Through Rust We Are Returned
When I play a game I want a good story without having to constantly mash the keyboard in fights. This game has a compelling story revealed in the form of character memories. The game play is unique, you use the memories to determine the order of combat bonuses. It is fun and not difficult to play. I hope to see more from Chaos Crew Productions!
– Real player with 2.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best Strategy RPG Cyberpunk Games.
Full Playthrough w/ Both Endings and reading:
Review:
This game is definitely more of a visual novel than a strategy RPG, but it’s pretty well done. I really love the mechanics of equipping memories to adapt and customize your characters it’s really cool, the big problem though is that the battles are mind numbingly easy it’s pretty much a rush down there’s not much strategy required at all. I did enjoy it’s visual novel aspects though it’s a pretty dang story the end through me for a hot minute as I was trying to figure out who was who and what was going on, but it has a really dope cyberpunk victorian take on sociopolitical struggles it’s written pretty well, there’s not many typing errors at all. Definitely recommend it’s a well done free to play my only complaint is I wish the combat was a bit more strategic it seems like they give you certain memories so you can make a tank character, but there’s no reason to might as well just go flat damage and blitz.
– Real player with 2.5 hrs in game
Falnarion Tactics
Still very early in the game but I quite like it thus far, have never had the ability to play any Fire Emblem games but love watching/reading LP’s of them so running across this had me very interested. Overall it seems to be a pretty faithful FE style of game, though it does have some annoying bits.
I think my biggest worry is the low durability on healing items, makes sense for the cure root but really wish the healing staffs had maybe 10 uses instead of 3. The weapons at least have good numbers of uses. I’m sure the healing issue alleviates some as the game progresses though and the heroes grow stronger (my Felm is already quite Tanky which is nice to see in the Lord character)
– Real player with 24.8 hrs in game
In some ways, Falnarion Tactics feels like the most modern and fully-featured SRPG Studio game I’ve yet played, but its maps packed full of dozens upon dozens of enemies, often standing shoulder to shoulder, often opposing just as many NPC allies of yours, combined with a questionable story and very strange balance decisions, made it actually the least fun commercial one I’ve yet played.
On the bright side, it makes use of more SRPG Studio features than most, with a huge variety of equipment, two currencies, one of which can be used to buy levels for characters directly, a lot of side missions that you can do in between story missions, and a huge variety of playable characters. It’s also by far the longest SRPG Studio game I’ve played, with Steam saying I spent 22 hours on it, and my final save file time being just under 15 hours.
– Real player with 21.9 hrs in game
Stardander School for Witches
In this SHATTERED world, humans cannot survive without MAGIC. Someone has to TEACH them. That someone is Darestrand - aka Professor Dare - a Celestial-class Fae cat, protector of humans and head of Stardander School for Witches.
As Professor Dare, you will select a few lucky witches to teach, and choose which classes to teach them.
Support your witches as they navigate magical school life, and decide when to help them, advise them, or punish them.
Guide your witches through perilous team battles to keep the forests surrounding your castle safe. Wild Fae are on the rise and a dangerous enemy lays siege - always ready for a chance to strike.
The World
Long ago, humans summoned Fae creatures to this world and bound them to their will. It was an age of power and magic. But when pacts were broken, that very power - the power of the Fae - turned upon humanity and brought chaos to the world.
Only the aid and protection of fifteen sympathetic Fae kept humans from being annihilated. These fifteen became known as the Protectors, and founded the human-Fae Alliance. But one notoriously powerful and malicious Fae - Apexsens - has a deep grudge against humans and has not given up his quest to exterminate them.
The safety of the Protectors cannot last forever - only through mastering their own magic do humans stand a chance. For nearly 300 years it has been Darestrand’s task - and atonement - to teach humans the very magic that once dominated and enslaved her.
After mysteriously vanishing for seven years, Darestrand is now back to re-open Stardander, the best school for witches and the hope of all humanity. Few now know that she was once a great friend to Apexsens, and it was her who long ago broke the pacts and unleashed him upon the world. When the world’s balance shifts again, where will her loyalties lie?
Features
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Accept witches to your school, helping them grow and learn spells.
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Battle dangerous Fae in a unique turn based battle system.
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Talk to and form pacts with enemy Fae to increase your witch’s power.
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Solve mysteries in a nine year story arc with a high-stakes conclusion.
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Compete with your rival wizard’s school, Kragons, for the highest school rank.
