The Ogre Battle series, to which Tactics Ogre belongs, started way back in 1993.

The first game in the series to be released, Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen, launched that year in Japan for the Super Famicon, and arrived in 1995 for players in North America. A unique combination of real time tactics and RPG, it was a real breath of fresh air for gamers, and it became a hit.

In 1995, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together was released in Japan for the Super Famicon. It would later be ported to PlayStation and release in North America in 1998. The game took a different approach to The March of the Black Queen, featuring a new isometric perspective, turn-based battles, super-detailed pixel art, and an intricate, branching story with multiple endings.The game was one of those cases of lightning in a bottle—the combination of elements resonated with players, winning it a following that persists to this day.In 2010, a team that included many of the original developers of Tactics Ogre created a remake for PlayStation Portable. It released in Japan as Tactics Ogre: Wheel of Fortune, and a year later in the United States and Europe under its original name: Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

This successor featured a substantially improved story, a world filled with even more colorful characters, an updated game with new systems and a wealth of content to satisfy even the most hardcore players. The game was a critical smash, winning positive reviews from media and players alike.

Which brings us to 2022 and Tactics Ogre: Reborn! This new version of the game is based on the 2010 remake but features significant changes that make an already great game even greater!

■ What’s new in Tactics Ogre: Reborn?

Tactics Ogre: Reborn features a host of enhancements to visuals, sound, game design and more. Here’s a brief rundown of some of these improvements:

High-Definition Characters and Backgrounds

The beautifully detailed characters and backgrounds of the original Tactics Ogre have been recreated in high definition.

The detailed pixel art that gives the game its unique feel has also been preserved and enhanced to look great on modern HD displays.

Fully Updated User Interface

Not only is the user interface now in high definition, it’s also been redesigned to make information easier to understand, with streamlined controls.

Sound Improvements

All dialogue in Tactics Ogre: Reborn is fully voiced, bringing new life to the complex motivations of the characters that make up the factions and shifting political alliances of this epic story. You can choose between English and Japanese voices, with the ability to switch between them in the config menu at any time.

The sound effects have also been remastered, immersing you in battle like never before.

Tactics Ogre composer Hitoshi Sakimoto rerecorded the entire soundtrack with a live orchestra. At times the melodies are ominous and filled with tension, while at other times they offer a gentle reprieve. The lingering notes and haunting echoes only found in a live performance raise the immersion in the gameplay to another level.

The soundtrack even includes entirely new pieces composed just for Tactics Ogre: Reborn!

■ A Redesigned Battle System

Building on what worked in previous versions of Tactics Ogre, this new game incorporates new elements as part of an overall redesign of the battle system. Here’s a brief introduction to some of the new features that await.

Unit-by-Unit Level System

The class-wide level management system found in Tactics Ogre: Wheel of Fortune has been replaced by a unit-by-unit level system.

Each unit advances differently depending on its class, making for an elegant system that lets players plot their way through endless combinations of equipment, skills, and magic for each unit.

This means that the player is able to consider the bigger picture, and decide on the overall composition of units to bring into each battle.

Battle AI Overhaul

The team has made significant changes to the artificial intelligence (AI) of your opponents in combat.

The enemy’s tactics change depending on the layout of the battlefield and the state of the battle.

Thinking about how to adapt your plans as the situation changes keeps battles engaging and fresh.

Playability Improvements

Tactics Ogre: Reborn has seen numerous playability improvements, such as a quicker pace of battle, auto save, and a complete overhaul to the controls.

All this makes it easier to get into the game than ever before.

■ Story

We’ve talked a lot about what’s new, but those unfamiliar with the game may be wondering: what’s it all about? Here’s the basic setup for the story:

The game is set on the Valerian Isles, jewels of the Obero Sea. Long a center of naval commerce, the people of the isles struggled throughout history for dominion over her shores.

