Good strategy/RPG games people might have missed
 

Ive been playing tales of Maj Eyal recently and got a craving for old turned based tactical RPGs like final fantasy tactics and X-com

Looking for stuff thats light on story with good customization and tactical depth, but something without the empire building of games like say, civilization. Best would be some sort of open world, RPGish crew you can manage that you go around exploring and having tactical fights, not even sure if that kind of game has been made yet. HOMM III is similar to that but you start over after each campain run.

Post-2003 or so games would be best

Ive liked: KOTOR, X-com, Faster than light (they can be roguelike suggestions), Dungeons of dredmor, Heroes of Might and magic III, Dragon age origins (though cheesy storylines as usual which is why i prefer light on story), dungeon of the endless, starflight (for crusty old gamers who might know what the fuck is that game), sword of the stars: The pit, Salvation prophecy (which sucked that it had shoestring budget and something better couldnt come out of a concept like that, that i know of anyway) etc

wizardry oops 8 not 7

Bahamut Lagoon was essentially the predecessor to Final Fantasy Tactics, it was only released in Japan since it came out right as Nintendo was switching from the SNES to the N64, but there are translated ROMs available.

Kind of a cheesy generic storyline but the mechanics were cool.

Strangely enough, Quest 64 kinda fits your description although you probably played it and hated it. I think I was the only person who liked that game.

Hmm. You're playing ToME so you like tough roguelikes...

I'd say check out Elona. Get the Elona+ latest version from link on wiki off the JP site.
It has a twisted sense of humor, and IMO more content than EQ. I probably dropped 100 hours into it last year. Just know it's super grindy and punishing.

http://i.imgur.com/mbuPHvW.jpg

1Quest! I'd call it a Roguelike version of EverQuest + Diablo. Pretty deep gameplay for what appears so simple - and it's VERY challenging! A bit of a tough learning curve since, like Everquest, there isn't a complete manual. Link: http://www.kongregate.com/games/ratzngodz/1quest. The closest thing to a wiki or manual is this forum thread.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=9453

you're welcome

The Ogre Battle games were pretty cool, snes/n64 Ed. You command an army, ps1/gba versions were tactics games like fft

Shinning Force 2, Shinning Force 3, Phantasy Star 4, Phantasy Star 3, of-course Baldurs Gate, Secret of Evermore, Secret of Manna, Final Fantasy 3/5/7/9, Xeno-gears, Beyond Oasis (Amazing Adventure/RPG Game), Suikoden II (One of the Greatest games of all time), Breath of Fire 2/3/4 (Forgotten Today but one of the best Series ever), Vandal Hearts 1/2 (Turn Based RPG, Again one of the best #2 is better), Lunar: Silver Story, Star Ocean 2 (Again one of the best fuckin RPG's ever made, way under-rated).

There are more but these are all games, YOU NEED TO PLAY IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY!. Some of the best and what games today are built around.

P.S. I know many of these are not turn based but these are essential rpg/strat games from the past. Many have elements of turn based combat just not on 3d grids.

Grim Fandango son~

Without a shadow of a doubt one of the best JRPG's ever made.

I have a yearly tradition where I'll go through and beat Star Ocean 2 and Final Fantasy Tactics. I just have to. Lately though I've been playing FFT on the community made super difficult patched ROM version.