Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen

"The true challenge of a great game..."

The true challenge of a great game is not how hard it is your first time through, nor how well it catches your attention with outstanding graphics, but how it continues to keep catching the gamer, even after the first time through the game.
Though this game does not have the best graphics, nor the best music when compared to today's games or possibly even some of the later 32-bit games, what this game does offer that few others can boast is the ability to keep gamers hooked far beyond the first time playing it. Only the truly great games can present this kind of challenge, this kind of learning curve, and still manage to become a classic.
What is it about this game that makes it so outstanding if it isn’t the music, the graphics, or the simplicity of play? Well, for that, I will have to explain in detail what this game is...

Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen is the first in a series of games based in the realm of the Zeteginian Empire and the mystical land of Zenobia. Set in a time where wizards and warriors are all trying to compete for their rights, and where a religious group has taken complete control, you are placed in the shoes of hero-to-be (of either sex in fact). Your goal and your destiny are, literally, in your hands to control and shape as you will. In a game with multiple (think Chrono Trigger), you can literally cover all aspects of the game, from bloodthirsty wretch to a holier-than-thou, lawful knight of the deity of your choice. It’s all a matter of the choices you make, and how you play the game. But that leads into…

Gameplay: 10/10
As many of the other reviewers have said, this is truly the best part of the game. While it has a very steep learning curve (I suggest you take the tutorial and really understand things before seriously starting a game), once you get the system of control and commands, you will never have a trouble with the way the game is played. The keys to the game lie in the strategy, and that is how it should be. It is, by far, one of the best strategy-rpgs out there even today, even with its outdated music and graphics.
In fact, this game shines even over its sequel on the 64, though not graphically nor musically, but in the shear challenge it offers. It is so in depth, with so many endings that, though the sequel underwent a graphical makeover, MotBQ is still far superior.
But why, do you ask? How is it that a game so old, so “out of date,” can possibly compete with all the newer games? Simple. It uses a simple system for management to send you into an intricate world where decisions mean something. Deciding to capture a town here, liberate on there, or even just accepting the aid of a mercenary or hero into your army, all of these things affect the outcome of your game. One of the hardest tasks I have ever accomplished is getting the “perfect” ending for this game. It requires you to KNOW what you are going to do, even before you start the game. It is not one of those games that you can stumble into half-caring and beat easily. This is the true beauty of the game: you must think to do well.

Graphics: 9/10
Pretty good for the time it was made, most of the graphical work on this game was put into the battle system. While the overworld maps are rather large and detailed, some of the cooler scenes come from the depictions of heroes and villains alike in battle. It really is great to see your favorite Doll Mage rack up several enemies with one well-placed spell. And though the animations are rather simplistic, that can be overlooked due to the outstanding gameplay. But still, for a SNES game, you cannot overlook some of the smaller details that make the graphics worthwhile. How about the sun rising and falling for you so that you can tell how much time has passed? How about the way there are waves in the oceans, and how the terrain is clearly marked and even more obviously change as time progresses? These things do make up for some of the shortcomings, but again, there aren’t that many to begin with.

Sound: 8/10
Another area this game lacks, but how can anyone overlook the way that it mostly highlights the feelings of the current scenario. When the hero is feeling desolate, the music reflects that. In a mission where the hero is acting like one, the music is more cheery and upbeat. I couldn’t be disappointed with the music, because it is all done with detail. Tracks change for winning or losing a battle, for an emotional story segment, or even when you simply enter a town.

Overall: 9/10
Yes, I know I put the order a bit backwards, but, well, the Gameplay just overshadows everything else. If you want to play an outstanding strategy/rpg or if you just want a game that is so deep it will make you wish you had an entire year to blow on it and it alone, then this is definitely for you. True, the game is insanely hard to come by (since only a limited quantity were made and brought to the US), if you CAN find one, I suggest you buy it immediately. This game is so deep, so complicated, and so thorough that it is not for all people, but if you feel up to the challenge, don’t be afraid of letting yourself go. You may find yourself getting into the game, trying to find every ending, all the secret characters, and even more.
Bottom line: If you want a game that you have to think for, that you can play for hours and still not be bored of, a real military-strategy game, this is it. It is the best that any system its age has to offer, and possibly even the best of its kind still out there. But due to its insane learning curve, its density and complexity, and the fact that it is NOT meant for everyone, I just can’t give it a perfect score...

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/04/01, Updated 09/04/01