Zoids: Battle Legends

"Finally, now we can pilot Zoids in the US."

To be fair, I will admit that I was dying to get my hands on a Zoids game since I found out about Zoids Versus well over a year ago. When I discovered that they weren't coming to the States, I got sad. Zoids Battle Legends put that spark right back into my anticipation and excitement.

Gameplay 9/10
There was only one problem I had with this. This game has a high learning curve. You're going to have to go through several losses before you even start winning remotely. But once overcome everything works out just fine. After that the gameplay is awesome. It really feels like piloting a Zoid. If you're ever wanted to get in the driver's seat of a Liger, this can help. The combat works well by making easy access to ranged and melee attacks. With time you'll learn that there is so much more to it than meets the eye. There are a lot of little tricks you can discover to help you out in combat and with four modes to battle in, you'll find a place for them all.

Graphics 9/10
When I first saw the intro and gameplay I thought I had died and gone to Zoid heaven. The Zoids looks exactly like they should and move exactly like they should. They are identical to what you would see in the models or the TV shows. Since the Zoids are the only thing that matters, you quickly overlook the fact that the pilots are nothing more than still images. Other than that, the only fluke would be fuzzy or pixalated shadows from time to time. But all the flaws are overshadowed by the the perfections.

Audio 6/10
This is possibly the worst part of the game. The first thing you want to do when you get the game is to mute the voices. The voice acting is terrible (as expected) and you here the pilots make random yells at inappropriate times in a battle. But once the voices are gone, the sound is great and really adds to the Zoid piloting experience.

Replay Value 10/10
There is always something to do in this game. Even after you've unlocked everything, you can still go head to head in two distinct multiplayer modes. Though only two player, it really does the game some justice. You'll soon discover the strengths and weaknesses of the Zoids and find out just how good you think you are.

So if you're a Zoids fan, you'll absolutely love this game. If you aren't a Zoids fan, this game is still worth looking into. Until they release a sequel in the US, this is the only game that will really give a good idea of what it's like to handle one of these Zoids. On top of that, the game is only $30! This makes the game very accessible so there's no reason not to look into it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/27/04