Front Mission
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone 10+ Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Square Enix Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Turn-Based Strategy/ Themed
Graphics & Sound: I am bearing my soul and possible street cred loss when I admit that I am NOT the Square Enix fan that waits outside of stores for midnight releases. In fact, I have only just recently started following the many storylines and worlds that they have spent years building. This in no way keeps me from enjoying what I have played thus far. I am, however, a huge fan of glorious, flaming, mechanized death, and Front Mission is a title after my mechanical heart. Combine Square Enix's famous turn-based and RPG elements, plus their long-winded, storied cut scenes into a mechanized world at war and you basically have Final Fantasy with mechs. The look has the same stylized feeling we have seen in many of Square Enix's recent remake games for the DS like Heroes of Mana, Final Fantasy III, and Dragon Quest Heroes. And, I am not complaining. These are all great looking games on the DS. You always know what you are getting into when you pick up a DS title from Square Enix. There have not been any DS titles that have absolutely blown me out of my seat when it comes to music and sound. There is nothing here to change that either. In fact, it was more of the true retro experience with sweeping monotonous music. They are all original pieces, but the mood is still very 1980's.
Gameplay: Front Mission does not disappoint; it drops you directly into a mech and gets you underway. Start off with a surprisingly short, but complete, tutorial on shooting, moving and taking turns. After all, that is about all there is with the possible exception of a ton of text to read. This is a classic game that is in its fourth iteration on the large consoles. Much like the Final Fantasy game they have re-released into the market on the DS, I am sure they are hoping to bring new blood into a long and varied storyline. Since this is a turn-based game, you are going to need to be really aware of unit location and apply them strategically across the area to cover enemy units. You really need to be aware of your weapon load outs so that you don't take long-range mechs into battle with short-range units and vice versa. There are a ton of mech chassis, arms and modes of movement, not to mention each of the weapons classes and their optimum ranges. The trick is finding the units that work for you. And, then affording all of the upgrades, of course. Your kills earn you money, so kill all you can. It can be a little overwhelming to try and find the perfect balances and nuances of load outs and play, but hang in there because it is worth the ride.
Difficulty: This is the type of game that requires a little commitment on the part of the player. This is a game that hearkens back to the good old days when you bought a game because you wanted to play it, all of it, all the way through. Not just touch it casually for a bit of light-hearted fun. We are talking glorious, flaming, mechanized death here, not pet the puppy. The game is not very forgiving because it is actually designed to be a tactical game. There is also very little room for experimentation later on, so you also need to really start to understand the many mechanics of movement and weapons early on. If not, you will continuously wind up as the flaming pile beneath the enemy's treads.
Game Mechanics: There are a lot of little nuances to chew on with each aspect of the game. Let us first start with movement. There are several variances for locomotion, ranging from hovercraft to regular legs. This affects distance you can travel, and it affects the terrain you can traverse. Your location on the battlefield is also important not solely because of your relationship to the enemy, but because terrain provides cover. You may get bogged down and not move fast, but the enemy will have more trouble hitting you. Weapons are the most important variant based on terrain. Unless you see the level ahead of time or have to revert to a save after getting killed, there is not any true way of making sure you have come prepared. I personally like to keep my distance with a faster mech, but a slower, more armored melee mech may suit you just fine. I am personally becoming a huge fan of these "Retro" classics becoming popular again. Sure you can argue that it is a cheap port to bring in more revenue, and hey I thought that for a second as well. But, actually it is great way to go back and enjoy some great classics and fall in love with a series all over again.
-WUMPUSJAGGER, GameVortex Communications AKA Bryon Lloyd
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