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Tactics Ogre debuted in 1995 as a Quest Corporation release that stayed in Japan. At the time it may have seemed like another RPG for the Super Famicom, but it ended up becoming a timeless classic that not only delighted fans, but also taught Yasumi Matsuno valuable lessons that allowed him to create with Squaresoft what for many is his opera. cousin: Final Fantasy Tactics.
Yes ok Tactics Ogre had a chance in the West as a PSP release, it’s been a long time since we heard about this installment and its franchise. It was hard to blame Square Enix for forgetting it, but luckily it brought it back in its latest attempt to digitally offer several titles from its catalog of classics.
The way that Tactics Ogre will return is with a new release titled Tactics Ogre: Reborn. Square Enix recently gave us access to the early hours of the tactical RPG so I can share my first impressions with you.
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The revival of a classic
What surprised me the most Tactics Ogre: Reborn it’s the kind of product it is. At first glance it seemed to be a simple relaunch. You know, those games upscaled to go HD and run on modern consoles; nothing more than simple commercial continuity that is appreciated, but that is far from being something to write home about.
However, it didn’t take long for the game to give me a quality slap in the face. Watching his new intro sequence with an improved soundtrack it was clear to me that Tactics Ogre: Reborn it was more than just a remastering. I was even able to see that the reason Square Enix chose this new subtitle was no accident. This new of Tactics Ogre It is not a remastering, much less a remake. Rather it is the revival of the Super Famicom game; a new edition that gives it new life with different features.
But what’s new in Tactics Ogre: Reborn? As is evident at first glance, the novelties are not in the visual section, which maintain practically the same aspect as in its version for PSP. In this way, the changes and novelties are reflected in its game system that are apparent almost from the first moment for those who played. Let Us Cling Together.
For example, one of the most impressive changes is the removal of the level or skill requirement to wield different weapons. In this way, if in a fight you find a new bow or sword, you can immediately equip it. This is a simple change that removes an idea that didn’t add depth and ultimately only restricted the options you had when building your army. Just don’t think you’ll have complete freedom to equip a bow on your knights either, so the important elements of depth are still there. Another important change is that you can now only equip 4 abilities per unit, which restricts options and forces you to make a balanced army design, giving each unit more relevance.
When Tactics Ogre came to PSP implemented a class-based leveling system that upset many fans. For Reborn, the development team decided to scrap it and replace it with a system where characters level up individually. It’s a huge change that makes upgrading the unit you’re interested in much easier and delivers an old-school tactical RPG feel.
Another major change to combat and progression is the arrival of cards that appear on the battlefield. These are items that, when stepped on by a unit, can temporarily enhance their abilities. Among the cards I have found some to enhance magical or physical attacks, critical hits and abilities. That said, there is also a new type of cards that can permanently boost a unit’s stats. This is an interesting decision as it adds a new type of decision in combat, will you break your tactics to take the card or will you focus on your objective? It’s more difficult than it sounds, especially when you consider that enemies can also take them and turn the winds of battle in their favor. By the way, the artificial intelligence was also renewed, so it is very likely that they will make the right decision.
Now, before we mentioned that the presentation is very similar to the PSP version; however, that does not mean that it is exactly the same. It turns out that Square Enix revamped the cutscenes with voice acting and an orchestral soundtrack that raises the bar for the product and breathes new life into Tactics Ogre. Perhaps what I like the most is that, despite not being a project with the highest budget, Square Enix chose talented voice actors who, so far, have surprised me by giving performances that capture the great dangers of war in their voice. Hopefully the performances continue this well throughout the entire game.
So far, the only thing that has me a little disappointed about Tactics Ogre: Reborn is the lack of graphic options. The original game was made for CRT screens, so it would have been great if it had some option to add scanlines instead of its anti-aliasing filter that leaves something to be desired. This would prevent their sprites from losing detail and looking blurry up close. Not to mention, at least they didn’t go down the route of redoing it with generic 3D models that would have ultimately shattered the entire soul of the game.
I am delighted by how little I have played of Tactics Ogre: Reborn. It’s great that Square Enix continues to bring several of their games from the past in different ways to make them accessible. The best thing is that in cases like Tactics Ogre: Reborn seems to be unhappy with emulating or making a simple port and seeks to deliver a delivery that can become the definitive one by taking advantage of the lessons that his past releases taught him.
Tactics Ogre: Reborn It will debut on November 11 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC. You can learn more about this title by clicking here.
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