Turn-Based Strategy Games

[NovaXpress]

This is my favorite genre of all. Stuff like Civilization and Total War. I like having time to think between turns. Any one else into these games? Have any similar games to recommend?

[oesii]

Not usually my favorite genre, but I did get a kick out of the Advance War games on the GBA and DS. And I do like the Civilization series I just don't have the time to devote to those long gaming sessions.

[shadow460]

Does chess count?

The latest turn based strategy games I got into were FF Tactics and Shining Force II. For the most part, I stay away from other games of this type.

[NovaXpress]

Rome: Total War is my favorite game of the past three years, but I've beaten it in every way and I'm burned out.

 

TBS games have their own weird subset of fans, that's for sure. But we're damn devoted to it.

[Gabriel]

I'm more into the console games and skew more towards Tactical RPGs, but I like turn based wargames well enough. In the olden days there were a few SSI wargames I played on the Apple II, but I can't remember them now.

 

I enjoy Civ II, and have fiddled with MoO2 recently. Not too long ago I picked up Galactic Civilizations, but I haven't played it yet. The version of Civilization I have for my N-gage helps me burn time at work on occasion.

 

Field Commander for the PSP is really cool. Dai Senryaku VII and Shattered Union for the XBox are pretty good.

 

Then there's the classics like Romance of the Three Kingdoms II and Nobunaga's Ambition. I've played a shitload of RotTK2. Gemfire is kinda neat too.

 

Although it has realtime elements, Romance of the Three Kingdoms IX really captures the feel of the original games.

[NovaXpress]

I loved the old Koei games on NES and SNES. Gemfire was some great fun.

 

I'm interested in Galactic Civilizations 2 but need to know more about it before I spend the cash. I'm stingy these days.

[Lord_Magus]

If you like turn based strategy, then you should definitely give Disciples II: Dark Prophecy (PC) a shot - easily one of the most underappreciated games I've played. The game has some of the most beautiful hand drawn characters and 2D graphics you will ever see, the music is superb, and the gameplay is *very* addictive. Here are a few screenshots, courtesy of Gamespot:

 

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

 

Apparently there was a DS version in the works too, but I haven't heard news on it for a loong time, so I'm assuming it got cancelled. Such a shame...

[NovaXpress]

It looks more like a turn-based RPG than turn-based strategy. Could be interesting, though.

 

The last RPG I played through was Arcanum. It was so amazingly good that no other RPG has lived up to it since and now I tend to avoid the genre atogether. Arcanum was so spectacular it ruined all similar games for me.

[Lord Thag]

I'm right there with ya Nova, TBS games are my favorite genre.

 

There a tons of good ones. Galactic Civilizations II is outstanding. If you like WWII stuff, any of the Combat Mission games are great. Space Rangers I and II are fun turn based space games.

 

If you want something for the consoles, Dai Senryaku VII and Shattered Union are good for the xbox.

[NovaXpress]

I'm pretty much a PC gamer. Is Galactic Civ 2 a true TBS game? Some of the graphics made me wonder. Never heard of Space Rangers.

 

Did anyone ever play the pen/paper RPG Traveller? That's the sort of experience I'd love to find in a space TBS.

[Lord_Magus]

It looks more like a turn-based RPG than turn-based strategy. Could be interesting, though.

Ah yes, it probably appears that way due to my poor choice of screenshots. The game actually plays as turn based strategy for the most part, in a fashion similar to Age of Wonders. When the units engage in battle however, it switches over to a very simplified turn based fighting mode, where you issue basic attack commands for your units to carry out. Hope that clears up the confusion

[n8littlefield]

I love TBS, and have to say the DS is a great little console for them - Advance Wars 1,2,DS, Battles of Prince of Persia, Age of Empires DS, Final Fantasy Tactics Adance, Rebelstar Tactical Command, Tactics Ogre, Fire Emblem (all 3 of them), and Onimusha Tactics all immediately spring to mind. It's an AWESOME system for the genre when you combine the DS and GBA libraries together.

[Gabriel]

Fire Emblem (all 3 of them)

 

3? I only know of 2 for the GBA.

[n8littlefield]

Fire Emblem (all 3 of them)

 

3? I only know of 2 for the GBA.

My bad. Somehow in my head the Cube version got lumped in there!

[+remowilliams]

The last RPG I played through was Arcanum.

Arcanum was a great game. If you never played Fallout or Fallout 2 - then you need to play them right now Planescape Torment was also a great and very weird RPG.

 

Civilization has always been the master of TBS, and Civ IV continues that lineage very well. Space Empires V and Galactic Civilizations II are as good as it gets these days for space based 4X gaming. S2 Silent Storm is a great WWII tactical TBS.

