What are the best combat- and C&C-fag games (ideally turn-based)?

[ClaviculaZ]

Having been at least a bit more of a storyfag-guy in the past, I have now arrived at a point in my life where I have neither the time nor the nerves to read lengthy texts on a computer screen, while I still love great turn-based combat, choices & consequences and exploration. At the same time, I feel an absolute disdain for "fetch doggy" quests and mindless running back and forth between point A and B to take some beer bottles to a random NPC. As a consequence, I have switched a bit more to turn-based strategy lately, but I still love the RPG elements of, for instance, the early Fallouts.
I've also played a bit of TOEE lately which was pretty nice, albeit Hommlet feels empty as hell and why are there even staircases to run up when there will be absolutely nothing inside for 90% of the time? In general, there is a certain lack of liveliness in the interactions and the reactivity of the game feels a bit questionable. Visually however, TOEE is pretty much perfect and I generally vastly prefer the pre-rendered isometric style of the late 90s to early 00s over most modern games, which, for instance kept me from trying Underrail as of yet, as it simply doesn't feel like I would get drawn into the atmosphere of the game, although that's probably a mistake. Something like Eador: New Horizons would also be pretty much perfect gameplay-wise if the RPG-elements were more developed. So, yeah, all in all, I hope it's sort of clear now what I'm looking for.

 

[rojay]

Go check out a ToEE mod called Paladin's Cove. https://co8.org/community/threads/paladins-cove-beta-release-and-feedback.13473/

One guy spent 10 years making it and it's a) still in beta, and b) there's a final chapter yet to be done, but it's super-polished and hard as fuck. The first chapter took me around 10 hours, I think. I encountered a few bugs but nothing that stopped my progression and while I'm only about 1/3 of the way through it, it looks like a number of choices you make early on will have consequences down the line - though I say that largely from what other players have written in that thread.

Edit: some of the bugs I experienced were apparently because of Temple+, which I didn't uninstall before playing. The two notable bugs were a quest-important loot item only showing up half the time after a combat and lag that dropped me to 1 frame per 3 seconds in a specific area that doesn't affect your ability to progress the main quest or even complete a side-quest. Reloading solved the first issue and ignoring the area where I got lagged wasn't an issue.

 

[Dark Souls II]

combat, choices & consequences and exploration

This doesn't exist. You can pick 2 of these at best. None of the games I'd consider among the best RPGs excell in all 3 of these at once.

And when I read the thread title TOEE was also my first thought, so other than that I don't have any suggestions. Perhaps Black Souls 1, goated when it comes to C&C, nice enough exploration (a very well done implementation of the Dark Souls II style of exploration, where you start at a central hub and you can go in any direction in any order), serviceable (but simplistic) combat for an RPGMaker title.

 

[Butter]

Underrail is the best game for isometric turn-based combat and exploration.

Age of Decadence is great for combat and C&C, but not as much for exploration. It also has some big text walls sometimes.

The Hearkenwold module for Knights of the Chalice 2 has great turn-based combat and exploration. I'm not sure it offers much C&C.

 

[Litmanen]

Having been at least a bit more of a storyfag-guy in the past, I have now arrived at a point in my life where I have neither the time nor the nerves to read lengthy texts on a computer screen, while I still love great turn-based combat, choices & consequences and exploration. At the same time, I feel an absolute disdain for "fetch doggy" quests and mindless running back and forth between point A and B to take some beer bottles to a random NPC. As a consequence, I have switched a bit more to turn-based strategy lately, but I still love the RPG elements of, for instance, the early Fallouts.
I've also played a bit of TOEE lately which was pretty nice, albeit Hommlet feels empty as hell and why are there even staircases to run up when there will be absolutely nothing inside for 90% of the time? In general, there is a certain lack of liveliness in the interactions and the reactivity of the game feels a bit questionable. Visually however, TOEE is pretty much perfect and I generally vastly prefer the pre-rendered isometric style of the late 90s to early 00s over most modern games, which, for instance kept me from trying Underrail as of yet, as it simply doesn't feel like I would get drawn into the atmosphere of the game, although that's probably a mistake. Something like Eador: New Horizons would also be pretty much perfect gameplay-wise if the RPG-elements were more developed. So, yeah, all in all, I hope it's sort of clear now what I'm looking for.

To be honest, Underrail is so engaging you forget about graphics after one hour in game. So, I would strongly suggest it to you.

But, anyway, I think you could go also for Knights of the Chalice 2. It could perfectly fit with what you need. There is also a thread here on the Codex.

Than, maybe, if you love tactical combats you could also try Solasta (the first, obviously). I found it too linear for my tastes but, if you just want to fight a bit and have fun with it, it's an easy choice (with mordn-ish graphics, anyway).

 

[Litmanen]

combat, choices & consequences and exploration

This doesn't exist. You can pick 2 of these at best. None of the games I'd consider among the best RPGs excell in all 3 of these at once.

I disagree. Underrail does.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

So, yeah, all in all, I hope it's sort of clear now what I'm looking for.

For combat specifically, there have been a number of good tactical RPGs and squad-based tactics games with RPG elements in the last several years, but exploration in them tends to be light to nonexistent, and they don't generally have much C&C either.

Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children (2020) - Squad-based tactics game with incredibly-complex character customization/progression and excellent battlemap/encounter design, in the superhero subgenre, by a new developer now working on a sequel
Wasteland 3 (2020) - Tactical RPG with extensive C&C by a long-time developer in a long-established IP, Codex GotY 2020
Dungeon of Naheulbeuk (2020) - Tactical RPG with a pre-generated party, still with some good customization and encounter design, with a French sense of humour
Solasta (2021) - Tactical RPG emulating Gold Box games but with much less exploration, based on "D&D 5th edition", by new developer now working on sequel, also has two later campaigns over the following two years
Wildermyth (2021) - Simplistic Tactical RPG except with an attempt at procedural story-telling based around character personality traits and player decisions
Urtuk (2021) - Bizarre grimdark setting for squad-based tactics game with RPG elements
King Arthur: Knight's Tale (2022) - Grimdark version of Arthurian mythology for squad-based tactics game with RPG elements
Jagged Alliance 3 (2023) - Worthy successor to fabled series of squad-based tactics games, Codex GotY 2023
Forgotten but Unbroken (2024) - Historical WWII setting for squad-based tactics game

Wasteland 3 has the most exploration and C&C of these games, with Jagged Alliance 3 also having considerable C&C (but more limited exploration), and Wildermyth being an interesting attempt at C&C via procedural story-telling (but even less exploration than JA3).

 

[Ol' Willy]

Realms of Arkania HD

 

[Agesilaus]

Geneforge. The remakes are a good option, although g3 - 5 are only available in the original format.

 

[H. P. Lovecraft's Cat]

Divinity: OS games, which are a ripoff of nu XCOM. It's the only turn based combat I like.

 

[Fargus]

Geneforge. The remakes are a good option, although g3 - 5 are only available in the original format.

The first one probably, great pick. Playing the second and so far it feels less about c&c and more about clearing locations aka exploration and combat. Or maybe i just don't remember the first game as good as i thought i did. Outside of main story which i'm stalling, most of the quests involve killing rogue creations or retrieving some item. Maybe a handful of encounters where you can avoid combat with leadership skill, but not wasting skill points on that and put them into combat skills instead is a better idea considering how much unavoidable combat is in this game... and the temptation of just killing some powerful being and taking its shit is too much.

Underrail is probably a good pick too if you don't mind wasting hours on backtracking or carrying&selling garbage. Great combat at least.

 

[Shaki]

Just play Battle Brothers, there is nothing better.

 

[StaticSpine]

You can try anything from Iron Tower: The Age of Decadence, Dungeon Rats, Colony Ship

 

[Bastardchops]

Having been at least a bit more of a storyfag-guy in the past, I have now arrived at a point in my life where I have neither the time nor the nerves to read lengthy texts on a computer screen, while I still love great turn-based combat, choices & consequences and exploration. At the same time, I feel an absolute disdain for "fetch doggy" quests and mindless running back and forth between point A and B to take some beer bottles to a random NPC. As a consequence, I have switched a bit more to turn-based strategy lately, but I still love the RPG elements of, for instance, the early Fallouts.
I've also played a bit of TOEE lately which was pretty nice, albeit Hommlet feels empty as hell and why are there even staircases to run up when there will be absolutely nothing inside for 90% of the time? In general, there is a certain lack of liveliness in the interactions and the reactivity of the game feels a bit questionable. Visually however, TOEE is pretty much perfect and I generally vastly prefer the pre-rendered isometric style of the late 90s to early 00s over most modern games, which, for instance kept me from trying Underrail as of yet, as it simply doesn't feel like I would get drawn into the atmosphere of the game, although that's probably a mistake. Something like Eador: New Horizons would also be pretty much perfect gameplay-wise if the RPG-elements were more developed. So, yeah, all in all, I hope it's sort of clear now what I'm looking for.

Battle Brothers has good combat, and choices and consequences. Although it's more in a Mount and Blade simulated world sort of way.

 

[Fedora Master]

Underrail
/Thread

 

[Jermu]

for combat + exploration elminage gothic
for pure combat + character building troubleshooter and labyrinth of touhou 2 (graphs not for everyone)
and the best game ever made pure combat knights of the chalice 2

 

[Dorateen]

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Wow, so many trash suggestions in this thread. Are you bitches trying to make this new-fag abandon games?

Good turn-based RPGs with excellent combat and C&C:
Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Expeditions: Viking
Heads Will Roll

Honorable mention:
Battle Brothers

 

[Camel]

Rogue Trader and Pathfinder: Kingmaker. Owlcat games are great for combatfags.

 

[Butter]

Wow, so many trash suggestions in this thread. Are you bitches trying to make this new-fag abandon games?

Good turn-based RPGs with excellent combat and C&C:
Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Expeditions: Viking
Heads Will Roll

Honorable mention:
Battle Brothers

The "newfag" has been here longer than you have. Pretty bold of you to call anyone else's suggestions trash when you're best known for glazing slop like Breath of the Wild.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Wow, so many trash suggestions in this thread. Are you bitches trying to make this new-fag abandon games?

Good turn-based RPGs with excellent combat and C&C:
Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Expeditions: Viking
Heads Will Roll

Honorable mention:
Battle Brothers

The "newfag" has been here longer than you have. Pretty bold of you to call anyone else's suggestions trash when you're best known for glazing slop like Breath of the Wild.

He's a newfag cause his post count is equal to your IQ, butters. And BotW is better than anything you like, you crotchety old cock-holster.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

A Legionary's Life has outstanding C&C and combat is exciting and fun, but it has zero exploration.

 

[Camel]

Forgotten but Unbroken (2024) - Historical WWII setting for squad-based tactics game

Not RPG.

 

[Ryzer]

Underrail is the best game for [...] exploration.

Lol. What exploration? It's the same bunker or cave shit repeated a hundred times.

 

[octavius]

True C&C in CRPGs is a pipe dream (unless a good enough AI can make it).
Go for games with good combat and exploration instead. That's what computers are good at, not C&C.