A number of early role-playing video games used a tactical form of combat, such as
Tunnels of Doom (1982) and
Ultima III: Exodus (1983), as well as
The Dragon and Princess (1982) Nevertheless, much of the development of tactical RPGs has diverged on each side of the Pacific, and the term "tactical RPG" is sometimes reserved only for those titles that were created in Japan.
8-bit origins in Japan (1982–1990) One of the earliest
Japanese RPGs,
Koei's
The Dragon and Princess, was released on
NEC's
PC-8001 home computer platform in 1982. This game can also be considered a precursor to the tactical RPG genre. It used a combat system where, following a
random encounter, the game transitioned to a separate, graphical, overhead battle screen, and
tactical turn-based combat ensued. That same year,
Tunnels of Doom used a similar combat system, During the
8-bit era,
Bokosuka Wars, a computer game developed by Koji Sumii for the
Sharp X1 in 1983 and ported to the
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by
ASCII in 1985, was responsible for laying the foundations for the tactical RPG genre, or "simulation RPG" genre as it is known in Japan, with its blend of role-playing and
strategy game elements. The game revolves around a king who must recruit soldiers and lead his army against overwhelming enemy forces, while each unit gains experience and
levels up along the way. It is also considered to be an early prototype
real-time strategy game. Another notable early example of the genre was
Kure Software Koubou's 1988
PC-8801 strategy RPG,
Silver Ghost, which was cited by
Camelot Software Planning's Hiroyuki Takahashi as inspiration for the
Shining series of tactical RPGs. According to Takahashi,
Silver Ghost was a simulation action type of game where the players had to direct, oversee and command multiple characters. Unlike later tactical RPGs, however,
Silver Ghost was not
turn-based, but instead used real-time strategy and
action role-playing game elements. It also featured a
point-and-click interface, to control the characters using a cursor. A similar game released by Kure Software Koubo that same year was
First Queen, a unique hybrid between a real-time strategy, action RPG, and strategy RPG. Like an RPG, the player can explore the world, purchase items, and level up, and like a
strategy video game, it focuses on recruiting soldiers and fighting against large armies rather than small parties. The game's "Gochyakyara" ("Multiple Characters") system let the player control one character at a time while the others are controlled by computer
AI that follow the leader, and where battles are large-scale with characters sometimes filling an entire screen.
Master of Monsters, developed by SystemSoft and released in 1989 for the
MSX2, added fantasy characters and magic attacks to the gameplay of the wartime combat
Daisenryaku series, which had instead opted for tanks, planes, and other vehicles of real-world modern combat.
Master of Monsters also added experience bars for the character units, a concept which would be adapted and popularized by later console-based series like
Fire Emblem. Unlike many other early titles in the genre,
Master of Monsters made its way to the west via a port to the
Sega Genesis in 1991, albeit only in North America. However, the genre did not become prolific until
Nintendo published the game that set the template for
tactical wargame RPGs,
Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi. Developed by
Intelligent Systems and released exclusively in Japan for the Nintendo
Famicom in 1990,
Fire Emblem would become an archetype for the whole genre, establishing gameplay elements that are still used in tactical RPGs today, though many of these elements were influenced by earlier RPGs and
strategy games. Combining the basic concepts from games like
Dragon Quest and simple
turn-based strategy elements that the development team gained experience with in their 1988 release
Famicom Wars, Intelligent Systems created a hit, which spawned many sequels and imitators. It introduced unique features such as how the characters were not interchangeable pawns but each of them were unique, in terms of both class and stats, and how a character who runs out of
hit points would usually remain dead forever. The latter mechanic was used to introduce a
non-linear storyline to the genre, where different
multiple endings are possible depending on which characters are alive or dead,
Eastern console history (1991–present) 16-bit consoles During the
16-bit generation, among the first imitators was
Langrisser by NCS/Masaya, first released for the
Mega Drive / Genesis in 1991. It was translated for North American release and retitled
Warsong. The
Langrisser series differed from
Fire Emblem in that it used a general-soldier structure instead of controlling main characters.
