18 Games Like 'Final Fantasy Tactics'

• Developer: Square Enix
• Rating: T for Teen

Ogre Battle is an OG in this strategy RPG game. It first entered the minds and hearts of fans when it launched in the mid-90s for the SNES. The series’ best entry to date has been Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, which arrived on the PSP as a full-fledged remake. Prepare yourself for some medieval clashes as you encounter all manners of opposition within the "Kingdom of Valeria." While the home console release of Tactics Ogre: Reborn falters in some key areas, it's still a recommended option for those of you who want to experience this series on home console hardware. If there’s any strategy RPG that’s 1:1 when compared to Final Fantasy Tactics, it’s Ogre Battle.

• Developer: Intelligent Systems
• Rating: T for Teen

Diehard Nintendo fans have seen Marth, Roy, Ike, and the rest of the Fire Emblem gang put in work in the Super Smash Bros. series. All those master swordsmen have a main gig besides beating up other Nintendo icons, however - fighting for their associated kingdom and delivering justice to the evil forces that look to disrupt them is what they’re good at. The very first game in the series is finally playable on the Switch, plus there are a ton of portable series entries that are worth revisiting. Fire Emblem: Three Houses (which is one of the best ones!) is now available on the Switch - it's another quality entry that features a focus on leading a class of young soldiers into battle. Once you're done with that franchise installment, head on over to Fire Emblem Engage!

• Developers: Badru, Isa Hutchinson, Taylor Thomas, Zoe Vartanian
• Rating: No Rating

In the case of Tenderfoot Tactics, the goblin race isn’t the bad guys this time around. They’re surprisingly the protagonists you’ll lead to beat back an overwhelming threat known as the Fog. What’s instantly eye-catching about this title is its minimalistic art design. Thankfully, the game’s huge sense of freedom when it comes time to explore and the manipulation of the elements around you during battle is just as strong as Tenderfoot Tactics’ striking graphics.

• Developer: From Nothing Game Studios
• Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+

This game looks like it dropped in the early to mid-90s for the 16-bit console you still look back on fondly. But in actuality, Tactics V: “Obsidian Brigade” dropped in 2019 and is a loving homage to those types of games. This game’s combat system is as deep as you’d expect - there’s a huge offering of gear, character classes, skills, magic powers, etc. to wrap your head around during your time spent with it. A training mode is a part of the package, so you can get a thorough understanding of Tactics V: “Obsidian Brigade’s” many mechanics before you participate in battles with huge ramifications.

• Developer: 6 Eyes Studio
• Rating: T for Teen

Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark transports its players to a world rich with strife and intrigue. Plus it throws in a few steampunk elements to give its fantasy locales a bit of extra flair. As an "Arbiter" agent of the "Immortal Council," you attempt to preserve order through the army-leading efforts of Kyrie. This game’s story is engrossing, its class system is intuitive, and its battle system is as addictive as one might expect.

• Developers: Firecast Studio, Fableware
• Rating: No Rating

The long-standing legacy of the mythical King Arthur takes quite a dark turn in Sword Legacy: Omen. Rather than take control of an all-powerful knight himself, you step into the role of a vengeful knight named Uther. Alongside the legendary mage known as Merlin, you set out across "Broken Britannia" to retrieve "Excalibur." As a master strategist, you’ll lead your forces into battle against vicious mobs and manage the mental well-being of your warriors all at the same time.

• Developer: Endlessfluff Games
• Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+

Fae Tactics is a whimsical strategy RPG that goes the full 16-bit route for its delightful presentation. In it, you play as Peony and place yourself in the middle of an ongoing conflict between the human race and a race of magical beings known as the "Fae." Along with managing your party of allies on the battlefield, you’ll also get to call on the assistance of Fae creatures and wield the magical elements that can turn the tide of battle in an instant.

• Developers: Square, Forever Entertainment, MegaPixel Studio
• Rating: T for Teen

Instead of commanding medieval warriors in a mystical land, the Front Mission series throws you headfirst into a realm full of giant mechs called "Wanzers" and modern technology. The main strategy RPG entries in the series are all worth diving into, especially the DS version of the very first game. Managing every part of your favorite Wanzers and utilizing them to blast apart the opposing mechas in your warpath are the main attributes that prop the Front Mission franchise up. By the way, remakes of the first two games in the series exist on last- & current-gen hardware and should entice you to see what all the hype is about!

• Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
• Rating: T for Teen

The Disgaea series is completely bonkers. Any game that features talking penguins that utter the phrase “dood” on the regular embraces the more outlandish elements of gaming. The game’s battles can get pretty wild as your units can fling each other to other sections of the battlefield. Plus the damage numbers can balloon to insane amounts the further you level up your party members. Disgaea’s lengthy storylines will forever be wild and full of humor, so there’s plenty to appreciate about this zany franchise as a whole.

