Remasters and re-releases flood the market at the next frequency than ever earlier than, so admittedly the prospect of one other one is hardly probably the most thrilling one. Cellular Go well with Gundam SEED Battle Future Remastered, nonetheless, is an exception to that rule – this mecha motion recreation primarily based on the favored cross media franchise initially launched for the PS Vita in 2012.
“The story and storytelling within the Gundam Battle video games tends to be on the lighter facet to start with, and that’s very true on this recreation.”
Sadly, that platform’s poor efficiency outdoors of Japan, in addition to a reasonably excessive quantity of Gundam releases on the time, meant that this one was handed over when the time got here for a western launch. In different phrases, most individuals around the globe by no means fairly performed this title, which alone makes it a worthy candidate for a re-release – no less than it is a recreation that had very restricted availability to start with.
Then, too, is the truth that this recreation falls within the Gundam Battle sequence, which is pretty nicely appreciated amongst followers of the IP – so in fact, an older entry in that subseries would have loads of demand for a contemporary launch. So sure, seeing this basic PS Vita recreation get a brand new lease of life on the Swap and on PC greater than a decade after it first got here out is heartening for Gundam followers – of which there are a lot of, actually sufficient for this launch to make enterprise sense.
And that’s simply as nicely, as a result of aside from people who have been already followers of the property, Cellular Go well with Gundam SEED Battle Future Remastered is unlikely to discover a entire lot of takers. There are a good few causes for this – for starters, the sport itself doesn’t significantly make loads of effort at onboarding new gamers and entrants to the broader Gundam universe.
The story and storytelling within the Gundam Battle video games tends to be on the lighter facet to start with, and that’s very true on this recreation. There’s not loads of storytelling right here, and what little there may be tends to make allusions to occasions, characters, phrases, locations, correct nouns et al, with no clarification or contextualization as to what they’re and why they matter. In different phrases, this isn’t a narrative that is sensible to you except you already are a Gundam fan.
“Apart from people who have been already followers of the property, Cellular Go well with Gundam SEED Battle Future Remastered is unlikely to discover a entire lot of takers.”
Even for those who are a Gundam fan, nonetheless, the story right here is decidedly not the primary attraction. Don’t count on this recreation to allow you to play out any of the primary conflicts, or the exploits of Kira and Athrun. On this recreation, you’re enjoying a customized anonymous character, combating from the sidelines, your battles at all times vaguely threatening to brush towards the fringes of the primary battle and story of the Gundam sequence, however by no means fairly doing so.
It’s like watching a TV spin off sequence or direct to DVD sequel to a giant film franchise, in that sure, it’s technically taking place in the identical universe and continuity as that huge story you care about. However it isn’t allowed a complete lot of developments or characters of consequence to be depicted inside it, or the place it does, it’s with as deft a contact as potential.
The narrative and storytelling chops, then, should not the rationale anybody goes to play the sport. What does stand out about this recreation, and the rationale it’s more likely to get dozens, if not a whole bunch, of hours sunk into it from Gundam fanatics is the wonderful mission primarily based design, and its 100 plus cellular fits to unlock. It’s due to replays, each to get the absolute best rank on each mission you battle in, and to play by means of the marketing campaign as every of the three factions you’re given a selection between. It’s to unlock new fits, new pilots, new skills, new maps, after which mixing and matching them throughout the missions to get even higher outcomes than you’ve got been to this point.
The Gundam Battle video games have an addictive “another time” rating assault type loop. The missions are very fast, however very tense and gruelling, and finishing a battle can usually be a case of discovering out your grade was a B (or shamefully, generally even decrease), and understanding that for those who replayed it however made certain to go in with a extra thought of load out, and weren’t being as hasty, you’d do higher. And you then bounce again in and take a look at once more, and see your plan in motion, and that higher grade, which inspires you to maintain making an attempt, time and again.
Cellular Go well with Gundam SEED Battle Future Remastered has that very same high quality too, so Gundam followers are possible going to search out loads of worth for his or her cash right here. There are actually some points – battles go from being extraordinarily straightforward to being extraordinarily difficult with little or no buildup, and the digicam management is, at the most effective of instances, an annoyance, however this a part of the sport is nice sufficient that it punches method above its class.
“Gundam followers are possible going to search out loads of worth for his or her cash right here.”
The sport’s lack of enchantment to newcomers to the Gundam sequence rankles even tougher right here, as a result of the core gameplay is legitimately ok that the sport may have feasibly been an onboarding ramp into the broader Gundam mythos. It isn’t merely the storytelling that’s accountable right here, there are different points that inherently restrict the sport’s broader enchantment as well as. For instance, that is, as talked about, the remaster of a recreation that’s greater than a decade previous, and which initially launched for the PS Vita.
In different phrases, it isn’t a recreation that you possibly can realistically count on to be a looker. The truth is, in loads of maps, it might look extraordinarily spartan and ugly, paying homage to the form of aesthetic you’d discover in a decrease finances PS2 recreation. The title, whereas technically remastered, nonetheless doesn’t look good right here. There are undoubtedly locations the place it might look interesting, notably within the house maps, the place the artwork type can take over and do the heavy lifting, however largely, this recreation seems to be poor sufficient that, once more, lots of people who may in any other case have been curious about a recreation about huge mechs combating, could also be turned off.
After which there may be the persistent situation that loads of smaller area of interest Japanese releases run into with their world launches – solely the Japanese voice observe is obtainable. No English dub, nor dub in every other language, is on the market. Once more, Gundam followers are more likely to not thoughts this – the truth is, many might even want the unique Japanese voices – however for everybody else, that is most likely one more barrier for them to get previous.
Gundam followers not involved with these components don’t have anything to fret about. There’s a entire lot of content material and worth on this package deal, and sufficient references to the universe and story they love, that this recreation buy can be a no brainer to them. However what I actually hope for is that this rerelease does nicely sufficient that the builders return with a brand new, greater finances entry, with a extra newcomer pleasant marketing campaign and higher visuals, which may drastically develop the variety of individuals within the Gundam property by itself. That’ll be the sport for them. This one? This one might be greatest left to the prevailing Gundam followers. You people, no less than, are going to have a blast.
This recreation was reviewed on Nintendo Swap.