Langrisser, too, spawned many sequels, none of which were brought to North America.
Langrisser set itself apart from other tactical RPGs in its time with larger-scale battles, where the player could control over thirty units at one time and fight against scores of enemies. Since
Der Langrisser in 1994, the series offered non-linear branching paths and
multiple endings. The player's choices and actions affected which of four different paths they followed, either
aligning themselves with one of three different factions or fighting against all of them. Each of the four paths leads to a different ending and there are over 75 possible scenarios.
Langrisser III introduced a relationship system similar to
dating sims. Depending on the player's choices and actions, the feelings of the female allies will change towards the
player character, who will end up with the female ally he is closest with.
Master of Monsters was a unique title by
SystemSoft. Where
Langrisser and
Fire Emblem used a square-based grid,
Master of Monsters used a hexagonal grid. Players could choose one of four different Lords to defend their Towers and areas on the grid by building an army of creatures to destroy the opposing armies. This game had a sequel for the PlayStation called
Master of Monsters: Disciples of Gaia, which had limited success and was criticized for its slow gameplay. Both
Warsong and
Master of Monsters were cited as the inspirations behind the 2005
turn-based strategy computer RPG,
The Battle for Wesnoth. The first game in the long-running
Super Robot Wars series is another early example of the genre, initially released for the Game Boy in 1991. Another influential early tactical RPG was
Sega's
Shining Force for the Sega Genesis, which was released in 1992.
Shining Force used even more console RPG elements than earlier games, allowing the player to walk around towns and talk to people and buy weapons. It spawned sequels,
Shining Force II for Sega Genesis and
Shining Force CD for Sega CD, besides the
Shining Force Gaiden 1, 2 and 3 for Sega Game Gear and
Shining Force III for Sega Saturn. The game's creator,
Camelot Software Planning's Hiroyuki Takahashi, cited Kure Software Koubou's 1988 tactical RPG,
Silver Ghost, as his inspiration. Such factors affect the game's ending, which is also affected by decisions such as whether to obtain the most powerful class, which can only be acquired by making a tragic sacrifice. Another feature was "Warren's Report", Although this game defined the genre in many ways, it was not widely recognized by American gamers because it was released to American audiences several years later.
Final Fantasy Tactics shared some staff members with
Tactics Ogre and shares many of its gameplay elements. A prequel to the original
Tactics Ogre,
Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis, was later released for the Game Boy Advance. A remake of
Let Us Cling Together was later released for the
PSP in 2011. In 1996, the tactical role-playing game
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War also featured a non-linear branching storyline, but instead of using an alignment system, it used a relationship system resembling dating sims that gave players the ability to affect the relationship points between different units/characters. This in turn affected both the gameplay and storyline, with the different possible relationships in the first generation of the game's plot leading to different units/characters appearing during the second generation, ultimately leading to different possible outcomes to the storyline.
32-bit consoles ''. The character's movement range is indicated in blue. Some terrain objects such as trees block movement. The terrain also shows a noticeable variation in height at different places. The
32-bit era saw many influential tactical RPGs, such as
Konami's 1996
Vandal Hearts series, which feature branching storylines that can be altered by the player's
dialogue choices that lead to different endings, as well as Sega's 1997
Shining Force 3,
SCEI's
Arc the Lad Collection (1996–1999), and Square's 1997
Final Fantasy Tactics and 1999
Front Mission 3. Konami's
Vandal Hearts was an early PlayStation title that helped popularize tactical RPGs in the US. It was released by
Konami and featured a 3D isometric map that could be rotated by the player. A sequel was subsequently released, also for the PlayStation. One of the first 32-bit tactical RPGs,
Guardian War, was developed by
Micro Cabin and released in 1993 on the
Panasonic 3DO. While the game lacked in story, it included many game mechanics that are seen throughout many of the 32-bit tactical RPGs; like isometric camera rotation, interchangeable and hybridization of "jobs" or "classes" for each character, the combination of moves between characters, and the capture of NPCs and having them play on your side.
