History Main / ManualLeaderAIParty

* In the ''AceCombat'' installments that give you permanent {{wingm|an}}en, you can usually select their planes and give them orders but you only steer your own plane on missions. ''AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'' is the only one, however, where you can speak of a "party" (it had three wingmen as opposed to one in other games).

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' uses this, the player directly controls the party leader during battles and can only dictate which kind of actions the other two members take (support, tank, DPS, medic, etc). ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' adds the option of switching the character you're controlling directly mid-battle.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' used a similar system where the player sets up the AI for every party member (including the leader). The camera stays focused on whoever is set as the party leader (unless they die, in which case the game pauses and has the player choose a living leader), but the player can issue commands to anyone or even turn off the AI controlling them and manage the entire party's actions directly.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'''s Blitzball minigame used this, only the character holding the ball was under the player's direct control, everyone else on the team followed whatever formation the player had set.

* The ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' series has the player only able to control the Keyblade-wielding main character(s) of the game. In games that feature party members, Donald, Goofy and whichever character is unique to the world the player is in cannot be controlled, though their behavior and strategy can be changed in menus.
** ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'' has Donald and Goofy replaced by {{Mon}} party members. The right Dream Eater with the right disposition can prove itself to be far more helpful and supportive than Donald and Goofy ever were.

* In ''VideoGame/{{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 ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' but you can switch to manual control. The ability to switch to manual control was also added to ''Persona 3 Portable''.

* Both ''[[VideoGame/{{Ultima}}]] VII'' and ''VII Part Two'' have a ... [[ArtificialStupidity less than effective AI]] controlling party members in combat. Party members would act effectively at random, often accidentally including the PlayerCharacter in area of effect attacks. They also couldn't be trusted with an inventory at ''all'', for at low hit points they would take off running and empty their pockets as they went. In ''Ultima VII: The Black Gate'', outside of combat party members were just a GreekChorus and you could make your life easier by keeping your party small; unfortunately, in the sequel, they became plot-relevant and traveled in packs.

* In ''OgreBattle'' you could control your leader, but not the rest of the group directly.
* In ''TacticsOgre'' you have this option, however [[ArtificialStupidity the AI tends to show suicidal behavior]].

* In ''VideoGame/YsSEVEN'' the player controls up to three characters (controlling one directly and the other ones being controlled by the AI)

** ''KingdomHearts3D'' has Donald and Goofy replaced by {{Mon}} party members. The right Dream Eater with the right disposition can prove itself to be far more helpful and supportive than Donald and Goofy ever were.

* Emerald Dragon (for the SNES, Pc Engine, and other consoles) is an example of this. In battle the combat is shown in a perspective up to down and you control the main character to attack enemies or use items, and the rest of the party is controlled by the AI. It is then up to them if they use attacking/healing spells, or phisically attack enemies
* In ''FortuneSummoners'' the player controls up to three characters (controlling one directly and having the option of choosing the other two's tactics). In addition to switching in battle, the player can also switch between different characters to solve puzzles. There's is an unlockable option to let the AI control ''everyone''.

* A common feature in [[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games .hack//IMOQ]] and [[DotHackGU .hack//G.U.]]. Of note, the first four games (IMOQ) had not only commands on what your party members can or should be doing, you can directly alter their equipments. The thing is, as an online game simulation, the first four games were very menu-oriented, and having a leader being able to change his teammate's armor and weapon ''in realtime'' were too unrealistic, they were scaled back in GU. Note that GU still has a rudimentary command system, but for most part, AI teammates are intelligent enough to get the job done.

** ''BaldursGate''
** ''PlanescapeTorment''
** ''IcewindDale''
* In ''{{Evolva}}'', you can only directly control one of your four Genohunters at once. You can switch the active Genohunter at any time. While controlled by the AI, the other Genohunters tend to follow the active one and attack any nearby enemies, although you can tell them to go to a place, attack a specific enemy, or stay where they are.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0''

* ''KingdomHearts'', to the degree that Donald and Goofy are barely noticeable.

** Other entries in ''VideoGame/WorldOfMana'' uses this trope to different extents (with better or worse AI).

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' uses this, the player directly controls the party leader during battles and can only dictate which kind of actions the other two members take (support, tank, DPS, medic, etc). ''VideoGame/{{Final Fantasy XIII-2}}'' adds the option of switching the character you're controlling directly mid-battle.

* 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''.

* Strangely enough, [[ArmoredCore Armored Core Verdict Day]] has this in the form of [=UNACs=] (Short for [=UNmanned=] [=ACs=]). Not only you can hire up to three (in World Mode) units, you have one fully customizable UNAC unit to call your own (and with additional ones with DLC purchases). How customizable? Not only you get to determine their loadouts, you get to create their own AI via an full-blown in-game logic programming system[note]The same programming which has been evolved by FROM Software themselves as ''the'' AI programming for every enemy behavior since the very first Armored Core game in 1997, according to WordOfGod[/note]. However, this is also a partial example, as while you can certainly act as a party leader with AI "party", nothing's stopping you to simply let the AI do the fighting to you while you go about as an Operator; essentially a "Puppet Master" role.

** FinalFantasyX's Blitzball minigame used this, only the character holding the ball was under the player's direct control, everyone else on the team followed whatever formation the player had set.

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

* In ''SecretOfMana'', with the exception of spell casting, you can only control one character at a time (although it allows co-op play where up to three players control a character), but the offensive action of the ones you are not using can be changed with a system called the "action grid", which allows the player to switch between offensive/defensive behavior on one axis and the range at which they engage the enemy on the other.
** Other entries in [[WorldOfMana the series]] uses this trope to different extents (with better or worse AI).

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

* You controlled your entire fleet in ''VideoGame/UnchartedWaters'', but only your flagship is under your control in the sequel, ''New Horizons''. The AI was particularly bad and thus battles in the second game are far riskier for the player (unless you chose CombatByChampion).

* Used in the ''PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series where until you get the credits, you are restricted to only directly controlling the first pokemon you start with (the human-turned-pokemon). You can manipulate the AI of the rest of the party quite easily but you never directly control the rest of the party, only the leader.

[[folder: First Person Shooter ]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life|1}}: 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.

** The ''Franchise/DragonAge'' games allow you to customize party tactics for AI-controlled members, setting priorities and conditions for them to follow; for example, setting a mage's tactics to cast a healing spell on a party member if their HP falls below 25%.