20 Overlooked Tactical RPGs Worth Your Time

Here are some tactics RPGs you probably missed or Never Heard Of

I took a little trip back in time to bring to light some tactical RPGs in full Final Fantasy Tactics style games you might have missed or maybe never even heard of.

Since I started my small blog, tactical RPGs have always been the ones that resonated most with readers, so that’s what inspired this list, and I think many of you will enjoy it.

I’ve gathered titles ranging from as far back as 2015 up to the present day, all available on PC and consoles.

Fae Tactics

• Developer: Endless Fluff Games
• Release Date: 31 July, 2020
• Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Steam Page

There are plenty of games that pay homage to the isometric style of Final Fantasy Tactics, but few that do it with as much panache as Fae Tactics.

This bright, colorful adventure follows the conflict between humans and fae, challenging you to collect and battle creatures while casting spells and using elemental counters to win against the odds. Fae Tactics is usually available for $19.99, and is also part of a few bundles with other tactical games.

Arcadian Atlas

• Developer: Twin Otter Studios
• Release Date: 27 July, 2023
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Switch
• Steam Page

Indie saga Arcadian Atlas hearkens back to classics like Tactics Ogre in both style and mood, telling a tale of warriors tested by the bonds of love and fealty.

At first glance, it looks like a forgotten PS1 classic, but as you get deeper into the game’s class tree and soundtrack, you’ll find it’s a compelling blend of retro and modern sensibilities. Arcadian Atlas runs for $19.99, and its fantasy-jazz soundtrack is also available on Steam.

Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children

• Developer: Dandylion
• Release Date: 31 December, 2017
• Platforms: Windows
• Steam Page

Lots of indie tactical RPGs are on the shorter side, packing a gripping story and solid gameplay into a digestible campaign. Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children takes the opposite approach, offering a massive story with tons of customization and build options.

This deep anime sci-fi game feels like Fire Emblem meets XCOM with the flair of Persona, and has the replayability of each to keep you coming back. All that is available for just $24.99, though there is a fair amount of DLC; if you’re going to go all-in, it’s probably worth getting the Complete Collection to save some money.

Vanaris Tactics

• Developer: Matheus Reis
• Release Date: 4 August, 2022
• Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

If you’re looking for something quick but with plenty of impact, solo project Vanaris Tactics is a solid choice. Its isometric gameplay will feel instantly familiar to TRPG fans, and its story is small-scale, grounded, and human. All your band of refugees wants to do is survive and find a home far from the oppression and struggles of their homeland.

Vanaris Tactics is a very reasonable $9.99, and it’s half-off on Steam for the next few days, so now is a great time to check it out if you act fast.

Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs

• Developer: Pixelated Milk
• Release Date: 18 May, 2017
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
• Steam Page

Pixel graphics are great, but sometimes a fresh look can make a world of difference. Regalia: Of Men And Monarchs presents a bright, fun fantasy world with hand-drawn visuals, all with challenging combat where each turn offers important decisions.

It’s normally $19.99, which isn’t bad for an eight-year-old game, but this week it’s marked down on Steam to the extra-low price of $2.99, or you can get the Royal Edition with all the DLC for $4.37.

Absolute Tactics: Daughters Of Mercy

• Developer: Curious Fate
• Release Date: 15 September 2022
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch
• Steam Page

Where Regalia is cheerful and upbeat, Absolute Tactics is dark and dangerous. If you’re looking for hand-drawn characters and environments with a creepy, arcane aesthetic that still keeps a bit of cartoonishness, this is a game that offers fantasy fun.

It also has multiple difficulty levels, including an unlockable Hardcore postgame for players seeking a serious challenge. Absolute Tactics: Daughters Of Mercy is $24.99 on Steam, and can be bought bundled with Tyrant’s Blessing for more grid-based goodness.

Children of Zodiarcs

• Developer: Cardboard Utopia
• Release Date: 18 July 2017
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

Children of Zodiarcs adds a bit of tabletop flavor to the usual TRPG formula. With cards and dice affecting outcomes on the battlefield, the game becomes much more than stat grinding and RNG.

Crafting your deck and your dice to stack the odds in your favor is the key to success in this tale of survival on the streets of a fantasy city.

Children of Zodiarcs typically sells for $17.99 if you don’t manage to catch it on sale, or you can get the Collector’s Edition bundle for $22.86 and receive the artbook and soundtrack as well.

Massive Chalice

• Developer: Double Fine Productions
• Release Date: 1 June 2015
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One
• Steam Page

Massive Chalice challenges you to defend your realm against a centuries-long invasion by fostering bloodlines of heroes.

Attacks come every few decades, so it’s up to whoever is available from your noble houses to fight, with whatever skills and equipment they’ve inherited from previous generations.

It’s a neat idea, and well worth revisiting since the game recently had its tenth anniversary. You can get Massive Chalice on Steam for $19.99, or throw in the soundtrack for an extra $5.

Cascade Tactics

• Developer: Mythic Machine Software
• Release Date: 17 February 2022
• Platforms: Windows, Linux
• Steam Page

While it’s still in early access, Cascade Tactics deserves attention for its innovative approach to tactical battles.

Customization and interactivity are the name of the game, and even in its current state you can find tons of combos and counters to tackle Cascade Tactics‘ 40+ missions. Keep an eye on this one, since solo projects are always exciting to see develop. Cascade Tactics is available on Steam for just $9.99.

Sword Legacy: Omen

• Developer: Firecast Studio
• Release Date: 13 August 2018
• Platforms: Windows
• Steam Page

You’ve all heard the tale of King Arthur, but how familiar are you with the story of his legendary father, Uther Pendragon? Sword Legacy: Omen isn’t exactly a faithful retelling of Uther’s saga, but it’s a fun tactical game in an alternate Britain, with a focus on story and some neat challenges.