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Decide how to manage all the shenanigans young witches are bound to get up to.
Classes
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Projection - teaches combat magic that banishes enemy Fae.
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Protection - teaches defensive magic that keeps your witches alive.
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Transmutation - teaches constructive magic that creates potions and enchants equipment.
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Channeling - teaches support magic that heals and restores witches.
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Telepathy - teaches mental magic that allows you to sense and communicate with Fae.
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Spirit - teaches binding magic that lets you form pacts with Fae.
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Illusion - teaches sensory magic that tricks and misleads.
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Summoning - teaches transportation magic that brings objects and even Fae to you.
Read More: Best Strategy RPG Magic Games.
Age of Fear 4: The Iron Killer
As with the other Age of Fear games:
Great Story
Great/Challenging Gameplay
Unique Characters
Perfect Music
It also now has many performance bug fixes so everything is extra smooth.
If you like strategy, this is a must buy.
– Real player with 70.5 hrs in game
In my opinion weakest title in the series for two reason:
Just one campaign, so it’s quite a bit shorter than the others
The new faction doesn’t really feel at all central to the story. Sure you field naga units but the story is entirely centered around humans with the faction just being randomly attached. It could just as well be orcs or possums and nothing would change.
Still the game is good enough to give it a thumbs up. If you are looking to enter the series for a first time I’d start with the others.
– Real player with 28.9 hrs in game
Sovereign Tea
The artwork is adorable and charming. The music is absolutely on point for setting the tone and atmosphere. The story has a good level of intrigue with compelling characters. The game play is challenging which made completing the game feel all the more rewarding.
– Real player with 65.5 hrs in game
Coffee? Tea? or perhaps Melee?
In 3HG’s most ambitious project to date, Sovereign Tea offers a unique Tactical Strategy adventure with a focus on unit-to-unit combat and resource management. Whether you’re new to the genre or a seasoned veteran, this game will present a stimulating blend of challenge and catharsis to your experience. The tutorial is intuitive and the first levels offer plenty of room to catch and correct mistakes. There’s even a hint function before each skirmish. However, out of pride, I didn’t really check it. That is, until around the end of the game. Much to my surprise, they weren’t step-for-step guides, but little details to keep in mind that may inspire a new strategy. There were a couple of instances where I knew I had a winning strategy, but I needed to grind through a some extra turns to yield results. Luckily, battles can be revisited (reenacted?) and if I were so inclined, I could try new loadouts or beat my turn record. The characters are written with such detail, they practically read with their own voice. It was fun hearing about a character and speculating how they’d behave or interact with others when they’re finally introduced (based on what I know about their namesake).
– Real player with 41.0 hrs in game
Three Fairies' Hoppin' Flappin' Great Journey!
I’m nearing the (standard, not postgame) end of Three Fairies' Hoppin' Flappin' Great Journey and so far, I’ve had a pretty good time. At first, the game will present itself as a fairly simple RPG with an Active Time Battle system. Very soon you will however find out that manually choosing actions is very inefficient and will likely make you lose battles. Your enemies never take time to think and pick their actions without delay and you’re meant to do the same: With a tactics system.
Basically, you can design behaviour tables for each fairy that they will automatically adhere to. This is done by giving certain actions priority over others and using “if…then do so and so” conditions. Overall, it works splendidly. If you’re worried that the tactics system might be too inflexible, know that you can edit your tactics mid-combat. Later bossfights make this practically mandatory.
– Real player with 85.7 hrs in game
If you liked the idea of FF12’s gambits, but felt they weren’t fully realized, this is the game for you. The tactical starts out with simple elements, but you can make it more and more intricate as the game progresses. The english translation is not perfect, but you definitely shouldn’t have any trouble following the story or understanding the mechanics. You get to meet and fight a lot of different characters, all with their own unique tactics. The only real criticism I can offer is that you never visit any of the well known locations, and instead just travel between various generic biomes, including some very non-canon ones.
– Real player with 85.3 hrs in game
Miasma: Citizens of Free Thought
A great classic strategy game…
– Real player with 0.9 hrs in game
I’m really enjoying my time with this game!
It’s hard to believe it came out so many years ago and yet holds up so well today!
I’m still making my way through but can’t wait to see where the story goes!
