What's the appeal of turn based combat?

[Kagim]

The problem with JRPG's lately is that they keep trying to make a balance between real time and turn based... It doesn't seem to be working very well.

I found Eternal Sonata did a really good job at this. your turns went by in real time when you had to make fast decisions so it made for a very interesting battle system.

And also to your misconception of XII the game hardly plays itself you will find yourself taking control of the characters a lot because the gambits are never perfect. they just really help with the tedious lesser enemies, while the tougher ones/swarms/bosses have to be dealt with yourself.

No, I managed to make the gambits pretty much flawless. Every so often my fleshy intervention was necessary but more often then naught i could just push forward and my allies would instantly beat down every enemy i came across. Once again bosses were pretty much the only time i had to do anything.

However i did like Eternal Sonata quite a bit actually, mostly because it let my girlfriend play with me. A feature i had thought the PS3 had forgotten existed.

 

[NeutralDrow]

So, all of you JRPG fans, explain to me why I should get into JRPGs.

This is why.

 

[LeonLethality]

No, I managed to make the gambits pretty much flawless. Every so often my fleshy intervention was necessary but more often then naught i could just push forward and my allies would instantly beat down every enemy i came across. Once again bosses were pretty much the only time i had to do anything.

However i did like Eternal Sonata quite a bit actually, mostly because it let my girlfriend play with me. A feature i had thought the PS3 had forgotten existed.

I suppose it is because I played the international version where it is impossible to have them perfect unlike the normal version where the game is a breeze

and as for Eternal Sonata I never tried the multiplayer thing as I tend to play JRPGs solo.

 

[Kagim]

No, I managed to make the gambits pretty much flawless. Every so often my fleshy intervention was necessary but more often then naught i could just push forward and my allies would instantly beat down every enemy i came across. Once again bosses were pretty much the only time i had to do anything.

However i did like Eternal Sonata quite a bit actually, mostly because it let my girlfriend play with me. A feature i had thought the PS3 had forgotten existed.

I suppose it is because I played the international version where it is impossible to have them perfect unlike the normal version where the game is a breeze

and as for Eternal Sonata I never tried the multiplayer thing as I tend to play JRPGs solo.

Its really neat. Pretty much you can assign characters to other controllers(something you can turn off and on at any time from the options screen)and have other people play with you during fights. It was really cool mostly because it got her really into the game. She paid more attention and really began to think up strategies rather then what she normally does when i play games.
"Your healths low"
"I know dear"
"Why don't you use a potion"
"Not quite yet dear."
"But your health.. its tres low"
"Yes dear"

 

[LeonLethality]

Its really neat. Pretty much you can assign characters to other controllers(something you can turn off and on at any time from the options screen)and have other people play with you during fights. It was really cool mostly because it got her really into the game. She paid more attention and really began to think up strategies rather then what she normally does when i play games.
"Your healths low"
"I know dear"
"Why don't you use a potion"
"Not quite yet dear."
"But your health.. its tres low"
"Yes dear"

I get the feeling my friends would mash the triangle button to perform specials without even building up combos to make them stronger -.-"

 

[Space Spoons]

I find it more strategic, though I don't know how much credence there is to that. There's certainly an element of strategy to be found in many western RPGs as well.

To be 100% honest, I think a lot of it is nostalgia. Growing up, turn-based RPGs were the order of the day. They're what I'm familiar with, they're what I know, and therefore, they're what I prefer. I don't know if this is true of everyone, but I'm reasonably sure this is the case for me.

 

[silasbufu]

So, all of you JRPG fans, explain to me why I should get into JRPGs.

This is why.

That video actually made me want to stay away from jrpg's even more. But anyway , to each their own.

 

[carpenter20m]

True...that video was exactly what I was thinking when I said I didn't like turn-based combat.

To each their own. I might eventually get into it. I really want it since I love a good story in a game.

 

[Veldt Falsetto]

Last Remnant is NOT a good way to get into the genre, not that it's not a good game, it's just very unconventional.

JRPGs have lots of variation but if you just have a PC the genre more or less doesn't exist past emulation.
For turn based try Final Fantasy 6, Lost Odyssey, Earthbound or the Mario RPGs
If you really hate the combat there are plenty of action JRPGs around, try Kingdom Hearts, Tales of Vesperia, The World Ends With You or Star Ocean

Actually edit and hope you read. Turn Based is fine but every Final Fantasy since 4 has had something called Active Time Battle and it's a meter that goes up over time and when it's full you pick your attack, you can usually speed up or slow down the meter and set it so the monsters do their thing while you pick, it's quite fun and fast.

May I ask if you have any consoles or handhelds like a DS, it'd be easier to find games if you did.

