• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

RPG's with SRPG combat?

S

Snacks the sober sea lion

Member
You know, like Shining Force and the Shadowrun Returns games. People tend to mention Divinity: Original Sin having SRPG-style combat. Trails in the Sky looks interesting, but I don't know how close it comes to feeling like a strategy/ tactical RPG. And are there any others of note?

I forgot to elaborate. I mean RPG's where you explore rather than selecting locations on a map like FFT, but combat takes place on an SRPG grid. Sorry
 
V̶a̶l̶k̶y̶r̶i̶a̶ ̶C̶h̶r̶o̶n̶i̶c̶l̶e̶s̶.
 
Growlanser series? Great combination of srpg and ATB. Trails is sorta srpg-y. Only problem I have with the combat is how slow it is for how often you have to get into it.

Wasteland 2 as well.
 
Blasian Persuasion said:
Aren't Disgaea and Fire Emblem SRPGs?
Click to expand...

I mean games where you walk around as you might think of as a "typical" RPG, then when you enter combat it switches to an SRPG-esque grid. Fire Emblem is just battle after battle/ select locations on a map, not really exploring the world manually.

I thought I had written a more substantial OP but looks like I was in a hurry and didn't.
 
Do you just mean turn-based combat with a party, and individual character positioning? If so, a lot CRPGs that are turn-based would apply. Pool of Radiance (1988) and Temple of Elemental Evil are great examples outside of those already mentioned.
 
Snacks the sober sea lion said:
I mean games where you walk around as you might think of as a "typical" RPG, then when you enter combat it switches to an SRPG-esque grid. Fire Emblem is just battle after battle/ select locations on a map, not really exploring the world manually.

I thought I had written a more substantial OP but looks like I was in a hurry and didn't.
Click to expand...

Oh, I haven't played those games or any SRPGs so I don't know. Some people on here told me Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits' combat is SRPGish, so maybe I have played one.
 
I think Enchanted Arms fits your criteria but from what I recall the battle system takes place on a small/limited grid.

I'm not sure if it opens up as you progress because I didn't play long enough to find out.
 
Give Arc the Lad 2 a play. It's one of the finest RPGs of the PlayStation era. Much like the Shining Force games, you get to explore towns and talk to NPCs, while combat plays out by moving your characters on grid-based maps. The game also includes dungeon exploration, and it has a wealth of content (hundreds of side quests to complete).

It's available on PSN, so it's playable on PSPs, Vitas, or PS3s.
 
ethelred said:
Give Arc the Lad 2 a play. It's one of the finest RPGs of the PlayStation era. Much like the Shining Force games, you get to explore towns and talk to NPCs, while combat plays out by moving your characters on grid-based maps. The game also includes dungeon exploration, and it has a wealth of content (hundreds of side quests to complete).

It's available on PSN, so it's playable on PSPs, Vitas, or PS3s.
Click to expand...

I second Arc the Lad, also look into Twilight of Spirits on PS2, it's the only one I've played but I enjoyed it.

arc02.jpg


Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter also had SRPG elements to its combat.
breathoffireign.png
 
Trails series is great, but you might want to check Megaman Battle Network.

They aren't what I would call SRPG since they have action elements, but they do have a strategy element in their battle systems.

The Compile Heart games (Neptunia series, Fairy Fencer F) are also like this and depending on your tastes you might like it. They are just on the easy side though.
 
I feel like there's a bit more to "SRPG" than having a grid/positioning. Trails doesn't feel much like an SRPG at all to me, it just has area effects in combat and positioning to make them work.

Divinity Original Sin is closer, due to the nature of its encounters (limited and individually designed/unique) and freedom the game gives you.
 
Arc the Lad series -- jrpg when not in combat, free move srpg when in combat. Actually quite tactical at times. Highly recommended.

Growlanser : WoT -- it's been a while since I played this, but it's similar to above.

Rainbow Moon -- plays like jrpg [written by a western] in overworld, etc, plays something like disgaea [without the jumping, etc] in combat.

iirc, Trails in the Sky
 
edit: I didn't see your update, which would eliminate Valkyria Chronicles as it doesn't allow free-roam exploration.

I guess you could make a case that Suikoden 1 has a SRPG component with its strategic army battles.
 