It’s also very fairly priced at $17.99, making it a great palette-cleanser after a longer, more involved campaign.

Tactics V: Obsidian Brigade

• Developer: From Nothing Game Studios
• Release Date: 9 August 2019
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

Tactics V: Obsidian Brigade captures a very unique retro style. Think of a game you played on a friend’s PC as a kid and only vaguely remember, and can’t recall the name; with its old-style graphics and unique look, Obsidian Brigade could make a case for having been that game.

While Tactics V might feel like rediscovering a forgotten gem, its gameplay has all the quality-of-life elements you’d hope for in a modern game, including co-op and loads of battles to fight. All that, and it’s just $9.99 on Steam!

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics

• Developer: BonusXP
• Release Date: 4 February 2020
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

A lot happened in 2020 that we didn’t have on our Bingo cards, but I don’t think any of us were expecting a tactical RPG based on the 1982 cult classic film The Dark Crystal. Expected or not, though, Age Of Resistance Tactics launched in February of that year, and we’re glad it did.

Whether or not you’ve seen the Jim Henson film or the Netflix spinoff, Age of Resistance Tactics offers a chance to immerse yourself in the fantasy world that’s enchanted millions, and the battle between the Gelflings and the Skeksis. It’s available on Steam for $19.99.

• Developer: Drix Studios
• Release Date: 2 July 2019
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

Grand Guilds is the kind of game that you can tell the developers poured their hearts into; everything from the hand-drawn character portraits to the card-based tactical battle system feels like a true passion project.

As Eliza, the leader of a mercenary guild, you’ll fight your way across a continent to stop a war and save your reputation. Grand Guilds is also very reasonably priced at just $14.99.

Wintermoor Tactics Club

• Developer: EVC Games
• Release Date: 5 May 2020
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

Do you remember the snowball fight from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance? One of the best tutorials of all time? Well, Wintermoor Tactics Club is basically that, made into a full game.

As the outcasts of the tabletop club, you’ll develop your characters’ fantasy personas to survive the campus-wide snowball war… and the school year in general. This heartfelt visual-novel-meets-TRPG is full of fun and surprises, all for just $14.99.

Tenderfoot Tactics

• Developer: Badru
• Release Date: 21 October 2021
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Switch
• Steam Page

With its dreamy, impressionist appearance and open-world exploration, Tenderfoot Tactics is very different from your average TRPG.

Leading your party of goblins, you’ll sail from island to island, fighting back a dangerous fog that threatens to envelop the world. It offers lots of opportunities to shape the battlefield mid-combat, sometimes in unexpected ways and often with goblin chaos. Tenderfoot Tactics is available for $14.99, or as part of a Steam bundle with Fae Tactics and Horizon’s Gate for $49.47.

Live by the Sword: Tactics

• Developer: Labrador Studios
• Release Date: 16 June 2021
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
• Steam Page

Live By The Sword is a neat departure from the same old gameplay loop, while still feeling familiar enough not to try reinventing the wheel.

Battles are won purely on your tactical prowess, with no XP or gear to let you power up your soldiers and brute-force your way through. When you’re done with the story, there’s a permadeath Adventure Mode that offers endless exploration… as long as you can stay alive in the game’s harsh, war-torn world.

Live By The Sword has a free demo available on Steam, and if you decide it’s worth buying, the full game is just $14.99.

Voidspire Tactics & Alvora Tactics

• Developer: Rad Codex
• Release Date: 2 November 2015
• Platforms: Windows
• Steam Page

Rad Codex’s retro-inspired open worlds feel a bit like a return to the old Ultima games, with modern conveniences.

There are plenty of tactical battles to test your mettle throughout Voidspire and Alvora, but the real meat of the game is in exploring and developing your party to meet whatever challenges you might face.

Voidspire is $14.99, and Alvora is $9.99, or you can get both in the complete Rad Codex series as a Steam bundle, which also includes Horizon’s Gate and Kingsvein, for $58.46.

Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner

• Developer: Black March Studios
• Release Date: 5 September 2023
• Platforms: Windows
• Steam Page.

As indie TRPGs go, Crimson Tactics is one of the prettiest to hit Steam in recent years. Its characters, environments, and battles all come together to tell the story of a kingdom torn apart by civil war, with you and your troops right in the middle – as if you’d have it any other way!

Crimson Tactics is a bit more expensive than the other games on this list at $29.99, but considering that it’s newer and has generally higher production values, that’s still a pretty good price all told.

Untamed Tactics

• Developer: Grumpy Owl Games
• Release Date: 28 August 2023
• Platforms: Windows, Mac
• Steam Page

Untamed Tactics takes the unconventional step of putting an unreliable narrator in charge of the story.

As the aging General Greycoat, you’ll recount your adventures to your grandchildren, piecing together a story of redemption and revenge bit by bit while making sure the tale is exciting enough to keep the kids entertained. Normally $19.99, Untamed Tactics is on sale for $5.99 on Steam for the next few days.

Reverie Knights Tactics

• Developer: 40 Giants Entertainment
• Release Date: 25 January 2022
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
• Steam Page

A lovely hand-drawn fantasy adventure, Reverie Knights Tactics drops rookie expeditioner Aurora into the middle of a conflict between elves and orcs, with tough decisions to make if she’s to bring everyone home safely.

Its character-based system is simple compared to others, but if you’re looking for a story with some great visuals, this is a good pick. You can get Reverie Knights Tactics on Steam for $19.99, or as part of a bundle with Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark for just $7 more.