1. Easy Difficulty Yields Better Rewards

is the latest JRPG from NIS America. Developed by Kadokawa Games, GOD WARS is a turn-based tactical RPG, similar to Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre. The game sports a strategic combat system and a deep Job/Skill system that genre newcomers might find a tad overwhelming. This guide is designed to ease you into this Tactical RPG so that you may experience it at its full potential. Here are several tips that you'll find very useful starting out.

There's no penalty for picking the lowest difficulty, nor is there a benefit for playing on the highest. In fact, picking the lowest difficulty yields better combat rewards. Difficulty settings also don't affect trophies, so feel free to choose whichever you like.

2. Character and Geographical Orientation is Key

Tactical RPGs are essentially strategy games, so knowing your enemy, as well as the terrain, is key to winning battles. Attacking enemies from behind or on the sides is more effective than attacking them head-on. The same goes for you, so keep your character's orientation in mind. Height and terrain quality also matters. Being on the high ground is advantageous and vice versa. Standing on an unfavorable terrain type like water can prove to be fatal, so keep that in mind as well.

3. Be Wary of Elemental and Status Resistances

Most skills cost a lot of MP, so maximizing its damage output is ideal. Additionally, some enemies can be so resistant to a particular element that hitting them with it will actually heal them. Highlight an enemy and press square until you see its elemental and ailment resistances. A lower value means lower resistance. Target them with the element their weakest, or a status ailment their least resistant to.

4. Only Fancy Chests Matter

Regular chests usually only contain low-tier consumables that you can buy for cheap at shops. Chests also have a chance of triggering a trap which inflicts damage or a random status ailment so it really isn't worth the trouble. Don't bother with the regular chests, instead focus on the fancy ones. They sometimes contain a yellow equipment piece which is often very useful. Make sure you open all fancy chests before killing the last enemy as doing so will finish the battle. In case you do miss it, you can go to the shrine and take a request in the same map and try again.

5. Invest a Character in a Priest Job Early-on

Passive abilities, once unlocked, can be equipped in a passive slot regardless if whether not the relevant Job is equipped. The Priest Job's aptly named Proficiency+ passive increases the number of Job Points you earn. Job Points are incredibly important, so getting this passive early on can really boost your character's proficiencies. This passive costs a hefty amount of job points, so I suggest you equip the Priest Job immediately for every new character you recruit.

6. Form a Balanced Party

This probably goes without saying but the Job and Skill system in GOD WARS is so flexible that it's easy to get lost in it and mess up your party's effectiveness. So as a general rule, always have at least one Tank that builds up Impurity (the game's Aggro system) and a healer. If you have a spell chucker in your team, it's best to have a separate member dedicated on replenishing MP, as offensive spells usually demand a lot of MP.

7. Use the Shrine Buff Often

Make a habit of making an offering at the shrine before every battle. Doing so will grant persistent stat boosts for the entire duration of your next fight. Using the shrine often will also level it up faster, which improves the buffs you get from active worships.

8. Switch Jobs Once Their Mastered

Switch out jobs you've already maxed out. Not doing so will waste any Job Experience you could have gained for other Jobs. Level up as much of the jobs as possible, even if you don't intend on using them. The passives alone are worth the grind. For instance, a melee fighter might still want to progress the magician Job progression as it eventually leads to a Job class that has an EXP+ passive.

9. Primary Job Determines Stat Growth

The game doesn't explicitly say this, but your primary Job determines which character attribute benefits the most out of every level gained. The Sub Job doesn't affect your stats so if you must equip a job with undesirable stat growth, it's best to equip it here. Keep in mind that more advanced jobs offer better stat scaling, so it's imperative to focus developing the most relevant job for each specific character first.

10. Maximize Your Turn

Nearly every action you perform during your characters turn grants EXP and JP, but not when you just standby or defend. Always perform an action before ending your turn, be it attacking, using a skill, or even an item. The extra MP recovery when standing by or the boost in armor when defending is never worth forfeiting the experience and job points you could have earned.

There you have it. Ten beginner's tips to playing GOD WARS Future Past. Stick to these tips and you'll soon conquer even the highest difficulty. And for genre newcomers, I hope this gets you into playing more Tactical RPGs. Have fun!