Updated on September 26, 2026, by Mark Sammut: We can always use a few more tactical RPGs with great character customization, so I've added two more games to this article.

Everyone knows the RPG genre came out of the tabletop world and old-school war games, meaning strategy and cunning have been part of the genre's DNA since day one. The RPG genre has evolved since then, but even today, a strain of hardcore tactical RPGs retains the old-school desire for intense, difficult combat decisions.

Although maybe not as popular nowadays as action or traditional turn-based JRPGs, tactical RPGs can be absolutely time-consuming when done right, especially for people who love nothing more than to micromanage expansive parties. Nowadays, we don't get many new releases in this genre, so we should celebrate the ones we do get.

Let's start with a low fantasy RPG that focuses on the mundane, or as mundane as running a mercenary group can be. Wartales has you traveling across the Edoran Empire, a gritty medieval world devastated by a plague. With no dragons to fight or ancient prophecies to live up to, you simply want to pick up contracts to ensure your ragged mercenaries are well-fed, paid, armed, rested, and as happy as possible, none of which is easy.

Ready for a challenge? These tactical RPGs demand strategy, precision, and a bit of luck to survive their punishing gameplay and tough battles.

Wartales treats party building like tuning a medieval engine. Every mercenary's identity is defined not just by their subclass and stat points, but by their weapons and camp professions, which must be assigned to every person.

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