10 Best Turn-Based Tactic Games | Screen Rant - screenrant.com

There are real-time strategy games in the form of StarCraft, Age Of Empires, and Company Of Heroes which can test a gamer's skills. However, there is an even more challenging opposite that will push some players to their limits: turn-based strategy.

One wrong move could not only ruin an entire mission but an entire playthrough. These types of games force players to think several steps ahead and they range from epic fantasy to action-packed science fiction. The best titles in this niche genre usually combine challenging gameplay with an engaging storyline that is guaranteed to keep gamers engaged for a long time.

Pokémon Conquest

It is easily one of the strangest Nintendo crossovers ever made but it's not a bad one. Nobody expected a crossover between Pokémon and Nobunaga's Ambition but somehow, the developers created a simple but fun tactics game that has Pokémon fighting Japanese warlords.

Tecmo Koei, the developers, would become no stranger in working with Nintendo, eventually releasing the equally popular Dynasty Warriors-esque spin-off of The Legend Of Zelda known as Hyrule Warriors. Both games utilize Nintendo's beloved IP to create a compelling strategy game that doesn't take itself too seriously.

The Banner Saga Trilogy

Though the turn-based battle system is enjoyable, quite challenging, and has its own unique flair, it is not what sets The Banner Saga apart from the rest. The Banner Saga features 2D animated cutscenes and character models that mix the art styles of famous animators such as Don Bluth and Hellboy's Mike Mignola.

The world of humans teaming up with horned men known as the Varl is a dark one but features a story that many will respect. It mixes the combat style of the Vikings with Game Of Thrones' dramatic plots and a bit of The Lord Of The Rings worldbuilding to create an entertaining throwback to the dark fantasy films of the 1980s.

Gears Tactics

Exclusive to Xbox and PC, Gears Tactics is exactly what it sounds like: it's a Gear Of War game but in a turn-based style nearly identical to the likes of XCOM. Gears Of War has a mythos that can easily work with that concept with the human resistance fighting off the subterranean aliens known as the Locust Horde.

Fans of the Gears Of War franchise will enjoy this spin-off, preserving the high-octane action the games are known for. It may not have the best story in the franchise but it still delivers as an action-packed prequel with addictive turn-based gameplay that is beautifully animated and scored.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

After years in obscurity, XCOM was rebooted for a modern age with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It retained the relentless tactical gameplay that the series was known for, meaning the smallest wrong decision could force the player to restart the whole campaign. At the same time, XCOM streamlines some things to appeal to new players.

For example, battles are much more cinematic with actions and battles playing out in an isometric playing field but the camera will zoom in during attacks to give battles extra flair.

XCOM: Chimera Squad

With the war between the aliens and humans over, a new task force has been created to keep the peace. This task force is known as Chimera Squad, which consists of eleven humans and aliens working together. Being able to play as powerful aliens from the previous entries is one of the primary reasons why this game is so popular with gamers.

It may not be as deep or challenging as its predecessors but as a spin-off, most fans of XCOM enjoy the unique gameplay and narrative focus on previously unplayable characters. As a bonus, the comic book-like art style of the cutscenes plus the ragtag team dynamic of the character will provide some joy during XCOM: Chimera Squad.

Phoenix Point

From the co-creator of the original XCOM games, Phoenix Point is in many ways a spiritual successor of XCOM that adds a plethora of new mechanics. Aliens are attacking a global scale so the player assembles a task force of soldiers to combat the threat in a turn-based tactics game.

One of Phoenix Point's stand-out features is the aiming system, giving a more refined approach rather than XCOM's often frustrating chance-based aiming. There are also factions to befriend and each one provides different perks and upgrades that both challenges and rewards players.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

If there is any game that can be recommended for those wanting to try tactics games for the first time, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is the perfect starter. That's not to say that Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is devoid of a challenge as even XCOM players might have some difficulty trekking through the story.

The different Mario universe characters and their Rabbid counterparts feature unique abilities that can drastically alter the battlefield. As for the story itself, the crossover between these two franchises brings a lot of laughs, colorful visuals, and some much-needed change for the Mario series.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI (2016)

A typical gameplay screenshot from Civilization VI.

Instead of a single squad being commanded per turn, it is entire fleets and nations being controlled by the player in a game inspired by the board game Risk. Like Risk, Sid Meier's Civilization VI is not going to be for everybody due to the game's time-consuming gameplay, which can take weeks to finish.

Between raising and contributing to their nation, the player also must deal with politics and having to choose between using diplomacy to create alliances with other nations or wage war. Is it hard to get into? Yes, but like the many Civilization games of the past, once the game's mechanics are learned, players will likely become engaged with the real-life plots and intense strategic battles that the franchise is known for.

Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)

Among the plethora of Final Fantasy spin-off games, Final Fantasy Tactics stands out as one of the more innovative and engaging entries in the venerable series. For many, this was how gamers got their start with tactical warfare, with the first game set in the world of Ivalice, connecting it to the continuity of Final Fantasy XII.

Fans of classic mainline of Final Fantasy games can still enjoy this spin-off since it keeps many combat and ability mechanics from Final Fantasy but implements it into isometric battlefields. Instead of a party system, the player controls each character across the field in an XCOM style.

XCOM 2 (2016)

A soldier taking cover from an alien in XCOM 2.

The XCOM series helped popularize the genre of turn-based tactics by making it both fun and accessible to new and seasoned strategy players. The sequel to Enemy Unknown, simply titled XCOM 2, takes what the previous game did so well and refined it to make a sequel that is often considered the best game in the long-running series.

XCOM 2 adds more challenges, more soldier abilities, more enemy types, and an even longer campaign. It can be even more unfair to the player than the first game but the more refined gameplay combined with the plethora of mods on PC can hook anyone, even those that never played the previous entry.

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Melody MacReady (321 Articles Published)

Melody MacReady is a writer and transwoman (she/her), passionate about all things pop culture-related. From movies to shows to games to comic books, there is not much that she does not enjoy or appreciate. Melody is also an aspiring film writer and director as well as a voice actor as a hobby. This spark for content creation came from her childhood, growing up with media of all kinds which inspired her to write short stories, write comics, and begin writing about them on the internet. Melody's biggest inspiration came from first seeing Zack Snyder's Watchmen in 2009; the film combined with her knowledge of how scenes were done via behind-the-scenes featurettes prior to the film's release made her fall in love with filmmaking. Not only does she write for ScreenRant, The Gamer, Comic Book Resources, and GameRant but she runs her own personal blog, discussing many things pop culture-related.