Genre Defying Fun
Written: Jul 22 '00 (Updated Apr 15 '03)
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Pros: Excellent tactical gameplay, easy to learn
Cons: Poor graphics leave you squinting, very time consuming
The Bottom Line: A must-have for RPG and especially tactial RPG fans. Warm croissants are tasty.
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| B_Campbell's Full Review: Ogre Battle Limited Edition The March of the Black... |
Overall: 8
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 4
Sound: 6
Concept: 9
Replayability: 7
Ogre Battle cannot quite be classified along with most of the other games out there. Because of the setting and action, it would be considered a role-playing game, however the characters aren't quite treated the same way as in your typical RPG. The battles would classify it as a tactical RPG, however when one thinks of that, positioning characters on a gridded battlefield ala Final Fantasy Tactics or Shining Force III springs to mind. Instead, Ogre Battle has a unique method of gameplay that stands out from the crowd.
The storyline is nothing overwhelming. You are the leader of a rebellion set to liberate the country from evil rule. Textbook stuff, really. It's enough, however, to provide the background for the excellent gameplay. The game is played on a series of battlefields, in top-down view. You deploy your units to free the cities and temples that dot the landscape, and ultimately to bring down the boss of that scenario.
Now is where the strategy comes in. Before the fight (and sometimes during), you must compose your units from your stock of characters. You have 5 'slots' in each unit, with characters taking either 1 or 2 slots, and each unit needs a leader. Only certain character classes can be leaders, so the balanced creation of units is both vital and tricky, and contains much of the strategy of this game.
Once you create your units, you use them to do battle and free cities. Whenever you free a city, two things happen: you get a tarot card, which can give you special effects in battle, and your reputation meter changes. The reputation meter is a gauge of how much the comon folk like you and your efforts; command a 'bad' or 'evil' unit to liberate a city, and the meter goes down. A valiant unit will cause the meter to rise when you free cities. This characteristic of your units changes depending on how they battle, so it's wise to keep a close eye on how they are developing.
Battle is extremely simple, but still engaging. Instead of trying to figure out what action is best for your characters, you simply give them a general tactic, such as 'best strategy' or 'attack leader' and they fight on their own. This is a double-edged sword, however, as you'll be glad you don't have to pick the best spell to use, but also curse when your character doesn't do what you would have done. The battle sequence is what really makes unit formation important; the way your characters work together is controlled by what they are, not your commands.
There are dozens of character classes, and advancement is through a promotion system. Once your Amazon, for example, can increase her level, she might be able to become a Cleric, Witch, or Doll Mage, each of which has it's own promotions. This system is similar to the 'class' advancement systems many RPG's use. Humanoid characters have the bulk of the advancements, however monsters can advance as well.
The biggest detriment to this game is its graphics. It's okay that it resembles a 16-bit game with 2D sprites, however the icons and text are just too small. Unless you have a very large TV, you'll be squinting at the character icons very often. The sound is average for this type of game, with some voice clips that add a small bonus.
Another drawback, if it can be called that, of this game is availability. It was produced on a limited run, and most copies have since been snatched up by eager players. Copies can be found in places like Ebay or Half.com, but good luck trying to find one at your local game store.
Overall, this is an excellent addition to any RPG lover's library of games. If you enjoy tactical RPG's especially, you'll love this game for its unique quirkiness. There really isn't anything else like it out there.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Played With/Intended For: Single Player
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Epinions.com ID:
B_Campbell
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Member: Bennett Campbell
Location: In a Volkswagen somewhere in upstate NY
Reviews written: 204
Trusted by: 151 members
About Me:
Guantanamo Aloha
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