Sega's
Sakura Wars, released for the
Sega Saturn in 1996, combined tactical RPG combat with
dating sim and
visual novel elements, introducing a
real-time branching choice system where, during an event or conversation, the player must choose an action or dialogue choice within a time limit, or not to respond at all within that time. The player's choice, or lack thereof, affects the
player character's relationship with other characters and in turn the characters' performance in battle, the direction of the storyline, and the ending. Later games in the series added several variations, including an action gauge that can be raised up or down depending on the situation, and a gauge that the player can manipulate using the
analog stick depending on the situation. The success of
Sakura Wars led to a wave of games that combine the RPG and dating sim genres, including
Thousand Arms in 1998,
Riviera: The Promised Land in 2002, and
Luminous Arc in 2007.
Final Fantasy Tactics was arguably the most responsible for bringing tactical RPGs to North America. Developed by former employees of
Quest, the developer responsible for the
Ogre Battle series, it combined many elements of the
Final Fantasy series with
Tactics Ogre-style gameplay. It also expanded on the isometric grid combat of
Tactics Ogre by allowing players to freely rotate the camera around the battlefield rather than keeping the camera in a fixed position. The storyline of
Final Fantasy Tactics was also more linear than its predecessor, in order to provide a deeper epic narrative. The game was acclaimed for both its highly tactical gameplay and its well-written storyline that touches on issues such as class, privilege, religion, and politics. It was later ported to the PSP as
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions and is still regarded as one of the greatest tactical RPGs of all time.
Sixth generation On
sixth-generation consoles, a loyal American fan-base has been established by
Nippon Ichi, makers of the
PlayStation 2 games
La Pucelle: Tactics,
Phantom Brave, and
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. Of these games,
Disgaea has been the most successful to date, and was the second Nippon Ichi game released in North America, the first being
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (published by Atlus). Throughout this generation, companies have recognized the large audience and popularity of these types of games, particularly Atlus and Nintendo.
La Pucelle: Tactics and
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, which Atlus re-released due to high demand, have become cult hits for the PlayStation 2. In 2001,
Sakura Wars 3 for the
Dreamcast introduced a new combat system that incorporates
action elements, This type of combat system would later be the basis for the combat system in
Valkyria Chronicles, developed by much of the same team in 2008. The
Sakura Wars series would not be released in the West until the fifth game,
Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (2005). The game would be highly praised for adapting the combat mechanics of the highly detailed and acclaimed PC strategy series, but would also receive criticism for sub-par presentation, a lackluster storyline, and lack of link-mode support. The game ended up receiving an average score of 77.83% at
GameRankings. In early 2006,
Idea Factory's
Blazing Souls featured nonlinear gameplay that allows the player to progress through the game and the story in whatever order they wish. In addition, instead of having separate screens or maps for exploration and battle, the game features a seamless transition between exploration and battle. This time period also saw the Western debut of
Fire Emblem in
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (simply titled
Fire Emblem outside Japan).
Seventh generation On
seventh-generation consoles,
Sega's
Valkyria Chronicles (2008) for the
PlayStation 3 utilizes the
seventh-generation console processing power by using a distinctive anime/watercolor art style, as well as incorporating
third-person tactical shooter elements. After selecting a character in the overhead map view, the player manually controls him/her from a
third-person view. This mechanic allows for, among others: free movement to a certain range,
manual aiming with extra damage for headshots, a limited
cover system, and
real-time hazards, such as interception fire and
landmines. The game has been described as "the missing link between
Final Fantasy Tactics and
Full Spectrum Warrior". In 2004,
Konami released
Metal Gear Acid, which combined the
stealth game elements of the
Metal Gear series with turn-based tactical RPG gameplay of games like
Fire Emblem,
Final Fantasy Tactics, and
Disgaea, along with the random-draw, forethought and
resource management appeal of card battles like in Konami's own
Yu-Gi-Oh! games (1999 onwards). Developer
Kuju Entertainment released
Dungeons & Dragons Tactics for the PlayStation Portable in 2007. The game intended to adapt the rules and mechanics of the popular table-top role-playing game,
Dungeons & Dragons, but suffered from a poor interface and awkward camera controls. The
Atlus title
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (2009) blended together both traditional and tactical RPG gameplay along with non-linear
adventure game elements. It also featured an innovative demon auction system and a death clock system where each character has a specified time of death, with the player's actions and choices having consequences on who lives and dies.
