Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

Do you have fond memories of FFT?

Do you have fond memories of any early and pre-PSX-era Japanese RPGs?

Do you like great games?

If you've answered yes to any of the above questions, you owe it to yourself to play TO:LUCT. If you have to buy a PSP to do so, do it. It's worth it just for TO.

"But the PSP is such a terrible hand-held gaming platform!" Shut up. TO is so good it makes the PSP look good. I am not kidding.

There is not a box that this game does not tick. Amazing gameplay. Amazing leveling system. Amazing story. Amazing translation. Amazing art. It is a love letter to a bygone era. It is a perfect reimagining of a classic game you have almost certainly not played. As far as remakes go, RE: Remake has been a confident king; TO kicks its ass up and down the block.

PLAY THE GAME.

[Flip]

Sold.

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

Jez Parish's review is great, and appropriately glowing.

The game is so good it makes me want to write a FAQ for it! What am I, 15, and keeping notes on Secret of Mana's bestiary again? Jesus!

[Kupek]

I have seriously considered buying a PSP just to play this game.

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

I have seriously considered buying a PSP just to play this game.

It's worth it! Particularly for you, Dude That Spent Eighteen Years Completing Dragon Quest VIII. Just buy the cheapest PSP you can find. I can assure you that you will not regret it.

[Julius Seeker]

Tactics Ogre is awesome.

PSP's are also very cheap nowadays, ~$130; I seriously picked one up solely for PSX classics, but there's also other RPGs certainly worth the purchase.

[Kupek]

The thing is, I just got a PS3. Although I am worried that if I wait until I'm ready to play it, it will be very difficult to find.

Although the PSP could become my PS1 device. When I got Castlevania for the PS3, I had a free code to download SotN. And, dear lord, that game was designed for CRTs. It is beautiful on a standard definition screen, but it looks terrible on an HDTV. I'm tempted to get some of the PS1 games I missed - Alundra, Legend of Mana - but I can't play them if they look like that. But they'd probably look great on the PSP, displayed on a scale closer to what they were designed for.

[Zeus]

My bud also got a free SotN download with his Lords of Shadow but my Collector's did not. Did it say on the box it was coming with the code? Was it a separate code on a piece of paper?

BTW, I've had Symphony on my PSP for about 2 years now 'cause of Dracula X Chronicles. If you get a PSP, that game is a must. It's freakin' awesome

[Kupek]

It mentioned on the box that there was a download code inside, and the code was on a separate card.

[Zeus]

It mentioned on the box that there was a download code inside, and the code was on a separate card.

Odd, I have never seen a copy of Castlevania for the PS3 with a code in it. I wonder if it's just random copies?

[Julius Seeker]

Not this "blatant rip-off of FFT" again!

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

Update: I have sunk close to 200 hours into this game with no end in sight, and I have enjoyed every moment. Can you imagine a version of FFT in which you could go back and stop Algus from REDACTED? Or if you were the one to REDACTED REDACTED's sister with a REDACTED?! Such is TO: LUCT. And that's not to mention an end-game that rivals even the more direly addictive MMO!

SOMEONE BUY THE GODDAMN GAME SO I HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT

[Zeus]

SOMEONE BUY THE GODDAMN GAME SO I HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT

I have been trying to get a copy for about $30 for the last 2 months. Failing miserably.....

[Kupek]

Andrew, I hear you, I really do. But: Mass Effect 2. I think the next two months of my gaming time are spoken for.

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

Well, at least ME2 is a current generation title.

[Blotus]

If it isn't on iPhone and it doesn't feature birds, either of the angry or tiny-winged variety, I don't have time for it. Would really like to play this though.

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

It's on a mobile platform! Fuck your birds!

[SineSwiper]

How a fucking clone of BASIC Gorillas ends being the world's most popular mobile game is beyond me.

