Ogre Battle (PlayStation, 1997)

Ogre Battle for Playstation is a remake of the original SNES classic.

For those not familiar with the SNES game, it is a real-time-strategy game combined with RPG elements. The game starts with you getting a tarot reading, which determines the starting statistics and powers of your leader. You also gain tarot cards from this event, which act as special battle equalizers. You start on a battle map with your stronghold on the opposite side of the enemy's stronghold. You deploy up to nine units besides the leader's units to battle off the enemy forces and liberate the towns and eventually make your way to the enemy stronghold to defeat their leader. Only the opening scenario has no enemy units wandering the battlefield. Battle maps also include finding buried treasure, finding hidden towns/temples, encounters with unaligned bystanders, and buying items to support the army. Each day of battle you collect tribute from towns to support your army's deployment, recruiting, and goods. After an opening skirmish with Warren, you gain access to the rebel army. Your army can have up to 25 units and 100 members, including a huge selection of 75 plus human, dragon, and monster archetypes. The basic progression of the game is to organize army units, then battle, and repeat. The game is vast, spanning thirty missions with a total of thirteen different possible endings. The endings are determined based on several factors, such as your reputation, special characters obtained, and special items obtained that all add up to your total Chaos Frame rating on a scale of 0-100.

Unlike most RPGs though, you don't directly control onscreen characters in combat, with their actions being controlled primarily through the battle tactics menu and with your only real influence on most combats being deciding to use a Tarot card. Formation has a huge impact as characters have different numbers and types of attacks when placed in the rear or front. Equipment is very important for physical attackers. Many weapons have attributes that change the attack from physical to an elemental attack. Equiping a weapon that has an element an enemy is weak against can turn the tide of battle completely. For example, undead cannot be harmed by non-holy attacks, and physically attacking them is useless. But equiping a soldier with a Rune Axe gives them the holy attribute replacing their normal physical attribute, allowing them to take down undead. Some players may enjoy this more hands off approach to combat, others may dislike it. If you are the kind of person who wants total character control, this game will likely be frustrating. Playing a turn-based RPG or tactics turn-based RPG may be more advisable.

The Playstation version of the game improves upon the SNES version by having smoother and improved graphics, better translation, and the CD game music is far superior to the old SNES music. The most important new feature that makes it far better than the SNES version is quicksave in battle. No longer is it necessary to play the nearly three hour battles near the end in one sitting.

I recommend this game for any strategy and RPG fans.