When you think of “Tactics” games you probably think of Final Fantasy. Maybe you think of Fallout Tactics if you’re some kind of masochist. You probably don’t consider Quest’s Ogre Battle games though, which is something the PSP tried to correct with Square Enix’s enhanced remake of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

We tried to avoid having too many ports and remakes on this retrospective, but this one really deserved it. The original was a classic for its time, but it wouldn’t quite hold up on today’s market, so a lot of things were changed, including the leveling system and a new feature that lets you undo mistakes in battles. The latter was particularly impressive to me, as someone who is known to restart an entire level anytime a character dies in Fire Emblem. On a related note, I may just be bad at strategy RPGs.

For experience points, obviously.

If you read our perfect 10/10 review of the game, you know the PSP port isn’t just a history lesson. The game is not only fun today, but it’s excellent, telling a mature story about war, loyalty, and class. Not only that, but the PSP version has a feature that lets you go back and see how things could have played out differently, which is nice for those without the time to dedicate to many replays. It’s also helpful for those (like me) who are simply glad to have gotten through it the first time.

Make no mistakes about it either, you’re going to need all the help you can get. Tactics Ogre is a damn difficult game. You can eventually reach the top of the learning curve, but even then, it has that same tension that made recent games like Super Meat Boy and Dark Souls so popular: the real threat of death. You’re going to have to stay on top of your troop management, equipment, and skills in order to get an edge in the tactical combat, and even then, the most carefully prepared-for battle can be lost by poor strategy. It’s quite the satisfying feeling to emerge victorious after a hard-fought skirmish.

I hate to break it to you, but your heart is covered with blood.

There are certainly more things to praise about this title–the score, the writing, its historical significance–but all of those are just gravy on what is an old-school, challenging strategy game. If you love Final Fantasy Tactics, you owe it to yourself to play the game that laid the groundwork for that masterpiece (especially since they have the same creator). If you’re still not convinced, I only have one thing left to say to you: Queen.

You can find more articles in our series 25-in-25 series over here, and stayed tuned tomorrow for another look at a great PSP title!

Austin Y.

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