Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a fantasy tactical jRPG developed by Square Enix. It is a refreshed version of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, released on the PSP in 2010, which was itself a remake of the second part of the series, released in 1995 for the 16-bit SNES console.

Plot

The action takes place on an archipelago of islets known as Valeria. Once its entire territory was occupied by a single empire, but after the death of the ruler, who had no heirs, the region split into three states. A short and bloody civil war is won by the Gargham kingdom and begins a hard-line rule over the islands.

The game tells the story of the warriors from the weakest of these nations, the Walst, who became the target of persecution after losing the war. The main character is Denim Powell, who joins the resistance movement with his family and friends.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn has a very elaborate storyline. The campaign is long, multi-threaded and there is no clear division between good and evil, and the player is often forced to perform morally questionable acts in the fight for the independence of his country.

Game mechanics

As befits a tactical jRPG, gameplay in Tactics Ogre: Reborn focuses on skirmishes, in which we command a group of heroes and the troops subordinate to them. Battles are played in a turn-based system and heavily focus on the use of terrain.

The game offers a rich selection of attacks, special abilities and equipment. A key role is played by the development of heroes, which takes place within the framework of dozens of professions.

The gameplay is largely non-linear. From time to time, the player receives morally questionable orders and must decide whether to obey them, ignore them or try to find a compromise solution. These decisions affect the further development of the plot and the ending.

Compared to the 2010 original, Tactics Ogre: Reborn offers numerous gameplay improvements. The interface has been thoroughly refreshed, both in terms of functionality and appearance. Battle mechanics have also been improved. Now each character can develop individually, depending on his class, rather than together with the entire squad. The authors have also heavily tweaked the artificial intelligence of enemies, who make better use of the environment and react more efficiently to the changing situation during clashes.

Game modes

The game features a single-player mode only.

Technical aspects

Compared to the PSP-released Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, Tactics Ogre: Reborn features nicer graphics, with higher resolution, improved character sprites and sharper textures. The soundtrack has also been remastered, and dubbing (English and Japanese to choose from) of all dialogue issues has been added.

The authors have also made a number of smaller improvements to make the game more enjoyable, such as automatic game state saves and faster-paced battles.