History Main / ManualLeaderAIParty

* Used in the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series where until you get the credits, you are restricted to only directly controlling the first Pokémon you start with. 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.

* ''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''. ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' meanwhile defaults to manual control, but lets you switch your allies to AI control, though not your character.

* ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'' allows the player to control one character, or the entire party, by setting all characters to "manual" in the options menu. In addition, you can set the behavior of AI controlled party members from a selection of tactics, with some being unique to certain characters. This works, for the most part, [[ArtificialStupidity but every so often...]].
* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/SoulSacrifice'' and its UpdatedRerelease, ''Soul Sacrifice Delta''. While the [=AI=] sorcerers can be commanded to group together by holding down the evasion button, that is the only command the player has for their [=AI=] party, but thankfully [[ArtificialBrilliance they're quite competent]] at helping the player by healing them or attacking nearby enemies.
** This appears in most of the ''VideoGame/StarOcean'' series.

* Infinity Engine games all give the player the option of letting their party be controlled by AI (although micromanaging them is a better option during boss fights);
** ''VideoGame/BaldursGate''
** ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment''
** ''VideoGame/IcewindDale''
* You only directly control your squad leader in ''VideoGame/TheBureauXCOMDeclassified'', while your allies are mostly AI controlled. You can give them orders as to where to stand and which abilities to use, but for the most part they fend for themselves.
* A common feature in ''[[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games .hack//IMOQ]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/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.

* In ''VideoGame/FreedomWars'', the player can command their [=AI=] sinners to do various tasks, such as focusing their attacks on the [[HumongousMecha Abductor]] the player is fighting, spreading out, reviving each other, gather resources, and escorting civilians to safety, [[ArtificialStupidity though their effectiveness leaves much to be desired]]. The player can also command their [[RobotBuddy Accessory]] the same tasks as their fellow Sinners, and unlike them, players can choose what orders they want for their Accessory.

* In ''VideoGame/YsSEVEN'' and ''VideoGame/YsMemoriesOfCelceta'', the player controls up to three characters (controlling one directly and the other ones being controlled by the AI).
* In ''VideoGame/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''.
* Creator/{{Bioware}}'s [=RPGs=] tend towards this;
** ''Franchise/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.
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''Franchise/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/NeverwinterNights'' allowed you to choose a henchman to follow you, and ... that's about it. You had no control over your henchman, which often led to ArtificialStupidity including randomly running off to attack enemies halfway across the map. The first expansion added party inventory control, and the second allowed you to have more than one NPC party member. In contrast ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' followed the ''KOTOR'' model, and the second expansion even allowed you to multiclass your NPC cohorts.

* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'', you can only control the leader unless it's a chain attack or after warning a party member, after one of Shulk's visions.

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

* In ''VideoGame/{{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/{{Miitopia}}'' gives you direct control over your party leader while other characters are controlled by AI. Even then, occasionally your characters, party leader included, may act of their own accord based on their personality.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'': The player controls Noctis, with the rest of the party backing him up. Until a recent patch, there was no way of controlling the AI, but you could direct them to use special moves. After the patch 1.20, you can freely control all four of them.

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

* ''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''. ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' meanwhile defaults to manual control, but let's you switch your team to AI control, though not your character.

* Used in the ''VideoGame/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.

* In ''VideoGame/{{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.

Compare GuestStarPartyMember (who might be only controllable by the AI in a game where this isn't normally the case), AllInARow (for when the party follows the player around on their own, but not in battles). This mechanic is a close cousin of the TacticalShooter genre, which often features AI controlled allies but generally has less focus on character customisation (as found in an RPG), favours hard realism and usually expects the player to micromanage.