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The game’s graphics are, to say the least, under par. The game would have been a great looker on the original PlayStation, but it leaves much to be desired on the PS2, specifically considering the graphical quality of the other games of the same genre that have come out in the past few years. The title starts with a nice cell shaded intro movie that is very reminiscent of the latest Dragon Quest’s visuals, but it fails to show anything else but barren landscapes with isolated buildings or machinery protruding from ground. Some kudos need to be given to the villages and cities though. The detail level of the characters and buildings is well tuned and the environments really seem to be living and breathing. The same cannot be said for the mobile suits however; it seems as though all the details were placed into the city and characters’ clothing, leaving the bigger mechs with only spare polygons. The models are simple, and boring, but worst of all, the big mobile suits that should be fierce and powerful looking have been transformed in cuddly, chubby robots that bear far too many similarities to the Bomberman protagonists. Nonetheless, despite their humongous heads, all the mechs are loyal representations of the original anime models, so the aficionados of the Gundam series will not be disappointed. A great plus is the world map, which has become a rarity for most RPG games.
If you’re expecting a Gundam-like type of action in battle, you will be disappointed, the game sports the standard turn-based combat system found in a majority of RPG games. A nice feature though, is the energy gauge that fills up during each turn. Different weapons use diverse amounts of energy, which makes it worthwhile to spend some time deciding the best weapon set for each mech and devise the best battle strategy. Energy is also used to perform special “boost” moves; the characters have special techniques that allow them to heal, repair, defend and paralyze friends or foes at the cost of so called ‘Technical Points’, which take the stead of spells and magic points. Throughout the dungeons and the world map, you’ll encounter random battles that will usually end quickly. The boss fight though, can be pretty tenacious and lengthy; no half hour long clashes against ultimate weapons, but you might still have to keep going at them for a good ten minutes. The true strong point of the game is the mobile suit customization; besides the plethora of weapons and armors that can be equipped on each mech, and trying to fit them into their variable sized equipment slots, each mech’s power, armor and speed can be upgraded and tweaked. In addition, there’s also the option to swap body parts between suits, such as grabbing the Z’Gok Claws and putting them on instead of the standard Zaku II arms, or adding wings and replacing the legs with a nice mecha-skirt. When you’re done, paint everything in shades of vermillion or purple or whatever color suits you best (I’ll have to confess that my black squadron of mobile suits were a fearsome sight, if I say do say so myself). If this is not enough, you can collect materials from all over the world to build special parts and equipment yourself. The learning curve is pretty steep, after 3 tutorial skirmishes you’ll know everything you’ll ever need. For experienced RPG players, the game never gets too difficult. Make sure to pack a dozen repair kits for the bosses, which are the only really challenging enemies, and you should never have to despair and revert to a previous save game. The save points also have the nice habit of repairing all your characters, which make them very nice headquarters for XP farming. In reality, if you rush through the story mode, you’ll encounter several difficult brawls, but you won’t find yourself trapped in a dungeon with no safe way out. When a character levels up, you’ll really feel a difference in their power, as opposed to other games, where a “Player X has leveled up!” bears little to no difference to the actual fighting abilities of said character.
For those who base their first impressions off a game’s graphics, they may find themselves rather discouraged, but if you can overcome the aesthetic obstacle, you’ll find that the level of depth and customization, the upgrading and the combat system are fully satisfactory for a RPG. The story is sufficient and the mood is rendered amusing by the countless puns and stings exchanged between the main characters. If you love the genre, this title won’t leave you disappointed, and if you love the Gundam series, this game will allow you to enjoy the mobile suits and weapons from the entire series. If you’re new to RPGs, it’s a nice way to discover the genre in all its complexity, especially due to the infinite ways you can tweak and twist your mechs.
