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Turn-based RPGs are a wide genre, but the combat is known for one thing - making players think. Testing their planning skills and ability to predict the next move, these titles often get written off as "menu simulators" or "spreadsheet games." But within the framework of turn-based combat, there is a lot of flexibility and room for innovation.
While offerings like Pokemon are simple to appeal to a wider audience of players, many turn-based games throw in special mechanics and unique interactions to keep the formula fresh. Here are five RPGs with unique turn-based combat to try out.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's views.
Environmental hazards, micromanagement, and more - 5 RPGs with unique features to keep you on your toes
1) Divinity: Original Sin 1 + 2
Set in a fantasy world where magical energy sources are attracting monsters from the Void, Divinity: Original Sin's combat system is a map-based spellcasting loop.
What sets it apart from other games, however, is the map itself. Not only is movement a factor in the gameplay, the skills allow for laying down map hazards and interacting with the environment in a way not dissimilar to Nintendo's hit, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Giving players the ability to set oil spills on fire and drop toxic sludge on the floor, among other things, Divinity: Original Sin's combat is one of the most unique in the genre.
2) Undertale
Toby Fox's slingshot into the mainstream is a classic in the world of RPGs, and for good reason. It isn't just the plot and how the game adapts to the choices players make that make the title stellar.
The combat is a fresh blend of turn-based and bullet hell. Calling on the likes of TOUHOU in the defense half, players can avoid enemy attacks instead of relying on a random chance to not take damage.
What makes it unique even more is how the self-awareness of the game can lead to fourth-wall breaks and attacks that go beyond just simple dodging, like in the Omega Flowey fight.
3) One Piece Odyssey
The grand world has a lot of scope for side stories and extra content, and games are no exception. With its adventure to a new island in classic One Piece form, Odyssey is a great turn-based RPG with the Straw Hat Pirates.
While this game's moment-to-moment skill system is nothing new, what makes it special is the macro level of the battle system. When entering a fight, the characters are split into "zones" based on their actual location prior to the battle's commencement.
As this can lead to some not-so-favourable outcomes where the weaker fighters are caught in a zone away from the stronger ones, the debate between clearing the route through to weaker fighters versus simply wiping out all the enemies is an important one.
4) South Park: The Fractured but Whole
Some TV shows are so ridiculously over-the-top that it just makes sense to give them a game adaptation, which is exactly what Ubisoft has done with its South Park game series.
The Fractured But Whole's combat system is an almost standard RPG combat, but the grid-based character placement similar to Megaman Battle Network is what gives it its special twist.
With abilities that have range and even knockback, the game's combat has players thinking not just how to use statuses and weaknesses, but also about how to knock enemies into each other for extra damage.
5) Bravely Default
In a world where elemental crystals keep the world in balance, a single failure can throw everything into darkness. Playing as a vestal of one of the crystals, players have to preserve the balance of the world.
One of the best ways to mix up the turn-based combat formula is to add an extra resource to manage during fights. Square Enix's Bravely Deafult uses Brave Points - you can use them to get extra turns - at the cost of your actions next turn.
This system encourages planning your point spending and burst damage while many RPGs tend to have damage sponges that you slowly chip away at.
