Here are 12 recent games whose sales figures, critical acclaim and fanbase passion surely prove that there is still plenty of life in turn-based RPGs yet. More importantly, in recent years there has been a surge of excellent, high profile titles that suggest there is still an appetite to both create and consume such titles. On RPG groups and forums there are near-constant requests for new turn-based recommendations.

There are still plenty of new and old fans of the traditional, more tactical battles. Regardless of the above, I would suggest the many eulogies of turn-based RPGs are premature. No gaming studio wants to go out of business, and if the sales figures indicate the biggest market is in action players, they are surely inclined to appease a greater number of potential consumers. They are also proven to be big money-makers – 12 of the top 13 best-selling PS4 games involve action-based gameplay, though many of these triple-A budget games increasingly tend to include RPG elements.

Action titles can allow for a greater flow, and more impressive spectacles when it comes to combat, making it easier to market and easier to appeal to the mainstream. After all, the notion of characters standing there politely waiting for their turn to whack someone with their sword in the real world is bizarre. The main reasons behind the apparent decline of turn based RPGs are simple – as developers strive for more and more realism in their games, turn based systems can feel out of place. But no matter how many times these claims are made, they remain highly questionable. Each new action-adventure blockbuster spawns a fresh claim that these slower, tactical encounters are confined to history. These days, with more and more action titles being released, classic turn-based RPGs have had more obituaries than South Park’s Kenny McCormick (who ironically has starred in two turn-based RPGs). What was lacking in hectic button-mashing drama was made up for with tense, tactical tests of intellect and strategy. Booting up an RPG usually meant watching your party members patiently awaiting their opportunity to mull over their options before acting.

Turn-based battle systems were once a true cornerstone of the genre, with variations almost exclusively included in the biggest RPG titles.

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