• Review: Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP)

    by
    Emily "Darkcamllama" Hatcher
    Published on 01-27-2012 06:46 PM
    0 Comments Comments
    http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...5492_front.jpg

    Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

    Developer:Square-Enix, Quest
    Publisher: Square-Enix
    Platform: PlayStation Portable
    Genre: Tactics Role-Playing Game
    Rating: Teen
    Release Date: February 15th, 2011

    Presentation
    The Tactics Ogre series has been around for a number of years, and has its own cult following. Original Playstation copies of still sell for $90+ on ebay and other sites. Let Us Cling Together is a remastering of the PSone classic (which was a remake of the Super Nintendo version) with a few little extras. The story begins with two siblings and their friend preparing an ambush on who they believe to be the knights responsible for the massacre of their village. The men at the end of their swords are not the Black Knights, but rather a band of mercenaries with their own reason for leaving their home country behind. With their newfound allies, the young hero and his companions set out to take their revenge. In the process they rescue their local duke from execution. From there, they become heroes of their city, and are taken under the duke’s wing. However, war is spreading across the continent, and racial disturbances are causing widespread unrest. Our young hero (named however the player wishes) learns the true harsh nature of war. Will he follow orders, even if it means turning his back on the very people he has sworn to protect, or will he stand against his duke and bear the mark of a traitor?

    The lore of the series may cause a bit of confusion for those unfamiliar with the games. Like any world, the people have their own unique customs and conflicts. The player’s hero is of the Walister clan, one of the smaller groups of people in the homeland of Valeria. Other groups include the Galgastan, Bakram, and Xenobia. Bear in mind that depending on what version of the game, these names may be a bit different. The story is driven by the politics of war. The game provides backstory and a chance to review scenes in the menu, giving players a broader perspective of the world their characters are from. Character profiles are also available for the player to peruse.

    Graphics
    The art design for the characters is lovely. Akihiko Yoshida, who also designed characters for several other popular Square-Enix titles (Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, Vagrant Story), gives the character portraits a lush, attractive appeal. The sprites don’t have too much detail, but you can easily distinguish special units from the standard foes. Get used to looking at the same maps, because you will be revisiting many locations for battles. Weather and climate changes give the battlefields a bit of change, but a bit more unique levels would have been welcome. However, given that the war takes place in a limited area of the world, this is slightly understandable. The graphics are polished and colors on the sprites have a good pop, so the only real drawback is how many times you’ll have to look at it all without drastic change.

    Sound/Music
    The music for the entire Ogre series has been hailed by fans and even those who have never played the games before as some of the best featured in any game. While the battle music can become repetitive, the chance to go through the menu and listen to some of these classic tunes is a real joy to have. The in-battle and map music have a very retro feel. Aside from a voice over during between-chapter segments, there are no other voices aside from the death cries of the characters and demons.

    Gameplay
    Grinding is a bit different than in most RPGs. Random battles are few and far between, with only a limited number of maps to battle on. Characters level up in two fashions: their assigned class levels up, then they themselves receive experience points for participating during a battle. For instance: an existing character of the archer class may level that class up to, say, level 10. Switching a warrior unit to the archer class will place them at that same level. However, their individual experience will determine what skills they may add to their combat list. Even if you level an archer unit to level 20, if you switch to a different class (dragoon for example), they will begin at whatever level that class is. If you do switch to an unleveled class, be prepared to babysit that character during battle. Their stats, weapons, and skills will reflect that lower level, which can cause them to easily be killed in one shot. On the bright side, this works in the opposite direction as well, and changing to a job class with a higher level of experience will be rewarding.

    Battles take place on a grid field, allowing the player 8 to 12 (more or less) units on the field. Movement across the map may be hindered by water or mountains, but some units have the ability to fly or wade through deep water. The battle order is seen at the bottom of the screen, allowing the player to plot their attacks ahead of time. One feature is the Chariot Tarot which allows players to undo previous moves, whether they want to retry an attack on a different opponent or start all the way back to the beginning of the battle. Regular enemy units and monsters may be recruited, and your party can stock up to 50 units. However, given the number of unique characters, and how powerful your own units can become, recruiting new units usually is only for gear collecting or to make battles end quickly (more so than usual). Be wary, however, because you units have a loyalty meter. If you select their name when you have their stats menu open (press the select button), a statement will appear with a varying degree of how loyal s/he may be. The screen will flash red when a unit’s loyalty is close enough to cause them to abandon your cause.

    As fun as the game is, at times I felt that the only real difficulty came in the form of the friendly AI. During some battles, rather than pull back for safety, guest units charge after the enemy and never bother with healing. If you are trying to recruit said unit, or need to save them in order to progress, getting close enough to draw fire from them and to provide support can be a real pain. Most missions are assassination style, with only one enemy needing to be eliminated before the battle is over. Focus firing on that unit with a few good arches and a mage can win a battle in a short amount of time. Speaking of archers, one unit you get early on in the game is Canopus, a winged man, has a wide move radius due to his ability to fly, strong melee, and great archery skills. He begins with a finishing move for both his axe and his bow, which make him very lethal. The only real risk is overextending him to the point where he can’t retreat far enough from foes. Some later units also seem very powerful, which makes most battles against human enemies a breeze.

    Lasting Appeal
    Let Us Cling Together offers the player a bit more from the original version, including new characters to recruit and new classes to experiment with. The branching paths offer three different main storylines, and your choices can determine the fate of various characters. One path may lead you to an unexpected ally, while a different may give you that same person as a loathsome enemy. Don’t like the law or chaos routes? Try for the neutral to see how well you can maintain your party. A multiplayer option exists, however it was not a feature I tried. I doubt after a year there would be any other players.

    Conclusion
    While the game felt a bit short and sometimes too easy, returning to such a classic title is pure joy. Tactics Ogre may have been overshadowed by Final Fantasy Tactics, but any fan of tactical rpgs should certainly give it a try. The story is rich and deep, and the various paths offer a nice bit of replayablity. A single runthrough is also fairly short compared to other games of this genre, so for those simply looking for a quick game to play while waiting for some bigger name titles to come out, Let Us Cling Together is a nice filler.

    Score:
    8.5/10

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.

SEO by vBSEO