Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis

Overview

Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis is set in the Ogre Battle universe and takes place in the kingdom of Ovis, which was brutally subjugated by the Holy Lodis Empire. The story follows Alphonse Loeher, a knight of Lodis under the command of Richtor Lasanti, as he is sent into Ovis to investigate military activity in one of the towns.

Shortly after arriving in Ovis, Alphonse separates from Richtor's unit during a bandit attack and washes up on a nearby beach. The hero must then search for his comrade with the help of a local knight. As the story unfolds Alphonse learns that there was more to his orders than first met the eye, and he must fight to survive and uncover the conspiracy of the "holy spear".

Knights of Lodis was widely praised upon its release in the United States in 2002, receiving good marks from several internet gaming publications, including a 9.1 out of 10 from Gamespot and Gamespot's Gameboy Advance RPG of the Year award for 2002. Unfortunately, the game sold poorly in North America and is now a rare find for gamers seeking to play it.

Combat

Mechanically Tactics Ogre is a traditional strategy-RPG: all battles take place on an isometric chess-like grid map and the player and AI take turns in moving their units along the map.

To initiate combat you move your selected character next to the opponet on the map and select attack, some units however have the ability to attack from distance such as archers or mages. Though simple on the surface Tactics Ogre offers alot in terms of strategy and number-crunching and has a number of mechanics under the skin such as biorhythm, alignment and elemental affinity. The game has a very large selection of units that the player is able to employ including a variety of classes, beasts and hidden characters. To aid the player in combat there is the usual selection of RPG items such as a wide selection of weapons, armours and curative items as well as some unique items for example snapdragon scrolls, which when used turn the character that used them into a unique weapon. Combat is also affected by external factors such as elevation or the weather, for example certain areas of the map can get flooded through excessive rainfall making it difficult to move units.

Classes

Soldier

This is the base class in Tactics Ogre, they have no special abilities, no special affinity to any type of weapon and have the weakest stats and stat gains of any class. The soldier is only really useful to level and mould your character untill a better class can become available. Soldiers can be male or female.

Archer

This class becomes available once a unit's agility reaches a certain level. The archer, as the name implies, is most skilled with a bow and is used as a ranged fighter. However their stats are quiet low making them rather weak. Archers can be male or female

Ninja

The ninja requires a strength of 36 and agility of 37 to unlock. They have a special attack which throws a ninja-star projectile at a distant enemy, as well as being able to use one attack spell. A ninja's best weapon is the katana. Their agility gives them one of the biggest movement ranges in the game, aside from flying characters. Ninjas can be male or female.

Knight

Knights are close range fighters and their best weapon is the sword, they also have the ability to use one healing type spell. The knight can only be unlocked with a strength of 51, an agility of 53 and the character must either have a neutral or lawful alignment as well as having the knights certificate emblem. A knight can be either male or female.

Wizard

The wizard are magic users and are able to use 3 attack spells. To become a wizard a character must be neutral or chaotic and have an intelligence of 26 and 16 MP. They are decent early game magic users, though they quickly become outclassed by the later game units. Wizards can be male or female.

Cleric

Clerics are the game's healers, they have the ability to use three virtue type spells. To become a cleric a unit must have an intelligence score of 28, have 18 MP and be either neutral or lawful. Clerics can be male or female.

Priest

Priests are a more powerful version of the Cleric, just like the cleric they can use 3 virtue type spells. To unlock the priest class a character must have 76 MP, an intelligence of 96, be either neutral or lawful, have less than 10 kills, and have the heavenly spirit emblem. The priest can be male or female.

Warlock

The warlock specialises in support magic, he has the ability to use two support spells, he also has a special sword attack which does opposite elemental damage to an enemy and the warlock's best weapon is the sword. To become a warlock a character must have 78 MP, a strength rating of 90, an intelligence rating of 76, be neutral or lawful, and have the The Pen and the Sword Emblem. Only male characters can become warlocks.

Swordmaster

This is one of the more powerful classes in the game, as the name implies the swordmaster is most proficient with the sword. The swordmaster also has a special stone throw ability, can use one support spell and a special stun attack which can only be used when the swordmaster has a katana equipped. The swordmaster class requires a strength rating of 95, agility of 111, and the Book of Initiation Emblem. Only male characters can become swordmasters.

Dragoon

The dragoon is a latter game unit whose special weapons are the sword and the spear (which can attack 2 spaces at once), the dragoons can also use one attack spell as well as having a damage bonus against dragons. The dragoon class requires 215 health, strength of 109, 94 agility, be either neutral or chaotic, and have the Dragon's Scale Emblem. Only male characters can become dragoons.

Beast Tamer

The beast tamer is unlocked as a class after a character has 142 health and 34 strength also that character must not have killed more than one beast. The beast tamer's special weapon is a whip which can attack an enemy two spaces away, the beast tamer also gives a power-boost to friendly beast within a three panel radius. The beast tamer is an early game class with mediocre stats. Only male characters can become beast tamers.

Dragon Tamer

The dragon tamer is the female equivalent of the beast tamer except she gives a power boost to dragons and not beasts. The dragon tamer also has one attack spell slot and her best weapon is a thrusting sword. To unlock the dragon tamer a character must have killed no more than one dragon and have 140 health and 14 MP. Only female characters can become dragon tamers.

Siren

The siren is a powerful magic use who can use 3 attack or summoning spells and the sirens special weapon is a fan. The siren requires 60 MP, intelligence of 60, and the Philosopher's Stone Emblem. Only female characters can become sirens.

Valkyrie

Valkyries are powerful female warriors who specialise in the use of spears as well as having 2 attack spell slots. To become a valkyrie a character needs 48 strength, intelligence of 41, be lawful or neutral, and have the Lancer Emblem. Only female characters can become valkyries.

Witch

The witch is a female support class who can use two support spells, has the fascination ability which can charm enemy males and whose weapon of choice is the staff. In order to become a witch a character must have an MP stat of 38, 35 intelligence, be neutral or chaotic, and have the Vixen's Whisper Emblem. Only female characters can become witches.