Infinite Space (2009) by
PlatinumGames, for the Nintendo DS, is a hybrid of tactical role-playing, real-time strategy and
space simulator elements, and an epic scale spanning hundreds of planets.
Radiant Historia, released by Atlus for the
Nintendo DS in 2010, combined the gameplay of traditional RPG titles with a highly tactical grid combat system, with several unique features such as a queue allowing party members to switch turns and perform combo attacks when near each other on the queue, and the manipulation of enemy positions by knocking a target onto another grid space and attack multiple targets when enemies fall onto the same grid space. The game is most notable for its unique take on the concept of
non-linear branching storylines, which it combines with the concepts of time travel and
parallel universes, expanding on the
Chrono series.
Radiant Historia takes it much further by giving players the freedom to travel backwards and forwards through a timeline to alter the course of history, with each of their choices and actions having a major effect on the timeline. The player can return to certain points in history and live through certain events again to make different choices and see different possible outcomes on the timeline. The player can also travel back and forth between two parallel timelines, and can obtain many possible parallel
endings.
Square Enix's PSP version of
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, released around the same time, featured a similar "World" system that allows players to revisit key plot points and make different choices to see how the story unfolds differently.
Atlus title
Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of the Time (2012) features a unique battle system that blends turn-based and real-time strategy. The player controls each character in turn, but the actions play out in real-time.
Imageepoch's title
Saigo no Yakusoku no Monogatari (
Final Promise Story) for the PlayStation Portable has a strategic command-based battle system where enemies learn from previous skirmishes. The characters can also die permanently during gameplay which in turn affects the game's storyline.
Western personal computers Many Western PC games have utilized this genre for years, as well. Western games tend to have stronger military themes, without many of the fantasy elements often found in their console (and mainly Japanese) counterparts, as well as greater freedom of movement when interacting with the surrounding environment. Notable examples include the
Jagged Alliance series (1994-2023) and the
Silent Storm series (2003-2005), with many titles owing considerably to the
X-COM series (1994-2016) of strategy games. In fact, Western PC games in the genre were largely defined by
X-COM in much the same way as Eastern console games were by
Fire Emblem.
1990s Lords of Chaos (1990) came about when
Julian Gollop wanted to add more role-playing elements to his 1985 video game
Chaos: The Battle of Wizards, which was more of a tactical wargame.
Incubation: Time Is Running Out (1997),
Gorky 17 (1999, a.k.a.
Odium) is a tactical RPG by Polish developer
Metropolis Software featuring elements of
survival horror. It is also the first title in a series featuring the main character, Cole Sullivan. Later titles in the series were
third-person shooters. The game's reception was mixed.
Vantage Master is a series of tactical RPGs similar to
Master of Monsters developed and published by
Nihon Falcom for Microsoft Windows, beginning in 1997. The first game in the series was never released outside
Japan,
South Korea and
Taiwan. The latest game,
Vantage Master Portable for the
PSP, was released on April 24, 2008.
Jagged Alliance is a tactical turn-based RPG series developed by
Sir-Tech Canada released in 1995, with
a sequel released in 1999. A
third game in the series, developed by
Haemimont Games and published by
THQ Nordic, was released in 2023.
2000s '' presents the player with two sets of equipped weapons, numerous stances, and several different firing modes. Terrain elevation is also completely fluid, with smooth ramps, sloping embankments, flights of stairs and ladders (not pictured).
Shadow Watch (2000) is a video game adaptation of the ''
Tom Clancy's Power Plays novel of the same name developed by Red Storm Entertainment. It has also been compared to X-COM'', though it features a different action point system and is missing the latter game's upgradable units. The game's reception was mixed.
