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[AniHawk]

FFVIII pretty much IS an action RPG once your characters start hitting a certain speed and strength threshold...

Especially once you start giving certain characters Auras, Ultimas, and other uber spells junctioned.

Spoiler

But damnit, that stupid boss took me four tries to beat. Once I died because I wasn't ready. Then I died because Griever made the spell which was attached to Irvin's attack disappear, and then the third time the game froze.

 

[Solid]

"Play ToS then."

I will, as soon as it's released here in Europe

Anyway, I thinkt FFX-2 has the best battle system of those I've tried. I remember I fought for 15 hours in the last dungeon (

Spoiler

when you jump down in one of those holes at the end

). Fast, fun and very smooth, couldn't ask for anything more.

 

[RiZ III]

The only time I really liked a turn based system was in FFX.

 

[belgurdo]

"Play ToS then."

I will, as soon as it's released here in Europe

Anyway, I thinkt FFX-2 has the best battle system of those I've tried. I remember I fought for 15 hours in the last dungeon (

Spoiler

when you jump down in one of those holes at the end

). Fast, fun and very smooth, couldn't ask for anything more.

With the way X-2 plays, it puzzles me whenever I see someone knock its battle system unless they simply can't handle the concept of job changing or a fast paced RPG battle or something

 

[SolidSnakex]

With the way X-2 plays, it puzzles me whenever I see someone knock its battle system unless they simply can't handle the concept of job changing or a fast paced RPG battle or something

But teh girls wear skimpy clothes!

FFX-2 has a great battle system, it's right behind Grandia's as my favorite.

 

[Senretsu]

Depends on what mood I'm in, I like the turn based for final fantasy, but the crystal chronicles was pretty fun too. I'm liking Tales of Symphonia's action battle also.

I think I like Mario RPg, Paper Mario, Mario and Luigi's battle system the best because of all the interaction you can do in it.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

I like both! And for me its not about the battle system, its about the story and characters

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

But teh girls wear skimpy clothes!

FFX-2 has a great battle system, it's right behind Grandia's as my favorite.

See FFX-2 resold me on ATB (although I'd like to see it put to the backburner for just a little longer). For two reasons. Firstly it was fast, very fast. And secondly it actually made the realtime aspect part of the battle strategic, what with spell casting times, faster/slower jobs, combos etc. It wasn't just a glorified way of determining turn order.

Now if they could incorporate that into a system with no random encounters I think we could be on to something.

 

[P90]

Both are good, depends on my mood and the game.

 

[ferricide]

i didn't enjoy FFX-2's much at all.. mainly because one of the things i like in a turn based battle system is one that i stop and think about strategy -- not as much as an SRPG -- but enough so that i'm engaged. FFX had that, and xenosaga had that, in this gen, IMO.

i also don't like FFX-2's much because of the disappointment of getting rid of FFX's, which seems like it'll be the only game in the series that gets to use it. which is a huge pity because IMO it's far and away got the best battles in the entire series. i also was just kind of sick of ATB for having played games using it for over ten years at that point. sure, it evolved, but ... well ... i don't really like FFX-2 in general. i'll leave it at that.

star ocean 3's battle system has PROBLEMZ. lots. since we got GI today, i imagine it's OK to start talking about this soon.. =P but i'll probably wait until it comes out unless the floodgates start to open.

i love TOS' battles, on the other hand, because they're fun and you have the control you need over the AI. you can stop it and do things manually whenever you need to, but if you set things up right, you don't really need to. and you keep learning new techniques throughout the game. good stuff.

really, battle systems, action or not, just need to be well designed AND well implemented. the only grandia game i played was grandia II, but i thought although its battle system might be intelligently designed, but it's also irrelevant cos the game is easy and boring.

a good turn based battle system is really, really compelling to me. i also like ones like phantasy star IV and persona, which reward you for intelligently setting stuff up and then letting it run, as opposed to forcing you to just do the manual entering of commands every turn.

i guess in the end what i'm saying is -- i actually prefer turn-based battle systems; but only slightly. what i like is good, intricate, yet understandable battle systems. then i won't complain.

 

[Mumbles]

Depends on the mood I'm in. Par of the reason the Tales games are so much fun is because they're so unique, if every RPG was like that, it would get old fast. FFX-2 stands out as well, since, despite the menu system, it's clearly real-time (unless you use the Wait option...), and it did s a lot to take advantage of the old ATB system - as others have mentioned, the combo system, different casting times before an attack, or waiting times after, and so forth.

As for strict turn-based, I've always liked the Persona games, and FFX was pretty enjoyable. Chrono Cross managed to stand out from the crowd as well. The big distinction between all of these were the number of options you were presented - the Persona games let you negotiate with monsters, while the other two have more advanced strategy than most turn-based RPGs.

 

[DDayton]

...as a side note, I really wish more games featured Earthbound "auto-smash" feature... that is, once your character is X number of levels above enemy creatures, you simply kill them when you encounter them on the map. No battle sequence, no turns... just SMASH and you get experience.

 

[SKluck]

It depends. Strategy games like Silent Storm, Jagged Alliance, Soldiers, they would be horrid in real-time exclusively (couple have both).

Fantasy/typical RPGs, either way, don't care.

 

[RevenantKioku]

I prefer turn based. Generally, if I wanted action, I'd play an action game. I generally don't want action games.

 

[MoccaJava]

With the amount of battles in an RPG, I don't want to have to think strategetically for every single damn battle.

Tales has a great combination of strategy when you have tough enemies but hack and slash easily when you don't.

 

[Fresh Prince]

Turn-Based on Wait...I know...I'm slow.

 

[jett]

The only turn-based RPGs were I've actually *needed* strategy to get through a dungeon/boss have been DQVII and FFT(a strategy RPG...but turn-based anyway ). FFX's battle sytem is quick and fun(and the best FF system yet), but just like each of its prequels strategy is not really needed.

Anyway...I could go either way, as long as it's entertaining. However, I can't stand PC-RPGs. *click click click*x 1 trillion is not fun to me.

I'm eagerly waiting to try out FFXII.

 

[Tea Master]

Generally prefer turn based if any strategy over "hit the guy" is involved.

Fav RPG battle system, BTW, would have to be Valkyrie Profile's turn based system where you order and link your attack in real time, almost like a fighter. It gots mad combos.

Purify Weird Soul!

 

[Culex]

I too will found it hard to play a turn-based battle system after playing ToS. It's just so damn fluid, it feels perfect. That's why I've always been a fan of the Tales battles.

 

[Great Wasabi Man]

Turn based is ok to a point after the umteenth random battle pushing the same button just to get the battle over with gets kinda grating.

 

[Neo_ZX]

Turn based is good if it focuses strongly on strategy. So it becomes a matter of doing the right thing rather than just doing stuff fast (reflexes).

FF6 still my fav RPG ever. It did everything right.

 

[Azrael]

If you're in command of a single character, real time.

If you're in command of an entire party, turn based.

Real time is great for games like Diablo or Zelda. However, when you're trying to issue commands to several characters in real time, pausing the action every few seconds, it's a pain in the ass. I liked KotOR, but that was despite its lousy battle system and because of the strengths of its scenario design and the moral choices it provided the player. Something like Baldur's Gate PC, which has the same flawed battle system as KotOR without its strengths, I really can't get into.