History Main / ManualLeaderAIParty

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' has you control whoever you want while the AI controls the other party members based on the Gambits you set up for them.

* The NES version of ''DragonQuestIV'' uses this as of Chapter 5, with the hero the only directly controllable character. This leads to quite a large amount of ArtificialStupidity, especially when Kiryl keeps spamming [[UselessUsefulSpell low-accuracy one-hit kills]] instead of healing. The option for direct control is included in the DS remake.

* In ''{{Xenoblade}}'', you can only control the leader unless it's a chain attack or after warning a party member, after one of Shulks visions.

* In ''VideoGame/NBAJam'', you controlled the player who had the ball and the rest were AI driven (successfully passing would shift control to the player who caught it). If the opposing team had the ball you could switch between players freely. The game had a multiplayer mode which allowed up to four human players to control the team in the arcade version (leaving only one AI), however.

* The SNES version ''DragonQuestIV'' uses this as of Chapter 5, with the hero the only directly controllable character. This lead to quite a large amount of ArtificialStupidity, especially with Kiryl, who kept spamming low-accuracy one-hit kills instead of healing and the option of direct control is included in the DS remake.

* In the second ''VideoGame/UnchartedWaters'' game, New Horizons, your ships other than the flagship are controlled by AI. In the first game it was possible to control all your ships yourself. The AI was particularly bad and thus battles in the second game are extremely more costly for the player (unless you chose to use CombatByChampion).

* Creator/MidwayGames' ''Pigskin'' gives manual control only over the team captain, with teammates following one of five selectable A.I. strategies.

* Recruitable NPCs in the {{Fallout}} series acted this way, except for [[OddballOfTheSeries Tactics]], which, being a strategy RPG, gave players direct control of their entire party.

* In ''NBAJam'', you controlled the player who had the ball and the rest were AI driven (successfully passing would shift control to the player who caught it). If the opposing team had the ball you could switch between players freely. The game had a multiplayer mode which allowed up to four human players to control the team in the arcade version (leaving only one AI), however.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' was the first game in the series to use this. The player controls one party member at once and has the option of customizing the AI of the party. ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' used a similar system.
** Also, ''VideoGame/{{Final Fantasy XIII-2}}'' adds the option of switching the character you're controlling directly mid-battle.

* ''DragonQuestIV'' uses this as of Chapter 5, with the hero the only directly controllable character.

Most examples will allow the player to control one of the characters directly. This might be TheHero or the player might be allowed to switch between each member (being exclusively able to control a less important party member is rare). They usually allow the player to change the party's overall tactics and have the characters play defensively, offensively and other broad tactical options. Even more advanced games will make the AI fully customisable, with the player able to choose what abilities and tactics their party will use, how to react when low on health, etc (other games might give the AI the same complexity, but choose to keep these set in stone as per the party members' personalities). If the player has less control over a single character, they might be able to control all of them with SquadControls.

** ''TalesOfPhantasia'' uses a simple method of AI customisation where you can switch the abilities you want them to use on and off.

* Bioware's [=RPGs=] tend towards this;

** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''VideoGame/DragonAge'' both allow customization of the party members' equipment and tactics, and allow direct control over all characters. AI scripts direct characters that are not being directly controlled, and can be customized by the player.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' had this in all three installments: you could decide on their armor and weapons loadout and give them orders in combat but only ever directly controlled Shepard.
** ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''DragonAge'' both allow customization of the party members' equipment and tactics, and allow direct control over all characters. AI scripts direct characters that are not being directly controlled, and can be customized by the player.

* In ''{{Persona 3}}'' you can choose your party's style of attacks (offensive, healing, general) but not control their actions directly. It's also the default for ''{{Persona 4}}'' but you can switch to manual control.

* ''DragonQuestIV/Dragon Warrior IV'' uses this as of Chapter 5, with the hero the only directly controllable character.

* In ''{{Persona 3}}'' you can choose your party's style of attacks (offensive, healing, general) but not control their actions directly. It's also the default for ''{{Persona 4}}'' but you can switch to manual control. The ability to switch to manual control was also added to ''Persona 3 Portable''.

* In ''{{Persona 3}}'' you can choose your party's style of attacks (offensive, healing, general) but not control their actions directly. It's also the default for ''{{Persona 4}}'' but you can switch to manual control.

** ''TalesOfTheAbyss'' allows the player to switch the controlled character in the middle of battle after gaining a particular item.
** ''TalesOfVesperia'' is similar to the ''StarOcean'' example, in that it also allows you to set the behavior of AI controlled party members. However, it gives the player far more options to work with, from selecting formations, setting the distance AI team mates should maintain between the PlayerCharacter and the enemy, and whether to allow them to use items (and how often).

* The recruitable party members in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' allow you to customise how close or far they stay from you, how often to use drugs to heal themselves, and how to use their weapons.

[[folder:Flight Simulater]]

* ''TalesOfTheAbyss'' uses this system. Although you can't switch from the hero to another party member until the first boss battle.
* ''TalesOfVesperia'' is similar to the ''StarOcean'' example, in that it also allows you to set the behavior of AI controlled party members. However, it gives the player far more options to work with, from selecting formations, setting the distance AI team mates should maintain between the PlayerCharacter and the enemy, and whether to allow them to use items (and how often).
* ''TalesOfPhantasia'' uses a simple method of AI customisation where you can switch the abilities you want them to use on and off.

[[folder: Action RPG ]]

* The recruitable party members in ''{{Fallout}}'' 1 and 2 allow you to customise how close or far they stay from you, how often to use drugs to heal themselves, and how to use their weapons.

* In ''HalfLife: Opposing Force'', you're usually teamed up with a squad of AI soldiers which you can direct, and use to perform certain functions (but you can't directly play as one of them). Also in ''HalfLife 2'' you take command of a squad of AI resistance fighters.

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[[folder: Flight Simulater ]]

[[folder: Sports Games ]]

[[folder: Strategy RPG ]]

[[folder: Turn Based RPG ]]

[[folder: Wide Open Sandbox ]]

* ''FinalFantasyXII'' was the first game in the series to use this. The player controls one party member at once and has the option of customising the AI of the party. ''FinalFantasyXIII'' used a similar system.
** Also, ''FinalFantasyXIII2'' adds the option of switching the character you're controlling directly mid-battle.

* In ''{{Xenoblade}}'', you can only control the leader unless it's a chain attack or after warning a party member, [[PressXToNotDie after one of Shulks visions.]]

[[AC: Action RPG]]

[[AC: First Person Shooter]]

[[AC: Flash Game]]

[[AC: Flight Simulater]]

[[AC: Sports Games]]

[[AC: Strategy RPG]]

[[AC: Turn Based RPG]]

[[AC: Wide Open Sandbox]]

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