Tactics Ogre: Reborn Arrives Later This Year

Even though it hasn't been officially announced yet, we seem to know an awful lot about Tactics Ogre: Reborn.

It was first teased during the infamous Nvidia GeForce Now leak, and was trademarked in Japan soon afterwards. Then, it popped up on the PlayStation Store – a trio of events which have conspired to make the remake one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming right now.

Now, thanks to PSDeals.net (via RPG Site) we have even more information. We now know that Square Enix will release the game on November 11th, 2022, and that it is based on the PSP version, originally released in 2010. That version was a remake of the Super Famicom original, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, which launched in 1995 and was later ported to the PlayStation and Saturn. Of all of these versions, only the PlayStation one got a western release – and that was confined to North America.

Despite its cult classic nature, Tactics Ogre made quite the mark on the world of SRPGs. Director, writer and lead designer Yasumi Matsuno would part company with Quest, the studio behind the game, to join Square and work on the very similar Final Fantasy Tactics. When Quest was purchased by Square, it paved the way for Matsuno and many of the original team to regroup and work on the aforementioned PSP version. Tactics Ogre also got a spin-off for the GBA, entitled Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis, which would be Quest's final release before being acquired by Square.

PSDeals.net's listing is directly related to the PS4 / PS5 version of the game and states that the title will carry over the 'World Tarot' and 'Chariot Tarot' systems which were introduced in the PSP remake. New features include full voice acting in both English and Japanese, a revised levelling system based on each unit rather than classes, faster battles, auto-saving and a spruced-up user interface. The music has also been re-recorded and the artwork has been updated.

Here's the listing text as it appears on PSDeals.net:

Tactics Ogre, crown jewel of the tactical role-playing genre, is reborn!

Based on the 2010 release, the game features improved graphics and sound, as well as updated game design, bringing to life a new Tactics Ogre that remains true to its roots.

・Game Features
-A tactical role-playing game depicting the struggle for control of the Valerian Isles.

-Your choices affect how the story unfolds, and even how it ends, with a game system that allows for multiple paths through the game and multiple endings. The story takes place through the eyes of a young man named Denam. The decisions he makes will alter the fate of those around him, and shift the course of Valeria's history.

-Fight pitched tactical battles on three-dimensional battlefields. The completely revamped AI enables enemies to adapt their tactics to the situation, providing a battle system that always keeps you thinking and never grows old.

-The class-wide level management system used in Tactics Ogre (2010) has changed to a unit-by-unit level system. Theorycraft your way through endless combinations of classes, equipment, skills, and magic.

-Enjoy numerous playability improvements, such as a quicker pace of battle, auto save, and a complete overhaul to the controls and UI to make it easier to get into the game than ever.

-The unparalleled details of the characters and backgrounds from the original Tactics Ogre (1995) have been painstakingly recreated in high definition.

-The cutscenes are fully voiced in English and Japanese, and all of the music has been rerecorded with live performances! The voices bring new life to the complex motivations of the characters that make up the factions and shifting political alliances of this epic story.

-When you advance far enough in the game you'll unlock the World Tarot, enabling you to travel back in the story with the power of your forces intact; an incredibly useful feature in a game where your choices have such a huge impact on how the story unfolds. If you wonder what a different choice would have led to, now you can find out!

-Traveling back isn't limited to the story; the Chariot Tarot lets you rewind up to a certain number of moves during battle. In a game of tactical battles where a single mistake can mean the difference between victory and defeat, you can play without worrying that you'll back yourself into a corner.

-Enjoy a wealth of endgame content such as the 100-level Palace of the Dead.