2. The Tactical RPG
The RPG itself is a genre that will never truly die, as the cult following it maintains around the world will always allow it to subsist. Many enjoy the genre as most games within it require players to think in order to progress, as opposed to titles where success can be accomplished in the simplest of ways. Nothing requires more intelligent input than the tactical RPG, which is epitomised by the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics and the earlier game that inspired it, Tactics Ogre. Such games are usually turn-based on a grid, focusing heavily on calculation (as well as story, which is an RPG necessity), as players must move their units a few 'squares' each turn to attack adversaries and heal allies. The genre has never exactly appealed to the mainstream, as the games within it are often extremely difficult and too time-consuming for the average player, who typically prefers real time action and three-dimensional graphics. It's been a shame to see how many RPG's in general have dumbed down over the years though, with nothing summing up the decline better than the addition of an auto-battle option in the most recent core Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy XIII, which took all the tactical decisions away from the player and let the computer automatically decide the best course of action...