Zone of the Enders

"Gameplay? Check. Graphics? Check. Story? Check"

Allright. Another Hypefest for PS2. We've been waiting for this one for what seems like forever. And after the dissapointment that is The Bouncer, my expectations were getting lower by the minute. Not to mention, Babbage's had sold my pre-order,and I had to wait an extra week to get my copy. So by the time I had gotten my game, the only thing going through my mind was ''This had better be worth the wait.'' Let me assure you folks, it was.
The game's story (if you may not know it already), revolves around a young boy who stumbles into an extremely powerful ''Orbital Frame'' (think Eva crossed w/a Gundam), and is burdened with the immense task of saving his colony from an invasion by rebel forces. The story alone made me think ''Gundam'' when I first heard it. I know the whole ''you must save the colony'' thing has been done before, but frankly I like the story a lot, and it's quite original despite its obvious roots from shows like Gundam.
The first thing you will notice about ZOE are it's awesome graphics. The suits are all high polygon count models, and are all in high resolution. The mech design is fabulous, and some of the suits (like Jehuty) will make you wonder if Hideo Kojima was dreaming of Eva when he wrote this. The graphics move along at a blazing frame rate, that never studders despite the high paced action and number of frames on screen at once. The camera does a good job of staying in tact so that it provides the best view possible, while not sacrificing cinematic elements of the game. In short, the graphics are top-knotch.
The gameplay is something that many of us gamers worried about when we first saw ZOE.''Will the gameplay hold up to the excellent graphics?''; ''Will it be another let down like The Bouncer was?''. I must admit, I had my doubts about ZOE (especially after I was let down so hard by Bouncer's weak gameplay). But as soon as I picked up the controls and started taking out suits, my qualms dissipated and I felt like I was one w/Jehuty. The controls may seem complicated at first, but after you start fighting, you'll quickly get used to the controls, and thank Mr. Kojima for making the controls so intuitive. The mech moves beautifully, and the controls are as tight as the spandex suit on Viola's body. Fighting will seem like second nature by the second mission, and you'll find yourself wondering why other mech games (namely the dissapointing Gundam ones) haven't followed this theme. In short, the gameplay, like the graphics, shines.
Great gameplay and graphics, so why not a perfect 10 you say? Well because my only gripe with this game, proves to be more than a minor one. The game suffers from a lack of replayability (an ever growing syndrome with PS2 games, it seems). I beat the Easy mode in less than six hours, and normal didnt take much longer. The game seems to me like more of a prolouge to the whole ZOE story (similar to how Shenmue 1 was just a prolouge to the entire Shenmue story). There is the added bonus of a versus mode, but this (like The Bouncer's story mode) seems to have just been tacked on at the last moment, rather than actually worked and fixed into the gameplay. It's not bad, but it's no Virtual On, lets say.
All in all this is really a must have for any mech, anime, or action game fan. Really, it's a must have for any PS2 owner or hardcore gaming fan. This is prime example of what can be achieved on PS2 with the right talent and patience.
OVERALL RATINGS:

Graphics:10
High poly, High res, High paced action. You can't ask for much more; Beautiful.Just. Beautiful.

Sound: 10
Superb sound FX in battle and a good theme pumping in back make you feel like your right in the cockpit of the collosal mech. The music is absolutely charming; Something you dont find in action games nowadays.

Gameplay:10
The fighting and battle scenes in this game are simply amazing. A technical feat of wonder on Hideo Kojima's part. Everything from the controls to the weapons are done in a realistic and at the same time easy to perform fashion. You'll be zooming around the battlefield like a pro in no time.

Replay Value: 7
This is the only place where the game comes up short. Everything in this game is so wonderful, that you'll be severly dissapointed to see it come to an end. It's also relatively easy; nothing too difficult, especially for the hardcore. The versus mode is a nice addition, but it doesn't seem like too much time or attention was spent on it.

Overall: 9
Had it not been for the relative short length of the game and minimal replay value, this game would recieve a 10. It's a work of art on Kojima's part, and an instant classic in any PS2 owner's library. Pick it up today if you haven't already, or if your a cautious buyer, do yourself a favor and rent it. You'll be thankful you did.

Final Word: It's like the gundam game I've always wanted..... Thank you santa!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/05/01, Updated 04/05/01