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (2001) is a
spin-off of the
Fallout series of CRPGs by
Interplay Entertainment developed by Australian company
Micro Forté. Unusual for the genre is the option to choose between real-time and turn-based play, or between "Continuous Turn-Based Mode" (CTB), "Individual Turn-Based Mode" (ITB), and "Squad Turn-Based Mode" (STB) modes as the developers put it. The game even allows the player to switch modes in the middle of play. though was not as well-received as the series' more traditional RPG titles.
Soldiers of Anarchy (2002) is a squad-based
real-time tactics computer game by German developer
Silver Style Entertainment. Gameplay involves squad tactics, vehicles and a wide variety of weapons and ammunition. The game received mixed reviews from critics.
Freedom Force (2002) and its sequel,
Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich (2005) - both by
Irrational Games - are two examples of comic book
superhero tactical RPGs that are played in real-time instead of turns. Both games received favorable reviews from critics.
Paradise Cracked (2003),
Cops 2170: The Power of Law (2005),
Metalheart: Replicants Rampage (2004) and
Shadow Vault (2004) are poorly received tactical RPGs by
MiST Land South,
Akella and Mayhem Studios of Russia and Slovakia, respectively.
Paradise Cracked was inspired by
cyberpunk works such as
The Matrix,
Blade Runner,
Ghost in the Shell, and
Philip K. Dick novels; is a tactical RPG co-developed by Russian companies Novik & Co and
Nival Interactive, and published by
CDV. It is set in the
Silent Storm universe and follows the events in the main series. After this came
Night Watch (2006) and its sequel,
Day Watch (2007), also by Nival Interactive, but instead based on the Russian
novels and films of the same name. All three games received mediocre-to-poor review scores despite utilizing the highly regarded
Silent Storm engine. Other titles inspired and its sequel, simply titled
7.62 (2007), by Russian developer Apeiron;
Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge (2007) by GFI Russia; and
Jagged Alliance: Back in Action by bitComposer Games. The
Brigade E5 series incorporates an innovative hybrid real-time system the company calls "Smart Pause Mode" in an attempt to heighten realism;
Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge began its life as
Jagged Alliance 3D before Strategy First withdrew the rights to the series name;
Jagged Alliance: Back in Action is a 3D, real-time
remake of
Jagged Alliance 2. Lastly,
Jagged Alliance: Flashback was released in 2014 following a successful
Kickstarter. The developer Full Control gained notoriety, however, for feuding with its backers, and the company stopped making games shortly thereafter. Additional titles inspired by
X-COM include
UFO: Aftermath (2003),
UFO: Aftershock (2005),
UFO: Afterlight (2007) and
UFO: Extraterrestrials (2007) by Czech developers ALTAR Interactive and Chaos Concept; as well as
Xenonauts (2014) by Goldhawk Interactive. ALTAR's
UFO series features real-time play; Chaos Concept's
UFO: Extraterrestrials received only mixed reviews; and
Xenonauts currently has a "Very Positive" rating on Steam. The open source, cross-platform
X-COM-clone
UFO: Alien Invasion is also under development.
The Battle for Wesnoth (2005) is another
Master of Monsters and
Warsong clone, released under an
open source license for multiple platforms. It is also continually updated.
2010s The tactical isometric cyberpunk/fantasy RPG,
Shadowrun Returns (2013), was funded via a successful crowd-sourced
Kickstarter campaign that raised a total of $1.9 million for development. The game is based on the popular
Shadowrun pen-and-paper setting by
Jordan Weisman, and features tactical combat in a world filled with cybernetics,
magic and
fantasy creatures. Two sequels,
Shadowrun: Dragonfall (2014) and
Shadowrun: Hong Kong (2015) quickly followed. An online tactical game not directly related to the previous three games,
Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown, was released to less-than-positive reviews in 2015. In 2014 the tactical RPG
Blackguards based on the German
The Dark Eye pen-and-paper setting was released to mixed or average reviews. A sequel,
Blackguards 2, was released one year later. In 2014,
The Banner Saga was released, the first chapter of a TRPG trilogy that would lead to
two sequels. 2015 saw the release of
Invisible, Inc. for OS X, Windows and Linux. It has been described as a "tactical RPG that mixes stealth with procedural generation", since it introduces elements of espionage and
roguelike gameplay. It received generally favorable scores from reviewers. A version for the
PlayStation 4 and
Nintendo Switch has been released. In March 2017 the
German indie developer Overhype Studios released its tactical RPG
Battle Brothers out of
Early Access to generally favorable reviews. This mercenary company simulation was described as a "cleverly constructed, carefully balanced board game".