– Real player with 0.5 hrs in game
Mugen Souls Z
Mugen Souls Z, like it’s predecessor, combines the incredible/insane character development from Disgaea with a more straightforward combat system. Combat a bit like Neptunia or Fairy Fencer with a few added quirks like charm kills, buff/debuff giving crystals as well as ability to knock around characters.
Story wise it continues directly from Mugen Souls' true ending and the gameplay is essentially the same (with a few improvements).
Improvements from the first:
-Charming enemies is easier, while mood and stereotypes still matter the game will help predict results
– Real player with 104.0 hrs in game
Our favorite Undisputed God of the Universe, Chou-Chou, returns with her crew for a brand-new story revolving around the zodiac. Taking place immediately after the first game, you take control of the goddess Syrma, who meets Chou-Chou before the end of the first game’s events. Syrma is out to stop an ancient threat to her world that has recently awakened. 9999 levels of maniacal mishaps and ethereal adventures await Syrma, her crew, and hordes of Shampurus!
Starting the game is something of a chore. It follows on directly from Mugen Souls, and the ruler of the universe, Lady Chou-Chou, is tired of the little piece of space that she spent her last adventure obtaining. She decides to take over twelve more planets, but her plan quickly unravels when she’s accidentally transformed into a powerless chibi version of herself. Yes, this is the actual plot. More surprising, it takes up to two hours to get to the basic gameplay. This Metal Gear-busting figure includes countless cutscenes, a few tutorials, and a music video, but it’s by no means the end of your learning experience. You’ll keep being introduced to new ideas for a long time.
– Real player with 63.5 hrs in game
Mugen Souls
Just like its demon-turned-angel character, this game has difficulty deciding what it wants to be. Which is unfortunately, as it is a good game. It tries to sell itself on its “sexyness” when in fact, it is hardly present. It tries a lot of gameplay mechanisms but does not really perfect any of them. And I guess that it unfortunately is partially reflected on its score.
So, first, contrary to what the screenshots would suggest, this game has very mild and sparse “sexy content”, to the exlusion of the bath scenes that concludes each chapter. In fact, once you’re past the 1st chapter, it becomes an after-thought story-wise. Maybe the result of the censorship (?), but in my case that striked a good balance.
– Real player with 105.2 hrs in game
A game as absurd as it is full of kinks and innuendo as it is fun.
NOTE 1: Pressing R2 can skip battle animations! or you can disable them entirely in the config menu. This is very important for making the grind go faster.
NOTE 2: The free DLC is nothing but OP items that make the game impossible to lose. Disable DLC in the title screen menu before you press New Game if you want to enjoy playing through it vanilla.
Now, onto the review!/Mechanics Summary!
The story can be described in two words: Galactic domination. You play as (say it with me now) a loli heroine who has amnesia, but instead of saving the world you’re going to 7 different planets subjugating each one along the way. This is done by finding the strongest people on every planet and forcing them to join you. Like all Compile Heart games you’ll end up with a large cast of different personalities who are all hilarious to see interact with one another. Sounds fun? It is. Until the grind.
– Real player with 50.7 hrs in game
Phantom Brave PC
Phantom Brave is about a little girl and her phantom earning money and living their lives on an island whilst encountering all sorts of characters and an over-arching plot that ties itself together towards the end. In other words, this game follows the “slice-of-life” set-up; here are your characters, here is your setting–watch them live their lives. Its one of those, “this could be an anime” type games, and its introduction of tropes and characters makes it very effective.
The general format is the same as the developer’s Disgaea titles: you get an episode, a cutscene, a map is unlocked to play, a cutscene, another map to play, repeat until the episode ends whereby a new episode proceeds. There are a little close to 21 episodes in the game, so you definitely get your moneys worth. Because the format is pretty simple you always have points where you can save and drop the game off before coming back to it. And I can appreciate that.
– Real player with 210.9 hrs in game
I love this game. Fantastic SRPG right here.
It’s got a nice story, memorable characters, fun and unique gameplay, awesome music, and an all-around nice aesthetic with gorgeous sprites. Phantom Brave is seriously a hidden gem. It’s one of Nippon Ichi’s lesser known games, but it’s a fun and unique experience that people are missing out on. Even though the game’s been released effectively 5 times (on PS2, Wii, PSP, PC, and now Switch), it’s still a pretty obscure title that not many talk about. I highly recommend it! I’ll go more in depth about what I love about it below for if you want to read a longer review.
– Real player with 191.6 hrs in game