Which games have your favorite battle/puzzle/etc system?

[BRP]

Basically: What are your favorite games, after you cut out all the music, graphics, themes, nostalgia, and plot?

Action, strategy, multiplayer, singleplayer, doesn't matter.

[Eaglestrike]

Tactical strategy. Tactics Ogre is closest to it, if you haven't played that, FFT but with real stat progression.

[RakEx]

Why have they not come out with more recent Ogre Tactics games? Thats gotta be one of the all time greats...

[Atreides]

For turn-based RPGs, I really like the way Lost Odyssey and Shadow Hearts: Covenant make battle just interesting enough to make turn-based combat bearable, but not gimmicky.

As for action games I seemed to really enjoy the battle system in Heavenly Sword a lot more than DMC/GoW, with the blocking/parrying/countering. P.N.03 has a really satisfying and fun battle system once you learn how to play the game as well, when that game is played well everything flows together really nicely.

[Grey Jorildyn]

7th Guest

More like games within games but I really liked:

1. Triple Triad (hated FF8 though)
2. Suikoden dice game (Chinchironin)

[Kiarax]

Action: DMC3.
RPG: Tales series, both the 2d and 3d ones I've played have real fun systems, 3d moreso, Radiant Mythology 2 probably my favourite.
Puzzle: Puyo-Pop
Fighting: DoA2, love the counter system

Not my favourite games in the genre, but those are my favourite systems that come to mind. Action was leaning towards DMC4, I preferred being able to style swap anywhere in it on Dante but it lost alot of combo depth from 3. Can't really think of any other genres I play too much, I'll probably think of more later.

What about yours BRP? I am very interested in your own favourites.

[BRP]

Hmmmm, I don't want to pick a most favorite, but randomly saying shit that comes to my head:

Godhand
Advance Wars DoR
Super Turbo HDRemix
MGO's Team Sneak and only Team Sneak (would love an offline version/LAN...)

EDIT: I still play with all these often enough.

EDIT: Nothing super obscure :/. Maybe I need to be more weeaboo.

[Bweigelt]

For Console games I would say Tactics Ogre, FFT, and oddly enough Infamous. I usually hate Sandbox games but something about Infamous' combat just hooked me.

But my favorite overall would be Starcraft.

[Kaisha]

Worms Armageddon.

That and pretty much any other game that falls under the "Easy to learn, Lifetime to master" setup. Preferably turn-based since I enjoy watching my opponents make their moves.

[Stiker]

For a RPG battle system, FF X-2 hands down. Just a shame that system was delivered with the Charlie's Angels knock-off theme and a sub-par story.

[Kiarax]

For a RPG battle system, FF X-2 hands down. Just a shame that system was delivered with the Charlie's Angels knock-off theme and a sub-par story.

X-2 was pretty great for a turn based. Definitely my second favourite turn based RPG system. First would be Grandia II (never played 1 or 3, so I dunno if they're better or worse). I much prefer the real time action RPG's like Tales and Infinite Undiscovery nowadays though, but I can still enjoy a good turn based.

[Mayareira]

Puzzle: Simon the Sorcerer, Monkey Island, Syberia, Gabriel Knight, some Tomb Raider games. Basically, icon adventure games with solid puzzles that doesn't require pixel hunting.

Battle System: Final Fantasy XII, Age of Empires series, Europa Universalis III, Hearts of Iron, Victoria, Grandia 2, Final Fantasy Tactics series(including Advance ones).

[meeeeeep]

I personally liked Final Fantasy X's battle system, I much prefer pure turn based than real time turn based, it mean I could go take a shit or something without worrying about pausing/a long special attack taking too long (I'm looking at you, Supernova) and comming back and the move is over/characters got attacked a few times in the time it took me to get back.

[Maguspk]

When I saw this thread earlier this morning I felt like it was really hard to try to consider a game without all the elements you suggested we ignore. However after coming back I think I can safely say...

Pokemon and ToS for Battle Systems. Particularly ToS when you're playing with 3 friends in the same room. Every year or so my friends and I will end up playing ToS after a night out late and it's always good shit. Pokemon, well I just enjoy the purity of type vs type and the variety you are afforded in pokemon selection. Also breeding opens up lots of avenue for customization. I feel like a nerd for making this post, so glad only a few of my friends are on BG, lol.

[Cheerios]

Star Ocean 2 and 3 combat
Professor Layton problem-solving puzzles, or Tetris

Megaman X series gameplay
Castlevania and Metroid gameplay (hidden powerups/weapons, map completion, etc)

I don't know how to really describe the gameplay in those types of games. Megaman wouldn't be lumped with Castlevania and Metroid since there is a stage-selection without a map % completion. I'll just use the cliche term of Metroidvania gameplay for the last two.

[Kaelan?]

If gameplay is the only thing being considered, then:

* The PSP version of FFT for the best blend of strategical gameplay with good RPG style character progression. The only reason the progression isn't absolutely perfect is that they never got rid of the level up bug, which makes online less fun that it would have otherwise been. I'd _love_ to play a full online version of it that had no little bugs or exploits, the battle system is extremely well balanced.

* Zone of the enders 2 for action gameplay. Still waiting for 3!

* DMC4 for same reason as above, just different type of action.

* Tenchu: Fatal Shadows for stealth gaem. Like ZOE, I want a non-sucky current-gen tenchu made by competent developers, there's waaaaay too much potential going to waste by just leaving it where it stopped (or putting it on wii/portables <_<)

* Pokemon for pure fun, as well as balanced and enjoyable RPG PvP. Like FFT, latest entries are best for the minor positive changes.

* Beatmania (IIDX16 if I have to pick only one entry) in the...I guess "other", category? I've had way too much fun with it to not mention it and it's generally been tons more fun for me than your standard music games (guitar hero, rock band, etc). Minor quibble, but I do like the fact that the difficulty actually means something (i.e. not everyone and their mom plays everything on "expert" cause the equivalent of "expert" is actually ridiculously hard, like it should be).

* Castlevania: SoTN and Monkey Island 3.

Even with this many I get the feeling I'm probably forgetting several important ones. Am I the only person with this many games in the "absolutely awesome, would play again in a heartbeat" list?

[Wintermute]

Godhand

Godhand has the one of the strangest systems I've ever come across.

For the first half hour or so you can't do shit and it feels horrible and clunky, then all of a sudden a light goes on in the back of your head and you realise how fantastic the fighting engine is and everything starts to flow.

Beating the shit out of something never felt so good.

X-2 was pretty great for a turn based. Definitely my second favourite turn based RPG system.

I really need to bite the bullet and pick up FFX-2. I always hear good things about the battle system.


I'll throw in Gitaroo Man as having the best rhythm game controls I've played. Tracing lines to make the guitar riffs was inspired.

[Boyiee]

Legend of Dragoon

[Shiroikage]

Flower has my favourite artsy system.

[MisterBob]

Favorite RPG battle system is definitely the one in Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (and a number of other Megaten games).