RPG focused on tactical combat recommendations?

[Galdred]

I'm looking for a RPG series with an interesting combat system, and good encounter design to play. That can be a tactical RPG if there is any I missed (I played X(-)Com, Silent Storm, Jagged Alliance, WH40K: Chaos Gate, Incubation, Fallout: Tactics, Final Fantasy: Tactics and the Fire emblem on Nintendo DS), an RPG (I really liked the Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate series, Knights of the Chalice, and TOEE until high level CO8 nonsense).
I would prefer a game with "large" combat maps (Something like Knights of Legend, but preferably finished, and less boring) instead of "micro encounters" if possible(which is why I could not really get into Final Fantasy Tactics).
I have yet to play the Realm of Arkania series, the GoldBox series, the Ultima Series, the Might and Magic and Wizardry 8 series, and probably a few tactical japanese RPG, but I won't have to play all of these in the near future, so which series would you recommend me when it comes to combat?

 

[octavius]

Gold Box games, without the a shadow of doubt.
Great combat system and mostly good encounter design.

Of the Might&Magic games only MM1 and 2 have tactical combat, although it's an abstract system silmilar to the Bard's Tale and Wizardry games.
Of the Ultima games I can only recommend Ultima V. It has the best combat system and encounter design of the Ultima games.

I'd also recommend Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic if you don't mind the strategic part.

 

[Galdred]

I already played AoW, but I agree, the tactical and strategic parts of the game are brilliant.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

You already played the best IMO, except for Wizardry 8. The M&M series are games I love, but they don't really shine on the tactical aspect. You could try Shadow Watch, even though it's not really a RPG. But then, X-Com and Chaos Gate hardly are either. Also, Silent Storm Sentinels, if it wasn't included in your mentioning of Silent Storm, same for Jagged Alliance Deadly Games (since I take it for granted that JA2 was).

I also liked an obscure game named "Empire of Magic", but so far, everyone else I know that tried it, hated it.

EDIT: it seems that there are different games named "Empire of Magic", the one I'm talking about is this one :

http://www.gamespot.com/empire-of-magic/reviews/empire-of-magic-review-6028609/

Regardless of whether you're looking for a turn-based strategy game or a role-playing game, Empire of Magic will probably disappoint you.

You're warned.

 

[Avonaeon]

I'd recommend giving Expeditions: Conquistador a look, but then again, I'm incredibly biased

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Does having played Silent Storm include a Hammer & Sickle playthrough?
If not, then please consider it.

 

[Galdred]

I already played Expeditions : Conquistador. The first part was really great, the second lacked variety.
I have played SSS, but not Hammer and Sickle yet. Where can I find it? Neither Gog, nor Gamersgate, nor Steam seem to have it. Same for Empire of Magic (I sometimes play hybrid games I am among the only one to enjoy too, like the PC version of Birthright...)
I'll give JA: deadly games a try.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

I'll give JA: deadly games a try.

It's pretty cool, same engine and mercs than in JA1, but many diverse missions (kill a guy, blow something with explosives, steal an item, take a picture of a guy, stuff like that...) instead of a great campaign. All are timed (limited turns to finish) but I didn't mind much, it actually made some more interesting. Plus, it features an "infinite" campaign option, made of random maps, and even though far from perfect it's a rather unique feature.

 

[Gwahlur]

You might want to give Tom Proudfoot's games a chance. The combat in both Nahlakh and Natuk is in my opinion very good stuff. Currently Nahlakh is freeware and Natuk shareware.

http://www.proudft.com/natuk.html

There's also a rather obscure Finnish freeware title called Helherron that's heavily influenced by Proudfoot's games. I liked it a lot, but unfortunately it has a nasty bug that makes fighting with a large number of enemies very prone to CTD. To my knowledge this was never fixed, which is a real shame. Still a good game, though.

The Codex also had a thread for Helherron, with download links:
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/helherron-a-very-addictive-nahlakh-like-game.3583/

 

[Galdred]

Oh, I completely forgot about Proudfoot games, I completed Natuk before. It was a good ride, but the encounters lacked variety. I am afraid Nahlakh might be under my interface threshold. I had a good time with Helherron, got 2/3rd through the game, but had to reformat, and couldn't make myself replay from the beginning.
Concerning the CTD, you need to use the Linux version. I used VMware+Ubuntu for that matter, as I don't really like dual booting, and it worked quite well.

 

[Niektory]

I would prefer a game with "large" combat maps (Something like Knights of Legend, but preferably finished, and less boring) instead of "micro encounters" if possible(which is why I could not really get into Final Fantasy Tactics).

