Hi Guys ... can anyone out there recommend games on GOG that are similar to the Vandal Hearts games (PS1) ? - I loved those games - I would say it would be classed as an turn-based JRPG, but have been unable to really find anything similar, maybe Kings bounty or trails in the sky ... any thoughts ?

Cheers

Jon

The Vandal Hearts series belongs to the Tactical RPG sub-genre. Unfortunately, there aren't many of them here on gog (hopefully we will have more in the foreseen future), but I strongly recommend the Shining Force series (Mega Drive/Genesis and Saturn games), and if you can play in japanese, I recommend too the Langrisser series and the Quo Vadis series. There are also many great Tactical J-RPGs like Wachenrôder (I believe the english translation script is still available on Gamefaqs).

Well, almost all JRPGs I know are turn-based, but I guess you mean isometric and grid-based or something like that? Games that allow you to move your heroes around in combat and use the landscape and the positioning of the characters to your tactical advantage? There are many RPGs and strategy games like that on the PC, but frankly I know of none with a JRPG style.

Would be interesting to find out if there are any. I didn't even know Vandal Hearts, maybe I should check it out one day, as the static nature of the combat was always my main gripe with JRPGs and a game with grid-based combat might be more to my liking. Are there many random encounters and grinding in Vandal Hearts (my second pet peeve with JRPGs)?

The closest thing to Vandal Hearts on PC I've seen is Rime Berta, a doujin game. It's not on GOG, but you can get it DRM-free here:
http://www.playism-games.com/games/rimeberta/

^ no there are absolutley no random encounters and grinding in strat rpg's ( vandal hearts 1 and 2 front missions 1 2 3 and 4 shining force 1 2 and 3 final fantasy tactics and so on )
you are thrown before the wolves and you have to make it out with strategy planning and luck

what you see on a battlefield is what you get

thsi lp shoudl give you a good idea of what to expect http://lparchive.org/Shining-Force-2-%28by-inthesto%29/

the player knows exactly what he is doing
breaks the game in various ways ( while being entertaining about it ) and plays ona murderous high setting

I think Trails in the Sky is more a typical JRPG rather than the tactical/strategy RPG you seem to be looking for. Maybe you should take a look at the recently released Agarest: Generations of War (Collector's Edition here), as that appears to be exactly that kind of game.

EDIT: Looking at the reviews, Agarest doesn't appear to be all that good, so some caution with this title might be in order.

Also, some other games that could interest you, even though they aren't exactly what you asked for: Heroes of Might & Magic II / Heroes of Might and Magic III; Etherlords II (plays like an RPG version of Magic: The Gathering); Battle for Wesnoth (not on GOG, but free); UFO: Alien Invasion (a take on the X-Com games, also free); Anachronox (heavily styled after JRPGs, particularly Final Fantasy VII, featuring some of the funniest writing I've seen in a game).

That goes without saying, but I could imagine a game in which these battlefields/combat scenarios pop up at random, Realms of Arkania style. Good to know that's usually not the case in tactical JRPGs. :)

no they dont
the storyline shepherds you to each battle what you get on the battle is a surprise but there are no random encounters

Looking at the screenshots of Shining Force, I don't see any major difference to the average JRPG in combat though; same static menu combat, no grid-based battlefield on which you can move around. What makes it similar to Vandal Hearts?

you dont really see it in the screen shots but you do actually move in a grid
and as usual your character can only move so far and so much

i have the game on steam
been tempted to play it even though i suck at strat rpgs

front mission 3 and 4 are also good places to start but playstation only

( 1 and 2 were japan only but 1 was translated and ported to the ds )

There is a square-based grid, but it only appears when characters move or attack. There is also land effect to consider, depending of the character, the class and the land of course.
The series use the Tactical RPGs pattern: exploration/story phase, then skirmish/battle phase and so on. There are no random encounters, so no usual grinding like other non-Tactical RPGs. The Shining Force series introduced larger exploration phases unlike usual Tactical RPGs which usually are a list of skirmishes only separated by cutscenes.

Edit: in fact, while the Shining Force series belongs to the Tactical-RPGs genre, its exploration phases are elements similar to classical RPGs (but be warned, some Shining Force games - the Game Gear and the Mega CD ones - don't include exploration phases at all).
In the other side, the Langrisser series belongs to the Tactical RPGs genre too, but has more strategy elements.

Those Tactical RPGs aren't Strategy RPGs like the Dragon Force series for instance.

Well, the battle screen certainly looks EXACTLY like Vandal hearts - so could be promising ! - thanks for that Yes, I too saw the disappointing reviews of Agarest - thought it may be similar. IMO Vandal hearts (1 & 2) were exceptional games and as such there aren't many exceptional games about - else they wouldn't be exceptional I suppose !
Thanks for the recommendations - I have enjoyed many many hours playing the HOMM games - they too are very good Thanks for clearing up the genre ! and I too hope to see more - like I replied to SCPM, IMO the Vandal Hearts games were exceptional so anything approaching their quality would indeed be worth a look - I will check out the games you recommend - unfortunately I don't think I could manage a 'japanese' version !

As others have replied the Vandal Hearts games were very story driven, nothing random at all tbh .... but they were very good stories and you actually care for the characters - In VH 1 the battles are turn based and in VH 2 the battles are turn based but simultaneous - so you're archer for example may shoot his arrow into a grid that is no longer occupied ! the combat system is very well thought out and you can, to some extent, tailor your men (and women) as to which abilities you want to enhance as they progress and level up (even more options in VH 2) and all characters have many plus points and advantages but all also have an Achilles Heel - weak armour, or weak against magic or weak against ranged weapons etc.. it really is superbly thought out. You won't win every battle first time but there is a solution to every scenario - achieving it is another matter ! - as the game progresses you meet the 'super baddies' who often seem ridiculously strong - but like your own team they all have their Achilles Heel too and you will always have the means at your disposal to triumph. Thanks guys for all your replies !