Support NeoGAF

[Greenpanda]

Tactics Ogre always seemed pretty overrated to me. While the game was pretty innovative at the time for introducing a map, shops, a more non-linear structure, random battles, etc. to strategy RPGs, the actual game requires ridiculous amounts of leveling in the "practice" mode. It's not fun leveling like Disgaea, either; it's just having your guys hit each other over and over to gain levels.

Too bad, the game could have been fun otherwise :\

 

[Greenpanda]

FFT
FF VII
FF VI
Chrono Trigger

This has to be a joke, right?

....right?

 

[demi]

now why would you say a dumb thing like that?

Maybe I never said it.

 

[pancakesandsex]

With the imminent release of Fire Emblem, I'm curious about this.

I know about the Atlus games, Disgaea, Phantom Brave, Makai Kingdom, etc.

What are some other good ones? (any platform at any time)

Tactics Ogre, hands down winner

 

[Tamanon]

FFT and FM3 on the PSOne

Shining Force 1/2 on the Genesis/emulators

Dragon Force if you have a Saturn still

 

[Amir0x]

Fire Emblem (Path of Radiance to be the best?): Not much needs to be said. It can be pretty damn difficult on a harder settings, and it doesn't coddle you like some other SRPGs. If your character dies, reset.

Disgaea: Easily one of the deepest, most exploitable, most stat-whorish SRPGs ever released. But that's what makes it great! It'll piss off everyone who isn't wildly into that sort of thing, and become the love child of those who are.

Tactics Ogre - Bebpo got the goods.

 

[Uremifasolasiututut]

Fire Emblem Series and Ogre Battle Saga for me personally. I'm going to have to give the slight nod to Ogre Battle Saga, merely due to play time spent. Coincidentally, what was the consensus on the Saturn ports of Tactics Ogre and Ogre Battle from Ravenhill Software (voice acting )?

 

[Pellham]

Tactics Ogre always seemed pretty overrated to me. While the game was pretty innovative at the time for introducing a map, shops, a more non-linear structure, random battles, etc. to strategy RPGs, the actual game requires ridiculous amounts of leveling in the "practice" mode. It's not fun leveling like Disgaea, either; it's just having your guys hit each other over and over to gain levels.

Too bad, the game could have been fun otherwise :\

It is one of those "awesome for its time, outdated today" sort of deals, sort of like how Super Mario Brothers 1 is considered a great game, but clearly outdated for today's standards. When you consider that the game came out in 1995 and was so popular among hardcore gamers that it was voted #10 on Famitsu's top 10 most influencial games (a good choice given that the majority of today's SRPGs have copied Tactics Ogre's isometric 3D layout and wait time system), you simply can't disagree that it's such a great game.

And plus, I don't think any game, RPG or otherwise, has yet to beat out Tactics Ogre's story and key plot twist.

Tactics Ogre destroys every other s-rpg to date in story. Gameplay ain't shoddy either.

Amen!
It destroys every other game period in terms of story.

 

[Tsubaki]

Tactics Ogre always seemed pretty overrated to me. While the game was pretty innovative at the time for introducing a map, shops, a more non-linear structure, random battles, etc. to strategy RPGs, the actual game requires ridiculous amounts of leveling in the "practice" mode.

Tactics Ogre Let Us Cling Together (not the garbage GBA game) is hands-down the best SRPG I've played, with the best system I've played. (I don't count Growlanser series as SRPG)

I don't know why you say it requires leveling in the practice mode unless you are playing it like a cheeser does. I find TO:LUCT to be the best simply because it's so incredibly challenging and changing up strategies will net different results. I've fought in maps and lost 9x, but on the 10th time, I've learned and complete the stage. It's like I solved a puzzle: to kill the enemies, without losing a single one of my own. I can see why not everyone would like this sort of challenge, but the leveling up is only for people who try to circumvent the challenging game design Quest offers.

 

[Bebpo]

Amen!
It destroys every other game period in terms of story.

