What is this?

This is a series of analyses I made about some of my favorite turn-based battle systems, compiled and written during my Fall 2024 semester at USC.

Turn-based JRPGs are the focus and my favorite games to play.
I particularly wished to chronicle these specific games for my own future reference.
I aimed to use these analyses as reference when making games of my own,
but also set out making them with the goal of sharing them with others, like you!
All pixel art here is mine. Titles are listed by the order I analyzed them in. Enjoy!

Chrono Trigger

Square | First released March 11, 1995 (SNES)

Active Time Battle Team Attacks Timing

Read more (Google Docs)

Final Fantasy X

Square Enix | First released July 19, 2001 (PS2)

Charge Turn Battle Sphere Grid
Weakness Exploitation Turn Economy

Read more (Google Docs)

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

ATLUS | First released June 14, 2024 (PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One)

Press Turn Battle Weakness Exploitation Team Building
Turn Economy Buff Stacking Player/Enemy Phase

Read more (Google Docs)

Granblue Fantasy

Cygames | First released March 10, 2014 (Web)

Skill Cooldowns Weapon Grid
Player/Enemy Phase Team Building Buff Stacking

Read more (Google Docs)

Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker

ATLUS | First released July 28, 2011 (DS) as Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2

EXTRA TURN System Team Building SRPG
Weakness Exploitation

Read more (Google Docs)

Bravely Default

Square Enix | First released October 11, 2012 (3DS) as Bravely Default: Flying Fairy

Traditional Turn-based Battle Job System Turn Economy
Buff Stacking

Read more (Google Docs)

Takeaways

I seem to enjoy systems that modify themselves, or allow players to heavily modify elements in them to create a feeling of "breaking the game".
Most systems allowed modifying the game's turn economy.

Chrono Trigger: Dual/Triple techs (based on party) are timed to hit in concert with the ATB system
Final Fantasy X: Move weights in CTB affect turn queue
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance: Attack effectiveness, passives, buffs, and actions modify the number of actions per turn and player damage dealt/received
Granblue Fantasy: Optimizing parties and equipment to efficiently burn through bosses
Devil Survivor 2: Demon passives allow traditional SRPG "rules" to be bent or broken, like teams attacking multiple times in a turn and the number of actions taken affecting turn queue
Bravely Default: Modifying and leveraging BP and turn economy