 

[Kuilui]

Well the reason I enjoy JRPGS so much except for the ones made in recent years which I despised beyond reason.*Stares angrily at FF13* Anyway the reason is because they have some of the best stories of any games ever and typically have a wide variety of interesting deep characters. It makes you really feel like you know these characters. Most games don't seem to give that feel anymore your some random nob and your surrounded by one dimensional other nobs and I don't know, just feels like theirs something missing. if your going to start in on the final fantasy series start with either 6 or 7(play both) and then 9, also crono trigger. Which are in my opinion some of the best JRPGS ever. Also as others have mentioned its the strategy aspect. I like to sit there sometimes and devise a strategy rather than button smashing until everything in front of me is dead.

 

[Durxom]

True...that video was exactly what I was thinking when I said I didn't like turn-based combat.

To each their own. I might eventually get into it. I really want it since I love a good story in a game.

The video wasn't even turn-based though...none of the Tales series are...its all real time combat for the battles

 

[InnerRebellion]

Well, to me, I love turn based combat.

A major example is the Fire Emblem games. I'd plan out my turn in my head, and then get to see how it worked on the battlefield, and if the AI responded how I expected it to. If not, I'd have to rethink my strategy.

So, basically, I think the appeal is mainly for people who like to test their logical and strategic thinking against Artificial Intelligence.

 

[carpenter20m]

True...that video was exactly what I was thinking when I said I didn't like turn-based combat.

To each their own. I might eventually get into it. I really want it since I love a good story in a game.

The video wasn't even turn-based though...none of the Tales series are...its all real time combat for the battles

But, but...the boss is just standing there sometimes, waiting its turn (unless it is stunned or something.

 

[InvisibleSeal]

I like both Western and Japanese RPGs, but I admit that I easily prefer the combat in WRPGs such as Dragon age - though to be honest Final Fantasy XII had different combat completely, which I actually really enjoyed. Also, some of the earlier Final Fantasies kept the clock running while you chose moves, which was interesting as well.

I suppose turn based combat is sort of comparable to using pause alot in a WRPG (which I do in difficult battles) or how people actually play tabletop games like dnd (though I'm note that keen on those games so I could be wrong - I don't know) because rather than focusing on general tactics, it encourages you to consider your move a lot because you have less of them. Therefore you have to be able to manage your party formation, equipment and (it could probably be compared to) classes of your characters throughout, whereas in many WRPGs I've played you can make those decisions in the moment.

Anyway, I think you should try turn based combat at least once. It feels slightly less tense than combat in other games, but can be very rewarding.

Not sure if you'd want any recommendations, but early final fantasies (or later ones, depends what you like), golden sun, maybe pokemon.

 

[Durxom]

True...that video was exactly what I was thinking when I said I didn't like turn-based combat.

To each their own. I might eventually get into it. I really want it since I love a good story in a game.

The video wasn't even turn-based though...none of the Tales series are...its all real time combat for the battles

But, but...the boss is just standing there sometimes, waiting its turn (unless it is stunned or something.

Ya, what you are seeing is it being stunned or sometimes getting basically beaten into a corner...and from what I can tell..those enemies in the Tales series are usually really slow, but extremely powerful.

Maybe this is a better example of Tales gameplay??

 

[dotchan]

I think it's also a matter of what you're used to. Turn-based combat isn't necessarily any less a matter of "press X to kill stuff" than real-time combat. And who says you can't be strategic with real-time combat? I have vague memories of playing Diablo that taught me being Leeroy Jenkins was a very, very bad idea.

My very first role playing game experience was Final Fantasy 6, and I found it to be very exciting and intuitive, and the time-based thing was so subtle that I barely noticed it. On the other hand, I also enjoyed Secret of Mana loads and loads (though I wasn't a fan of building the charge meter).

Either system can be pretty terrible if handled badly. Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth was a terrible experience for me despite being very similar to Final Fantasy Tactics. Yes, in early game FFT the battles could get pretty lengthy, but once I grinded the right classes I could breeze right through if I didn't feel like it, whereas in Hoshigami just about every single damn battle was a complete drag. (And don't talk to me about how you farm items in that game.)

On the real time battle side, I found myself enjoying the Dynasty Warriors series (which is about as hack and slash as things get), but the 6th game in the franchise has been something of a disappointment. I've never played that game for any pretensions of realism, so having my character's awesomeness scaled back for a slower progression curve has only made me wish I still kept copies of the older games.

For me, it honestly depends on what I feel like doing.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

It's fun. Whatever else do you need?

 

[MetaKnight19]

I find that turn-based combat allows for strategy, like Pokémon.

Example : *Looks over attack list, pondering next move* I could use Protect which would stop the enemy's Quick Attack, or I could just use Thunderbolt and one-hit KO the umpteenth Pidgey to appear in less than 30 seconds.

I couldn't press that A button fast enough.