Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis

Game Boy Advance

Atlus

            Turn-by-turn strategy RPGs have been conspicuously absent from the Nintendo DS until the release of Hoshigami Remix, a port of a Playstation game that is too long drawn out to be rewarding, and the original Luminous Arc, a fun and engaging game released in the states by independent publisher Atlus.  This hopefully means the turn- by -turn is making a comeback on Nintendo handhelds, and will someday match the great titles available on the GBA.

            One of the most impressive turn- by- turn strategy titles for the GBA was Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis, also released by Atlus.  The story followed a young knight named Alphonse as a routine mission leads him to uncover a conspiracy involving corrupt kings, angry mermaids, and insane fallen angels.  Political intrigue mixed with religious and mythological elements make for a detailed and involved storyline.  Leveling up is based on experience points; when a unit reaches 100 points, he or she will level up.  The player issues commands to the units, telling them where to move and when to attack or perform spells.  To make the game seem more realistic, units that fall in battle are gone forever, forcing the player to plan carefully, as a real commander would.  A game as detailed and engaging as this would be a welcome addition to any RPG fan’s library.