An ode to the Strategy RPG - My Top 10 SRPGs of all time

4 years ago I was beginning to tire of videogames. I felt like once you'd played one Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed you'd played them all. For me, games had gotten stale. I tried switching things up. Started playing more RPGs but you can only go on a quest to save the world with a bunch of other young two dimensional characters so many times. I tried playing more platformers but after a few Mario and Kirby clones, I lost interest. I switched to strategy games and that finally hit the spot but there just aren't a lot of good strategy games releasing in a year. You get a Civilization or StarCraft once and a while but after that it kinda goes dry.

Thats when I started using emulators. A friend of mine suggested I try out some GameBoy Advance games like Advance Wars and Fire Emblem. At first, I thought these couldn't possibly hold my interest. These games were 10 years old (at the time) and on a portable system (which I thought of as inferior as far as gaming devices go). I'm so glad I was wrong. Soon after, I got a PSP and played masterpieces like Final Fantasy Tactics, Jeanne D'Arc and Tactics Ogre. For the first time in a long time, I was in gaming bliss!

Maybe in the current drought of good games to play, you are feeling like I did back then? Maybe all you see is remasters of old games you liked and not anything especially new or exciting? I'm here to say sit down and try some Fire Emblem. It might just renew your love for gaming. Over the last few years I have played so many Strategy RPGs and, while I'm not an expert on the matter, I thought it would be a good time to lay down the best 10 SRPGs that I've ever played as a guide to others. So here we go...

#10 Jeanne D'Arc (PSP)

Developed by the illustrious RPG studio Level 5, his little gem is largely forgotten and that's a damn shame. It tells an alternate version of the real life historical figure Joan of Arc but mixes it up with demons controlling the British Royalty. It's plot is okay but the gameplay is where the game really shines. I love the layout of overworld of France and the anime cutscenes are pretty well done. More people need to be talking about this game.

#9 Shining Force II (Genesis/Mega Drive)

I was tempted to put the whole Shining Force saga on here but I feel that Shining Force II is the pinnacle of the series. Its worth mentioning that SF is the first SRPG released in the west but don't let the old Genesis graphics fool you, this game has serious depth and some of the levels are simply genius (the laser eye bridge battle in the first SF game comes to mind). But this game makes up for its graphical presentation with endearing characters and excellent gameplay. Just do yourself a favor and play through the whole series (starting with the GBA remake of SF1.)

#8 Fire Emblem Awakening (3DS)

The game that saved the franchise. Fire Emblem was due for the chopping block and if it wasn't for the explosive sales of this entry in the famous Fire Emblem series, there would not be a Fire Emblem Fates for us SRPG fans to play right now. While the game gets high praise from many, I feel it has several issues that make it inferior to previous entries in the series. The story is somewhat bland and the character classes are badly imbalanced. Still a fantastic game and totally sold me on the 3DS.

#7 XCOM Enemy Unknown (PC/360/PS3/iOS/Android)

Whats this? A western developed SRPG? To be fair, its more of a strategy title but it has many RPG elements like character leveling (ranking in this case). Developed by Firaxis Games and released in 2012, I quickly became a hardcore fan of the series. While the modern XCOM is more streamlined and accessible, the older games are far more difficult and darkly challenging. The story is almost an afterthought here: aliens are invading - stop them. The tactical depth and customization of this game deserves tremendous praise. Best played on PC, FYI.

#6 Advance Wars: Dual Strike (DS)

Another series I was tempted to just put the whole saga on this list. Made by the same studio that makes Fire Emblem, Advance Wars is more of a straight strategy game than a SRPG. But the story telling and charming characters will win you over in no time. Dual Strike is the pinnacle of the series but all 4 games are worth your money and time. Unfortunately the success of Fire Emblem has had an adverse effect and seemingly cancelled this franchise. The 4th game tried to reboot the series and ended up badly dividing the fan base. (I still loved it though!)

