Current Events > What is the appeal in turn-based RPGs?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Genuine question. Not trying to be confrontational. Since Persona 5 is the hit game right now, it have me thinking. I've always favored Action-RPGs more as turn-based games were usually a huge turn off for me. A lot of them that I've tried to play, I would lose interest pretty quick. I would like to know what is it about turn-based games that do it for you?

I guess I liked Knights of the Old Republic, even though I didn't really know how to play it.
---

The tactical game of chess in crunching the stats and playing what you hope is the best move is very satisfying.

makes things more tactical, more visibly stat based, and allows you to have more unique boss battles because you dont have to consider the conventions of an action game when designing them. for example in persona you have bosses with multiple phases and if it were a straight up action RPG it'd be hard to make the gameplay complex yet consider these phases (like for example with Kaneshiro and the pig robot, where he has one phase just fighting him, another when he enters the robot and prepares to do a move that you have to stop, and another when he leaves the robot).

the downside to turn based imo is that it can get really slow and drag if you have lots of random encounters or devolve into "healer heals, everyone else just chips away", but persona fixes that by making battles intended to be completed as quick as possible, and giving gimmicks and stuff to the bosses so it's not just wearing you and him down
---

It's the tactics involved in it. Unless you're powered up to god like levels such as FFX's post-game. You're not able to just spam X and plow through everything the way the idiots that scoff at the genre claim.

It's planning out buffs/debuffs, status ailments, curing, MP managing, etc. and your standard attacks. And doing this with 3-4 characters against up to like 6 enemies sometimes at once. Managing stats. Managing character placement. Some games handle these things better than others of course.

It's like the difference between chess and connect four. There's a lot more to it than it's vocal detractors want you to think.
---

I like them cause they're relaxing. Play at my pace. Not needing to dodge or worry about complex timing, just chill out and play with no pressure.
---

ArchiePeck posted...

The tactical game of chess in crunching the stats and playing what you hope is the best move is very satisfying.

This, essentially. I like strategy.
---

EternalDivide posted...

It's the tactics involved in it. Unless you're powered up to god like levels such as FFX's post-game. You're not able to just spam X and plow through everything the way the idiots that scoff at the genre claim.

It's planning out buffs/debuffs, status ailments, curing, MP managing, etc. and your standard attacks. And doing this with 3-4 characters against up to like 6 enemies sometimes at once. Managing stats. Managing character placement. Some games handle these things better than others of course.

It's like the difference between chess and connect four. There's a lot more to it than it's vocal detractors want you to think.

This.
---

CruorComa posted...

I like them cause they're relaxing. Play at my pace. Not needing to dodge or worry about complex timing, just chill out and play with no pressure.

This. Sometimes I want action, other times I want to take it easy.
---

ArchiePeck posted...

The tactical game of chess in crunching the stats and playing what you hope is the best move is very satisfying.

This and it's not overly complicated. I can think about what I'm going to do in the midst of battle.
---

All of the things mentioned above.

Also, I personally don't have that much time to play video games. With an action game, not playing for a few days will often set you back skill wise, a deficit that you'll need to make up the next time you play. Good luck if it's a week. Turn based games in general are more mental, so you'll lose far less as long as you review things in your head. You may even get better when you're not playing.

KeyBlade999 posted...

ArchiePeck posted...

The tactical game of chess in crunching the stats and playing what you hope is the best move is very satisfying.

This, essentially. I like strategy.

Don't forget about the risk factor that can go into it as well. During my last boss fight, I was down to my last fighter and had to contemplate for a few minutes whether to try reviving a party member and hope the boss didn't use a party-wide attack or try one last attack and hope that was enough to finish him off.

With turn based, you have to consider the consequences more, whereas real-time is more reactionary.
---

Only downside for turn-based RPG gameplay IMO is if it's slow. To the point where your like, "Do the goddamn move already!", especially special attacks like in FF where you make a summon and the cutscene before the move takes forever.
---

Most of what they all said, plus I had reconstructive hand surgery over 10 years ago and developed arthritis in that hand since, and it, basically, killed my ability to play any games where fast-paced action and controls are needed. For example: ALL fighting games, games like Devil May Cry or God of War, and even The Witcher 2 had me reaching for the pain...relievers. I didn't even buy The Witcher 3 as a result. So a nice slower paced, turn-based RPG is perfect for me. Too bad I'm an Xbot and there are none on the Xbone.
---

KeyBlade999 posted...

ArchiePeck posted...

The tactical game of chess in crunching the stats and playing what you hope is the best move is very satisfying.

This, essentially. I like strategy.

---

apolloooo posted...

EternalDivide posted...

It's the tactics involved in it. Unless you're powered up to god like levels such as FFX's post-game. You're not able to just spam X and plow through everything the way the idiots that scoff at the genre claim.

It's planning out buffs/debuffs, status ailments, curing, MP managing, etc. and your standard attacks. And doing this with 3-4 characters against up to like 6 enemies sometimes at once. Managing stats. Managing character placement. Some games handle these things better than others of course.

It's like the difference between chess and connect four. There's a lot more to it than it's vocal detractors want you to think.

This.

Exactly this. I prefer turn-based RPGs because it's a more strategic game when balanced right, as opposed to quick thinking and fast fingers.
---

Of course, there is a wide range of quality within the genre, and even well balanced games might rub people the wrong way. For instance, The Stick of Truth was a surprisingly well balanced game, but I had a hard time sticking it out because the boss fights tended to be marathons where the main obstacle to overcome was the bosses ridiculous amount of hp. This typically led to using the same strategies over and over.

Compare that to Darkest Dungeon, where the battles were fast and dirty, causing you to make decisions about whether you needed to support your team, take a shot at the enemy or deal with something they've done to knee cap you, knowing full well that you'll be screwed if you choose poorly.

You'll often find yourself sitting there watching the idle animations, running all your options through your head with varying degrees of "oh shit oh shit oh shit".

That's one of the little things I really like about Persona 5. If you're sitting on the main characters turn for a bit, he'll say "calm down...", it's usually exactly what I need to do.

People like to say strategy but most TBRPGs can be completed just ny pushing attack over and over and healing when your HP is low, maybe with a little grinding here and there.

But even if we ignore that there are exceptions, there must then be some additional appeal. What I've always liked about them is that ypu get to actually control multiple party members instead of watching Donald just stand there half the time while you actually fight the boss.
---

NeoShadowhen posted...

Stick of Truth

NeoShadowhen posted...

I had a hard time sticking it out

lol
---