Turn based RPGs are for those of you who want to enjoy a good story, but with strategy. You want more than just smash the left click until the enemies are dead – you want to see your carefully laid out plans in action. We have compiled a list of games for you that offer the greatest combination of both worlds.
15. Divinity: Original Sin 2
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Early Access Trailer
The Gods are dead and it is up to you, a mystical wielder of forbidden magic to search for a new Divinity before chaos takes over the world.
The evil magicians of the divine order wants to strip you of your powers, but they have their own hidden agenda that threatens to destroy everyone.
With a dark and deep story, gather your band of heroes as you adventure the lands of Rivellon and destroy your foes with magic.
My rating: 5/5.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Kickstarter Pitch video that helped Larian Studios generate $2 million in funding to develop the game
14. The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga Trailer
Enter a world where the Vikings are in a major war against the invading Dredge army.
Your home has been turned to ash and you must lead your caravan of soldiers and survivors across the harsh landscape and hopefully find peaceful habitable land.
There will be many brave warriors and heroes under your command, but not all of them will survive in the bloody battles that you will undertake.
It is up to you not only to ensure your own survival, but the survival of an entire civilization.
My rating: 4/5.
The Banner Saga combat gameplay. Look at the cool battle animations!
13. King's Bounty: The Legend
King's Bounty: The Legend - Gameplay
Welcome to a fantasy land where honorable knights, vile mages, astute kings and lovely princesses exists.
You are a hero in the world of Endoria, sworn to serve your King. But the task will not be easy an easy one, as the journey will be perilous and fraught with danger.
You must build a strong Army of troops using gold and magic crystals if you are to defeat the powerful enemies who stand in your way.
There will be three classes available for your style of play: The Warrior, Mage, or the Paladin. Overcome your foes with sword, magic or holy power as you adventure throughout Endoria , in search of a powerful artifact known as the Rage Chest.
My rating: 4/5.
Image
A sneak peak of the character interface in King's Bounty
12. Wasteland 2: Director's Cut
"Welcome to the Wasteland" Trailer
The world is now a post apocalyptic wasteland with unknown dangers and bandits everywhere. You must lead your team of Rangers throughout the wasteland and bring order and justice where chaos is thriving.
With over 150 weapons available, you would deck out your team of Rangers with a deadly combination of weapons in order to survive the hellish environment.
There is no mercy in the barren wastelands. The Rangers will either make their mark or die trying.
My rating: 4/5.
No Ranger who dies in the line of duty will ever be forgotten trailer
11. Expeditions: Viking
Expeditions: Viking Announcement Trailer
Lead a band of battle Viking warriors as you explore, adventure, and enter bloody battles with your posts in 790 AD England.
The battle will not be easy, as your enemies plot against you. Many will fight you, and many will die.
You must build up your power and organize raids to plunder towns and villages, trade with others and establish political alliances, and and carve your name as a mighty legend in history.
Peaceful Trader or Warmongering Tyrant? You decide.
My rating: 3.8/5.
Devs Play - Expeditions: Viking - The Northmen Raid
10. Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Image
Demons and automatic weapons.
Shadowrun: Dragonfall was an expansion for Shadowrun Returns, but now it’s a standalone game. It starts with you, a shadowrunner, investigating the death of a friend. By the end, you will be solving huge conspiracies, involving corporations and dragons.
Top-down Shadowrunning.
Unlike in Shadowrun Returns, you have a fixed party of four instead of hired mercenaries, and a much more focused story. The combat and the interface are also improved. If you are looking for a Shadowrun game, this is the best out there. Even if you are unfamiliar with the universe, Dragonfall is a great starting point.
My rating: 4/5.
Director's Cut is bigger and better in every aspect.
9. Divinity: Original Sin
Image
You can use the elements to your advantage.
In Divinity: Original Sin you play as two heroes (co-op is an option, of course) defending the world from an all-consuming Void. Combat is turn based, everything else is real time. One of the main features of the game is how you can manipulate the environment. For example: you and your party stand against a horde of orcs. There’s an oil barrel next to them. So you shoot a flaming arrow into it, covering the greenskins in burning oil. By the time they get out of it, they’ll be easy pickings for your warrior.
Showcasing the features of the game.
An Enhanced Edition was just announced, promising new quests, new abilities and full voice acting for every quest – completely free if you own the game.
