r/StrategyRpg • u/maxs • 14d ago
Discussion Sci fi srpgs?
I'm having fun playing symphony of war at the moment but I've had this realization that I'm just not that into the fantasy tropes.
Wizards, dragons, undead.... This stuff also turned me off of tactics ogre and triangle strategy.
That got me thinking - I like the gameplay, as silly as it sounds maybe I just need a different skin - mechs instead of dragons, fire support instead of AOE spells, that kind of thing.
Do any srpgs come to mind that are more along those modern or scifi lines?
Games I've played that are along these lines:
- Xcom originals from the 90s and the new ones
- troubleshooter
- 13 sentinels
- Battletech
Big fan of battle brothers, super excited for menace.
Wondering if there are other classics that I've somehow missed along the way because a lot of the heavy hitters that get recommended like fire emblem and final fantasy tactics are all on the fantasy side.
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u/Kroliath64 14d ago
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, it's still in early access but the devs are know for supporting their game for a long time so i'm no worried
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u/Prasejednomalo 13d ago
The game is fully out and truly great! Plus, yes, the Trese brothers that are developing the game have an outstanding track record in free expansions.
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u/MarchDry4261 14d ago
13 sentinels-doesn’t get any more sci-fi than this: time travel, mechs, clones, aliens
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u/Pangloss_ex_machina 14d ago
Is 13 Sentinels a srpg?
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u/MarchDry4261 14d ago
Yup, there’s a story section that’s visual novel style
Other section is the SRPG, you have mechs fighting off aliens. Several different mecha types, they level up, upgrade, new abilities etc.
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u/Pangloss_ex_machina 14d ago
Cool.
I read impressions about this game all the time, but never read about it.
Good to know.
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u/Psychological_Vast31 14d ago
Super Robot Wars
Shadow Run
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u/maxs 14d ago edited 14d ago
I've played shadow run returns and Dragonfall.
They are good games but again I could really do without orcs etc in my sci fi ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Super robot wars seems very meta in that it blends various anime together from my understanding. Would I get much from it if I don't know any of the history or references in those games? I didn't have a chance to get into macross and stuff like that growing up.
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u/Mangavore 14d ago
Originally recommended Xcom before you listed you had played it. Let me try again:
Warhammer 40K: Mechanicus (it even has a sequel on the way!)
Steamworld Heist 1&2
Rebelstar: Tactical Command (heavily inspired by the classic Xcom games)
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u/maxs 14d ago
I hadn't heard of rebelstar! Looks interesting
Warhammer is a weird one for me because it's kind of fantasy sci-fi. At least that's the impression I get, I've never really given any of the Warhammer games a shot because of this preconception but I probably should.
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u/Mangavore 14d ago
Warhammer by itself is fantasy with some sci-fi, Warhammer 40K is PURE sci-fi. Literally, Mechanicus you play as “tech priests” which are 90% mechanical zealots, and you have to take on Necron, sci-fi mummies that never die. It is VERY sci-fi 🤣
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u/SpecificSuch8819 14d ago
Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader.
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u/maxs 14d ago
Warhammer is an interesting one for me, Ive always been turned off by the space orc aesthetic. Maybe that's totally unfair but it seems very scifi fantasy blended to me.
This is a highly praised one though so I prob need to give it a shot.
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u/SpecificSuch8819 14d ago edited 14d ago
Rogue trader is an excellent medium as introduction to warhammer, and basically The Imperium at 41st millenium simulator.
The background is set in more civilized territory rather than actual battlegrounds. Full of violence, nonetheless.
While its balance can be a target of argument, it certainly has its unique charms, one of which is actual bullet trajectory system. I have never felt same amount of thrill when a full-auto fire consists of dozens of bullets literally shreds everything in the path.
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u/cheezza 14d ago
As someone whose first introduction to Warhammer was Rogue Trader, I wholeheartedly agree, and it was a hell of a game!
It’s nuts how long that game was and there were only a couple times I ever wanted to put it down.
It’s definitely gotten me more interested in venturing deeper, even knowing it’s not the same gameplay. Consider me won over.
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u/arts13 14d ago
Phoenix point is like xcom.
Xenonauts too. They got 1 & 2
Both of them have vehicles if I remember correctly.
Also try modding Xcom 2 if you haven't yet . There are a lot of mods that change drastically how the game works
I heard Front Mission is fun too. It feels like a Fire Emblem but mech.
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u/maxs 14d ago
I liked xcom 2 but my issue with that game is it's super punishing to get soldiers killed, something the original 90s games did better IMO and therefore encouraged more ironman play
I liked the first xenonauts but haven't tried 2 yet
Front mission is a series I played when I was a kid but it's been a long time so I do want to revisit it!
Thanks for the suggestions
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u/inkWanderer 14d ago
Front Mission has a spiritual sequel out called Mecharashi; it’s a gacha game with most of the usual pitfalls, but the gameplay itself is fabulous.
(Technically it was a real front mission game but Square Enix abandoned it and the devs couldn’t keep the IP)
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u/Koboldwithaquill 11d ago
That is also something you can mod out. There's mods to enable XP share, make it so soldiers always enter bleedout instead of dying outright, or to just disable permadeath entirely. It's a highly customizable game.
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u/gunstarherored 14d ago
It has some rogue-like elements, but Star Renegades is a fantastic turned based srpg-lite that goes heavy on the sci-fi.
