While you're enjoying retro examples be sure to check out Stars and Time, Helen's Mysteries Castle, Ara Fell, Chained Echoes, Sea of Stars, and a ton of other modern indie turn-based RPGs that in many cases match or exceed their classic predecessors in quality
Don't ask me why and don't look at anything online about it in writing or video form, just get it and play it blind, and preferably alone in a dark room
I'm not sure how much of my fondness is due to my garbage reaction speed, and how much is due to generally enjoying the genre, but turn-based RPGs are great
It’s definitely grind-y and silly. The more recent games let you sort of sidestep the grind after a while. The silliness is pretty much mandatory unless you just want to skip the story
Comments
Found a secret area in Toadley Clinic that I don't think is that well documented outside of Mario Wiki.
This year I played;
Persona 3 Reload
Unicorn Overlord (hybrid)
Tactical Breach Wizards (tactical)
Metaphor: ReFantazio
I want to play;
Infinite Wealth
Romancing Saga 2 Revenge of the Seven
Metal Slug Tactics
Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance
OwlCat is the new BioWare
ALSO ME
Bg3 was pretty good but I loved the challenge of WOTR
…still waiting for my turn.
😬
(Despite a Zelda game being my favorite game of all time, turn based RPG's rock)
Phantasy Star 4
World of Horror
Final Fantasy Tactics
Xenogears
Xenosaga
Front Mission 3
The more I list things, the more I realize what I consider to be thr best turn based rpgs are old and sometimes hafd to find.
If you like tactical rpgs, I love the Disgaea series.
For someone that hasn't played one in a while I'd recommend Wasteland 3, Divinity Original Sin 2, Baldurs Gate 3 and Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader