Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis

The story is rich and interesting with just enough plot twists and turns to keep you on your toes, but not too many to make you scratch your head in confusion...Without a doubt, one of the finest games for the GBA to date.

Tactics Ogre is something truly original, both in form and execution, and once you start playing it, you'll know you're in for a treat.

This game is the shiznit. It’s the best game on the Game Boy Advance.

A deep and addictive game, and the two-player link makes it an instant classic. [Summer 2002, p.36]

The action focuses on the turn-based management and strategic command of a small group of soldiers. This is a complex idea, but the gameplay of Tactics Ogre truly shines, and the Game Boy Advance is a capable platform for it.

Successful because it is simple. The game breaks down into a simple pattern that is perfect for the stop-and-start style of game play that is experienced when playing a handheld game.

Engaging adventuring and razor-sharp fun for fans of epics and real-time strategy. [May 2002, p.138]

The next great title in the genre.

I explored many of the game's options and spent a lot of time leveling up, so I spent almost 70 hours playing this game. However, it was the intriguing story, with its quest for the relic sought by the fallen angel who only wants God's favor, that propelled me through the game to its every end.

While it’s not quite as deep as the older SNES game, there’s still a whole lot to like, and with so many potential character customization options it’ll keep you preoccupied for many, many an hour.

Long, packed with value and excellently executed, armchair tacticians will appreciate the deep character design, while RPG enthusiasts will be surprised to find an extremely well developed storyline with branching paths backing the tactical focus.

There are some downsides, such as the sluggish pace and initially overly easy computer AI, but once you get deeper into the game and get wrapped up in the storyline you'll soon forget about these shortcomings.

The biggest downside to the game is that it is very deep and does require a lot of patience. For instance, after you complete your turn, you have to sit through the computer’s entire turn. After a while this can get tedious, especially in a long battle.

A strategy junkie's dream come true. [May 2002, p.115]

An incredibly deep strategy RPG with a branching story line and a rewarding battle system. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Those of you who have attention-deficit problems or severe sugar ingestion issues will not like Tactics Ogre. [Apr 2002, p.88]

The sheer number of battles, along with the multiple endings (the story branches at several points based on the gamer’s selections), extra maps with hidden treasure not found in the main quest, and the multiplayer function that allows players to put their squads head-to-head make Tactics Ogre a game with a lot to offer in terms of gameplay.

Because of the many, many choices to be made throughout the game, there are more than a few ways to play through it, and different characters to recruit.