When I was in middle school, I hung out with CJ all the time. We used to spend hours playing PS2, battling it out or working together in roughly equal parts. It was a great time for us,and it also introduced to both of us to a game that we both still consider the best Gundam game to date: Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs. Zeon (Deluxe Edition). Here are a few reasons why it holds that place for me over a decade later.
Reason 1: The Campaign Is Immersive
Unlike a lot of games based on anime, the creators of the game took the time to carve out every aspect of the show's story. You can choose to play as Zeon or Federation, and you play as an unseen protagonist. Depending on the side you've chosen, you're starting mobile suit will be different, with the Federation granting you either a Ball-type modified repair vehicle or a prototype GM.
Your progress through the game's missions moves the timeline along, with certain missions offering you the opportunity to fight alongside and against heroes from both sides of the conflict. Something about being there for when Char Aznable finally betrays Garma Zabi was a priceless experience for me. Battling Amuro Rey in a mass produced Zaku II and hoping you can stay alive until the timer runs out never gets old for me. With an impressive amount of voice acting, the game really drives home the thrill of being in the fight with your favorite characters.
Reason 2: The Multiplayer Is Awesome
The game offers both an Arcade mode and a Duel mode that allows for up to two players to fight their way through different combat scenarios in a variety of mobile suits. The Arcade mode follows the same story as the campaign, but it cuts a lot of the meat out and leaves you with a mission-to-mission experience that serves as the games quick play.
Dueling gives you the chance to put your skills to the test against AI or another player. You can choose to play against AI with a friend as well. Some of the best moments in the game come from two skilled pilots working to outplay better equipped opponents. I know that CJ and I practiced for hours as the RX-78 and the G-Fighter so that we could recreate the iconic fighting style from the classic anime series. Giant robot riding a fighter jet, for those of you not in the know.
Reason 3: The Game Sounds Fantastic
With a focus on dynamic action, the game's soundtrack covers a wide range of ambiance and sounds, as well as several iconic scores from the series that fans will instantly recognize. The sounds of combat are immersive and accurate to their source material, pulling you deeper into the experience. Coupled with the dynamic call outs from allies and opponents, you can easily lose yourself in the battle.
Reason 4: The Detail On the Mobile Suits
The attention to detail is astounding. Zeon's trademark cyclopean eye is accurately represented here, displaying its classic axial movements. The clips drop from the GM's machine guns when they reload. Even the movement limitations of certain suits is represented properly, with amphibious mobile suits struggling against land suits, but excelling in underwater combat against land suits. Every trademark weapon or sound is in its place, and each brings the game that much closer to excellence.
Reason 5: New Type System
The game has an intricate system for judging how good you are as a mobile suit pilot. There's an obvious rank system that progresses or regresses based on your performance overall. However, there is a secret system that quietly observes your reaction times and statistics to place your ability as a New Type.
New Types are low level psionics who are believed to be the next stage in human evolution in the series. Char Aznable and Amuro Rey are two powerful New Types that apply their abilities to their piloting skills, to put the concept on scale. You can have perfect scores in accuracy and evasion, and still receive no New Type rank in some missions. The governing factors seem to be reaction time based, but I'll admit to not researching the mechanic, mostly because I like the mystery.
The game isn't too expensive if you're willing to buy used, and is worth every penny. If you already have it in your collection, I have no doubt that you'll agree with at least some of my points above. If you don't it's worth having a look at. I know CJ and I have wasted far too much time in the game, and I don't regret a second of it.
-Ben
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