Creators Yasumi Matsuno | ||
Genres Tactical role-playing, real-time strategy Developers Square Enix (current)
Quest (former) Publishers Square Enix (2010–)
Artdink, Atlus, Enix America, Nintendo, Quest, Riverhillsoft, SNK (1993–2001) Platforms EZweb, Game Boy Advance, iMode, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, PlayStation Portable, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Virtual Console (New Nintendo 3DS, Wii and Wii U) Platform of origin Super Nintendo Entertainment System | ||
Ogre Battle (オウガバトル, Ōga Batoru), sometimes referred to as Ogre Battle Saga (オウガバトルサーガ), is a series of five tactical role-playing and real-time strategy video games developed by Quest Corporation and currently owned by Square Enix. There are five original games in the series, and one remake.
Overview
The first video game in the series, Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen, was released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan, and two years later in North America. The title was a real-time strategy role playing game, set in a medieval fantasy world. The second game in the series, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, was released in 1995 in Japan. It was a turn-based tactical role-playing game making use of isometric graphics, and the title is largely considered to be "exceptionally influential" to the genre. Two subsequent games in the Ogre Battle series – Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber and Legend of Ogre Battle Gaiden: Prince of Zenobia – follow the real-time strategy gameplay of the original title in the franchise, while Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis follows the turn-based tactical role-playing gameplay elements of the second game in the series.
The Knight of Lodis, released in 2001, is the last original release in the franchise. In 2010, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together was remade for the PlayStation Portable, but the characters, story and setting are identical to the 1995 release. The creator of the series, Yasumi Matsuno, directed the remake of the game. Matsuno was also responsible for another highly influential title, Final Fantasy Tactics, originally released in 1997. Though the title bears no relation to the Ogre Battle series, Final Fantasy Tactics is considered by some critics to be a spiritual successor to Tactics Ogre. As of 2016, the franchise mostly remains active through re-releases of the first two games for the Nintendo's Virtual Console service in Japan, North America and Europe.
The name of the series was inspired by the 1974 song Ogre Battle performed by the English rock band Queen. The titles of the North American releases of the first two games in the series were also inspired by titles of songs performed by Queen, The March of the Black Queen and Let Us Cling Together.