Volume 14

06/18/2004

Players: 1-2

I've been an underground gundam fan for a long time. I haven't really watched much of the series but thats only because i can't afford to...yet. However i have played all of the recent games and while none of them have been just plain bad yet...they had yet to release one that was what i would consider exceptional. So...Coming into this title i wasn't expecting much. Still the games had had a track record of being enjoyable so i gave it a shot.

The graphics were...well....average a best. nothing really flashy here. Explosions looked like your standard explosion....a poof of flame colored stuff with a shock ring. In fact you got the feeling that the people that made the game spent more time on the games other area's than they spent on making the game look pretty, which isn't always a bad thing. Still when 90% of your backdrop is the blackness of space you need that little extra something. The part that was the most inpressive graphically was the opening sequence, where a scene from the origional Gundam series had been completely reanimated in CG. In fact...this scene is even something that you get to play through as you play through the game, which, I'll admit, was a nice touch. Much of the story is told by Anime sequences taken from the series itself, which look very good and are only slightly choppy because that was the way they were drawn. Before every story mission, there is also an Anime style Still for the moment where you are getting plot information on the battle. These are also very well drawn. Also...you don't hear much about these but believe it or not the hilight of the game, for me, was the loading screens...which changed depending on the story you were following. There were also times where the mobile suit you were piloting wasn't quite painted or animated properly though on the animation i can understand. Wing Zero Custom would be something of a pain to get right.

Audio is very important in a game such as this as a true fan will pick it apart and let you know you got somthing wrong. I can't really do that but i can tell you that the sound was done very well...with only one major flub in the entire balance. While the Voicing is well done for the most part. There are times where you have to strain to hear what is being said over the music. This is something that had plagued every Gundam game to date. However other than that the sound is very accurate, to fireing of the beam weapons to the sound of your Mobile Suit being really really badly bashed, ( which i heard a lot ) The music is also well done and all from the series as well.

What can i say about this...if you have seen the Gundam series then you know the plot. well...most of it. The game gives you a few little extra's by giving you the Ace mode, in which you take the role of Ace pilots through out the one year war and beyond. With Zionic and Federation Aces Including Char Aznable and Kou Uraki ( Gundam 0083 ). Another story is told as well. This one of a battleship of simiar design to the White Base known as the Thoroughbred. This story is also well told and quite enjoyable.

These take some getting used to. While they aren't bad (in fact they are quite similar to an Armored Core games controls) They feel a little sluggish. Also it is impossibe to move the camera while you are using your vernier ( boosters for those that don't know ). Still once you get used to the controls you will find that only your skills as a pilot will hold you back.

Overall this wound up being just like the rest of the Gundam series of games. Not great but definately not a bad title. while it could use a little fine tuning, mostly in the audio and in game graphics field, as well as perhaps more than just one camera option ( i so wanted an in cockpit mode ).

My final score: 7 of a possible 10

Draco's Game Reviews © Ben C. Broome 2002+