Square Enix just revealed more information about the Tactics Ogre remake that’s slated for PC and consoles this year. It’s a lot, we’ll say that much.

Generally, the game’s Tarot Cards, Character Creation, and Divine Protection systems ensure that your starter character gets all the benefits depending on the time of day/month it is in-game, and whether they get the proper amount of protection needed in combat. There’s also a breakdown of the battle flow and how the game features multiple endings and branching paths.

Tarot Cards & Character Creation

Tarot cards are traditionally used in fortune telling, but they are also deeply connected to the Ogre Battle series, and Tactics Ogre is no exception. One particularly important role they play is in character creation.

During character creation, after the player chooses a date of birth for the protagonist, Denam, they will be posed questions from several of the 22 tarot cards known as the major arcana. Denam’s initial stats will be determined according to the answers to these questions.

Elements & Divine Protection

The elemental system from the original Tactics Ogre will be revived in Tactics Ogre: Reborn. There are a total of eight elements: fire, water, wind, earth, darkness, light, lightning and ice. As the final part of character creation, Denam’s element will be determined by selecting which god appearing in the myth of Xytegenia he should seek protection from.

Units other than Denam will also have a set element. Matching a unit’s element with the element of the magic or weapon they use will allow them to unleash even greater power. For example, if a fire-element wizard uses fire-element offensive magic, they will inflict greater damage.

Elements also have particular elements that they are stronger or weaker against—for example, wind is strong against earth, and earth is strong against lightning.

The Elemental Pantheon

• Xonoshell, Goddess of Fire
• Greuza, Goddess of Water
• Hahnela, Goddess of Air
• Vaasa, Goddess of Earth
• Nestharot, Goddess of Lightning
• Lyuneram, Goddess of Ice
• Ishtar, Goddess of Light
• Ashmedai, God of Darkness

Branching Narrative & Multiple Endings

Tactics Ogre features a branching story with multiple endings, where the developments in the story and its eventual conclusion will depend on the player’s choices.

Our story unfolds from the perspective of a young man named Denam, the game’s main character. The destinies of those he meets and the history of Valeria will be shaken by the decisions he finds himself compelled to take. All kinds of shocking developments await the player—from characters who turn from friend to foe if the player’s actions go against their beliefs, to the chance for encounters with entirely new characters.

Units & Classes

In Tactics Ogre, the protagonist, Denam, will become the leader of his own order of knights. The individuals comprising this order who fight alongside Denam are known as units. These units have a wide variety of classes, each with different abilities. Units primarily grow and become stronger by defeating enemies or being victorious in battle, purchasing equipment from shops, or learning magic.
The stats gained when levelling up are different for each class, with each class having its own characteristics—for example, intellect (INT) will increase more easily for a wizard, while a berserker will find it easier to increase strength (STR) and a knight vitality (VIT).

Battle System

When you move into a location on the world map where enemies are present, you will enter battle. After selecting which units from Denam’s order will participate and determining their formation, your troops will deploy. After they deploy, allied and enemy troops will be placed on the battlefield and the battle begins.

Tactics Ogre does not use a turn-based system. Instead, each unit acts in the order that their Recovery Time (RT) reaches 0. RT is calculated based on equipment weight, class and actions taken—the order in which each unit acts continually changes, allowing you to enjoy battles with a deep sense of realism that fuse advanced strategy and intense drama as attack and defence by friend and foe interweave one another.

Flow Of Battle

• When moving around the world map, you may enter battle either when you reach your destination or on the path along the way.
• Once you enter battle, you will move to the party screen. Here, you can select the units to deploy in battle and determine their formation. You can also check unit information and change equipment. The number of units that can take part may change depending on the specific battle.
• When battle begins, the terms of victory will appear. Once these terms are met, the battle is won.
• Battles proceed according to the Recovery Time (RT) system. Units take their turn depending on factors such as their agility and equipment, regardless of whether they are friend or foe. When it is a unit’s turn to act, this is called their Attack Turn (AT).
• When the terms of victory are met, the battle is won. If the terms of victory specify the defeat of a certain unit, then the battle will end when that unit is defeated, even if there are other surviving enemies.
• In the results following victory, you will receive any item pouches that you did not collect. You can also see the EXP that your forces gained and any units that levelled up.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn will be out for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on 11th November.