When you want to just sink into a game for hours, days, and weeks, there is no better genre thanJRPGs.After all, many of the genre’s most successful gamesare ridiculously long.
8 Best All-Killer, No-Filler Tactical JRPGs
Some tactical JRPGs are, relatively speaking, straight to the point.
Sometimes, though, you’re hungry for something with a bit more decision-making than the classic “four dudes in a line” gameplay. Adding unit movement, positioning, AoE attacks and more, thetactical sub-genre’sexpanded choices keep you playing just one more turn.
If, like me, you’re eagerly salivating for Square Enix’sforthcoming remaster of the originalFinal Fantasy Tacticsthis September, you’re probably looking to scratch that tactical itch while you wait. Fear not! This list’s lengthy titles can keep you playing until then, and even longer.
This list considers playtime primarily based onhours needed for full completion,including runtimes with New Game+. The main story is often less than 100 hours.
10Pokémon Conquest
I Choose You, Tactics!
Pokemon Conquest
PokémonConquestbrought the monster-catching franchise into the tactical arena. Controlling up to six Pokémon at a time,Conquestreimagines the well-known battle formula by altering how your team improves. Well, in addition to staples like movement and positioning.
EachPokémon knows only one move—instead of four—which improves as the “link” strengthens between the Pokémon and a Warrior. These human characters have their own skills, too. Since most Pokémon can match with any warrior, this creates a variety of options. That’s a plenty good excuse to settle in for a “catch ‘em all” run!
Conquest’ssetting also deviates from the Pokémon norm. Sure, most Pokémon games are rooted in a real-world culture. ButConquesttakes that a step further.
Drawing upon Japan’s Warring States period, its plot closely parallels history, and its characters are even directly named after historical figures. This adds an unusual texture compared to the average Pokémon game’s setting.
9Sengoku Rance
Strategy And Spice
4.6/5 (GOG)
Likely the longest game on this list,Sengoku Rancealso has the dubious honor of being the game you’d least like your mother to catch you playing. To put it politely, the game does not have an ESRB rating, and is not suitable for minors.
Despite the sleaze, the majority ofSengoku Rancefocuses onsurprisingly deep tactical and strategic gameplay.Turns on the large-scale strategic map show your progress in conquering Japan. Meanwhile, battles over provinces and in dungeons progress the game on a more tactical level.
The story also contains unexpected nuances, especially for an 18+ game. With a plot exploring heroism and tragedy in war,SengokuRancedoesn’t just rely on smut. It’s a strategic gem with nearly 200 hours of gameplay, even if that gem is a bit “mysteriously” sticky.
8Triangle Strategy
Modern Take On A Classic
Triangle Strategy
In a love letter toFinal Fantasy Tactics,Triangle Strategyaddsmodern presentation to a classic formula.With stylized “HD-2D” graphics—plenty familiar to fans ofOctopath Traveler—a full cast of voice actors, and a branching war narrative, this game carries its legacy well.
As you might suspect, these branches certainly add toTriangle Strategy’sreplayability. Like other games in this style, though,Triangle Strategyalso expands playtime by offering a variety of ways to improve each character. Since some characters require specific story choices, seeking out 100% completion doesn’t become tedious.
Unlikemost games on this list, inTriangle Strategyyour number of battles is limited. The game thrives on a lengthy story campaign plus engaging variants in New Game+ to crack that 100-hour milestone.
Similar to theFire Emblemgames prior toAwakening,inTriangle Strategyevery battle—and every kill—matters. Choosing how to spread available XP across your characters becomes critical, further increasing opportunities for variance in each playthrough.
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Half of this list, as you might guess, comes from NISA.
7Phantom Brave
Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered
Phantom Bravebreaks the mold of most tactical JRPGs bydoing away with a battle grid.Instead, each unit can move freely a certain distance per turn.
On top of that, the boundaries of a map aren’t restricted by an invisible wall. With mechanics like the Throw command giving you additional movement options,Phantom Braveoffers a solid variant if you’re looking for a new tactical challenge.
The game’s concept and story play into the mechanics, too. You play as Marona, a girl who is able to see “phantoms” of the dead. By communicating with them, she can summon phantoms to battle on her behalf.
Each phantom you command in battle can only temporarily possess an item on the map. This adds another tactical layer because it forces you to rotate characters during a mission.
6Super Robot Wars 30
Pilots, Start Your Mechs
Super Robot Wars 30
If you’re a fan of mecha anime, then theSuper Robot Warsseries is a must-play. While most games in the series only have a Japanese release—though English fan translations exist for many of them—2021’sSuper Robot Wars 30is both internationally available and among the series’ best games.
This tactical JRPG blends mecha units and storylines from animes ranging from the ever-popularGundamto the dramatic intrigues ofCode Geass. Spoiled for options,Super Robot Wars 30goes in on using everything available to it. The resulting pile of story campaigns, side missions, and so on will keep you playing until your robot rusts.