#5 Vandal Hearts (PS1)

Recommended to me by an old friend and retrogamer, this one turned out to be way better than I expected. I have yet to play the sequels but the first Vandal Hearts is a genuine masterpiece with a tragic story and sharp and expressive 2D sprites. I love how archers can completely own the battlefield if you can get them up on a hilltop. The strategical depth of this game and gruesome bloody kills sets this game in a class all by itself. Konami really shouldn't have let this franchise die but I guess you could say the same for EVERY Konami franchise at this point lol... :'(

#4 Fire Emblem AKA Fire Emblem Blazing Sword (GBA)

The first Fire Emblem game to come to the west (7th in chronology) and the first one I played. Holy Moley is this game amazing. From the excellent 2D sprite art to the trinity of awesome lead characters, this game is a must play for EVERY SRPG fan. Do whatever it takes, buy it if you can, emulate it if you must, but PLAY THIS GAME! I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say much. Just know that for the longest time, this was my favorite in the series.

#3 Valkyria Chronicles (PS3, PC, PS4 soon)

After Sega left the Shining Force saga to whither and die they decided to try starting a new SRPG franchise during the 7th generation. Valkyria Chronicles is like a mashup of Shining Force and an alternate WWII 3rd person shooter. This was the game that sold me on the PS3 and I don't regret my purchase in the slightest. The watercolor style graphics and awesome story make this game a must play for every SRPG fan and if you haven't played it yet, you'll get your chance when the HD remake arrives on PS4 on May 17th. I bought it on PS3, I bought it on Steam and I'll buy it again on PS4. Such is the awesome power of this masterpiece.

#2 Fire Emblem Path of Radiance (GCN)

And now we come to the greatest Fire Emblem game of them all. The absolute pinnacle of the series. The story of Ike and his band of mercenaries struck a chord with me that no Fire Emblem game has before. Perhaps its because Ike is not a "Lord" like most FE protagonists but just a commoner who is pulled into a massive conflict that's way above his pay grade. Maybe it's characters like the selfish mage Soren or the games' handling of themes like racism that made me care. Or maybe it's the villains like the badass Black Knight or the evil king of Daein that made me root for the heroes all the more. Whatever it was, the story mattered to me and the gameplay was no slouch either boasting a strong but fair difficulty and plenty of secrets. Yes, the sequel screwed things up but that doesn't make the original any less awesome. If ever a game needed an HD remake, this is it. The game commands ridiculous prices online (over $100!) but don't let that stop you. Find a way to play this game. You won't regret it.

Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions:

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Honorable Mentions: Shining Force III trilogy (Saturn)

As I said before, the entire Shining Force series should be on this list but in the interest of diversity I picked only the best one to be here but that shouldn't stop you from playing this trilogy of SRPGs known collectively as SF III. Only the 1st game was released in the west but thank heaven for fan translations! This website has you covered: http://sf3trans.shiningforc...

Honorable Mentions: XCOM 2 (PC)

Just released last month with way too many crippling bugs and glitches, XCOM 2 is a diamond in the rough. Hopefully things can be smoothed out (and console versions released) so that more people can play this amazing sequel.

Honorable Mentions: Fire Emblem The Sacred Stones (GBA)

I thought 3 games in the FE series was enough for a top 10 list but still this game deserves your attention. Its shorter than FE7 and harder to come by in the wild but there's something about that 2D sprite work that keeps me coming back. Worth your time.

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#1 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PS1, PSP, iOS, Android)

This was the game that saved my love of gaming. Not only is this the greatest SRPG I've ever played but its also the best Final Fantasy I've ever played. That isn't to say that this game is perfect. Far from it. You can totally break this game with its unbalanced classes but somehow that makes the game even more fun not less. The story is pure Game of Thrones before GoT was even a thing (well... the first book was out but it wasn't well known yet). The gameplay is extremely addictive with the job system from Final Fantasy providing more depth than most SRPGs ever see. There's just too much to say about this game but that would be time you could use actually playing it! The PSP re-release is the one to buy though with its refined translation, extra jobs and characters and gorgeous cut scenes. I make it a point to replay this game every year. Do whatever you have to do. Let this game be a part of your life and you will not regret it.

That's it for this blog. What are your favorite Strategy RPGs? I know I still have a few to try like Disgaea and Codename S.T.E.A.M. Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!