Genre blurring Other games combine similar mechanics, but typically belong in other genres.
Tactical wargames such as the
Steel Panthers series (1995–2006) sometimes combine tactical military combat with RPG-derived unit advancement. ''
Avalon Hill's Squad Leader (2000), a man-to-man wargame utilizing the Soldiers at War engine, has also been compared (unfavorably) to X-COM
and Jagged Alliance
. Rebelstar (1984) and Laser Squad (1988) were precursors to X-COM'' created by the same developer,
Julian Gollop. They did not, however, feature the
statistical character development and strategic map of the later series.
Bokosuka Wars (1983), a game regarded as the progenitor of the strategy/simulation RPG genre, and an early
action role-playing game. ''
Nobunaga's Ambition'' (1983) and later
Koei titles as well as Capcom's
Destiny of an Emperor (1989) have blurred the line between a role-playing game, turn-based
grand strategy wargame, and
simulation video game. Similarly, Kure Software Koubou's
Silver Ghost (1988) combined elements of both tactical RPGs and action RPGs,
The 3rd Birthday (2010), the third game in the
Parasite Eve series, features a unique blend of
action role-playing game, real-time tactical RPG,
survival horror and third-person tactical shooter elements.
Dead State (2014) is a turn-based RPG developed by
DoubleBear Productions and Iron Tower Studios set in a
zombie apocalypse scenario. Players are tasked with leading a group of survivors living in a shelter in the fictional town of Splendid,
Texas.
Dead State mixes tactical combat and RPG character development with
survival horror and
base management elements. An "enhanced edition" was released in 2015 under the name,
Dead State: Reanimated.
Full-fledged CRPGs A number of "full-fledged" computer role-playing games could also be described as having "tactical combat". Examples from the classic era of CRPGs include parts of the aforementioned
Ultima series beginning with
Ultima III: Exodus (1983); the
Realms of Arkania (1992-1996) series based on the German
The Dark Eye pen-and-paper system; Other examples include
Troika Games'
The Temple of Elemental Evil (2003), which features a highly accurate implementation of the
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition ruleset;
Knights of the Chalice (2009), which implements the d20
Open Game License; and
Pyrrhic Tales: Prelude to Darkness (2002), an
open world RPG featuring one continuous game world. More recent examples include
Wasteland 2 (2014),
Divinity: Original Sin (2014) and
The Age of Decadence (2015). Partly due to the success of
Wasteland 2,
Divinity: Original Sin,
Shadowrun: Dragonfall,
Blackguards and
Dead State, 2014 has been labeled "the first year of the CRPG renaissance".
Tir-nan-óg (beginning in 1984) is a series of role-playing video games that premiered in Japan on the
PC98 and later released for
Windows. The latest title in the series is also being released for the
PlayStation 2 and PSP.
Heroes of Jin Yong (1996), a Chinese role-playing game based on the popular historical
Wuxia novels by
Jin Yong, features a number of melee and ranged
kung fu skills to train and develop, as well as a grid-based battle system. A remake of the game under the title of
Tale of Wuxia was released in Chinese in 2015, and later on
Steam in both Chinese and English in 2016.
Massively multiplayer online gaming Several
massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) have combined multiplayer online gaming with tactical turn-based combat. Examples include,
Dofus (2005),
The Continuum (2008), as well as the Russian game
Total Influence Online (2009).
Tactica Online was a planned MMORPG that would have featured tactical combat, had development not been cancelled in 2006.
Gunrox (2008),
Poxnora (2006) and
Wakfu (2012) are some other recent examples. ==Popularity==