I wouldn't argue otherwise,
that's why Matsuno written FFXII should be just amazing ^_^

 

[dog$]

Black/Matrix series
(B/M, Saturn
B/M Advance, Dreamcast
B/M II, PS2
B/M +, PS1
B/M 00, PS1)

Even the lowly PS2 entry shares common elements with the rest of the much better games; an intricate and "heretic" storyline, strange music, and strange battle effects. I'm applying the word best to this case to mean that I liked how they were presented and played.

While I'm here I'd like to mention that I tried Generation of Chaos 3 on PS2 and thought it was awful. The upcoming PSP version looked like it could be better, but I'd be wary.

 

[iapetus]

FFT and FFTA do not deserve to be on anyone's list in this thread.

Amen. I'll add Vandal Hearts to that list as well - it's great fun and it's the game that first got me into SRPGs, but it's far too clunky and easy to be one of the top tier. Plus someone might accidentally play the sequel, and you wouldn't want to be responsible for that.

 

[Zweisy1]

Ogre Battle and Tactics Ogre are the games that got me into SRPGs.

Fire Emblem is easily my favorite SPRG series and pretty much the only one I play these days.

I just got TearRing Saga for PSone and it seems pretty awesome so far apart from the language barrier..Very Fire Emblemish.

Nippon Ichi's level grinding games dont do much for me.

 

[worldrunover]

Ogre Battle 64!

 

[Idioteque]

Final Fantasy Tactics
Front Mission 3

 

[slayn]

The Ogre Battle series are my favorite.


I think Final Fantasy Tactics would have been the best had the ogre team been allowed to make the game they wanted to make and not have had to 'Final Fantasy' it up for Square (assuming thats what happened)

 

[Prospero]

Another vote for Ogre Battle 64 (even though when I played through it I ended up with a Chaos Frame of zero).

Not enough love in this thread for Gladius or Growlanser Generations, though. Especially Gladius--I finished playing through one of the two storylines back when it came out, and I'm deliberately waiting to play through the other because it's so unlikely that I'll see the like of that game again.

 

[Rahul]

FFTA is not the best anything ever.

It's most definitely the best Chronicles of Narnia videogame rip-off ever made.

 

[callous]

Growlanser 2, Front Mission 3 and Final Fantasy Tactics for the combo win.

 

[Ponn]

Vandal Hearts
FF tactics
DragonForce
Dark Wizard
Shining series (I especially like Holy Ark)
Front Mission series

 

[Korranator]

Disgaea is one of my favorites. Simply because there is so much to do, tons of customization, loved the cheeky humor, and neitherworld settings.

FFT and FFTA do not deserve to be on anyone's list in this thread.

Finally someone who sees past the FF name. A bleah game, with awesome presentation.

Especially Gladius--I finished playing through one of the two storylines back when it came out, and I'm deliberately waiting to play through the other because it's so unlikely that I'll see the like of that game again.

Hand the man a cigar.

Gladius despite a few flaws was an SRPG unlike the other me too clones. A game that had actual lvl caps (no power lvling here to beat the game) and required you to use actual STRATEGY in order to win battles. Otherwise the game would hand your ass to you.

 

[jarrod]

Advance Wars 1/2/DS

But seriously, it's sad that the genre can't seem to do better than a 16bit SFC game from 1995. Tactics Ogre is fantastic and nothing else seems to come close. Hopefully Pell's right and the new GC Fire Emblem can take the crown after Quest's decade long reign.

 

[djtiesto]

Always had a soft spot for the Shining Force games - the characters are so much better than generic FIGHTER and ARCHER, the game isn't too complicated with all sophisticated rules and ass-kicking AI, and I like how you could actually walk around towns and find crazy secret characters. I know SRPG snobs like to look down on this series but I like it all the same. Vandal Hearts was pretty nice but the rest of the SRPGs either are too broken and rely more on grinding than actual tactics (N1, FFT, FFTA), or they are too frustrating for me (FE with it's once you're dead, you're dead gameplay).