[Zeus]

SOMEONE BUY THE GODDAMN GAME SO I HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT

I have been trying to get a copy for about $30 for the last 2 months. Failing miserably.....

Amazingly, I was able to get a European Limited Edition version (PSP is region-free for games) for under $30 but couldn't get the US version for close to that. Odd..

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

I would like to note that I am still playing this!

[Kupek]

I'm close to convincing myself to buy a PSP and this game.

[Zeus]

I'm close to convincing myself to buy a PSP and this game.

Well, if you do buy up a PSP, let us know. I'm sure we can recommend a few other games for you to try as well (like FFIV: Complete Collection)

[bovine]

I am a big proponent of quite a few PSP games! I just hate playing on the thing. The screen is nice, and the dpad and buttons are good..... but the analog slider is the WORST and the battery life is incredibly awful.

[Zeus]

I am a big proponent of quite a few PSP games! I just hate playing on the thing. The screen is nice, and the dpad and buttons are good..... but the analog slider is the WORST and the battery life is incredibly awful.

Have you tried the component cable hookup to a TV? How is it? I never bothered getting it out of sheer laziness/indifference (not a price thing, they're only $12), but it COULD be better if you hook up the PSP to charge while you're playing. I just never knew if I would like having only half the TV with the image and the rest black.

[Oracle]

Is the PSP Go's battery life any better than the original?

[Eric]

I think its worse actually lol.

[Flip]

Remember that time BL bought a PSPGo and we all asked why and then he got all pissy and said he doesnt need to justify his purchases to losers like us? Yeah, i thought that was pretty funny.

[Blotus]

I would like to find that exchange. I've never called anybody here a loser (I don't think).

There it is. http://tows.cc/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3& ... lit=psp+go

Never done a test on the batt life of the Go, but it seems pretty long from what I remember. I'd done multiple-hour sessions of PJ Monsters and been alright. Seems like a system running off flash media would consume less power than one with an optical drive.

[Flip]

Maybe i took a few creative liberties.

Remember that time you came to my house and ate all my pizza and i was like, 'wheres my pizza?' and you said, 'i dont know, why dont you go punch a pregnant lady in the stomach, asshole.' I'm still confused about that exchange.

[Kupek]

I am aware of games that are available for the various systems - for some stupid reason, I've kept up with the industry all this time. And I'll pass on FF4 for the PSP: I bought it for the GBA and the DS. The DS version is quite hard, and I stopped playing once I got to the moon. I don't feel a need to replay it again. (Again.) If they get around to FF5 or FF6 remakes, I'm there.

Also, playing time is still limited for me. I'm not done with Mass Effect 2, but the end is in sight. When I'm done with ME2, next on my PS3 is Portal 2. I figured Tactics Ogre will keep my PSP occupied for a long time. Two games going on at once will be plenty for a while.

[Zeus]

One thing that may incent you to purchase FFIV for PSP: The After Years. Together, all nine total about 25 hours of gameplay. So if you haven't played those on the Wii, it may be a reason to get it one last time.

[Shrinweck]

I am aware of games that are available for the various systems - for some stupid reason, I've kept up with the industry all this time. And I'll pass on FF4 for the PSP: I bought it for the GBA and the DS. The DS version is quite hard, and I stopped playing once I got to the moon. I don't feel a need to replay it again. (Again.) If they get around to FF5 or FF6 remakes, I'm there.

Also, playing time is still limited for me. I'm not done with Mass Effect 2, but the end is in sight. When I'm done with ME2, next on my PS3 is Portal 2. I figured Tactics Ogre will keep my PSP occupied for a long time. Two games going on at once will be plenty for a while.

Out of curiosity did you get a version of ME2 with the DLC or are you playing the core game?

[Kupek]

Yeah, no on The After Years. I thought it looked contrived, and I've read and heard descriptions that back me up. The best was either Kat Bailey or Christian Nut who said it's basically a fanfic given life. At best it looks okay, and I don't see the point in spending time on something that's just "okay."

