An ever-growing player base only encourages developers to create more varied and quality offerings, and they delivered that in a major way in 2022. This year in particular was like a renaissance for the genre offering many new games for fans with a couple of notable standouts, including whether someone wanted light strategy elements to tip their toes into or complex gameplay loops that provide extra challenges with more rewards.
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Triangle Strategy
Triangle Strategy comes from the same developer of Octopath Traveler, using its HD-2D aesthetic just as well. Like most TRPGs, It uses a typical grid for movement and positioning as well as class-based abilities for its combat. What sets Triangle Strategy apart, though, is its Scales of Conviction mechanic that lets players vote in various political situations, which ultimately changes the story. This system, along with the game’s strong characters and classic tactical gameplay lets it stand out as a game on Switch deserving of attention this year.
The DioField Chronicle
Although also put out by Square Enix, The DioField Chronicle takes a very different approach to the TRPG genre than Triangle Strategy. It focuses, instead, on real-time tactics gameplay and a diorama aesthetic as opposed to the turn-based tactics and HD-2D aesthetic of Triangle Strategy. The real-time system lends an air of tension and speed to the combat encounters that are rarely seen in the genre, and its chapters are short but sweet, making it perfect to play on the go on Switch or Steam Deck. The story is more generic fantasy than some others out there, but still enjoyable for what it is. The experience is fresh and worth a try for TRPG fans.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Despite its family-friendly aesthetic, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is as meaty a TRPG as any other this year. It does just what all good sequels do and builds on everything that was great about the first game, while adding big improvements like a grid-free movement system and character-specific abilities. This, along with the addition of Sparks to Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope’s combat, allows for a lot of creativity in combat, making it a whimsical, fun ride.
Tactics Ogre: Reborn
Square Enix’s third TRPG offering this year, Tactics Ogre: Reborn, takes a classic and breathes some new life into it. Being a remaster, Tactics Ogre: Reborn doesn’t reinvent the wheel in terms of gameplay, with a classic grid-based movement system and job-based combat skills. That’s not a bad thing, as this system is what made many fall in love with the genre in the first place. The story and characters are endearing, and the added voice acting is a pro given how much text there is. It’s impossible to go wrong with Tactics: Ogre Reborn, as it has been hailed as a masterpiece and a perfect example of the very best in classic TRPGs.
Front Mission 1st: Remake
Not content with only three TRPGs released this year, Square Enix released a fourth in Front Mission 1st: Remake, a Switch-exclusive remake of a Japanese-only SNES TRPG. This title stands apart in that it is set in a sci-fi world, instead of a fantasy one. This leads to some of the best things about Front Mission 1st: Remake, namely a more unique plot and of course mech-based combat, compared to other games in the genre. Several new quality-of-life improvements such as a free camera make this remake feel newer than it is, and the option to play two different campaigns with opposing characters lends the title a healthy dose of replayability.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
A Marvel TRPG by XCOM developer Firaxis Games, Midnight Suns comes with a customizable hero, solid friendship and squad-based systems, comic book spectacle, Marvel one-liners, interesting deck-based tactics, and much more. It also takes a page from other popular TRPGs like Fire Emblem by letting players engage in life-sim elements like socializing with the characters outside of combat, providing a refreshing break from combat. The writing in the game may come off as too cheesy for some, but the package as a whole is definitely worth checking out for both Marvel fans and TRPG fans. It really is the best of both worlds.
The Future of TRPGs
While 2022 was a remarkable year for TRPG fans, 2023 doesn’t look too bad either. The year starts out with a brand-new entry in the beloved Fire Emblem series in Fire Emblem Engage, while remakes of Front Mission 2 and 3 are also in the pipeline. Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp may also release next year, despite being indefinitely delayed. More TRPGs are likely to be announced as the year progresses as well.
Ultimately the genre seems to be gaining popularity, with popular games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses and now Marvel’s Midnight Suns looking to bring in even more new fans to the genre. All in all, it’s a good time to be a TRPG fan and an even better time to become a fan with seemingly more varied and fun games available than in most recent years.
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