[Fullmetalevolust]

I am also partial to shining force 3 (all scenarios), best JRPG I've ever played, while final fantasy tactics doesn't even come close to the shining force cannon or fire emblem's.
I am playing through conquest and it is a blast, great story telling and fun gameplay. I want to pick up path of radiance and radiant dawn but they're so expensive.
Great list, S-JRPG is my favorite genre. I am also enjoying playing through Hyperdimension Noire, and I will pick up Stella glow later on this year when the price drops.

[TheColbertinator]

Disgaea games have tons of options and hundreds of hours of play. Best part is taking units and naming them. My RL friends were made into Undead Dragons,Samurai and Beast Tamers in Disgaea 4

[DarXyde]

I agree. I'm surprised to not see Disgaea on this list. It's a pretty great SRPG. It's a bit of a stretch, but if you like Tactics, I'd give Disgaea a try.

[gamejediben]

At the end of my blog I mentioned that I haven't played Disgaea yet but now that its out on PC, I'm gonna give it a go. Glad to see it get a recommendation!

[DarXyde]

Sorry, slight miscommunication.

I just meant it wasn't on your listed titles. Not talking about your "should play" list, just your list in general.

But yeah, give it a whirl.

[MaxCompiler]

You should try Ogre Battle March of the Black Queen for SNES. Its my all time favorite and the one that ignite my passion for this kind of games. Ogre Battle 64 is also great. Nice blog.

[gamejediben]

I have yet to play either of those but I have played Tactics Ogre on PSP, which is part of that same series, and I loved it.

I'll put those on my priority list.

[thorstein]

I was going to say the same. Simply superb games.

[Hoffmann]

Dood where is Disgaea?

[metalgod88]

He mentioned in the blog that he hasn't played it yet, but I say, if he has like 200 hours of free time..go for it dood haha.

I would suggest playing Disgaea 5. They're all pretty much the same, but I just felt that Disgaea 5 does everything the best.

[godofiron]

Dude, also try final fantasy tactics A2 for the DS - fast paced and gorgeous artwork - along with war of the lions and tactics ogre, among the best games ever...!

I commend you on this list, though. I don't find many people around me who dig strategy games like these, especially the Japanese ones.

[BillytheBarbarian]

Shining Force 3 should be number one. Even though many didn't buy a Saturn, it's the best ever. I want a xbla/psn release.

[gamejediben]

I really loved Shining Force III and it would have beaten out SFII on my list if not for a few issues that held it back IMO.

Firstly, the terribad voice acting. Hearing this

http://www.audioatrocities....

every time I cast a spell will make you seriously contemplate continuing the game. I realize that voice acting during this era was almost always bad with the exception of Metal Gear Solid, Lunar 1&2 and a few others. But this is just lazy as all hell. Like someone reading lines on a paper.

Secondly, spreading the story out over 3 games, while ambitious, is also completely unwarranted. It's like the video game counterpart to The Hobbit movie trilogy. There's just too much bread and not enough butter.

Thirdly, when you reach the final boss at the end of the 3rd disc, you need to grind like crazy to be able to beat him. Up until that point, there was NO NEED to grind. And even once you have gotten everyone up to max level, the final boss fight takes FOREVER. It's just unnecessary padding designed to make you play longer.

IMO Shining Force I and II were just so much better paced and, frankly, showed the developers doing so much more with so much less. Shining Force III feels bloated and unsure of itself by comparison. Not to mention, they wouldn't even release the entire game to western audiences, only the first disc. But at least we got that much. We wouldn't see the Fire Emblem series AT ALL until FE7 in 2003!

Having said all that, I would kill for a re-release on modern consoles just so more people can experience the SF saga in all it's glory so they can see why it is one of the greatest SRPGs in the history of gaming. Thanks for reading!

[TheDivine]

Jeanne D'Arc was one of my personal favorites. Awesome art, cutscenes, music, and I love Srpg's with a phase turn.

Obviously Path of Radiance. Its my favorite of all time. Best characters, story, villain, great supports, and the most creative and memorable maps and objectives ever. Bonus exp was a stoke of genius that added challenge and a way to level newer recruits or the ones that fell behind. LOVED IT! Radiant Dawn was just a continuation of PoR minus the supports.

