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Forums - Gaming - Do You Prefer Action RPG's or Turn Based RPG's?

Kresnik said:

Turn based. But I really love Tales' battle systems.

For some reason, not Star Oceans' though (at least not in TTEoT).

I'm pretty much the same. I prefer turn based with solid, well defined turns, not that "stop the game every second to input commands if you want to do your best" some PC wrpgs have.

Random encounters aren't mandatory for turn based rpg's. I guess TC hasn't played Chrono Trigger, Lufia 2, Grandia, Atelier games since Atelier Iris 3, Persona since P3 and Arc Rise Fantasia, to name a few.

 

In the Tales vs Star Ocean 3 debate I prefer Tales too because in SO 3 there wasn't many "true" combos. Regular enemies had very short "hit" animations and could still hit you between arts. Plus there was the guard, which blocked weak attacks/arts, and it was annoying because you're forced to use weak arts for chains (strong -> strong wasn't possible).



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Action rpg's. Though many of my favorite rpg's are turn based.



Action RPG.

Y's series has consumed me ever since I played the 1st one on the Sega Master System.
Y's, Dark Cloud, Zelda, Alundra are a few of my favorites.

I was never into the FF and the likes..........Keep on Gaming.



I really prefer turn based RPG´s - more strategy, more thinking, higher challenges.

Still, some games, like the Tales Series, do have interesting action battles.



I prefer turn based I like to have control of all my party members plus I don't mind grinding or random enemy encounters.



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I like turn based best, but I enjoy both. I'll also respond to each of your reasons.

In a well balanced turn based RPG, the game can prove difficult, but still be possible to complete without requiring the player to grind. There are many games that do this, and they still have difficulty without the impossible without grinding difficulty.

Being easier to understand and master as a action RPG and turn based RPG isn't correct. An action RPG can have gameplay ideas that are more difficult to use than a turn based RPG. Take Oblivion for instance. One well known issue about the game is the level up system. In order level up properly and get stronger, you need to get the 10th level in your major skills right when or after you have 10 points in three different categories. Does that not sound confusing to you? When the game doesn't even tell you that and the gamer is supposed to find out themselves it makes it worse. There's also binding weapons, binding armor, creating spells, etc. There's quite a bit of depth to the game that you won't be able to do and when you can do it there's just a lot going on. And I've only described some of what the game has to offer.

No random encounters is actually a much worse way an RPG can be played and can make a game too easy or too hard. Borderlands is an action RPG and if you want to do even a reasonable amount of quests, because of there being no random encounters, the game starts to become way too easy. I'm talking about one or two hits with a pistol killing enemies, etc, damage against the player, even where you're supposed to be at being 1HP per hit, etc. I quit playing the game because as easy as it was no fun.

The other thing about no random encounters is that the player has the option to dodge these enemies or kill everything that comes across the player. The only way to actually make it balanced, is to require the amount of enemies to be killed is all of those you come across, so get into every single battle. But what if the player on his own feels that he doesn't want to fight the enemies and dodges a good portion of them and later becomes too weak? Random battles actually force you to get into battles within a certain amount of steps, and again, correct balancing, will make it not get too easy or impossible without grinding.

Action based combat can be satisfying as can a turn based title, it can be tedious in an action RPG as it can be in a turn based title. It's just how the game is developed.

Level doesn't hinder as much as a turn based game. See my above post about Borderlands. Or see Oblivion if you don't level up properly, or take Skyrim for instance. Skyrim as an action RPG has horrible balancing. Human like enemies and dragons are easy on adept difficulty, but mammoths and ogres can one shot you, while others like the sabertooth might be 50/50 on whether you win or lose. Increasing difficulty by one human like enemies and dragons are now decent difficulty, but easily killed, you'll still get one shotted by mammoths and ogres, and sabertooth and other more powerful wild creatures will also kill you. Again, it's all based on the game.

Basically, towards most reasons why you like action over turn based, as I've stated in many of them. It's all on a per game basis. I could point out comparisons on games that have excellent balance that remain difficult while still being possible to complete without any grinding whatsoever both action and turn based. I could also do the same and point out games that you have to do a ridiculous amount of grinding in order to proceed, also on both action and turn based.



 

I prefer turn-based for the simple reason that I prefer strategy over action.  But that is a generalization.

A game MUST have good gameplay regardless of what type of RPG it is.  There are fantastic turn-based systems like the refined and balanced FF10 or the innovative and fun Golden Sun.  There are plenty that fall flat, too.  There are Action RPG's I like very much (FF13, Elder Scrolls, Tales) and those I despise (FF12, Dragon Age)  Ultimately, it doesn't matter the style of game, it matters if it's a well-designed, fun game.

 

kupomogli said:

No random encounters is actually a much worse way an RPG can be played and can make a game too easy or too hard. Borderlands is an action RPG and if you want to do even a reasonable amount of quests, because of there being no random encounters, the game starts to become way too easy. I'm talking about one or two hits with a pistol killing enemies, etc, damage against the player, even where you're supposed to be at being 1HP per hit, etc. I quit playing the game because as easy as it was no fun.

Borderlands is interesting.  It's real strength is in it's cooperative play.  If you can find even one other person to play with, it's a whole new experience, and a heck of a lot better.  The enemies are stronger so you can't really take them on by yourself, and teamwork becomes a key aspect of the game.  So much fun.  But single player is indeed easy and boring.



I like Turn-Based more. Action RPG's are more fun though when done good, like the first Kingdom Hearts or the Souls series.



Action RPGS, turn based is just too boring



Action please. Not a lot of experience with traditional or (J)RPGs. I have no objection to party-based combat like Dragon Age 1 and the more stylized setpiece battles in Lost Odyssey, FFXIII-2 and Last Remnant. If you care about the characters it's quite enjoyable and there's more incentive to find just the right gear or spell.

What I like most about WRPGs though is the size of the sandbox or world and going to a game that seemingly punishes me for exploring with an endless series of random battles was tough to get used to. Also playing as a fixed character is less enjoyable than building one from scratch and seeing how your choices affect the gameplay.

There is a lot of genre blurring right now. I hope I might get a game with the production values, story and polish of the best JRPGs but with more choices and an open, interactive setting.


I assume Kupomogli's comments on ESIV are concerning the potential imbalances later in the game. I always point out there was actually a difficulty slider if things got out of hand. I had the Wizard's Tower dlc (otherwise you had to join the Mage's Guild.) and found building weapons with enchantments like this was a big equalizer.

12 pts Cold Damage, 48 pts Weakness to Cold, 4 pts Absorb Health, Soul Trap 2 secs.

Values and element may vary obviously.

Something like this paired with Azura's Star or adequate gems made for a sustained damage and health system. Or you could just save before getting a Sigil Stone and replay till you got the attribute you want. Sorry, very old news but I really feel some people's objection to Oblivion's levelling were overstated. Skryim by comparison you need to be lvl 100 just to apply a second enchantment. A step back IMHO.