Tactics Ogre: LUCT has somewhat larger maps (up to ~30 squares long) if you'd like to play a similar game. I also wasn't a fan of the claustrophobic maps of FFT.

 

[mondblut]

Gold Box games, without the a shadow of doubt.
Great combat system and mostly good encounter design.

Totally. Also, Dark Sun for more of the same sans the first person walking.

Then Aethra Chronicles, Realmz and Disciples of Steel for more enthusiast take on the same. Then Exile (but not Avernum which is seriously dumbed down in terms of party size and AOE spells).

Forget Ultima, it's a tic-tac-toe even when it tries to have a functional, thinking man's combat.

Oh, after GB series you might want to check Spelljammer if you can stomach arcade space battles. The boarding scenes are very much in the vein of the classics.

 

[villain of the story]

I'd recommend giving Expeditions: Conquistador a look, but then again, I'm incredibly biased

How are the sales? Any plans to expand the game or a sequel?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Isn't Hammer and Sickle available at Nival Interactive's site or such?

 

[Galdred]

Nope, it's not on their website anymore.
Concerning JA2, I have not played any mod(fan patch doesn't count). How is Urban Chaos? Are there any other I should try?

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

Urban chaos is quite good, unless you're a completionist, since there are like twelve millions containers to open and eleven millions are empty.

 

[SCO]

If you want to go console or emulation here are a few reviews (if you ignore the stuff that's obviously not a rpg, like actraiser or syndicate)

 

[wergle]

You'll feel right at home in Dark Sun if you've played KotC

 

[Wizfall]

Wizardry 8 has the best combat system for a blobber and is a great game.
Now for games that are more strategic than RPG (like Final Fantasy Tactics or Fire Emblem) but where you can still personalize your army/heroe you have Heroes of Might and Magic 3 which is the best of the series (and has by far the best AI), Fantasy General (awesome games mechanics and maps, extremely addictive but old and with almost no animation and simple graphics) and Battle of Wesnoth (before this game i considered all free game to be at best mediocre).

 

[tuluse]

What about Heroes of Might and Magic? Not fully RPG, but has elements of it, has a strategic map, has tactical battles.

 

[Galdred]

I'll definitely start the goldbox with Dark sun, then.

I played HOMM 3 and its expansion a lot (but not the added campaigns), and King's Bounty too(mostly because of the "stall combat for optimal outcome" issue), but I cannot repress myself from thinking I am wasting time (even more than while playing something else), when doing so, a bit like what I feel while playing an action RPG

I really liked Fantasy General, but I burnt out on the Panzer General clones with elven Legacy and Panzer Corps lately.

I played a few Wesnoth campaigns too, but I found the random element too strong (I like randomness, but I felt it didn't go well with the penalty for losing high tier units).

 

[Wizfall]

I got a last one then : Dark Omen.
Now it's RT and not TB but before running away just let me tell you it's the ONLY RT strategic game that i like.
I would not even make it TB if i could.
Great atmosphere and 0 resource management/production bullshit, only battles organized in a campaign with some branching.
A blast to play.

 

[Logic_error]

How about River of Time? Drakensang 1 is crap. RoT is mostly ok except for the temple.

 

[Bulba]

Wizardry 8 has the best combat system for a blobber and is a great game.

It would have been, but scailing enemies kinda killed the point of going up levels and thus I've lost amy interest in that game.

 

[Galdred]

Then Aethra Chronicles, Realmz and Disciples of Steel for more enthusiast take on the same. Then Exile (but not Avernum which is seriously dumbed down in terms of party size and AOE spells).

What about Nethergate? Playing a band of Celt barbarians is something I could look forward to.

I got a last one then : Dark Omen.
Now it's RT and not TB but before running away just let me tell you it's the ONLY RT strategic game that i like.
I would not even make it TB if i could.
Great atmosphere and 0 resource management/production bullshit, only battles organized in a campaign with some branching.
A blast to play.

I played Dark Omen halfway, then my computer died with my saves. I might give it another try as it was a cool game, and I have a certain fondness for most GW related products (not enough to really enjoy Mark of Chaos, though). What about Shadow of the Horned rat then? Is it worth playing it after Dark Omen (or maybe before if it is too dated)?

How about River of Time? Drakensang 1 is crap. RoT is mostly ok except for the temple.

I could not finish Drakensang : the system (except for the camera) was good, but the encounters were boring, and the plot ... Well, I don't remember much of it, except I found it quite bland. If Drakensang : RoT really has more interesting combat (and I don't have to save the world in a RPG, but spending so long fighting boars, rats, and wolves is not something I look forward), I might give it a try after the other suggestions I got there (+ I need some way to practice my German anyway).