Finally there rose a man to put an end to this conflict: Dorgalua Oberyth – but history would know him as the “Dynast-King”. King Dorgalua strove to stamp out the hatred among the people of the isles, and for half a century, Valeria knew prosperity.

Yet upon the king’s death, civil war erupted once more, as three factions vied for control: the Bakram, who comprised much of Valeria’s nobility; the Galgastani, whose people made up the majority of the isles’ population; and the Walister, who numbered but few.

The isles were soon divided between the Bakram and Galgastani, and an uneasy peace settled across the land. Yet none believe the calm will last…

What follows is an epic tale of war, as many memorable characters get swept up into an escalating conflict. Let’s meet a few:

■ Characters

Denam Pavel (voiced by Max Mittelman in English, Tomoaki Maeno in Japanese)

Walister, 18 years old.

Denam is the main hero of this tale.

His father, Abuna Prancet, was taken by the Dark Knights when they raided his hometown of Golyat. Later, as a member of the Walister Resistance, Denam fights against the Bakram and the Galgastani with the help of his sister, Catiua, and his childhood friend, Vyce.

Denam has a strong sense of justice, and the iron will be needed to bring about the change he envisions. A thoughtful young man, he harbors doubts about the meaning of their struggle.

Catiua Pavel (voiced by Victoria Atkin in English, Lynn in Japanese)

Walister, 19 years old.

Catiua is Denam’s sister and a fellow Walister. Having lost their mother at a young age, she and Denam were raised by their father, Abuna Prancet, and now Catiua has an overbearing sense of affection for her brother.

Thanks to the teachings of her father, she is well along her way to becoming an oracle, and she puts her skills to use fighting alongside Denam and their childhood friend Vyce. Yet it is less her principles that drive her to join their struggle, and more her fear of losing her brother.

Vyce Bozeck (voiced by Jason Spisak in English, Noriaki Sugiyama in Japanese)

Walister, 18 years old.

The Dark Knights slew Vyce’s father, the only family he had left, leaving him an orphan. He cannot abide the oppression of the Walister, so he eagerly joins the struggle against their tormentors.

A capable man of action, he and Denam complement each other well.

Dorgalua Oberyth Valeria

Bakram, 65 years old at the time of his death.

Dorgalua used his peerless intellect and charm to forge the bickering realms of Valeria into a single kingdom.

With the isles united, he set about implementing his policy of racial reconciliation, and the people hailed him for his wisdom. Yet after his death, there was no clear successor to the throne, and Valeria was once again plunged into civil war.

In honor of his great achievements, he is often referred to as the Dynast-King.

Juda Ronwey

Juda is the former lord of Almorica Castle. When civil war overtook Valeria, fewer than one person in ten were Walister, and it was Duke Ronwey who led them in resistance against the Galgastani.

He fought bravely for half a year, before finally meeting defeat. Now he is held prisoner.

Brantyn Morne

Bakram, 49 years old.

Brantyn is the ruler of the Bakram-Valerian Kingdom.

When King Dorgalua died, Brantyn swiftly rose from his position in the clergy to become regent of the Kingdom of Valeria – such was his thirst for the reigns of power. Dorgalua’s trust in him had been absolute, so the motives behind this sudden slight against the royal house are unclear.

Lanselot Tartaros

The Captain of the Dark Knights Loslorien, which hail from the mighty Holy Lodissian Empire on the continent north of the Valerian Isles. As the Dark Knights answer directly to High Priest Sardian, ruler of the Holy Lodissian Empire, Lanselot is widely rumored to be the right hand of the high priest.

The Dark Knights have come to Valeria under a secret agreement with Regent Brantyn, leader of the Bakram.

Leundar Balbatos

Galgastani, 43 years old.

Leundar is Leader of the Kingdom of Galgastan. To secure the southern half of Valeria, he waged a blood war to eradicate the Walister.

Many of his own people attempted to revolt in the face of such barbarism, but Balbatos turned his forces against them as well, making it clear that he would rule Galgastan with an icy, iron fist.