Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year award at the The Game Awards 2023 boosting its popularity even more. Now that more and more people are aware of the turn-based RPG genre, we will take this opportunity to introduce you to even more games that follow the same basic format as Baldur’s Gate 3. Without further ado, let us take a look at those games.
Contents
- Five best turn-based RPG games like Baldur’s Gate 3 you should try
- 5. Divinity Original Sin 2
- 4. Yakuza Like a Dragon
- 3. Persona 5
- 2. Marvel’s Midnight Suns
- 1. South Park Stick of Truth
Five Best Turn-Based RPG Games Like Baldur’s Gate 3 You Should Try
Ever since the 2010s the turn-based RPG genre has gained tons of popularity for its controlled chaos. Now, with Baldur’s Gate 3 crowned as the undisputed Game of the Year winner, the genre is sure to gain even more popularity. In fact, a lot of studios are gravitating towards the genre since we are seeing the rise of these RPG games in popular gaming culture.
Games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Persona, and Final Fantasy are some of the most popular examples of AAA games that have the potential to be great even if they deviate from the usual formula of open-world, action-adventure games. This piece will look at the best games you should try out if you liked Baldur’s Gate 3 and want to experiment with that genre a little bit more. Without further ado, let us get into it.
(The order of the list does not matter as the first is not better than the fifth and vice versa)
5. Divinity Original Sin 2
- Developer: Larian Studios
- Publishers: Larian Studios, Bandai Namco Entertainment
As with any other RPG and turn-based game, players need to be situationally and environmentally aware when playing Divinity Original Sin. The game seamlessly combines the narrative of the story with its combat that you cannot get enough of. Divinity has easily perfected the art of turn-based combat which blends spellcasting and abilities with active and passive buffs.
In addition, players will be pleased to know that this game was made by the same people who made Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian Studios made Divinity walk so Baldur’s Gate 3 could run. Learning from the experience of Divinity, Larian Studios made Baldur’s Gate 3 what it is today. With a party of 4, the player can explore the world of Rivellon. The game allows you to use NPCs as party members.
The game is also highly dependent on how the player chooses to navigate the world and make friendships and choices. Divinity alters its story depending on those choices. This creates an immersive experience that drags the player into the story and keeps them hooked using the gameplay. The sheer amount of choices the game gives you will keep you hooked.
Original Sin 2’s multiplayer is also a good aspect and does not play second fiddle to the story. It encourages players to communicate and cooperate. The multiplayer divides players into two teams where they fight against each other in an arena, kind of like the League of Legends or DOTA games.
4. Yakuza Like a Dragon
- Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher: SEGA
Yakuza Like a Dragon is one of the most intricate Turn-based games in recent circulation. It has a super simple combat system that is so fun to play. The game lets you choose up to four characters just like Persona and Divinity and during turns, you can use one move per character. There are four options, Guard, Attack, Skills, etc.
The criminal world of Yokohama is alive with gangsters and Yakuza of all kinds. The combat is rich and only enhanced by the beautiful narrative structure of the game. The game is also riddled with its signature mini-game system and the open world is beautiful and fun to explore. Furthermore, environmental attacks are an important part of the combat just like any other strategy game.
The main character is Ichiban Kasuga and as you rise through the ranks as him, emotional connections deepen and the game explores the concept of loyalty through him. The game’s main charm comes from the intense combat and quirky but fun side activities that give a perfect balance of zest and stability. This game is made for multi-faceted individuals who want to explore multiple themes in their games and not just stick to a simple emotion or activity.
Preparation for combat is a huge part and holds much more weight than the combat itself to gain an advantage. The game is available for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X/S, Xbox One, and Windows.
3. Persona 5
- Developer: P-Studio
- Publisher: Atlus, Deep Silver, SEGA
Persona 5 is one of the best strategy-based game franchises of all time. But they are not just hype, they are extremely fun to play. However, the biggest selling point of this game is the characters that you can make friendships with. In Persona 5, Joker, the protagonist, is the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts and changes people’s personalities while juggling high school lives at the same time.
The combat of the game is extremely fun, where players with a party of four navigate through the supernatural space known as the metaverse. They possess “Personas” which have different elemental affinities ranging from Fire and Wind to Psychic and Electricity. The Personas of your friends also get better as your friendship advances level with them. “Social Links” are an important part of the story and gameplay.
As you advance friendships, the players get closer to each Phantom Thief, and the power of their Persona increases. The combat has tons of elements you can use to gain an advantage in the battle and there are tons of boss fights in which you have to think and analyze patterns to come up with solutions on the fly. Persona 5 is a really easy game to master and is so much fun that it will keep you playing for hours.
The quirky characters, enchanting story, anime-like visuals, underlying philosophical arguments, and the Social Link progression system will make you want to not leave the screen anytime soon.
2. Marvel’s Midnight Suns
- Developer: Firaxis Games
- Publisher: 2K
Firaxis Games made an Avengers game that works, both concept and execution-wise. When you envision a Marvel game, you usually go for IPs like Spider-Man or Wolverine, but Midnight Suns is both underrated and fun to play. The game is based on the supernatural team of Midnight Suns and its new-age team composition primarily featuring Magik, Blade, Nico Minoru, and Robbie Reyes.
Midnight Suns has 21 characters you can play including DLC ones like Venom, Storm, Deadpool, and Morbius. The game has turn-based combat where moves are executed using card plays. Some card plays cost Heroism, while others build Heroism. There are cards with active skills that deal damage while some apply buffs and protect allies.
The game also has a Friendship system where you can bond with your teammates in the Abbey. Doing so will depend on the Friendship Level and provide passive buffs to those characters. Players take control of The Hunter, a character created exclusively for this game. The game deals with the conflict between the Avengers and the Midnight Suns beautifully by putting you in charge of the team. Your choices either make or break friendships. Indirectly what happens inside the Abbey affects combat in many ways.
In addition to that, you can participate in various groups, explore tech that gives you buffs, train with various Marvel characters, spend time with them, go on general missions, explore the Abbey, and so on. There is a lot to do in this game and it is worth playing just because of so many options.
1. South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher: Ubisoft
If you want to experience South Park and be more involved with your favorite characters from the show then there is no better game than the Stick of Truth. You can also go with Fracture but Whole if you want. The game is played in a 2.5D setting with a third-person perspective view. The player takes on the role of the New Kid on the block as they explore South Park with beloved characters like Cartman, Butters, Kyle, and Stan.
You can roam around the open world as much as you want. Some points will need story advancement to access. While doing so, you will encounter zombies which you can defeat with the party at your disposal. You will have to choose an archetype at the start of the game. From there on, you will possess a variety of abilities ranging from melee, ranged, and magical attacks.
The game’s dark humor and narrative crafted by the creators of the show is still the biggest selling point. All in all, you will have a good time when you play this game due to its ability to not take itself too seriously. The combat is one of the funniest and fun things you can participate in aside from the characters who make it even better.
