attack... What if I took a chance at binding the head of the main spell-caster so that the other one spends a turn casting a spell to unbind it and have the rest of the party link fire attacks to see if we can do enough damage to the melee enemy to take it out, even though that will leave two of us without MP... There's only a medium chance the bind will hit, and if it doesn't I'm done, but if it does....'
When the plan comes off you feel like a genius. When it fails it's agony. Figuring out what enemies are best fought in what ways is fun, too. Or what about when you're down to two characters left and through clever use of healing abilities, MP management and items you get your entire party back on its feet... amazing feeling.
It's always interesting, always fair, and leads to balanced fights. It's basically the opposite of the useless 'Simon Says hit the weakness' Press Turn system.
Surprised at all the Xenoblade mentions. It's only half a good system - what you do as the player is fun, but the enemy / encounter design never really makes any interesting use of your options at all. 90% of the game is just going through your rotations the exact same way. At least Melia is fun to play, whereas in XCX no one is.
Bolivar687
Banned
It's FFXII and you can remove the J from the thread title.
I'd say the Etrian Odyssey series. I've never felt like every turn matters as much as I do in EO. Every fight feels like a struggle and I need to use strategy and team synergy to win. Most other JRPG ever has endless fodder enemies, but here fodder groups will drain your MP which will kill you so quickly if you run out.
A faster (and modern) implementation of Xenogears battle system would be very interesting to see. I wonder if Monolith Soft can develop a game using it.
Press Turn - appears in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Digital Devil Saga, Digital Devil Saga 2, Shin Megami Tensei IV, and Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse.
It makes the battles be about exploiting the system in creative ways. Bosses are more like a puzzle than a show of brute force like they are in most RPGs. Some bosses, the best defense is the best offense.
The World Ends With You
It sounds like an absolute clusterfuck, but it just works. It involves controlling two characters at once in realitme, but mechanics like the light puck make it work particularly well. There's also options to make it easier or harder, such as changing the difficulty, lowering your level, etc.
It makes the battles be about exploiting the system in creative ways. Bosses are more like a puzzle than a show of brute force like they are in most RPGs. Some bosses, the best defense is the best offense.
The World Ends With You
It sounds like an absolute clusterfuck, but it just works. It involves controlling two characters at once in realitme, but mechanics like the light puck make it work particularly well. There's also options to make it easier or harder, such as changing the difficulty, lowering your level, etc.
Toadthemushroom
Member
The lack of Pokemon mentions is a shame considering how the battle system is good enough to enable an entire local, online and competitive multiplayer and competitions. There's a whole social culture around Pokemon battles that I haven't seen from many other JRPGs.
As XCOM creator Julian Gollop put it:
As XCOM creator Julian Gollop put it:
Julian Gollop said:
elshoelace
Member
These two for me as well. The battle system in BD is probably the only thing that kept me going until the end.
MontlyCure
Member
The one more system from the later Persona games and the SMT Press-Turn system are my absolute favorites. Never really got into any JRPGs with real-time battle systems.
Shifty1897
Member
In previous discussions, everyone seemed to agree the Grandia series had the best one.
Here's my top three:
Valkyrie Profile 2
Grandia 2
Persona 5
EDIT: For strategy RPG's it's Jeanne D'Arc, I love planning out and then executing my transformations by running across across the map finishing off every enemy in one turn.
Here's my top three:
Valkyrie Profile 2
Grandia 2
Persona 5
EDIT: For strategy RPG's it's Jeanne D'Arc, I love planning out and then executing my transformations by running across across the map finishing off every enemy in one turn.
pirateluigi
Member
In descending order:
Pokemon (the GOAT)
FF X-2
Paper Mario (Especially TTYD)
Mother 3
Pokemon (the GOAT)
FF X-2
Paper Mario (Especially TTYD)
Mother 3
The new Grandia 2 PC port has a hard mode now.
Shadow-Link
Banned
Radiant Historia.
Demoskinos
Member
Final Fantasy XIII. The paradigm system was incredibly fun as we're the other variations of it in the two sequels.
Amibguous Cad
Member
Grandia, Valkyrie profile, and shoutout to Darkest Dingeonnfor being excellent and heavily JRPG inspired
I probably haven't really examined enough JRPGs in depth to say "the best" but I LOVED Chrono Trigger's system.
Simple enough to get your head around, and it rewarded working with party members who you liked. The fact that there was no transition to a battle screen was also pretty amazing considering the game's age.
Simple enough to get your head around, and it rewarded working with party members who you liked. The fact that there was no transition to a battle screen was also pretty amazing considering the game's age.
Mega Man Battle Network and Baten Kaitos: Origins are my two favorites.
On BK:O, I actively hated the idea of a card-based battle system going into the game, but walked out of the game thinking it was one of the greatest battle systems of all time. I can't believe that a turn-based jrpg could have such intensity, but BK:O made me a believer.
On BK:O, I actively hated the idea of a card-based battle system going into the game, but walked out of the game thinking it was one of the greatest battle systems of all time. I can't believe that a turn-based jrpg could have such intensity, but BK:O made me a believer.
LinkSlayer64
Member
BROTHER!