Front mission evolved

[MatthewPryde]

I am surprised no one has mentioned this one. Square's classic mech franchise is being kicked up a level with Evolved to be a 3ps tactics game. So same game, only you drive a single wanzer, and collaborate with others for large scale tactics. Anyone else playing? I am getting it on ps3
http://na.frontmissionevolved.com/

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

I loved front mission 3, and 4 was okay (though the story jumped too much). I'm a bit disappointed that its not a real strategy game though.  But until I see a review I can't say one way or the other if it will actually be a good game, though if I had to guess its probably not going to do much better than Armored Core games have been doing recently.


Judging purely from this video, I can say I like the graphics and the the feel of the combat for the most part. The only part I question is when they start engaging the jets to move around just like in Armored Core. It just seems very un-Front Mission-like to have that kind of agility, and for me at least could harm the multiplayer aspect of it with people dashing around like crazy folk.

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14346467/front-mission-project/videos/frontmission_FortMonus_090310.html

[SquareSphere }12thVR{]

^my thoughts as well.

Front mission without being  a tactical rpg isn't front mission.  It's just armored core "devolved" :p

[~SJ~ Karuik]

we'll see. gimme demo nao plox.

[MatthewPryde]

Now I keep hearing "Like armored core" and while I am an avid Armored Core player, I don't really see the similarity other than the fact that they are both 3PS mech games. Exteel is a customizable mech 3ps... is it like that too?

Armored core is a faster paced game that has more to do with management of shot timing and evasion (Lol, never-mind... missile boating reverse joints aplenty) and until recently heat management. While visually still screenshots might look similar, I would argue very different games.

Front mission is a strategy game (but by square so it's a grinding + strategy game. Always add + Grinding for SquareEnix) and the Wanzer setup is more akin to battletech than armored core in the manor that it is about a large scale multi unit strategy, rather than a single savior robot. So if you must say "it's ____" I would say Battletech or Chrome Hounds more than Armored core. Of course, this gameplay will be much quicker in physical movement as wanzers are some fast flying machines, so in that regard I can see AC elements. But the Front mission series has it's own, extremely RPG based and stat-balancing and group oriented. With repair backpacking, missile support status alimenting. I always imagine front mission like a fast paced D&D type of game but rather with robots. So... I guess my question to you is... how on earth is that armored core?

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

3rd person already means you're going for an action flavor, as opposed to a simulation flavor. Add in the robots that normally walk and run at a normal pace but mixed with jet boosters that push them around at crazy speeds without sacrificing nearly as much as it should in the way of accuracy and there's more just for the action flavor.

Personally, when it comes to giant war machine battling it out I prefer a more sim-like approach.  Maybe its because I'm getting older, or maybe its because I prefer a more tactical type of gameplay. Whichever it is, I wouldn't want it to get in the way of this new game standing on its own apart from armored core simply because seeing games as clones of other games tends to bore me.

So that aside I hope this game can set itself apart, and get good reviews, because I would really like to buy this game in that case.

[wonderboy2402]

It does look to play more armored core then Front Mission... But with Wanzers!

Front Mission was always the turnbased, strategy game where you could specialize your forces and level your pilot abilities. As far as I can tell, alot of people feel that turn based games have fallen out of favor and represent a old school demographic or handheld players. Sad, but that is sorta the reality of things. Devs feel in order to recuperate development costs they need to reach the largest target audience... and those people do not like turn based mech games. So yea, looks like armored core with boosting around.

I liked battletech for alot of the same reason as I liked front. Big mech forces slugging it out against other mechs... A future that was both high tech but also low tech, and with people that were as fallible as those of today with the same vices. 

I like armored core. Just a different game, and if I wanted an action mecha game with fast frantic battles I would play just that... because it does it much better.

I will see how the reviews will be for Front Mission, but I expect somewhere between 65-75% scoring.

[ratbuddy]

Pissed me off those bastards didn't bring over FM5, I loved 4. Might not buy this one out of spite 

[MatthewPryde]

I personally have yet to see a single mech game that did not score in the eh... ok... ranges, largely because the mech games in themselves tend to be technical, which clearly is not for everyone. Even Mechwarrior 2 just got an "Ah, it is all right, but you have to think about what you are doing" score.

I still see most if not all of the elements of the previous Front Mission titles in evolved, minus the turn based element. Wanzers despite the turn based thing, are actually quite fast, as you can see in all the cut-scenes in FM 1-5. I particularly liked the opening movie in Front Mission 4 with the rapid sting attack by the Zaphtran forces on the german base, that was bad ass. I feel that Evolved will try to bring that experience to the player, rather than them having to imagine that they are soaring around, doing a triple spin to spike someone with a pile, or rocketing on a JATO launch system into combat. Also, I have a feeling leveling is still going to be a critical part (which I hate actually as it rewards the person with the most free time, not the most skill) so I don't feel the play style shift will be too dramatically different.

Also, slow? Wanzers have effing rollerblades with rockets as standard moving equipment. They are the wile-e-coyote of mechs.

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

Also, slow? Wanzers have effing rollerblades with rockets as standard moving equipment. They are the wile-e-coyote of mechs.

a mech can move fast and still be slow, by appearing to behave like a hulking piece of metal rather than a gymnast in a leotard. Or more appropriately in this case like a kung fu movie that uses too many wire stunts with people flying around.

[MatthewPryde]

Have you seen the previous games?

Edit: Check em out. They don't look hulking to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9F0V3IEyEE&feature=related

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

Have you seen the previous games?

Edit: Check em out. They don't look hulking to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9F0V3IEyEE&feature=related

those video sequences aren't the same as actually playing the game. Plus there's many shots in the video where they are moving quite slow.

[Barcode]

Not too interested. It's just a 3PS with damage separated into 5 sections.

[MatthewPryde]

Have you seen the previous games?

Edit: Check em out. They don't look hulking to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9F0V3IEyEE&feature=related

those video sequences aren't the same as actually playing the game. Plus there's many shots in the video where they are moving quite slow.

Just as there are parts in evolved where they also are moving quite slow. Like when you are not using jets. Also, that movie represents what the game play is "supposed to be" it's simply turn based so that level of speed is unattainable. I really think this game is what Square had in mind the entire time. Yes, it is absolutely not battletech, but FM never was.

[MatthewPryde]

Ok, got the game, it's pretty awesome. Easy pick up and play mech fighting with a bit of RPG thrown into the mix. If anyone wants to team up find me @ PSN, id Matthevv7