Action JRPGs That Should Transition Into Turn-Based Combat

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Summary

  • Yakuza’s success with turn-based RPGs opens the door for other action games to consider the same shift.
  • Castlevania’s party system in Dracula’s Curse sets the stage for an easy transition to a party-based RPG.
  • Tales of series could experiment with traditional turn-based RPG mechanics as it has already evolved its real-time battle system.

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the vast and captivating worlds of video games, I must say that this list is a veritable treasure trove of intriguing ideas and tantalizing possibilities. Having grown up with my nose buried in the pages of strategy guides for games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem, I can’t help but be enthralled by the prospect of seeing some of my favorite series take a turn towards the world of tactical combat.

“The Yakuza franchise was one of the few that sustained the brawler genre over the past decade, delivering brutal, action-packed games to consoles. However, with the release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which is the seventh mainline title excluding the prequel, Sega transformed it into a turn-based role-playing game.

Due to their popularity, the primary Yakuza series will now adopt a turn-based gameplay style, while spinoff titles like “Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name” will stick with action-based gameplay. Could other action games in this series be reimagined as turn-based RPGs and still thrive? Let’s dive in and generate some creative ideas!

6. Castlevania

From Metroidvania To Turn-Based Mania

Although Castlevania isn’t typically labeled as a Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG), its Metroidvania style incorporates Role-Playing Game (RPG) aspects, particularly starting with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. In these Metroidvania games, players can enhance their character stats, acquire new abilities, and gather a decent amount of loot from defeated monsters. However, Castlevania hasn’t followed the traditional turn-based RPG format; yet, there is one game in the series that could be adapted to this style with ease.

In the 80’s, the game “Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse” on NES introduced players to various characters like Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, Grant Danasty, and Alucard for them to explore with. This was before the rise of Metroidvania games, so it wasn’t an RPG, but it did feature a party system. Now, considering remaking it as a party-based RPG would be logical since the Netflix adaptation of this series gained massive popularity a few years back. Although it may seem outdated now, hardcore fans would undoubtedly be thrilled by such an announcement.

5. Custom Robo

Mobilizing Toys To Fight

  • Developer: Noise
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Released: December 8, 1999 (Japan)
  • Platform: N64

Although Custom Robo didn’t become a massive franchise for Nintendo outside Japan, it still had a successful run with multiple games released on the N64, GameCube, and DS. The game concept involved children creating customizable robot toys which they would then battle in arena-style matches, similar to Pokemon but featuring mechs. In Japan, this type of medium is frequently referred to as Gunpla, although this term specifically refers to constructing Gundam models.>

Without mentioning Gundams, these action games might be transformed into strategic turn-based role-playing games (RPGs). They would resemble Square Enix’s Front Mission series in terms of gameplay, but with a more kid-friendly art style and atmosphere to align with Nintendo’s family-oriented brand. Players could customize their robot figurines before engaging them in tactical combat scenarios.

4. Dark Souls

Going Back To Their Roots

Over the course of their career, FromSoftware has developed numerous action games, some even prior to the inception of the Soulslike genre with Demon’s Souls. They also experimented with turn-based RPGs, such as Enchanted Arms on Xbox 360. Given their success in the action RPG genre, it could be intriguing for FromSoftware to revisit turn-based RPGs and attempt another project since Enchanted Arms did not receive widespread acclaim.

A game in the style of Dark Souls, an RPG with turn-based combat, might strongly resemble Darkest Dungeon, another demanding series. By applying their expertise, FromSoftware could revolutionize the turn-based genre, much like they did for action games by setting new standards for challenging yet gratifying play. Given their current popularity, now is an excellent moment to try such a game out and see what they have in store for us in this new format.

3. Kingdom Hearts

Keyblade Master Tactics

The Kingdom Hearts franchise has produced numerous spinoffs since its inception in 2022, yet none of them have incorporated turn-based combat – an unusual choice given Square Enix’s reputation for creating popular turn-based RPGs. There was a foray into mobile gaming with Kingdom Hearts Union, but the nature of mobile games often leads to fleeting popularity.

Instead of Kingdom Hearts 4 being a turn-based game, it could be interesting for Square Enix to explore a tactical RPG spinoff instead. Given the epic nature of the Keyblade Wars, this could provide an excellent setting for a strategy game. Throughout their history, Square Enix has demonstrated expertise in creating engaging strategy games, from Final Fantasy Tactics to Triangle Strategy.

2. Samurai Warriors

Fight Thousands Of Turn-Based Battles?

The game titled Samurai Warriors is the initial significant branch from Dynasty Warriors, concentrating on well-known Japanese historical figures. These Musou-style games, including this one, share a consistent gameplay structure: annihilate countless enemies. While some players might find the combat repetitive and it undeniably can be, there is a dedicated fan base who enjoy nothing more than unwinding and relentlessly attacking.

As a film enthusiast with a passion for the Musou series, I often find myself pondering: What if we could experience the thrill of slaying thousands in a turn-based game instead? Instead of facing multiple enemies in real-time combat, imagine engaging several hundred adversaries across the battlefield.

1. Tales Of

Always Ahead Of Its Time

The Tales of series is one of the older action RPGs from Japan. It began on the SNES in 1995 and instead of randomized turn-based battles, players got into randomized battles that then let players take control of their character in real-time. Now, it was a bit clunky in Tales of Phantasia but over the years the developers have smoothed things over, making the combat more fluid, especially with the latest entry: Tales of Arise.

If the “Final Fantasy” series started with turn-based gameplay and later transitioned to action, it’s plausible for the “Tales of” series to experiment with a traditional turn-based RPG in their next mainline game. An intriguing idea could be having the big console releases (such as PS5 and XSX) feature action-based gameplay, while keeping the Switch or potential future Switch version dedicated to turn-based mechanics. This suggestion might just outdo the daring proposal of “Samurai Warriors” in terms of originality.

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2024-12-22 10:34