My rating: 4.5/5.
Watch as you destroy your enemies with powerful explosive magic
8. Valkyria Chronicles
Image
The Anime style of the game really stands out.
Valkyria Chronicles features a WW2-fantasy setting with deep tactics. You play as a young college student forced into war, defending your small country against an invading empire. You have to know your soldier’s strengths and weaknesses to win against your enemy’s stronger units – but when you do, it is very satisfying.
The right soldier at the right time.
Valkyria Chronicles is one of the most underrated gems of the gaming world; this one is definitely worthy of your attention!
My rating: 4.5/5.
A brutal war mixed with fantasy.
7. Chroma Squad
Image
You even have the giant robots.
Quick question: did you like the old Power Rangers series? If the answer is yes, this game is just for you. You play as a group of stuntmen making a TV show, and it’s full of Power Rangers references. Each battle is an episode, and your success is measured by the audience it attracts.
CUT!
You also have secondary objectives, like performing a certain number of acrobatic attacks in an episode, or killing a number of monsters with your main character. Between episodes, you have to manage your studio and your actors, crafting armor and weapons for them.
My rating: 3.5/5.
It's like watching a Power Rangers episode in pixel art.
6. Blackguards 2
Image
Blackguards 2 presents you with creative and interactive maps.
The original Blackguards received mixed reviews because of its weak story and unbalanced combat, and the developers have learned from that. This time around, they have streamlined the game a bit, trying to make the experience more focused. You cannot make your own character, instead you have to play as Cassia, a mad woman bent on taking over the world.
Blackguards 2 has many new elements.
The basic, turn based formula stayed, however with a few improvements. It shows that the developer listened to the gamers, and tried to make the best turn based RPG they could.
My rating: 3/5.
A march into madness.
5. Battle Brothers
Image
This isn't going well.
Although still in early access, this game shows a lot of promise. You are the commander of twelve mercenaries. The game is very similar to Mount and Blade (without the horses, this time).
Who says you can't fight bandits in your underwear?
As it is now, Battle Brothers features a near-complete battle mechanic and randomly generated worlds. The developers also promised faction wars and a story. The full release is scheduled to 2016, but you can easily put 15-20 hours into it as it is.
My rating: 4/5.
It's time to get medieval.
4. Invisible Inc.
Image
She makes your heart skip a beat.
Invisible Inc. a turn-based stealth game with RPG elements in it. You lead a group of secret agents against an alliance of corporations. They have taken away your supercomputer’s power source however, so it will die in 72 in-game hours.
Interactive spy movie.
When you’re out of time, you have to go the final level (and probably fail, because it is very hard). This makes for an interesting change, and forces you to play it through multiple times. Each time, you are awarded with more and more agents and tools to use.
My rating: 4/5.
Infiltration successful.
3. Might and Magic Heroes VII
Image
Looks promising.
The Heroes series has been around for years, delivering more and more turn based strategy and roleplaying in a unique fantasy world. The seventh installment is said to arrive in September this year.
The Haven race in action.
In the final game, there will be six playable factions, each with their own campaign. As of June 3rd, you can play the beta version of it, featuring two factions and two skirmish maps.
Lead your heroes to victory!
2. XCOM 2
Image
Looks shiny.
XCOM 2 was just announced, and it is already looking to be a worthy sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It is set in the future, 2035, where the aliens and humanity have “unified” – meaning that humanity has surrendered, and is now a part of the alien empire. Only a few humans are free. As the leader of the last members of XCOM, you must rebel against the alien rulers. The trailer has promised an interesting new setting, new aliens and possibly even melee combat. The only reason the game is not number 1 is because it’s not out yet.
Welcome back, Commander.
1. Darkest Dungeon
Image
That's got to hurt.
You opened an ancient portal in your family manor, and now, an evil force has taken it over. You hire mercenaries to fight it, but it is not going well. Each time a mercenary goes on an assignment, they become stressed, and after a while, they snap. Some of them become terrified of the dark, others give up and refuse healing or bring down morale.
The Dungeon is a dark and scary place.
It is the first time a video game shows how even the toughest warriors can go insane fighting the undead and infernal demons. The combat is possibly the best we have seen in an indie turn based RPG, requiring a lot of planning and careful positioning. Darkest Dungeon is still in Early Access, but you should definitely try it out.
