Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis

"An absolute MUST for strategy enthusiasts!"

Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis is the sequel to Tactics Ogre (originally released for the Super Famicom), and the latest entry in the excellent Ogre Battle series. Considering the original Tactics Ogre was one of the best, if not the best, strategy/RPG games ever conceived, its sequel has a lot to live up to.

Graphics: 10
The graphics in TO for GBA leave absolutely nothing to be desired. Although not quite as droll-inducing as the graphics in Golden Sun, the simplicity of the graphics have an undeniable charm. The backgrounds (especially in water environments) are especially impressive, as are the spell effects.

Sound: 8
The music is unfortunately not up to the high standards set by the previous Ogre Battle games. However, compared to the music in most handheld games, the music in TO is top-notch. The sound effects are perfect, and never get grating.

Gameplay: 10
Here is the real meat of the game. The gameplay in TO continues the tradition left by its predecessor of having the absolute best strategy gameplay. Many excellent strategy games such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Vandal Hearts have been greatly influenced by the original Tactics Ogre, but they have never been able to equal or surpass the incredible balance of depth and challenge that is present in TO.
The core TO gameplay remains basically unchanged in the latest installment, but it has been slightly simplified. In battles, each side has its own turn, where characters can be moved in any order. After moving all characters, it is the opposing side's turn. This change actually makes the game more enjoyable, and hardly detracts from the difficulty.
The only major change in the gameplay is the ingenious addition of emblems which characters can earn. After performing a certain action, a character may be awarded with an emblem, which can affect stats and available classes. This adds an incredible amount of depth, as hardcore gamers will no likely attempt to collect all of the emblems.
Overall, after the changes in the gameplay, TO comes out to be an incredibly satisfying strategy game, and is more accessible than the original Tactics Ogre.

Difficulty/Replayability: 10
TO is not an easy game. It is, however, not frustrating in the least. Having a hard time? Pit your characters against each other in training and build your levels. After finishing the game, it's fun to go back and try to earn more medals, or find secret items/characters. This one of those games that you'll find yourself dreaming about.

Overall: 10
Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis is currently the best GBA game available. If you enjoy strategy titles, or have never played one, you owe it to yourself to at least try this wonderful gem of a game. You will not regret it!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/27/02, Updated 05/27/02