My version of ME2 does have DLC, but I don't know what actually is the DLC and what is not. I think that all PS3 copies have access to the DLC, since the PS3 version came out in the past few months. What was a really nice touch was the interactive comic book that told the story of the first game and let me make some of the important decisions. Kinda hard to know what I want to do without the full context, but it's a good way to give me agency over the decisions, instead of just giving me a stock set of "this is what happened in the game you can't play."

[Shrinweck]

Ah, that's right I forgot about reading about the deal PS3 got for Mass Effect. I'd say it's too bad you never got to play the original but I heard it was pretty terrible for people on the console and without the improvements made before it's release on the PC I'm not sure I would have dropped the bazillion hours into it that I did.

I felt bad about the intermission from Tactics but how many LA Noire threads are there? :P

[Kupek]

So I bought a PSP and Tactics Ogre. And I talked on the phone a bunch tonight so I didn't have any time to even boot it up until right before going to sleep... aaaaaaaaand I don't have a memory stick. Awesome. Didn't even occur to me; neither my DS nor my PS3 need one. Or my iPhone. This really is like a portable PlayStation.

[Zeus]

So I bought a PSP and Tactics Ogre. And I talked on the phone a bunch tonight so I didn't have any time to even boot it up until right before going to sleep... aaaaaaaaand I don't have a memory stick. Awesome. Didn't even occur to me; neither my DS nor my PS3 need one. Or my iPhone. This really is like a portable PlayStation.

Well, portable PS2. There's a reason there was so many ports between the systems :-)

Yeah, it's annoying. But if all you're doing is saving games on it and never using it for mp3s or converting some movies, a 256MB stick is more than enough. I'm sure if you go trash hunting you can find tons of those. If not, let me know. I think they sell for something like $5 used up here. No need to waste $20 or more on a 4GB+ stick if you don't use it.

As a Symphony fan, I STRONGLY suggest picking up Dracula X Chronicles. It's $20 new and you can find it for $10-15 used. The original Rondo game was awesome (and a direct prequel to Symphony) and the remake is fabulous, a lot better in nearly every way. It may be my fav side-scrolling Castlevania game, and that includes Symphony and Aria. There's a ton to do in it if you try to take every path. Kinda like Castlevania 3, you can go along differing paths (and fight different bosses) depending on the route you take to get to the end. Since you can unlock both the original Rondo and Symphony in it as well, it really is a great buy for fans of those games.

[Flip]

Get a big mem stick. The game files are small, but once you start DL'ing games to it... whew boy.

[Kupek]

Well, I'm going to pay $20 or so for a multi-GB stick for two reasons. One, I want to play Tactics Ogre tonight, and two, I would like to get some PS1 games from PSN. They're cheap enough for me to play them just to satisfy my curiosity.

I actually had forgotten about Dracula X Chronicles. The graphics of the remake looked kinda ugly to me, and I don't want to have to jump through hoops to play the original. But, it may be worth it.

Also: I finally get the complaints about the UMD format. I had thought it was a cartridge of some kind, but it's this mini-disc in permanent case thing. Weird.

[Shrinweck]

I've seen pictures of the cartridges and always figured the only reason to have them like that is so kids don't destroy the mini-discs. And by kids I mean if I ever got one - me.

[Lox]

I hate UMDs. They are so fragile. Be careful where you put pressure on them. I've found that if you put any kind of pressure onto the clear plastic of the casing, you can loosen it and cause it to poke out of the other piece of the case. My PSP has major issues if the cases aren't perfectly flat.

[Eric]

I'd own all of these games if PSN was up. :p

[Zeus]

Well, I'm going to pay $20 or so for a multi-GB stick for two reasons. One, I want to play Tactics Ogre tonight, and two, I would like to get some PS1 games from PSN. They're cheap enough for me to play them just to satisfy my curiosity.

