There are two types of Gundam games, the games that suck and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam.
The major problem I’ve found with Gundam games in the past is that they’re overly complex. You’re generally put in a three Mobile Suit team and command your fellow pilots through a series of controls that never really make any sense. And you spend a lot of time walking around a city before your first battle. Realism is nice for the show. 08th MS Team is one of my favorite U.C. shows precisely because of the realistic combat. But it doesn’t necessarily make for a fun game.
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam dumps you right into the thick of things. No waiting around for your next battle. No idiots to command. No funky control schemes to get in the way. Just hardcore mobile suit on mobile suit action! There are two modes to play, Official Mode and Original Mode. Official Mode lets you fight through the Universal Century wars as Amuro Rey, Kamille Bidan, or Judau Ashita. Original Mode takes place on a mysterious planet and lets you choose from some of the alternate universe Gundam pilots, Domon Kasshu, Rolan Cehack, or Heero Yuy. You can unlock more pilots and more mobile suits including the Musha Gundam which never appeared in any show but is damn sexy. Took me all week but I fought through Amuro’s Official Mode and unlocked Char Aznable. Can’t wait to destroy Feddies as the Red Comet!
Though combat in the animated series usually relies on vulcan cannons and beam rifles leaving beam sabers as an absolute last resort, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is all about beam saber action. Imagine giant robot Jedi. Fighting as God Gundam should be a real treat since G Fighter is all about hand-to-hand. Your Gundam is equipped with its beam cannon or beam rifle depending on the model, but most of your fights will end with a beam saber blade.
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam likes to throw a lot of enemy suits at you, but apparently, the AI pilots never graduated from the academy. More often then not, you’ll jump into the middle of a large pile of enemy suits and dispatch them without much resistance, especially if you’re pilot and suit are leveled up. General enemy suits are piloted by morons, but it’s still fun to mow through the and see all the cool combos your mobile suit can perform. You’ll actually have to start using strategy when it comes to fighting ace pilots. Anavel Gato and Johnny Ridden are both huge pains in the ass. And it took me ten tries to finally defeat Char in his Z’Gok. The nice thing about loosing in battle is that you retain all the levels or spare parts you acquired during the campaign.
This is such a fun game, certainly a must for Gundam fanatics such as myself. I really want a sequel and I have a number of suits that I’d love to see in action. I desperately need to pilot an MSA-0011 Ex-S Gundam, MSZ-006 Zeta Plus, RX-93 Nu and Hi Nu Gundams, MSN-04 Sazabi and Nightingale, and a MS-18 Kampfer for good measure. Here’s hoping for more! Until then, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam will have my undivided attention.
SIEG ZION!
[Via Bandai Namco Games]