Before the team formerly known as Quest made Final Fantasy Tactics, before they even needed the “formerly” in their name, a group of dedicated Japanese RPG developers churned out the masterpiece known as Tactics Ogre. The game focuses on the nation of Valeria, and the Liberation Army’s struggle to bring freedom to an oppressed people. A big part of the game’s attraction, apart from being an entry in the awesome Ogre Battle series, is that it is the spiritual predecessor to Final Fantasy Tactics, with a similar art style, combat system, and interface. After releasing only in Japan on the Super Famicom and Sega Saturn, a limited North American release for the PlayStation, and no fan translation in sight, many RPG fanatics gave up on playing this game. But finally, the game will see an all-new re-imagining and it’s coming later this month.
The trailer shows a few animated scenes from the game, some in a normal animation style, others in a kind of story book mode. The iconic artwork of Akihido Yoshida is brought to life by the trademark sounds of Hitoshi Sakimoto, who went on to work on the newest big player in the Strategy RPG sub-genre, Valkyria Chronicles. If you’re even remotely a fan of RPG’s, Final Fantasy, or just own a PSP, this is a spectacle you don’t want to miss. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together will release for the PlayStation Portable on February 15, 2011.
