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Posts: 9
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RM Skill: Beginner
What do you think of one-on-one battles in certain situations in turn-based RPGs? I usually get the feeling that they are taboo, since there is a severe lack of options, and battles are hindered as a result. Obviously, if the whole game is one-on-one, it isn't going to be very good, but for certain situations, do you think one-on-one battles are justified if they're under the right context? For example, in a game story I have, the final battle is one-on-one. In a lot of stories (like in film, not just games), a one-on-one final battle is the only way to go. Think about the final battle in Return of the Jedi.
ROTJ Spoilers
Would it have been the same if Han Solo or Lando had been by Luke's side fighting Darth Vader? Of course it wouldn't, it would downplay the significance of Luke's lone triumph over Vader, his triumph over the dark side of the Force.
So it ultimately comes down to sacrificing game design for better story telling. How should one-on-one turn-based RPGs battles be balanced? Are there any examples? Thoughts?
This post has been edited by CWCprime: Feb 16 2012, 09:26 PM
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Drat! I was hoping nobody had thought to mention Suikoden II. That was the daddy of all games in my opinion. Hell, it was the GRANDdaddy! It shows how moving away from the norm makes a game so much more memorable. I DO think if 1 on 1 battles are used, then they should be different from that particular games standard battles, not only to avoid boredom, but to make them stand out. In Suikoden, its more of a rock, paper, scissors minigame, but nonetheless it still keeps an air of tension due to the fact that it could easily go bad for the player at any time. battles like this always stay in my mind longer due to the epic feel. Result: Luca Blight will always haunt my nightmares, and I wouldn't have it any other way
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Feb 16 2012, 09:13 PM
That was the daddy of all games in my opinion. Hell, it was the GRANDdaddy! It shows how moving away from the norm makes a game so much more memorable. I DO think if 1 on 1 battles are used, then they should be different from that particular games standard battles, not only to avoid boredom, but to make them stand out. In Suikoden, its more of a rock, paper, scissors minigame, but nonetheless it still keeps an air of tension due to the fact that it could easily go bad for the player at any time. battles like this always stay in my mind longer due to the epic feel. Result: Luca Blight will always haunt my nightmares, and I wouldn't have it any other way 
