5 Best Turn-Based SRPGs Like Fire Emblem

Fire Emblem is undeniably one of the best SRPGs available. Across its storied history, the series has evolved in numerous ways to keep it ahead of the competition, with Three Houses proving to be its most successful iteration. It manages to make you truly care about each member of its enormous cast, feel truly engrossed in its turn-based combat, and deliver epic narratives that, for the most part, end on a high note. However, as perfect as Fire Emblem is, it is limited in its number of releases. Eventually, you’re going to have beaten them all, and at that point you’ll need to start looking for alternatives.

Fortunately, there are quite a few SRPGs like Fire Emblem that come pretty close to replicating its brilliance. While we all await the next mainline Fire Emblem title, these indies and AA masterpieces will have to suffice. Ranging from almost exact replicas of certain eras of Fire Emblem to games that put their own spin on its iconic formula, these SRPGs are the ideal pick for those craving something akin to Nintendo’s legendarily good strategy RPG series.

5. Magellania

Magellania is one of my all-time favorite indie games, not least because of its incredibly unique art style. From the stunning level design to the phenomenal art for each unit, Magellania stands out as a remarkable visual delight, a game that never fails to surprise and inspire in equal measure. I’ve never seen a game that looks quite like Magellania, and that’s in large part because of its one-person developer, Illunsoft, who also creates the masterfully crafted soundtrack.

Of course, we’re here to discuss SRPG gameplay, and Magellania has that in spades. While it differs somewhat from Fire Emblem in the implementation of its tactics RPG combat, it does still capture the strategy, unit management, and upgrades of that series. You’ll duke it out across large maps against increasingly powerful forces and a rotating pool of diverse unit types, and bring with you your own army of upgradable soldiers. You can time parries to avoid taking too much damage, experiment with different class combinations, and equip unique badges that drastically alter gameplay. It is packed with plenty of battles, fun, quirky story moments, and a plethora of memorable characters to meet. For its exceptionally low price, Magellania is absolutely worth playing for anyone looking for the next best game like Fire Emblem.

4. The Banner Saga

When recommending The Banner Saga Trilogy to friends, I often begin by comparing it to The Lord of the Rings. It truly is the only game, in my opinion, that has managed to encapsulate the scale and emotion of The Lord of the Rings. Its cast of characters, who can be lost or saved depending on your choices throughout all three games, are just as memorable as the Fellowship, its world just as detailed and immersive as Middle-earth, its story, sprawling landscapes, huge battles, and moments of sombre reflection just as captivating as their counterparts in LOTR. The Banner Saga is the embodiment of adventure, of the quintessential fantasy journey, in video game form.

Aside from being a must-play fantasy RPG, The Banner Saga also features excellent turn-based tactical battles akin to those seen in Fire Emblem. While not quite as in-depth nor on the same scale, Banner Saga’s fights still require plenty of strategic thinking, as the consequences of losing can be deadly. Unit placement is incredibly important, as are the match-ups against enemy soldiers, both of which help recreate the tension found in every Fire Emblem battle. It isn’t a perfect recreation of the FE experience, but it is close enough to encourage its fans to experience the utterly phenomenal narrative.

3. Banner of the Maid

I feel like, were I to describe Banner of the Maid to anyone, they probably wouldn’t believe me. It is set during the French Revolution, in which you play as Pauline Bonaparte, the fictional sister of the very real, legendary emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Naturally, one would assume that this is the perfect strategy game for Total War fans. That would be inaccurate. The twist here is that everyone is an anime character, impossibly contorted body proportions included. You’ll command armies of line infantry, artillery, skirmishers, and cavalry led by a plethora of buff men and buxom women clad in 18th century French military uniforms. Bizarre, I know.

That being said, I cannot overstate just how good Banner of the Maid is. Admittedly, it does tick practically every passion of mine (anime girls not particularly included in that list), as I’m rather partial to both 18th and 19th century France and strategy RPGs. Nevertheless, the battles are rather challenging, despite the inherently ludicrous premise, and the story, when translated properly, can be rather riveting. I found myself genuinely enjoying the grind to improve my units, and often partook in completely optional battles. Banner of the Maid may be an odd game, but it comes together in a way that makes perfect sense and keeps you coming back for more.

2. Dark Deity

Dark Deity takes the formula of old-school Fire Emblem and modernizes it for a contemporary audience. It is the perfect distillation of everything you know and love about classic Fire Emblem games, with an original story and a few novel gameplay mechanics. There isn’t anything particularly flashy about Dark Deity or its vastly superior sequel, and that isn’t a bad thing. This is a faithful attempt at recapturing what made those older games so special, something that Nintendo is unlikely to ever do again with the mainline Fire Emblem series. If you want something that resembles Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, then Dark Deity is for you.

While you can play the games in order of release, you don’t really need to. Dark Deity 2 is designed to be approachable to newcomers, and while it does feature some references to events from the first game and even a handful of returning characters, they’re easily understood by someone with no prior knowledge. If the first game looks fun to you, then I’d recommend playing it before the sequel. Its flaws are ironed out in Dark Deity 2, meaning returning to it after playing the second game would be rough. Either way, if you love old-school Fire Emblem, you’re going to love Dark Deity.

1. Lost Eidolons

Much like Dark Deity, Lost Eidolons is a pretty faithful recreation of the core Fire Emblem experience. However, Ocean Drive Studio’s attempt at delivering something akin to Fire Emblem eschews the heavy anime influences and instead aims for something a tad more photorealistic. Delivering next-gen visuals, Lost Eidolons is a legitimately stunning game, especially considering the size of the team and their undoubtedly small budget. The visuals both make battles look significantly more immersive and elevate the main narrative through cinematic cutscenes.

Lost Eidolons is very evidently inspired by the likes of both The Witcher 3 and Fire Emblem. It adopts the fantastical elements of both games, the combat of Nintendo’s strategy masterpiece, and the gritty narrative chops of CD Projekt Red’s magnum opus. While it can be rough around the edges in places, it truly does manage to feel far more premium than even the official mainline Fire Emblem games at times. If you’ve been seeking a Fire Emblem-esque experience with AAA visuals and a greater emphasis on cinematic storytelling, then Lost Eidolons is absolutely for you.

What SRPGs do you recommend? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

5 JRPGs You Can Beat In A Weekend