[Jetboot Jack]

I recommend the X-Com Series (UFO Defense, Terror from the Deep, Apocalypse) - but then I am biased...

 

sTeVE

[narutofan]

Fire Emblem (all 3 of them)

 

3? I only know of 2 for the GBA.

 

Anyway, there are more than three for that matter. There'es the NES and the SNES versions.

 

And just for the record, I second any post that salutes fire emblem.

Edited December 2, 2006 by narutofan

[neotokeo2001]

I recommend the X-Com Series (UFO Defense, Terror from the Deep, Apocalypse) - but then I am biased...

 

sTeVE

 

I'm guessing that means you took part in the development?

[guitarmas]

I really need to know how turn base style games can be fun. I've tried to get into them for years and have had no luck at all.

[BrianC]

Fire Emblem (all 3 of them)

 

3? I only know of 2 for the GBA.

My bad. Somehow in my head the Cube version got lumped in there!

 

No, you were correct. There are three GBA Fire Emblem games. The first GBA Fire Emblem, the one with Roy as the main character, was released only in Japan.

 

Here are some relevant links:

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-68-77-...lem-70-8qd.html

http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/gbadvance/data/563015.html

 

Anyway, there are more than three for that matter. There'es the NES and the SNES versions.

 

Yup. There were 2 Fire Emblems on NES and three on SNES.

Edited December 3, 2006 by BrianC

[telengard]

I'm right there with ya Nova, TBS games are my favorite genre.

 

There a tons of good ones. Galactic Civilizations II is outstanding. If you like WWII stuff, any of the Combat Mission games are great. Space Rangers I and II are fun turn based space games.

 

If you want something for the consoles, Dai Senryaku VII and Shattered Union are good for the xbox.

 

I'm a big fan of TBS too. Dai Senryaku VII is a good buy for the xbox and quite fun. Battle for Wesnoth is a nice free game I play (although I miss the lack of ranged units). I'm tempted to pick up Temple of Elemental Evil now that the fans have "fixed it". I really wish Neverwinter Nights was turn based too. There is a game coming out for the PSP that seems that it would fit that bill as far as D&D TBS is concerned but I already have a gp2x. I can't remember the name but it's a TBS based on D&D 3.5 rules. Looked pretty cool.

 

I am also hoping to get Laser Squad Nemesis for xmas. I've played the demo and it is very good. Played the heck out of the original on the C64.

 

Oh, some new ones I've found fairly recently.

 

- Crimson Fields. Just started playing that one. I guess it's based on an older game which I haven't had the pleasure of playing.

- Pox Nora. It's minis meets CCG meets TBS. I've played a few w/ the "demo" warbands. Not bad at all.

 

~telengard

[telengard]

I love TBS, and have to say the DS is a great little console for them - Advance Wars 1,2,DS, Battles of Prince of Persia, Age of Empires DS, Final Fantasy Tactics Adance, Rebelstar Tactical Command, Tactics Ogre, Fire Emblem (all 3 of them), and Onimusha Tactics all immediately spring to mind. It's an AWESOME system for the genre when you combine the DS and GBA libraries together.

 

Whoa, Ogre on the DS? Is this the Steve Jackson Ogre game?

 

/me googles

 

~telengard

[+remowilliams]

Whoa, Ogre on the DS? Is this the Steve Jackson Ogre game?

Sadly, no - this has no relation to the SJ game. I still play SJ's OGRE on my A8, it rocks the house!

 

Now if I could just find someone to assemble and paint those miniatures.

[Gabriel]

Whoa, Ogre on the DS? Is this the Steve Jackson Ogre game?

 

No. Tactics Ogre is a traditional jap fantasy tactical RPG with no connection to Ogre/GEV or Steve Jackson Games at all.

 

And, to further clarify, it's a several year old GBA game, not a DS game.

[telengard]

Whoa, Ogre on the DS? Is this the Steve Jackson Ogre game?

Sadly, no - this has no relation to the SJ game. I still play SJ's OGRE on my A8, it rocks the house!

 

Now if I could just find someone to assemble and paint those miniatures.

 

Aww too bad...

 

I still play on the Atari too (st though) and love it. I won't grumble about the gp2x joystick when using the emus here.

 

As for the unpainted minis, yeah, I can't paint to save my life either. I've tried. And tried. I was hoping they would re-release ogre/gev etc with prepainted minis now that everyone else is doing it for cheap from what I can tell. The game I'm currently obsessed with has some *very* nice pre-painted minis and, staying on topic, is a turn based strategy game called Dreamblade. Non-computer though.

 

Now if I could only find someone to play Ogre via Vassal with me.

 

~telengard