I actually had forgotten about Dracula X Chronicles. The graphics of the remake looked kinda ugly to me, and I don't want to have to jump through hoops to play the original. But, it may be worth it.

Also: I finally get the complaints about the UMD format. I had thought it was a cartridge of some kind, but it's this mini-disc in permanent case thing. Weird.

Talk to me after you've put an hour or so into the Rondo remake. Once you get your hands on it and you see how good of a version it is of the old Castlevania platformers you grew up playin', you'll fall in love with it. The graphics are PS2-level 2 1/2D so they're nicer than the still images may show and it's got very tight, classic gameplay. It really is a phenomenal game, may be my fav game on the system.

While you're playin' through, you can unlock both Symphony and the original Rondo by I believe the 3rd level. If memory serves me right, you don't need any special abilities from saving the girls to get either, you just have to go a certain path. It's not nearly as much of a pain as it may seem.

I do agree with the UMD but I find the issue is it's unnecessarily fragile. I never keep any of them outside protection of some kind. I ended up buying individual and 3-game cases to fit into my PSP carrying case a while ago 'cause I just don't trust them. Thankfully, it looks like flash memory will take over everything soon (how long do you think it'll be before all digital media is gone?) so we won't have to worry about discs for too much longer.

[Flip]

I take decent care of my stuff, but i have travel cases and such that i toss around and i havent broke one UMD. Not sure what the problem is. In fact, the UMD's work even if the plastic casing falls apart, ive heard. You can just put the disk in and it is ok, supposedly. Since im running out of memory stick space, i almost wish i had some of the games i DL'ed on UMD...

[Kupek]

So, I'm liking it! It's obviously made by the people who made Final Fantasy Tactics - the themes of the story are similar, and I can even do a one-to-one mapping of the three main characters to FFT characters. It's taking some time to adjust to this game's job system and mechanics, but it's not that different from FFT.

This remake was also obviously made with - I have no other word for it - love. The music is fully orchestrated, the character art is gorgeous. This game was made by people who cared. And, while I in no way regret buying a dying system to play one game, Andrew, I'm looking for some credit for doing so.

[Zeus]

Let us expand your selection a bit then, shall we? You should be able to find all the following games for under $20, many for $10:

1) Megaman Maverick Hunter X and Powered Up

These are phenomenal remakes. If you enjoyed old-school Mega Man and care about that, get these. Particularly Maverick Hunter (remake of MMX) which has a separate storyline for both Mega Man and Vile (separate cutscenes) and a 22 minute anime OAV of the history of Sigma once you beat it. Both were under $10 last I checked and are amazing

2) Dracula X Chronicles

Already shilled this one

3) Capcom Classics Collections (both)

They're under $10 and for a portable system, it's nice to have some old-school games you can play for 5-10 minutes at a time

4) Ultimate Ghosts and Goblins

The other Capcom remake, it's great. Not as annoying difficult as the original

5) Loco Roco 1 and 2

Blind fun and both are under $10

6) Lunar Silver Star Harmony

Great remake of the original Lunar which is a pretty fun old-school RPG

7) Patapon 1 and 2

Tons of fun like Loco Roco and both under $10 new

There are lots of other RPGs from NIS America and Atlus but they're generally more expensive.

[bovine]

P3P is the most best PSP game.

[Eric]

P3P is the most best PSP game.

Seconded.

[Kupek]

Zeus. Dude. Do you actually read what I write? I don't reserve much time to play games. Tactics Ogre and ME2 will probably occupy me for the next month, maybe two. I also am aware of the games that have come out for the PSP, and none of them really interested me. What I will probably experiment with are PS1 games downloaded off of PSN.

[Flip]

Zeus keeps repeating the same game lineup a zillion times, lol.

[Zeus]

Zeus keeps repeating the same game lineup a zillion times, lol.

It's the PSP. There's a ton of decent stuff on it but only about 15-20 great games. Sadly, remakes make up 10-20% of the best games