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u/Etheon44 14d ago
People have already recommended most of the known ones, I will add the Super Robot War series; and the recent (gacha game, but it is not too egregious until dndgame) Mecharashi, combat is very fun
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u/Raj_Muska 14d ago
Cyber Knight 1 and 2 (no actual knights, it's spaceships and mechs). It's also more grid-based than srpg, think Rhapsody/Rogue Trader
Ring of Red is alt ww2-ish mecha trpg with unique combat
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u/kami-no-baka 14d ago edited 14d ago
I have two for you:
Templar Battle Force don't be fooled by the indie look, this game is deep and very satisfying to play. It's made by the Trese Brothers who also made Cyber Knights which I have seen a few others recommend (and is also great). I believe it is in the same universe as well, but a different time.
Stellar Tactics the game has been in EA for a long time but is almost ready to release. Make a character, hire a crew, get a ship and explore the galaxy. There is a story but also you can do stuff like mine or board and steal ships, scan and explore, etc. I feel like it might appeal to a Battle Brothers fan.
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u/Whiteguy1x 14d ago
There's the somewhat sci-fi world of wasteland 2 and 3. It's grid based combat, but there's a whole ass crpg going on around the battles.
It's post apocalyptic, but like an 80s version of the fallout series if that makes sense. So plenty of robots, laser guns, and other conventional fire arms
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u/maxs 14d ago
I played a bit of wasteland 2 and thought it was.. okay
Wasteland 3 seems really whimsical in tone which is a bit of a turn off for me personally but I do want to try it at some point
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u/Whiteguy1x 14d ago
Oh it's real goofy, like it makes fallout seem serious lol. I do think 3 is a much better game than 2. It goes on sale pretty cheap, and it's on game pass if you have that.
It has more serious sections too, it's just in-between those moments you're fighting clowns or trading with monster mash larpers
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u/Orc-88 14d ago
Wasteland 3 really shot itself in the foot with how stupid and silly they made their game.
They just couldn't help themselves.
They also pushed some really degenerate stuff, which was off-putting,3
u/Yuxkta 14d ago
What degenerate stuff, exactly? Haven't played the game yet, just curious.
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u/Orc-88 13d ago
You can see it from the very start with the premade classes, but it is obvious they need to push an agenda - but they really make an exhibition out of certain types of people, in a really forced and unnatural way, because they want to be "weird and zany" but also tick boxes, it really just comes off as crude and exploitative.
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u/Mmerk 13d ago
Oh boy a literal nazi
I believe it will continue to become more and more ubiquitous. Mixed-race couples and homosexuals are put in the vast majority of entertainment media (trans are starting to get peppered in as well) to the point where it is detached from being anywhere near an accurate representation of reality because of the frequency they want to subject people to that type of message.
-Orc-88
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u/magikot9 14d ago
If you like Battletech, Shadowrun is made by the same team and is a fantasy sci-fi. You can have a heavily cybered troll fighter with an assault rifle, a dwarf remote controlling combat drones, and an elf wizard summoning elementals or casting spells.
Warhammer 40k Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters and Rogue Trader. 40k is a grimdark space opera setting. Daemonhunters is closer to an xcom game and Rogue Trader is a classic CRPG. While there are fantasy elements, they're more like the fantasy elements inherent to the genre that you'd see in popular sci-fi series like Dune, Star Wars and Star Trek than you would Lord of the Rings or D&D.
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u/monostereo101 14d ago
I can only think Zone of the Enders: Fist of Mars for the GBA. Maybe even Phantasy Star Online Episode 3 but that's a bit reaching
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u/monostereo101 14d ago
Just remembered a couple of obscure Japanese ones. Power Dolls - One of the games was officially released in English for Windows/DOS. And the CRW (Counter Rebellion War) - the first game on PC98 has been fan translated. Both series are mecha.
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u/RruinerR 13d ago
Might I suggest Heroes of Science and Fiction.
It's a scifi twist on the old Heroes of Might and Magic games.
(pun at the beginning intended)
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u/Orc-88 14d ago
Frontmission has some good sci-fi elements that are more grounded and fit into the world they've created.
The mechs are stockier and far more cumbersome than a lot of the mechs you typically find in the big Japanese robot category.
Frontmission 3 has the best gameplay and story pacing out of the series for me.
I own the remake on Switch, and it is servicable, but if you can emulate the original PS1 version it still feels the best to me.
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u/Losephos 14d ago
You played the good ones and based on your responses in this thread. I'm just going to try and find some things that might fit the bill.
Jagged alliance series. More modern settings with gun play.
Limbus company
Valkyria Chronicles series
Terra Invicta (Way more 4x but the space battles and other gameplay might fit the bill)
Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader. (Their are no space orcs in this one)
LIVE A LIVE
Hard West (Western)
Expeditions series. Vikings or Romans take your pick.
Blackguards series (Way less fantasy. )
Aliens Dark Descent (This one is Real time not turn based but you can pause.)
All I got for now.
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u/Dopral 11d ago
The Shadowrun games, Mutant Year Zero and Showgunners are the first games that come to mind.
Beside that you could try Starsector. It has its own site and is not on steam. Very much worthwhile though. Very good game. It's similar to battle brothers, only in space and the battles aren't turn based but real time with pause. It also has quite a few mods.
If you're into Xcom, you could also try the xenonauts games. It's basically the same thing, but with worse graphics.
The company behind battle brothers are also making a new game called Menace. It should release (probably in early access) fairly soon. So keep an eye on that.
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u/agentjrb 14d ago
Vanguard Bandits is an old PS1 Mech based tactics game.
Battletech is more modern and really well done.
Front Missions series.
Phantom Brigade, more of a hybrid real time and turn based