• Developer: EVC Games
• Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+

Surviving high school and all of its many cliques is a scenario folks know all too well. Wintermoor Tactics Club lets you experience that period of your life all over again through the eyes of three students who must tap into their fantastical alter egos to navigate their troubles at "Wintermoor Academy." The game’s plotline lets you experience it all via a visual novel-style approach and its battles let you apply your best strategies against rival high school clubs.

• Developer: Dandylion
• Rating: No Rating

This pick on our list might just be the first strategy RPG we’ve ever seen that sticks to a seasonal format release schedule. Players can look forward to becoming "Troubleshooters," who are civilians who have been allowed to play the part of the authorities in the nation of "Valhalla." Albus is one of those individuals who take on that role alongside other capable colleagues, which means you’ll get to utilize their unique skill sets to maintain order. The high multitude of character classes you can master will be sure to keep you enthralled during your time spent with this one.

• Developer: Cardboard Utopia
• Rating: T for Teen

Children of Zodiarcs mixes its deep strategic gameplay with the always-welcome element of card decks. Plus you’ll get to apply stat boosts to your abilities due to a physics-based dice system. This game happens to be published by Square Enix and developed by Cardboard Utopia, so you just know its strategy RPG mechanics are super legit. The party you’ll take control of is led by a character named Nahmi, who sets out to take down the greedy, corrupt elite in the fantasy realm of "Lumus." You’ll quickly find yourself getting sucked into this game’s well-tuned combat system as you grow accustomed to customizing each character’s signature card abilities and putting them to good use on the battlefield.

• Developer: Stoic
• Rating: T for Teen

If Norse mythology is more of your thing, then The Banner Saga should appeal to you. The three games in the series tell a grand tale about two characters as they do everything in their power to protect their caravan from a race of beings that hates the human race. When it comes time to get into some hacking, slashing, and shield bashing, you’ll need to be extra careful since the threat of defeat can greatly impact the well-being of your caravan. The Banner Saga Trilogy compiles all three games in the series and is sure to give you a ton of bang for strategy RPG buck.

• Developer: Monolith Soft
• Rating: T for Teen

The Project X Zone games provide one of the best examples of fan service in playable form. As a follow-up to 2005’s Namco x Capcom (which is a Japanese-exclusive PS2 release), the Nintendo 3DS titles let you mix and match a collection of units that originate from Bandai Namco, Sega, and Capcom. As you navigate both games’ zany realms, you’ll encounter familiar baddies and put a stop to their evil plans with some outlandish team combos. Tearing up your foes as Jin Kazama/Kazuya Mishima, Akira Yuki/Pai Chan, Ryu/Ken, and several other recognizable duos constantly bring the hype thanks to their jaw-dropping combat combinations.

• Developer: Sega
• Rating: T for Teen

Valkyria Chronicles embraces strategy RPG elements but also makes sure to change up the formula by incorporating active movement and third-person gunplay. Thanks to those two main factors, gamers have showered the series with praise and given it the attention it so richly deserves. Thankfully, each of the mainline games offers compelling storylines that follow a crew of unlikely soldiers as they fight valiantly to defend their friends, family, and homes from invading forces. Do yourself a favor and go back to the Valkyria Chronicles Remastered release to start your foray into this classic Sega IP!

• Developer: Level-5
• Rating: T for Teen

Joan of Arc is a pretty badass heroine for all the historians out there. This PlayStation Portable strategy RPG gives her the spotlight and follows her historic battles during the Hundred Years’ War. Jeanne and her compatriots move throughout France and clash with a wide range of forces that look to maintain their iron grip over its people. Jeanne d’Arc is a highly polished experience that’s shockingly great for being just a PSP game. Here’s hoping it gets the console remaster/port treatment someday.

• Developer: Think & Feel
• Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+

It would make sense for a Final Fantasy game to make an appearance on this list of the best games like Final Fantasy Tactics, wouldn't it? For fans of Final Fantasy XII, you might have missed out on this Nintendo DS exclusive real-time tactical RPG that takes place one year after the events of that game. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings brings back the lovable party members of its predecessor and adds four new characters to the proceedings with major implications for its plotline. Your party members rely on one of three battle types (melee, ranged, and flying) and you'll be able to tap into the power of summonable "Espers" via "Summon Gates" to do big damage to your enemies.

• Developers: Square Enix, Artdink
• Rating: T for Teen

From the developers behind the equally amazing Bravely and Octopath Traveler franchises comes this retro-stylized strategy RPG entitled TRIANGLE STRATEGY. The HD-2D trend for games from that aforementioned genre is thankfully employed to make the visuals of this game pop off the screen. You'll need to put your thinking cap on during heated combat encounters contained within the war-torn continent of "Norzelia." The storyline choices you make and the actions you take during the battle have a major impact on three sets of values (Utility, Morality, and Liberty), which will impact the way the story unfolds and who will join your just cause.