The Final Fantasy Tactics choose your story series of games adds a tactical
twist to the popular JRPG franchise. The core gameplay focuses on turn-based
battles between teams of wizards, archers, knights, priests, thieves and an
assortment of cute, colorful monsters. A good storyline, coupled with an
excellent battle system and quest system, makes the entire series memorable.
While other developers can't offer the same plot and
colorful characters as Final Fantasy Tactics, other PC games offer turn-based
battle mechanics in a fantasy setting. This list includes role-playing games
providing a separate hexagonal or chessboard-like battleground to battle
monsters. These games share a somewhat similar combat system and other gameplay
aspects.
1. King's Bounty: The Legend
The King's Bounty series of games has offered the best in
role-playing strategy for PC. The Legend offers deep hex-based combat and
plenty of character classes to choose from. Like most role-playing games, it
will allow you to explore jungles, villages, interact with NPCs, battle
monsters, and buy weapons and armaments from in-game shops.
Combat is the main highlight of Kings Bounty: The Legend.
Turn-based battles take place on a small hexagonal grid, where units can be
strategically placed and moved. While the battle system is simple, the strategy
is deep and challenging. You will have an army of knights, archers, and mages
as well as special characters like robbers who can teleport themselves to a
chosen hex. Characters can be leveled-up through new skills.
The environment also plays a key part in turn-based battles.
Enemies will take advantage of graves, lava-filled areas, and natural obstacles
to defeat your team members. Each hex-based battlefield is full of surprises,
including hidden treasure chests as well as deadly traps.
Things get more difficult if your troop members die on the
battlefield. You will need to buy additional characters to complete your army.
If you suffer heavy losses you can retreat, but that choice risks immense
damage, as the enemy AI can be brutal at times. I would recommend playing it on
normal difficulty level only if you are a seasoned RPG player.
While King’s Bounty: The Legend does offer a deep strategic
role-play experience, it does not allow players to use their hero character to
fight directly in battles. There are, however, plenty of units ranging from
warriors and archers to fantasy creatures straight from Lord of the Rings and
D&D. With exploration-based adventure, deep turn-based strategy, and plenty
of customization options, King's Bounty: The Legend will be a nice addition to
your role-playing video game collection.
2. Grotesque Tactics
A parody of some of the best tactical role-playing games,
Grotesque Tactics is known more for its slapstick humor than gameplay. But that
doesn’t mean it offers a poor show. Along with a humorous storyline, the game
provides plenty of interesting features, including an impressive tactical
turn-based strategy gameplay.
Like FF Tactics, the game offers grid-based combat. Your
party will have an assortment of familiar character classes such as ranged
units, melee units, healers, and magical units. Throughout the campaign, you
will be fighting monsters, grabbing treasure chests, and recruiting eight
“anti-heroes” who would assist you in defeating enemies. Each unit has a basic
and special attack. Some characters even double up as ranged attackers or
healers.
The grid-based strategy rules are similar to the original
game. Melee attacks can be performed against an opponent on an adjacent square,
whereas ranged attacks are possible even if the enemy stands two squares away.
You can also make your characters wait for their turn or defend themselves from
enemy attacks. Characters can also drink potions to restore their health.
The game’s “obsession meter” is unique. Each character is
obsessed with his trait. Once the meter fills, it can prove disastrous for the
fellow party members. It is actually the opposite of a XP boost, a popular RPG
feature. Every time one of your party members takes damage, his/her obsession
meter increases. Once full, it will affect his team members instead of
opponents.
As a humorous alternative to FF Tactics, Grotesque Tactics
is a good game to start with. The game is short and can be completed within
10-12 hours if you are a seasoned RPG gamer.
|> Play now: cooler math games run 2
3. Wakfu
Wakfu, which like Final Fantasy Tactics is published by
Square Enix, is a fine tactical role-playing MMORPG, with visuals and combat
quite similar to Final Fantasy Tactics and to the tactical MMO Dofus. Players
can choose from 14 different character classes and explore brilliantly designed
dungeons, forests, and vibrant worlds. As in FF Tactics, you will be battling
beasts, monsters, and magical enemies in a square grid. You can either battle
solo or take help of your online friends to form guilds and get into
cooperative battles.
As in other RPGs, you will spend most of your time taking
quests, defeating monsters, exploring strange worlds, and learning new professions
à la World of Warcraft.
When a battle takes place, the combat system uses a grid of
square tiles on which you move your character. You can launch a ranged or melee
attack by clicking on the opponent. The game also lets you cast a magical spell
and execute deadly attacks. Besides team-based battles against AI monsters, the
game also lets you initiate PvP combat against online friends.
Wakfu’s visuals are bright and cartoonish. The 2D graphics
are quite reminiscent of FF Tactics, though more polished. Animation is quite
smooth and character designs are extremely well-done. Overall, Wakfu is a must-play
game if you are looking for a game similar to FF Tactics.
