Best Discontinued Tactical RPG Series That Deserve A Comeback

Summary

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is set for release in September 2025 with new enhancements like voiceovers.
Valkyria Chronicles, Vandal Hearts, and Metal Gear Acid all long overdue for sequels or remasters.
Tear Ring Saga, a series by the creator of Fire Emblem, may be dead, but it deserves an official Western release for fans.

For years as a dedicated fan, I’ve felt like we’d been left to wonder about the fate of the captivating tactical RPG series, Final Fantasy Tactics. Amazingly, Square Enix didn’t just let it fade away; they released three core games and even brought some of them to other platforms. The franchise continued to thrive on devices beyond the DS. Within Square Enix, there were titles that shared a similar spirit, such as The DioField Chronicle and Triangle Strategy. However, it wasn’t until recently, when the announcement of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles came along, that a new chapter in this cherished series was promised.

Will Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, set for release in September 2025 with added features like voiceover work, spark a resurgence for other discontinued tactical RPG series? With the return of these long-absent series on the horizon, possibly as early as 2025 or stretching into 2026 and beyond, we’ll see how their absence from the scene and their potential for a comeback are evaluated.

Valkyria Chronicles

A New Evolution For Tactical JRPGs Shot Dead

Last Game: Valkyria Chronicles 4 (2021)

The game known as Valkyria Chronicles was first introduced on the PS3 in 2008. Since then, it has been adapted for various platforms more than any other title within the franchise. Unlike traditional games that use a grid system for character movement, this game allowed characters to traverse freely based on their energy meter’s range. To simulate an authentic battlefield, enemies could also shoot without restriction. When players paused their characters, enemy fire would also halt, providing an opportunity for manual aiming and target selection.

In this series, numerous sequels and spinoffs were produced over a ten-year span, with Valkyria Chronicles 4 being the last new game launched in 2018. Fans have been waiting for seven years now for a fresh installment, although technically, Valkyria Chronicles 4 was reintroduced on Amazon Luna in 2021. The release of a new game would certainly delight fans, but many are also eagerly anticipating an official English version of Valkyria Chronicles 3, which has been confined to the PSP since its initial release in 2011.

Shining Force

Sega’s Once Popular Rival To Fire Emblem

Last Game: Blade Arcus Rebellion from Shining (2019)

The Sega’s Shining series, initially a dungeon-crawler for the Sega Genesis in 1991, with the first game being Shining in the Darkness, later transformed into a predominantly tactical RPG series. One notable entry, Shining Force, appeared on the Sega Genesis in 1993, serving as a significant competitor to Fire Emblem, which had yet to gain popularity in the Western market at that time. The final game in the series was a Japan-exclusive enhanced version of Blade Arcus Rebellion from Shining, released in 2019, both being fighting games, with the original Blade Arcus from Shining also part of the series.

For quite some time now, there hasn’t been a new, purely tactical episode in the series. A potential one was slated for release in 2022 under the title Shining Force: Heroes of Light and Darkness. This game promised to be a collection remake of Shining Force, Shining Force 2, and Shining Force CD. However, unfortunately, it was ultimately cancelled. Regrettably, when a game gets axed, it’s often an indication that the series may face challenges moving forward.

Namco X Capcom

A Bizarre Crossover Hybrid

Developer: Monolith Soft
Publisher: Namco
Released: May 26, 2005 (Japan)
Platform: PS2
Last Game: Project X Zone 2 (2016)

In 2005, the game titled “Namco x Capcom” was launched for PlayStation 2. As suggested by its name, it featured characters from both Namco and Capcom, including those hailing from the popular series like “Tekken” and “Mega Man.” Unlike conventional games, characters navigated through grid-based maps, but upon encountering targets, the gameplay transformed into an action-oriented format. Unfortunately, this game didn’t reach North American shores, but its spiritual successors did make their way there.

In 2013 and 2016 respectively, North America received “Project X Zone” and its sequel, both for the Nintendo 3DS. Notably, Sega joined the collaboration in 2016, introducing characters from games like “Valkyria Chronicles.” While no new “Project X Zone” game has been released since then, these crossover RPGs have garnered a strong following and could potentially benefit from remastered versions or a follow-up.

Vandal Hearts

Konami’s Short-Lived Tactical Series

Last Game: Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment (2010)

In 1997, the game titled Vandal Hearts made its debut on the PlayStation 1, a year following Japan’s introduction to tactical games. The level of violence in this grid-based tactical RPG was quite intense for that time, appearing rather comical today with its pixelated depictions. In 1999, another installment of the series appeared on the PlayStation 1, and after that, Konami took a break from the series for the first time. Later in 2010, Vandal Hearts resurfaced on Xbox 360 and PS3 with the digital-only launch of Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment.

Back in the day, people weren’t too excited about it, but let me tell you, it’s not a terrible game at all. The development was delegated to an external team, Hijinx Studios, who were responsible for creating games like the Silent Hill HD Collection and Frogger Returns for Konami as well. Interestingly, the only title in this series that’s easily playable nowadays is Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment, due to backwards compatibility on current Xbox consoles. Attempts were made to create a game on the DS around 2004, but unfortunately, those plans didn’t work out.

Metal Gear Acid

Snake Gets Into Card Collecting

Last Game: Metal Gear Acid (2008)

In 2005, the game titled “Metal Gear Acid” made its debut, a year later in Japan, for the PSP platform. This was both a launch title for the system in Japan and North America, an interesting fact within the context of the “Metal Gear” series. Although it was an unconventional spinoff, stealth elements were still present. However, instead of directly controlling Snake or his partner, Teliko, players could navigate the grid-based map by using specific cards to execute actions.

The game was a tactical card RPG, which might initially seem unusual, but it proved successful enough to warrant a follow-up, specifically “Metal Gear Acid 2” released in North America in 2006. This new installment featured a distinctive cel-shaded appearance and introduced Venus as Snake’s replacement partner instead of the original one. In 2008, both games became available on European mobile services. However, since then, there hasn’t been much news about the “Metal Gear” franchise, particularly regarding “Metal Gear Acid.” Despite an upcoming remake of “Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater,” the future of the Metal Gear series appears uncertain.

Tear Ring Saga: Chronicles Of War Hero Yutona

The Creator Of Fire Emblem Starts Anew

Last Game: Tear Ring Saga: Berwick Saga (2005)

In 1990, Shouzou Kaga contributed significantly to the creation of the Fire Emblem series for Nintendo and Intelligent Systems based in Japan. His final game within this series was Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, released in 1999 on the Super Famicom in Japan and the SNES in the West. Following his departure, Kaga established his own company named Tirnanog. After some dedicated efforts, a game that shared similarities with Fire Emblem was launched in 2001 on the PlayStation 1 in Japan under the title Tear Ring Saga: Chronicles of War Hero Yutona.

In a nutshell, the game’s combat system, graphics, map layouts, and various aspects echoed strongly the style of the Fire Emblem series. This is why numerous Wiki pages categorize Shouzou Kaga’s games under the Fire Emblem banner, regardless of their individual titles. Notably, a single sequel to this game franchise was launched on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, exclusively in Japan. After a hiatus, Kaga returned with another spiritual successor series, Vestaria Saga, in 2016. Now that Kaga has moved on, it seems that Tear Ring Saga: Chronicles of War Hero Yutona may no longer be active. However, given that fan translations are already available, it would be advantageous for someone to officially re-release these games in the Western market.

2025-08-21 01:36