20 Video Game Clones Better Than The Original

Unlike other RPGS of the '90s, the Ogre Battle series utilised real-time strategy and focused on territory control. Instead of controlling party members in turn-based combat, you commanded armies on a large map, issuing orders and watching battles unfold.

It's a pity Ogre Battle never took off, but it did spawn a spiritual successor in 2024 called Unicorn Overlord. Better still, Vanillaware's tactical title superseded its inspiration in every conceivable way.

Unicorn Overlord retains Ogre Battle's structure but runs smoother, since it has faster movement and less downtime. The game auto-pauses after each battle, giving players the chance to regroup. You can set conditional behaviours (so soldiers automatically heal when their health is low), so you don't have to tirelessly monitor every part of the battle.

Although the graphics were expected to be dramatically better than a SNES property, Unicorn Overlord utilised a hand-painted art style, which looks gorgeous while still emulating the retro vibe. There's a heavy push on characterisation, so it hits harder when certain characters are lost in battle.

Ogre Battle may have fizzled away, but at least Unicorn Overlord allows the franchise to live on in some capacity.