Do you have any recommendations for good classic-style turn-based JRPG-type video games? That is, along the lines of games like Final Fantasies I through IX, the entire Dragon Quest series, etc. The party-based-combat, towns-and-dungeons-and-overworld-map sorta stuff
If you didn’t get a chance to give it a spin on the Switch last year, Octopath Traveler comes out for PC in like three days. That’s a AAA price point, though, and I’m assuming that if you’re asking me you’re looking for something more in the way of indie titles, so:
The Amber Throne - If you watched the trailer and thought “well, this is clearly trying to be a spiritual successor to the PSX Breath of Fire games”, you’d be pretty much on the money. It’s a solo passion project, so the QA isn’t the greatest – be prepared to save often! – but for me the fascinatingly weird worldbuilding more than makes up for it.
Ara Fell - A SNES retroclone that sticks to its inspirations perhaps a bit too closely, sporting both the virtues and the shortcomings of the era in all their glory. If you’re a fan of Dragon Quest style combat design where different party members can have such different mechanics they almost seem to hail from different games, definitely give this one a try.
Child of Light - This one pairs simple turn-based combat with side-scrolling exploratoin, though it’s not as platforming-focused as in initially appears, since the protagonist learns to fly early on. Story-wise, it has a great first two acts, followed by an extremely brief third act that kind of makes you suspect the devs ran out of money; worth it all the same.
Cosmic Star Heroine - Aesthetically this one clearly takes a lot of cues from Chrono Trigger, though gameplay-wise it’s its own beast. This is the developer’s first foray into non-parody games, and it’s a bit rough around the edges, with a somewhat weak story and some conspicuous unpatched combat bugs, but the audiovisual design is top notch.
CrossCode - If turn-based battles aren’t a strict requirement, you might have a look at this one. It’s basically Secret of Mana on steroids, blending real-time tactical combat, 2D parkour and brain-bending physics puzzles within a wonderful game-within-a-game premise. One of the very few games I ever bought in early access, and I don’t regret it.
Finding Light - Here’s a real oddball; a Game Boy retroclone on the PC, complete with four-colour greyscale graphics and four-channel chiptune audio. This one’s a bit of a shot in the dark: if you loved Final Fantasy Legend and its various imitators, you’ll probably like this, but otherwise it may be pushing the retro envelope a bit too far.
HEARTBEAT - I’m admittedly pushing the boundaries of your criteria here, as this one’s much more Pokémon-meets-EarthBound than Final Fantasy-meets-Dragon Quest, but I thought I’d throw it in for variety’s sake. Deeper than it looks, and very cute, featuring an all-girl cast who probably think a gender role is something you eat.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - Unlike everything else recced in this post, this one’s not retro – it’s just legitimately that old, being a PC port of a 2004 PSP title. Probably the most ambitious localisation I’ve ever seen, pairing classic JRPG gameplay with visual-novel-like text density. (Content warning: the story does include an adopted sibling romance, if that’s a dealbreaker for you.)
Skyborn - You can probably tell at a glance that this is an RPGMaker title that makes heavy use of stock graphics, and it’s definitely that, but it’s a very well-done example of the type. Though some of the dev’s later titles are prettier, I have a soft spot for this one for its writing. Nice combat system, too, albeit a little awkwardly implemented in places.
In terms of forthcoming/unreleased titles, you could also keep an eye on Get in the Car, Loser! (road trip fantasy with a combat system inspired by Valkyrie Profile), Super Lesbian Animal RPG (exactly what it says on the tin), and Virgo Vs the Zodiac (picture, like… Warhammer 40K meets Sailor Moon).