For me, the only downside is that theSuper Robot Warsseries doesn’t (yet) includeGurren Lagann. Then again,Gurren Lagannis probably a tough inclusion considering it ends withthe most ridiculous power scalingI’ve ever watched.
5Tactics Ogre: Reborn
Visionary Progenitor
Tactics Ogre: Reborn
If you love tactical JRPGs, thankTactics Ogre.OK, claimingTactics Ogreinvented or popularized the genre would be hyperbole. Nonetheless, the original 1995 game initiated the isometric style more widely known fromFinal Fantasy Tactics. From Square Enix’s own titles likeTriangle Strategyto inspiring independent studios,Tactics Ogrelooms large across the strategic landscape.
Rebornis an acclaimed remake of the classic. In addition to the remastered presentation, this 2010 version ofTactics Ogreexpands upon the original’s story and levels. With new narrative branches and strategic mechanics,Rebornstrives for the difficult goal of being a “definitive” edition of a 90s classic.
Yet,Rebornsucceeds. In no small part, this is becauseRebornwas expanded by the original game’s writers and designers.Reborndoesn’t reach the 100+ hour mark merely on fluff. It does so with careful storytelling by the same people who made the original game great.
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Those who wanted to explore Nintendo’s JRPG catalog in the 2000s would have to rely on its handhelds rather than home consoles.
4Record of Agarest War
Generations Of Conflict
Record of Agarest War
If you liked using the eugenics program ofFire Emblem: Awakeningto create the ultimate units, then you ought to check outRecord of Agarest War.Instead of a measly two generations, this gamesprawls across five generations of conflict.
Playing through decades of battle,Agarestspins a spectacularly melodramatic yarn about a war between good and evil. Is it over-the-top? Sure. Cheesy and filled with tropes? Yeah, fair enough. But sometimes you just want something ridiculous.
Not that you’ll just be staring at 100+ hours of cutscenes.Agarestfeatures solid tactical gameplay as well, emphasizing character positioning to power up attacks and enable combos. Which is quite fitting as a mechanical medley combiningAgarest’sthemes of war and relationships.
3Disgaea 1 Complete
It’s Over 9,000!
Disgaea 1 Complete
The max level in most games is around 100. A few games let you get up to level 999.Disgaea,on the other hand,lets you level up all the way to 9,999.
And you’ll want it, too, especially once you start delving intoDisgaea’sextensive end-game content.In particular, the Item World can be … an experience.
This series of randomly-generated dungeons lets you battle monsters to strengthen an item. Plus, you’re able to also beat up certain denizens of an Item World, allowing you to transfer these “experts” between items.
Disgaea’sfinal boss might not break the triple-digits, but that just means he’s a bit of a chump. Between beating the Underworld’s senate into submission and conquering the Cave of Ordeals,Disgaea’send-game is full of content worthy of its four-digit level cap.
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New, old school cool.
2Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire Of The Rift
Time To Save Ivalice
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire Of The Rift
With plenty of sidequests, thorough character customization, and substantial story campaigns, each game in theFinal Fantasy Tacticsseries is a gem to keep you playing for hours. The longest of these, though, is the series' DS installmentGrimoire of the Rift.
With plenty of content needed for 100% completion—including mastering jobs, catching chocobos, and so on—Grimoire of the Riftleaps past the 80–90 hours needed to 100% of the other games in the series. (Well, speaking for myself.)
This additional content is also whyGrimoire of the Riftis my personal favorite.Final Fantasy Tactics A2excels at giving thorough customization options for your characters. Unlike many tactical JRPGs, your protagonist doesn’t have a unique Mary Sue class, either. You’re pretty much a normal hume, and can take advantage of all the options available to more generic hume party members.
Final Fantasy TacticsA2also features some of the best maps in tactical JRPGs. Using an isometric perspective to create 3D terrain, height, water, and other terrain features substantially impact how you navigate the battlefield.
Grimoire of the Riftand other games in the series rarely get tiresome even during a long playthrough, because these maps intersect well with the diversity of abilities, gear, and opponents.
1Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Multiple Routes For Replayability
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
When combining enticing narrative, strategic gameplay, and lengthy play times, not much comes close to theFire Emblemseries. This is doubly true if you’re willing to repeatedly reset to prevent deaths, or if you’re trying to unlock all of a game’s sidequests and paralogues.
SeveralFire Emblemgames could earn a place on this list, butFire Emblem: Three Housesearns the crown becauseits assortment of Part II routes and New Game+ optionsdramatically expand the playtime. Rehashing Part I can grow tiresome, but supporting Edelgard, Dimitri, or Claude in multiple playthroughs offers a new perspective on the game’s narrative.
Fortunately, Part II also has new levels. SometimesThree Housesreworks a map for a different route, such as attacking or defending the Great Bridge of Myrddin. Other levels are completely unique to the route. This serves to enhance the narrative, and keepThree Housesfresh even 100+ hours into the game.
