Mobile Suit Gundam: The Ace Pilot

"Easily the best Gundam game I've ever played."

When you hear talk of Gundam video games, the images that come to mind probably aren't very pleasant, are they? Well, the Japanese, in yet another effort to prove how much better the games are that get released over there, have brought out a {gasp} truly good gundam game! Yes, this is all classic U.C. gundam. Yes, you can be pretty much anyone! Yes, you can probably use whatever suit you're thinking of right now! Now then, on to the review.

Graphics: 8/10

The graphics aren't perfect, but they're definitely good enough to get you engrossed in this game's universe. The Mobile Suits are extremely detailed, the particle effects are amazing and let's not forget space. Ah, space! Remember those "other" games that had outer space effects? Remember the typical flatness, invisible walls and completely empty {except for enemies} battlefields? None of that is to be found here. Debris is scattered here and there, and there are NO invisible walls {you'll just fail the mission if you go too far away, but the environments are huge, so that'll probably never happen.} Planets and Sides are easily visible from wherever you are, and they're all completely accurate to where you're supposed to be. If you're fighting the Battle of Solomon, you can look off to your right and see it floating there. In summary, the graphics really strut the 'Cube's stuff, but the Earth landscapes are a bit lacking and ugly, in comparison to space.

Sound: 10/10

All the classic sounds and voice actors of U.C. Gundam. Yes, that's right, Char's original voice, along with Amuro's, Kai's, Sayla's, and a host of others are all in this game. I really don't know how they pulled this off, but the game's designers did a great job creating the perfect Gundam atmosphere. The music is epic and grand, but a bit forgettable. It's the little things, like hearing Ramba Ral's sadistic chuckle or Kai's kansai accent, that really make the sound so great.

Gameplay: 10/10

The gameplay of this game does not disapoint, although it might have you frustrated at first. This game starts you off with pretty much nothing, and you unlock everything through the main game, which is actually the only game mode. Yep, that's it. Good thing it rocks. You choose your "side," Zeon or Feddie, and then pick your pilot. Once you do that, you select from the missions you can do {in the beginning it's, like, one.}

The combat is deep, but hard to get into and enjoy at first, because you'll think the gameplay is slow and clunky. It is, but only at first. You see, this is where levels and skills come into play. As characters level up, this directly affects how quickly you move, how fast your verniers overheat, as well as the damage you do AND take. Pretty much everything gets easier as you level up. The bad news, then, is that it's not all that much fun until you get some skills and levels. Skills are abilities you equip, that usually remain active during battle. Some let you destroy some units faster, others give you more melee attacks or keep your verniers running longer. In addition to these, you can also activate your pilots abilities during battle. These abilities are like short- term boosts, though exactly what happens varies. You could increase someone's defence {an ally ship, for example} or just boost your speed or explosive power. The combat also lets you equip your suit, utilizing a "weight" system that forces you to not just slap the best stuff on your suit. If you overload your suit too much it'll be really slow and weak. So, you have to choose between that bazooka and a shield/ machine gun combo.

Difficulty: 9/10

Pretty hard game. Initially daunting, since you'll be slow, weak and unskilled. For those who are willing to stick it out, though, you'll find the game gets a bit easier, and way more fun. Be warned, however, that it still stays pretty difficult. 100% completion will only come to the skilled, the lucky, and the patient.

Overall: 10/10

If you're a Gundam fan at all, you'll love living the faithful recreation of some of the series' best moments. Feeling the tension as you attack Jaburo in Char's Z' gok, to trashing Ramba Ral and his goons with Amuro's Gundam, to say nothing of the other U.C. Gundam missions in here. You have mission from the 08th MS Team, Gundam 0079: War in the Pocket, and others. The gameplay is tight and fun, the graphics are very nice and the sound is awesome. This is an import game, so finding it may be hard. However, I think you'll find that this game is worth it. Give it a chance, and before long you'll be crushing Zakus and loving every minute of it!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/03/07

Game Release: Kidou Senshi Gundam: Senshitachi no Kiseki (JP, 03/18/04)