The true original that started it all
I wanted to do something a little different in that I wanted to get a quick playthrough of the original under my belt as well as finishing the remastered modern version too because of how much I grew to love this game. Reborn carried a lot of quality of life changes and balance updates stemming from the original PSP remaster back in 2010. I won't be talking much about the original's game concepts and focus sorely on gameplay differences going back to the SNES version of the game. Thought about going through the PSP version but considering Reborn is stemmed from that version, it would feel a bit more fruitless to do so.
Apart from the writing itself feeling a bit more dry, the gameplay is vastly different enough to the point that it feels like a different game. For starters, people get experience points differently compared to Reborn at least. A lot of the baseline stuff is mostly the same in a sense from turn order, the same isometric SRPG combat but a bit more sluggish. No Chariot system to take back turns and when your units health drop to zero, they are gone for good with no way to get them back making this a much more punishing experience. I really would recommend save states or fast forward if the game's speed is up to snuff since I'm probably spoiled on Reborn's fast mode. Magic spell slots range from none to up to three slots which I was surprised by considering I felt like Reborn's four slots was limiting in a way but works nonetheless. No buff cards on the field (compared to Reborn at least) and other things like attacking first means ending your turn without moving, only a maximum of ten party members in a fight, no trajectory assistance and random battles make the original version a little hard to come back to. Even with its original intention trying to be less difficult that Fire Emblem at the time, it still feels pretty difficult especially swapping between this and reborn's more quality of life features.
That said, this is still Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. One of the best tactical role playing games ever made regardless of what version because you'll be experiencing the excellent story, music and characters here. SNES version is worth a look if you enjoyed Reborn but I really think Reborn just feels the most smooth to understand for newcomers and to really have access to. The original dark and bloody tale.
I wanted to do something a little different in that I wanted to get a quick playthrough of the original under my belt as well as finishing the remastered modern version too because of how much I grew to love this game. Reborn carried a lot of quality of life changes and balance updates stemming from the original PSP remaster back in 2010. I won't be talking much about the original's game concepts and focus sorely on gameplay differences going back to the SNES version of the game. Thought about going through the PSP version but considering Reborn is stemmed from that version, it would feel a bit more fruitless to do so.
Apart from the writing itself feeling a bit more dry, the gameplay is vastly different enough to the point that it feels like a different game. For starters, people get experience points differently compared to Reborn at least. A lot of the baseline stuff is mostly the same in a sense from turn order, the same isometric SRPG combat but a bit more sluggish. No Chariot system to take back turns and when your units health drop to zero, they are gone for good with no way to get them back making this a much more punishing experience. I really would recommend save states or fast forward if the game's speed is up to snuff since I'm probably spoiled on Reborn's fast mode. Magic spell slots range from none to up to three slots which I was surprised by considering I felt like Reborn's four slots was limiting in a way but works nonetheless. No buff cards on the field (compared to Reborn at least) and other things like attacking first means ending your turn without moving, only a maximum of ten party members in a fight, no trajectory assistance and random battles make the original version a little hard to come back to. Even with its original intention trying to be less difficult that Fire Emblem at the time, it still feels pretty difficult especially swapping between this and reborn's more quality of life features.
That said, this is still Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. One of the best tactical role playing games ever made regardless of what version because you'll be experiencing the excellent story, music and characters here. SNES version is worth a look if you enjoyed Reborn but I really think Reborn just feels the most smooth to understand for newcomers and to really have access to. The original dark and bloody tale.