NGF: Ogre Battle 64 Review

I suppose I should begin this review by saying that I am not, nor have I ever been, a big time RPG player. In fact, the only true RPGs I have ever played extensively are Final Fantasy III (American title), Final Fantasy VIII and Ultima. And the only one of those that I thoroughly enjoyed was FFIII. I guess that is why I am so surprised that I like Ogre Battle 64 as much as I do. And let me get this out of the way right away: this is a great game. I could tell you that this is the best RPG that the N64 has to offer, but that wouldn’t exactly be saying much. I could say that this is one of the best RPGs this year, but that really doesn’t do the game justice. This is one of the best games of any kind, for any system to be released this year. Read on.

In Ogre Battle 64 you play the role of Magnus, a young man fresh out of military academy. You are assigned to a minor post in the Southern Division of your kingdom’s army. However, your life will not stay calm long, as a revolution is brewing in the once peaceful empire…and you are an integral part. And thus begins Ogre Battle 64. But just because this game has a broad, epic backdrop, don’t assume that it doesn’t have a personal storyline. Actually, there is a very deep, involving story at the heart of Ogre Battle, dealing with the dark past of Magnus’ father and the relationship between Magnus and his childhood friend. The action starts out quickly as you are sent to investigate trouble at a mine nearby your post only to discover that a group of peasants has begun plans for revolution. You will have many skirmishes with the rebels before you are finally forced to choose sides. That is where one of the real strengths of the game lies. If you mercilessly slaughter potential allies, the game will change accordingly. A few decisions can be the difference between you being a revolutionary hero or a loyal servant to the crown. The multiple paths for you to follow really add to the games replay value. Assuming you like the game, you will most definitely get your money’s worth with this title.

Ogre Battle 64 is very much a standard role-playing game in that your characters walk around a main map, occasionally entering towns and often encountering foes. However, there are a few things that set this game apart from most RPGs. First, when in combat, you are never in direct control of your units. You can give general commands such as “attack leader” or “attack strongest” but you are not able to pick the exact attack of each character. This may be a bit disorientating and frustrating to an experienced RPGer, but I had no problem adjusting. Ogre Battle is also unique in that it relies heavily on strategy. Your success in the game depends almost completely on how well you equip and train your units. For example, putting five clerics (who’s sole ability is to heal) in one unit will not get you anywhere; while having a well rounded unit of two fighters, two archers and one cleric will be much more effective. It is also essential to place the characters in your units well. The farther back someone is, the less likely they are to be hit. Therefore it only makes sense to put soldiers (who are expendable) in the front, and your leaders (who are not) in the back. There is a lot of organization and prepping in the game, and you’ll just have to play it to figure it all out, because I couldn’t possibly describe it all. The graphics in Person of Lordly Caliber are a bit of a mixed bag. I found them charming, while others have described them as ‘ugly.’ But everyone can agree that Ogre Battle isn’t going to blow you away with its amazing FMV sequences and stellar graphical effects. That is because there aren’t any. The visuals are simple, and get the job done. In my opinion, that is all they need to do. However, if you are looking to be wowed by graphics, you are looking at the wrong RPG.

The sound in Ogre Battle is a different story. The sound effects are pretty simple, and do what they are meant to do, but certainly don’t stand out. The soundtrack, however, is simply amazing. While many games fail to capture the moment through the use of music, Ogre Battle does just that. There are a wide variety of tracks, some of which give an ominous feel for the bloody fights that will follow, some of which capture the sadness of losing a friend, and others that provoke the appropriate feeling of terror for entering a battle with a group of Black Knights. Sure, the music could have been achieved on the SNES, but it is incredibly effective anyway.

As I said earlier, I am not a big fan of RPGs. That is why it is such a wonderful testament to the greatness of Ogre Battle that I love this game. The story is one of the best ever in a video game. And the missions could not have been more fun. Best of all, thanks in large part to the music the game always manages to keep a mood that reminds you that you could be the deciding factor in a war that will change the lives of thousands of people in your kingdom.

-Multiple paths, which you choose in a number of ways.
-Music and mood.
-Excellent storyline. Much like an Oreo, the basis for it (the revolution) is good, but it reaches greatness due to the cream (complex, personal story about Magnus). …Remind me not to be eating cookies when I write my next review.

Unless you were scarred for life when you bought Quest 64 hoping it would fill the N64’s game gap, and have sworn to never play another RPG, pick this Ogre Battle 64 up. It’s the best strategy/RPG around, and one of the best RPGs of any kind to ever come about. An outstanding game on all fronts.