Let’s see the Games With the Most Copies Sold Last Month
Last month, I brought you the inaugural turn-based charts for September 2024. Upon reflection, I think using revenue as a metric had the effect of boosting AAA titles more than they deserved. So, this month, we are going to look at the most copies sold, which gives lower-priced indie titles a chance to shine. Will there be any surprises in this month’s list?
Overall, October was a much more subdued month. Only four of these titles would have cracked September’s top 10, but hopefully, that brings some interesting indies into the limelight. The following list is the top 10 games based on estimated copies sold[1] that were released in October 2024.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Surprising absolutely no one, Metaphor: ReFantazio comfortably takes the top spot. It doesn’t matter what month I am talking about. If a mainline ATLUS game has been released, it’s likely going to be in pole position.
Continuing that unique Persona blend of turn-based dungeon crawler and relationship-building visual novel, Metaphor seems to have landed well with fans of the existing Persona franchise and received plenty of 10/10’s from critics. I’m rather ashamed I haven’t tried this one, as I’m a fan of ATLUS titles, so I might have to bump it up my backlog!
ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8 REMAKE
WHY DO THEY ALWAYS CAPITALISE THIS SERIES. Ever since I stumbled upon a demo of Dynasty Warriors 2 many years ago, I have loved any game set from the Three Kingdoms period. At this point, I have such fond memories of the cast by whatever designs KOEI TEMCO has attributed to them over the years that I am always slightly disappointed that the Romance Of The Three Kingdoms games seem to sport mixed reviews.
Many people consider the 8th entry to be one of the finest but it is rather dated by this point, releasing all the way back in 2001. Fans hoped the remake would breathe fresh life into an old classic but opinions seem divided on if it’s done enough to make it worth a purchase over some of it’s more recent contemporaries. Still, it rides a wave of nostalgia to the number 2 spot.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
A lot of romance going on this month apparently. Classic JRPG goodness and nostalgia-fueled remakes come together to bring us Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. In an attempt to one up Romance of the Three Kingdoms remaking a 2001 game, we have to go all the way back to 1993 to find the first release of Romancing SaGa 2.
Sadly I never played the original but it was one of those games I often heard mentioned as a cult classic when it eventually made its way over to western audiences. As the game on this list with the highest average review score it’s certainly been a hit amongst fans with and seems to be a remake that makes a number of changes to improve upon the original experience rather than replicate it.
Spin Hero
This one feels like the first surprise. Last month, Cat God Ranch made a huge splash, and Spin Hero seems to be continuing the trend in this subgenre of slot machine-style deck builders. With a low asking price and the same addictive gambling-based gameplay, I can see why it’s got a bit of a following, even if many reviewers point out it’s a bit more casual than its competitors.
Spin Hero released early in the month and seems to have gained some popularity in the eastern market as well as being picked up by a number of content creators covering indie games leading to a strong relative performance. If you like this emerging style of “spin roguelike” then Spin Hero might be one to keep an eye on if you want a more digestible entry.
Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds – EARLY ACCESS
In a market becoming increasingly saturated with pixel titles, a game has to do something a bit special to make me praise the aesthetic and Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds certainly has some gorgeous looks to it. Despite it looking more like a classic JRPG there is a strong CRPG influence allowing you to craft your character and companions.
Whatever blend Guild Saga is doing, it has to be doing something right for a number of reviewers to compare it to Baldur’s Gate 3. We already have an in depth preview of this title up on the site so go check that if you want the inside scoop.
MY DIRECT DAMAG 7 TRILLION
MORE CAPITALISATION. I am honestly unsure if this is a typo or what is going on here, as the capsule art does clearly show it as “damage”. Either way, MY DIRECT DAMAG 7 TRILLION has greatly benefitted by this month’s swap to sold copy metrics given its very low price point. It seems to have found a small Chinese fanbase that carried it up to the 6th spot on this list, but it does have an English translation for anyone who might be interested in trying a small title that has flown under the radar.
As far as I can tell, it’s a relatively light dungeon crawler experience where you adjust your equipment to beat bosses, get new loot, and climb ever higher on your quest to hit 7 trillion damage! If you like incremental upgrades and massive damage numbers, this might be a hidden gem to look into.
Claws & Chaos
Every now and then we get a new trend in gaming, whether it be MOBA’s or battle royale’s. Hot new genres that pop up, dominate the market and then dip down to a dedicated fan base. I can’t decide quite where in that timeline we are right now, but between the continued success of Team Fight Tactics and Mechabellum launching last month to huge numbers, it seems auto battlers certainly have some more gas left in the tank.
Claws & Chaos brings a more cutesy, whimsical feel to the genre for those who might fancy a change from continuous games of Super Auto Pets. It certainly looks charming, although it is currently the lowest game on this list in review score, thanks to questionable balancing. Still, there aren’t too many games fighting in this space right now (although I might have a review of another in the following weeks).
Spear Song – EARLY ACCESS
I don’t know if it’s that Witcher 3 nostalgia in me, but I am always interested in a game that focuses on Slavic mythology. Spear Song takes you and your merry band of Slavic knights across a beautifully stylised world map in an effort to vanquish folklore inspired monsters and save the kingdom from evil.
Yes, it’s a slightly cliche premise, but with the game featuring tactical grid-based combat, character upgrades, and combinations, as well as the ever-looming threat of permadeath, it’s likely to grab those in the mood for a slightly more high-stakes adventure. We’ll be watching to see how this one shapes up as early access goes on.
Dead Season
This one you should certainly go and read the review for… mainly because I wrote it. The gaming equivalent of mixing XCOM and Zombicide. I personally have a rather lukewarm take due to some of the design choices, but if you want a zombie game where you feel like you are fighting against an unending horde, where your goal is just to survive rather than thrive, you might be interested in this game.
For a relatively unforgiving genre and theme, the game is also very accessible for people who might want to dip their toes into some turn-based tactics after watching their favorite zombie movie. The publishers have noted some of the initial criticisms, and a couple of patches have already been pushed out, so with time, I think this is likely to become an easier recommendation.
Beloved Rapture
Would you kindly… Oops…. Wrong rapture. Beloved Rapture is yet another entry sporting some charming pixel art and giving the distinct feeling of being thrown back to classic JRPG’s of yore. It sports a focus on storytelling rather than grinding your characters up by bashing local wolves for hours and offers plenty of side quests and mini games along the way. If you feel like diving into a more retro adventure then this last spot on the list might be for you.
That’s it for my October round-up. Did I miss anything? Any hidden gems you want to shout out? Head over to the Turn Based Lovers Discord and you can tell me all the ways I am wrong!
In a respectful way, of course.
[1] Data used was from Gamalytic based on games that include a “Turn Based” tag and then sense checked against VGInsights and peak player numbers from SteamDB. All sold copy numbers used are estimates based on an unknown algorithm that uses review counts among other metrics. Free 2 Play and Adult games, as well as some games that would not fit the standard definition of turn-based, have been removed from the list.
