Summary
Real-time-with-pause combat is a point of contention for many RPG fans. Turn-based and real-time combat both have their places in the genre, butreal-time-with-pauseis often a smaller niche. Larger games such asMass EffectandStar Wars: Knights Of The Old Republichave had success combining third-person combat with tactical pause, though pausing is arguably less necessary in these titles than in the abundance of CRPGs that make use of it.
FromDungeons & Dragonsdungeon-crawlers such asIcewind Daleand the unique settings of games likeArcanumall the way to newer indie titles likeTower Of Time, there are a variety of real-time-with-pause RPGs available today. While combat is not the main selling point of all these games, each of them features real-time combat with a tactical pause feature.
While its real-time-with-pause combat is far from its strong suit,Arcanumis a well-crafted and affordable CRPG that’s still readilyavailable today despite its age.Arcanumwas developed by Troika Games, the team behind games such asVampire The Masquerade: BloodlinesandThe Temple of Elemental Evil.
The prowess of this studio is on full display inArcanum’sworld-building and level of player agency despite a frequently clunky user interface. Players looking for a more combat-focused dungeon-crawler may want to look elsewhere, butArcanum’sunique, industrial-fantasy world is worth exploring.
IcewindDale, similar to games such asBaldur’s Gate, isa dungeon-crawling RPGset in the fantasy world ofDungeons & Dragons.Icewind Dalecan also be a challenging experience, especially for those unfamiliar with both the genre and the workings of old-school tabletop RPGs, such as the second edition ofDungeons & Dragons.
Players who don’t enjoy the old-school combat of isometric CRPGs from that time will likely bounce right off ofIcewind Dale, but the dungeon-crawling experience on offer is a nostalgic one. Furthermore, the party-building aspects ofIcewind Daleare extremely important to success, allowing players to deliberate over their party in between combat encounters.
This more recent real-time-with-pause RPG is a combat-focused dungeon crawler that allows players to slow down and even stop time at their leisure. This allows players to think out their moves carefully while still enjoying the fast-paced action of real-time combat.
Tower of Timedoes feature a relatively engaging story, but its combat is arguably one of its stronger suits. Thankfully, players looking for a more combat-orientated gameplay loop can play through the game’s “RPG-Lite” mode, which reduces the story content that players are required to wade through.
Taking inspiration from games such asArcanumandBaldur’s Gate,Pathfinder: Kingmakerisan ambitious party-based isometric RPG. As with many tabletop-inspired RPGs, success inPathfinder: Kingmaker’scombat is more about efficiently building characters and creating a balanced party rather than micro-decisions made in combat.
Thankfully, the variety of diverse classes and spells allows for plenty of options. One of the major downsides toPathfinder: Kingmaker’scombat is that it relies heavily on the roll of the die, which can be frustrating at higher difficulty levels.
As one of the pioneers of the isometric,party-based RPG,Baldur’s Gateis an iconic real-time-with-pause role-playing game based onDungeons & Dragons. The game sets players off on an adventure set in the fantasy world ofDungeons & Dragons, using adapted rules from the 2nd edition of the classic tabletop RPG.
Despite being a little rough around the edges and not quite as smooth of an experience as the RPGs that succeeded it,Baldur’s Gatesucceeds with its well-told narrative and dense world. Combat is frequently challenging, especially on harder difficulties, and familiarity with 2nd editionDungeons & Dragonsdoes help in understanding how stats and equipment work in the game.
Tyrannyis a dense, narrative-driven fantasy RPG with meaningful player choices, each of which can have a major impact on the game.Tyranny’sworld, characters, gray morality, and overarching narrative work together to offer a rich and immersive experience.
The real-time-with-pause combat ofTyrannyis also a frequently engaging and, at times, challenging system. Like most real-time-with-pause RPGs,Tyrannyis party-based and isometric, tasking players with managingeach of their companionsin real-time battles, using the pause feature to plan their next volley of attacks. Casting spells, assessing threats, and positioning units are cornerstones ofTyranny’scombat, resulting in an experience that’s often strategic.
Developed by the legendary Obsidian Entertainment,Pillars Of Eternityis a text-heavy isometric RPG that takes inspiration from games such as the originalBaldur’s Gate. Like the games it’s inspired by,Pillars Of Eternityis party-based, tasking players with controlling an entire group of heroes in real-time combat.
Pillars Of Eternityis driven by its narrative, filled to the brim with interesting characters and an equal number of text boxes. Players who don’t enjoya good story, or reading, for that matter, are far less likely to enjoyPillars Of Eternity; while the real-time-with-pause combat is certainly engaging, the world and the characters within are this game’s greatest strengths.
