I liked this combat system:
Before a battle begins, the player usually has the choice to retreat, giving them time to prepare. For every battle, the player may choose only three combatants out of a possible five, and a positioning scheme for them. The player can either choose the Attack or Magic formation. The Attack formation allows Attack based moves a shorter recharge time, and there will be two characters in the front row, and a single character in the back row. In Magic formation, Magic users have a shorter recharge time and positioning is reversed. Following that decision the player must choose the items to bring. Only sixteen items can be held at any time, and there are no methods of storage. The player may only bring four of those sixteen items into battle for all three characters to use. However, for every item, each character has a different attack; where, with a staff, Cierra might do great damage with a magical attack, Fia would heal an ally.
Once all the preparations are made, battle begins. Turn order is decided by a countdown based on agility, last move used and formation. A player character may select from as many as eight different skills: one normal skill for each item, and, if they are well trained with that item and the OverDrive Gauge is sufficiently filled, a secondary, more interesting OverSkill. Using a skill, however, reduces how many more times that item can be used, as Riviera employs a Fire Emblem-styled system of item endurance allowing the item to be used only a certain amount of times before it breaks entirely. The OverDrive Gauge fills throughout battle, as characters receive and deal damage, and with certain skills. At various levels, characters can use different skills, because certain skills require more of the gauge be filled. There are five levels of skills for player characters: Level 0 skills that may be used whenever and without training; Levels 1 through 3 skills, which require training and deplete that amount of the OverDrive Gauge; and Execution Level skills that may be used at any level of OverDrive Gauge fullness, but will shatter the gauge for the battle, and are only obtained through the story. Enemies have a similar gauge with three levels: Normal, Rage and Max. At Normal they may only use normal attacks. At Rage they may use Rage and Normal attacks, but the latter depletes the gauge. At Max, they may use all three, but only Max skills will deplete the gauge, and will deplete it fully. Enemies also have Etc. attacks, ranging from healing to transformation, that may be used at any time.
It forgets to mention that attacks have various ways of hitting the enemy.
Some only damage the nearest enemy, some the one with the least health, some pierce through rows, some hit the outer right enemy and rotate the formation counterclockwise etc.
It's tactical, it's resonably fresh and it's fun to execute your newly employed tactic.
Furthermore every enemy has different resistences and weaknesses, which require a careful choice of items you bring into battle.
The type of damage an item deals is also dependant on items, as well as the character who uses it.
Well, the combat system isn't the main part of this game, but it's nevertheless enjoyable.
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