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48 hrs and 38 min later, I finished Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together. All things considered, I found it a refreshing trip down memory lane…back when most RPGs were 40-60 hours. I’ve already declared my affinity for Final Fantasy Tactics, so the obvious question is: which is the superior game?
This battle is between the games’ respective PSP remakes, Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. I’ve compared both across five specific categories, and at the end I’ve declared a winner. So if you want instant gratification, scroll all the way down. If you want to read an informative piece on two classic strategic JRPGs, read on.
Plot
Tactics Ogre: As previously noted, Tactics Ogre draws its inspiration from the Bosnian War of the early 90’s. The Bosnian War, lasting from April of ’92 to December of ’95, was reputedly the most devastating conflict in Europe since World War II. Its sad legacy was introducing the term “ethnic cleansing” to our vernacular. Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together was inspired by some grim subject matter, and as a result, the game was one of the most harrowing depictions of war in a video game.
FF Tactics: Yasumi Matsuno (who helmed both series) is clearly a student of European warfare. Final Fantasy Tactics was based, in part, on the War of the Roses (a dynastic civil war for control of England’s throne), plus the Hundred Year’s War. FF Tactics finds its fictional counterparts in the “War of the Lions” and the “50 Years War.” Beyond that, FF Tactics is a fascinating tale of betrayal, corruption, and true heroism. Delita, alone, is one of the most compellingly-written characters in all of gaming. Many have compared FF Tactics to Shakespeare, and not without reason. The PSP remake cleans up the clunky PSX translation.
The Verdict: Tactics Ogre has a terrific story, but few video games can match FF Tactics for its unparalleled depth. The twists and turns keep you guessing, and you truly sympathize with the “anti-hero” of the game, Delita Heiral. The edge goes to FF Tactics.
Tactics Ogre: 0 FF Tactics: 1
Customization
Tactics Ogre: TO lets you choose from among multiple classes, though in reality, you’ll want to stack your party with archers. Inasmuch as they’re ridiculously overpowered, building your archers is the surest recipe for success. You can switch classes if you have the appropriate “classmark”, but most abilities are class-exclusive, so you can’t multi-class like you could in FF Tactics. You’ll probably end up sticking with the same 4-5 characters for most of the game.
FF Tactics: Tactics Ogre’s spiritual sequel allows more “horizontal mobility” (and by building certain classes, “upward mobility”). You can freely toggle between classes without a classmark, though advanced classes like Ninjas, Samurai, and Arithmeticians have prerequisites. You’re encouraged to branch out and learn different class’ abilities. Part of the fun is exploring all the hybrids—a knight with two swords ability, any class w/auto potion, etc. Enemies scale to the level of your highest character, necessarily eliminating traditional “grinding.” If you grind, it’s to gain special abilities or unlock new classes.
The Verdict: This one’s obvious. FF Tactics represents a clear evolutionary step in customization for strategic JRPGs. Though several refinements were made for the PSP port, Tactics Ogre still lags behind FF Tactics in the customization department.
Tactics Ogre: 0 FF Tactics: 2
Choice
Tactics Ogre: Tactics Ogre has three “alignment” paths you can follow: Chaos, Lawful, and Neutral. Your alignment hinges entirely on decisions you make throughout the story. And these aren’t lightweight choices—your decisions and subsequent alignment determines which characters join you (and which you’ll have to fight), and some crucial decisions will radically alter the ending.
FF Tactics: In the sense of branching storylines, there’s no real “choice” to speak of in FF Tactics. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—FF Tactics tells what is arguably the greatest tale in all of gaming. But just know that “choice” is limited to deciding how to build and customize your characters.
The Verdict: FF Tactics is ill-equipped to even compete in this category. Tactics Ogre takes the point.
Tactics Ogre: 1 FF Tactics: 2
Music
Tactics Ogre: Tactics Ogre has a perfectly serviceable orchestral score by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata (a pair that’d re-team for FF Tactics). It’s everything you’d expect for an “epic”, and functions well within the context of the game. Nothing, though, stands out. There’s no memorable themes or leitmotifs, or anything of note for that matter.
FF Tactics: With FF Tactics, Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata composed their masterpiece. Nearly every major and minor character has a recognizable theme, and some of them (like Delita’s) are legendary. And the music spans a wide range, from somber, to heroic, to pulse-pounding. It’s to the composers’ credit that they were able to craft a score on a 32-bit machine that still holds up two generations later.
The Verdict: FF Tactics wins by a mile. The score is a milestone in gaming.
Tactics Ogre: 1 FF Tactics: 3
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOAqsR7Ahy0 ]
Overall Value
This one is highly-subjective, so I’ve condensed it into one paragraph. Judged purely on a dollar-per-hour value proposition, Tactics Ogre wins handily. TO is at least 40-60 hours, depending on how many side quests you attempt. Its lengthiest sidequest spans 100 floors! I didn’t do any sidequests, and finished at nearly 49 hrs. But we don’t judge our entertainment by how long it lasts (insert male “reproductive” humor). We judge them subjectively and aesthetically. IMHO, FF Tactics has tighter pacing and never overstays its welcome. Each of the dozen or so times I’ve played through FF Tactics, I finished in about 20-25 hours. That’s just enough to leave you wanting more, but not to the point where you’re either bored or unfulfilled. FF Tactics also gets bonus points for the anime sequences included in its PSP remake. Meshing perfectly with the game’s art style, they really add to the story. It’s for this reason, alone, that when replaying FF Tactics, I prefer the remake.
The Verdict: FF Tactics is the better overall value.
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPyRgkWnemw&feature=related ]
And the winner, at 4-1 is Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Feel free to agree/disagree/flame me in the comments below.