Square Enix revives one of its most beloved franchises with Tactics Ogre: Reborn, a turn-based fighting RPG available for Switch, PC and PlayStation.
The Final Fantasy are the main pillars of a Square Enix that over the years has been able to expand and draw on a very extensive catalog of its own titles. One of the most significant spin offs was Final Fantasy: Tactics , with which he managed to give an interesting reinterpretation of the turn-based fighting system of the main saga and a completely complete character construction. But its design was not excessively original , rather its inspiration came from one of its latest acquisitions, Ogre Battle , a series of video games that belonged to Quest Corporation and that now returns with Tactics Ogre: Reborn .
Director Yasumi Matsuno continues to build a career at the company he joined after developing the latest video game title he helped build. After completing Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, Square Enix bought the rights to these works and the creator himself became part of its design staff. He laid the first foundations for Final Fantasy Tactics and worked on several remasters, although the last one dates from 2010, which made many think that they would prioritize original releases. But nothing could be further from the truth: the legendary turn-based fighting dynasty is back with an even brighter future.
It is neither a remake nor a remastering, but rather a reboot that drinks from its predecessors , games that set a precedent not only in their combat mechanics, but also in the configuration of the fighters and in the narration and progress of history.
And the good news is that it will be available for almost all consoles , with the exception of Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. It goes without saying how interesting it is to enjoy it on the Switch, reminiscent of the wonderful years of FF Tactics for Game Boy. Advance and Nintendo SP, although the graphic power of PS5 and computer does it more justice, especially with all the work they have put into improving the scenery and immersion in battles and tours of the cities. The result, except for optimization and resolution, is not very different from the adaptation they made for PSP in 2010.
What you need to know about Tactics Ogre: Reborn
The saga is a true delight for RPG lovers, since the customization of each fighter is very complete . If you have already played the previous ones, little or nothing will surprise you, except for various changes to existing mechanics: weapons no longer have a minimum level to be used, each unit has a maximum of 4 abilities (which consume MP) and these now do not level up by class, but individually.
One of the most applauded points of the game was the fact that many aspects influenced the development of the battle. We are not only talking about a balanced team composition (in terms of classes and combat styles), but also on the map and in the weather conditions : these influence one way or another and you will have to study the environment very well to be victorious.
Otherwise, everything is practically identical, except for some new added tarot cards that activate never-before-seen effects, such as those that allow you to add characters that we have not been able to recruit to your team, return to a certain turn in combat (Chariot Tarot ) or change a story choice (World Tarot), something that will allow you to enjoy the entire plot without having to replay the game. To change your character’s class, you will need a card, which can either be obtained from a store or as a reward for defeating an enemy of that class. Of course, you cannot change for the sake of changing, you will first need to meet a series of requirements.
Likewise, during the battle you will be able to find a series of cards on the map that you must step on to benefit from their advantages (which will also be maintained after the battle), either to boost your magical or physical attack, your defense, your critical chances or your skills. Keep in mind that enemies can pick them up too, so move quickly or they’ll be stolen. And considering that the artificial intelligence of the enemies has been improved to offer more even combat, do not doubt that they will try to do it.
Is Tactics Ogre: Reborn worth playing ?
The original saga was born before the 21st century, so many lovers of the genre will not even know of its existence. If you’ve only tried Final Fantasy Tactics so far, don’t hesitate to check it out as the features are very similar. In fact, her original releases not only had the acclaim of the public , but also a very positive review given to her.
The game’s story is quite entertaining and also has the plus point that it is built from the decisions you make. The soundtrack is very pleasant and the protagonists will have, for the first time, the voice of renowned dubbing actors.
Square Enix continues to test its ability to convert the classics in its catalog into modern works adapted to current possibilities. At the moment with this installment it has more than achieved it , although they could have implemented changes to make it more intuitive and accessible, such as the possibility of changing the camera or more animations.