On the more whimsical side, two series that never got off the ground outside of Japan:

- Return to Popolocrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale, on the easy side, so pump encounter rate to low and difficulty rate to high for a more challenging experience.

- Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, PS version only, as the DS remake did an ATB or turn based battle system if I recall correctly. It is also pretty easy, but I remember that unlocking everything took some doing. This one is map-based for travel though.
 
Some notable RPG w/SRPG combat hybrids:
Arc the Lad series
Shining Force series
Popolocrois series
Growlanser series
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
Wild Arms 4&5
Radiant Historia
 
Treasure Hunter G for the SNES (Published by Squaresoft, developed by Sting). It is almost entirely a normal RPG, but the random battles take place in a fast version of a gridbased combat system. It's like a shining force battle that only takes a minute. It's also one of the prettier SNES games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJff7iiyEsY

HG101 article for it:http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sting/sting.htm

Also, a minor plotpoint involves an old man swallowing a clock, which is supposed to be serious but is incredibly funny.
 
Beartruck said:
Treasure Hunter G for the SNES (Published by Squaresoft, developed by Sting). It is almost entirely a normal RPG, but the random battles take place in a fast version of a gridbased combat system. It's like a shining force battle that only takes a minute. It's also one of the prettier SNES games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJff7iiyEsY

HG101 article for it:http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sting/sting.htm

Also, a minor plotpoint involves an old man swallowing a clock, which is supposed to be serious but is incredibly funny.
Click to expand...

I have almost no idea what's going on here, but I've played some other Sting stuff so hopefully I could figure it out.

Robert at Zeboyd Games said:
Some notable RPG w/SRPG combat hybrids:
Arc the Lad series
Shining Force series
Popolocrois series
Growlanser series
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
Wild Arms 4&5
Radiant Historia
Click to expand...

Alright. I'll probably start with Arc the Lad. I already own Radiant Historia but it's always good to see it mentioned.
 
I think saying that radiant historia is an SRPG hybrid is pushing it a little bit. I mean, the positioning mechanics are great but there's only ever 9 tiles for the enemy and 9 tiles for the player. I'd suggest playing it, regardless, though.
 
Growlanser 4. It also has great art, great characters, geopolitics, relationship system, a whole bunch of endings, and dialogue choices literally everywhere. I can't sing enough praises about this game. It's my favorite JRPG

Treasure Hunter G is pretty bad... I wanted it to be good given it's a Sting game but the combat ends up being brain-dead and the story is straight up terrible.
 
I don't understand the title at all. Aren't "RPGs with SRPG combat" simply called SRPGs? Plus, how is Shining Force more of an SRPG than Final Fantasy Tactics?
 
Sanctuary said:
I don't understand the title at all. Aren't "RPGs with SRPG combat" simply called SRPGs? Plus, how is Shining Force more of an SRPG than Final Fantasy Tactics?
Click to expand...

Most SRPG's automatically move you from one battle to another or just let you pick locations on a map. I mean RPG's that have a typical adventure with overworld, towns, and dungeons format, but once battle starts it switches to an SRPG-esque grid system. It's not about what's more of an SRPG, it's about what happens between battles.
 
Robert at Zeboyd Games said:
SRPG combat but traditional RPG exploration. Most pure SRPGs are just combat after combat or combat + Visual Novel.
Click to expand...

They still fall under the SRPG label though. A better title would have been "SRPGs with more RPG elements". I'd also say that the Shining Force games aren't even a good example either. You normally just get to move around in a small town before proceeding to the next battle. Shadowrun and Divinity are probably the closest to what you're actually looking for.
 
Tale of Wuxia! RPG with persona style sim game and a hexagonal, positional SRPG style battle system.

Really worth checking out if you can read Chinese or can tolerate really, really shitty translations.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Crimson Desert Combat Overview
2 3
113
2K
Svalr93 replied
Ace Combat 8 on Steam appears to include a port of Ace Combat Zero
37
963
Starwind Amada replied
Ubisoft Really Wants You to Know That Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is Not an RPG, as It Details Combat and HUD Changes
Opinion Game Dev 
27
313
Black_Stride replied
Ace Combat 6 recompilation project - Fully playable on PC
20
955
Alexios replied
Ace combat 8 announced
2 3 4
166
3K
Shifty1897 replied
Top Bottom