Turn-based games are a dying breed mostly relegated these days to indie studios and the odd PC-centric AAA developer here and there. While we don’t really get games in the league of, say, Final Fantasy Tactics anymore, we still do get some great turn-based games now and then. Be they PvP trading card games, an ode to Nintendo’s Advance Wars or even a strategy game spanning the entirety of human existence, good turn-based games are still out there. And even if you haven’t really dabbled in the genre before, give it a shot. Who knows, you might really dig it.
Magic the Gathering Arena (PC)
The only free-to-play game in this list, Magic the Gathering Arena is a rather fantastic conversion of a traditionally physical game. Magic has a lot of weird rules and cards that even let you interrupt your opponent’s turns, but MtG Arena has faithfully captured all of it and wrapped it in a fantastic package. It also helps that Magic the Gathering Arena might just be the most generous free-to-play card game I’ve seen thanks to its wildcard system and willingness to throw cards and packs at players incredibly often. Sadly, since it’s still in open beta, it’s exclusive to Windows right now. There should eventually be a MacOS and even smartphone version of Magic the Gathering Arena.
WarGroove (PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One)
Sure, Nintendo might not be all that interested in making a new Advance Wars game, especially when you consider the last game in the series came out 11 years ago. Thankfully, indie studios still remember how fantastic Advance Wars was, and developer Chucklefish has made possibly the best spiritual successor Advance Wars could ask for. WarGroove may have a different setting from Advance Wars’ more modern military action, but the action still feels the same. You and your opponents take turns building your armies, gathering resources and slowly gaining ground. One of WarGroove’s most interesting aspects is the in-depth level and campaign creation and sharing tools, which means that you’ll essentially have infinite content to play through.
Slay the Spire (PC, Switch)
Slay the Spire has an inherently interesting concept: a single-player dungeon crawler played entirely with a deck you build on the fly from the rewards you get from winning fights. What makes it such a special game is the level of thought that went into designing the cards you play with. There are a lot of synergies at play, and you’ll often find yourself deciding the theme of your current run right after the first couple of fights. Slay the Spire also forces you to make some important choices, not only in what cards to add to your deck, but also in what relics to get, whether upgrading a card is worth staying at low health, or even if it’s worth the price to remove a card from your deck.
Civilization 6 (PC, iOS, Switch)
Civilization 6 is the latest game in the franchise that’s widely regarded as the ultimate turn-based strategy games. Sure, it doesn’t have all the features its predecessors do with all of their expansions and DLC, but it’s definitely getting there. And buggy AI aside, the latest expansion brought about some rather interesting new mechanics to play with, including the very idea of climate change. And let’s not forget, Civilization is the series that basically spawned the “one more turn” concept.
XCOM 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
XCOM has a cliched central premise – aliens have invaded. Go kill them. But what it lacks in story, it makes up for with fantastic gameplay. A lot of XCOM 2’s charm lies in emergent storytelling. A lot of the drama that comes up during the course of an XCOM 2 playthrough is bound to be the fate of your soldiers. Soldiers you’ve painstakingly leveled up and equipped with the best gear you could find. Soldiers you’ve grown attached to because of the unique way they might decide to panic. Soldiers that could die at any given moment, and you’ll be forced to find, level up and gear up a new soldier.
Battletech (PC)
The MechWarrior universe has been quiet for a while, but thankfully Battletech is here to give it the shot in the arm it needs. Featuring one of the most interesting single-player campaigns a game of its kind could ask for, Battletech puts you in the shoes of a band of mercenaries working for various shadowy factions, and maybe even help bring peace to the universe. Battletech also has you pay special attention to the minute details of your mechs, including weight distribution and even heat dissipation. On the other hand, you could literally stomp on enemies to take them out, so it’s all good.
Into the Breach (PC, Switch)
Into the Breach might look like a turn-based strategy game, but it’s actually a puzzle game in disguise. It plays with the idea of presenting perfect information to the player. You always know what the enemy’s going to do on their turn, how much damage they’ll do, where they’ll go, and even where new enemies will spawn, and its up to you to figure out how to save the world. Wrap all of this up in an interesting timeline-hopping storyline and you have a fun, unique take on the typical mech vs kaiju story.
The Banner Saga (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Android, iOS)
If God of War instilled in you even a slight interest in Norse mythology, The Banner Saga will definitely be right up your alley. While not directly based on it, The Banner Saga trilogy tells a story using many elements from Norse myths. Part tribe management simulation, part tactical turn-based RPG, The Banner Saga has some interesting gameplay mechanics. Add creatures from Norse myth like frost giants into the mix and you have yourself a game that can be definitively classified as an epic.
Wasteland 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
Wasteland may have been the father of Fallout, but both franchises have gone down definitely separate paths as time has passed. Wasteland 2 is a lot like its predecessor – you’re the post-apocalypse equivalent of a sheriff, and it’s your job to make sure there’s order and justice in the eponymous wasteland. Wasteland 2 feels lot like a throwback to classic cRPGs of the 90s, where you had to manage an entire party, each member excelling in different things. Get into a fight, however, and you’re greeted with an XCOM-esque combat system that goes quite well with the setting. Of course, you’re also welcome to talk your way out of fights and through quests as well
Persona 5 (PS3, PS4)
Essentially the culmination of all jRPGs, Persona 5 has what I like to think of as the perfect jRPG turn-based combat system. The UI is stylish, so the action never looks boring, and the tactics of the combat are polished to a mirror sheen. You’ll be playing a lot with elemental weaknesses and trying to press your advantage. Outside of combat, you’re going to be living a typical school life, trying to balance studying, hanging out with your friends and fighting the oppressive powers that be. Persona 5 has a fantastic story, and while it stumbles towards the end, the 80+ hour single-player campaign is definitely something well worth the time and effort.