Awakening for other reasons. Objectively it was weak on the tactical gameplay compared to PoR. Boring objectives and it wasn't as expertly crafted or balanced as meticulously. What it had it had in spades. Characters, amazing music, killer production values, great supports, and an amazing story. The story was more than just the plot it was the journey of your character, the memorable death of a certain character and the bitter yet beautiful map after, Basilio's fight, and all of the character growth and motivations. It wasn't even close to as good as other FE games strategy wise but everything else was immaculate. Loved it.

Valkyria Chronicles for sure. Possibly the most beautiful Srpg out there. Its non grid based system was so refreshing at the time as was the aiming and real time shooting aspects. Great story and characters. Part 2 was okish. Didn't play the third which I heard rocked.

I really dug Tears to Tiara 2 since its phase but that's more of a visual novel. The strategy was not so deep. Still a killer game but the lack of a dub hurt it badly IMO.

Every FE ever.

I really dislike Srpg's with a turn order. Stella Glow is the exception because its so damn awesome. Great music, characters, cutscenes, and fun battles. It has surprisingly great voice acting.

I liked some others here and there like Xcom but those were my personal favorites. I tried FF Tactics many times but the gameplay blows. Slow, boring, and I just couldn't do it. Disgaea was a massive grind with no payoff. It's why I dislike "tactics" games. Small boring maps with order based on agility or speed. Wish I could get into Tactics Ogre, FF Tactics, or Gungir not my thing though. Totally like the idea of them though.

Codename Steam was weird for me. It should've had an anime setting like Valkyria IMO. I get what they were trying to do and on paper it seems like something western players would like but it just didn't work. I wanted an rpg. Characters couldn't level and the roster was super tiny without a lot of customization. Enemy turns took forever there was no map. Maybe if it were on WiiU it could've rivaled Xcom and the wackiness would have been better conveyed. Still applaud the effort but it was a hell of a stinker.

[gamejediben]

Great to hear opinions from other SRPG fans! Thanks for reading and I agree with a lot of what you said.

Haven't played some of these but I'm sorry to hear you weren't able to get into FF Tactics. It is slow compared to some other SRPGs but, for me, the story, job system and awesome level designs really sold the game. I loved how some levels required every once of my tactical thinking to beat (the Gafgarion fight in particular) due to the terrain and being outnumbered.

As for phase shift vs. agility priority debate, I enjoy both equally but I admit the agility priority style requires more tactical thinking to be fully enjoyed. Phase shift gameplay is incredibly easy to grasp for newbies though so I always recommend that type to friends who have never played an SRPG.

It's part of why XCOM and Fire Emblem are still around and so many other SRPGs are dead. The genre is just very hardcore and niche and so any kind of accessibility is greatly appreciated. Still... agility priority is the very essence of RPGs as old school Dungeons & Dragons players will know. There's no wrong way to do it. Just more accessible and less accessible ways.

[LiViNgLeGaCY]

Tactics Ogre might be my favorite SRPG of all time.

[gamejediben]

It's a great game and I love how the choices you make totally change the story. Do you choose to be practical? or would you rather stand on your principles? I really got a lot out of Tactics Ogre. But for me, FF Tactics was the better game. I know they are both made by Yasumi Matsuno. The story, even without choices, is just so much better in FF Tactics IMO. Also the characters have a lot more personality as well.

But there's no question that they are both some of the greatest SRPGs of all time.

[WildArmed]

It's one of my top SRPGs too!

This is a great list as well, I've played (and loved) 10 games out of the 13 mentioned.

Working through FE Fates Special Edition right now :)

Finsihed Birhtright and almost done w/ Conquest. Then Revelations and that one story DLC!

[ChiliPants]

advance wars og way better than ds version imo

[FullmetalRoyale]

Man, this was really well thought out, and well written. When I saw that you went and played Advance Wars, I knew I'd be reading the whole thing and commenting. Always glad to see something positive, that took effort to make, so well done.
I'm playing Xcom on Vita as my main, and yeah, there's something about the pure gameplay of these games that just fills a void. It's definitely a je ne sais quoi thing. I guess as much as I love a good story, sometimes I just want to PLAY something. You obviously know what I mean. 😊

Anyway, cool write up, I hope to see more from you.

[Tapani]

Where on earth is Tactics Ogre? The PSP remake is better than Final Fantasy Tactics.

[WooHooAlex]

Great list!
I'd personally put Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on there, though.