Gungriffon Blaze

"A Blazing Start"

Released early in the too-short lifecycle of the Sega Saturn, Game Arts' fantastic mech combat game Gun Griffon, was one of the systems' many underrated highlights. Combining tactical battle planning with super fast arcade-style action, the game is still a blast to pick up and play, despite some occasionally choppy graphics. The opening CG movie is also one of the more powerful intros for a console title, even after 6 years. The game did well enough in Japan to spawn an excellent sequel, Gun Griffon 2, which like many of the better Saturn titles, never made it to these shores. The gameplay and graphics were improved a bit, and it was a more than worthy sequel. Still, once the Dreamcast was released, I hoped that Game Arts would do a GG game that would take advantage of the systems' 128-bit capabilities. Well, the DC never got its GG, and GA must have known that the PS2 needed a shot in the arm as far as quality software goes. The third game in the series, Gun Griffon Blaze blasts its way onto the system in a big (and much needed) way.

Usually known for some stellar RPG ports, Working Designs handled the U.S. publishing of this one, adding a few minor fixes to an already great game. The intro is similar to the Saturn games with mechs dropping onto a battle field and laying waste to the enemy- but on the PS2, your eyes will bug out the first time you see it. As Sammy Sosa once said: ''It's so reeeeeal!''. Strangely, there's no actual running gameplay demo- you'll see some burning mechs as the camera pans slowly across a truly gloomy-looking battlefield while some mournful music plays. It almost makes you depressed enough to not want to play the game, but it sure looks great. Another odd twist comes when you view your mech of choice or some or the enemy forces from one of the option screens. They shows up as a models in boxes- complete with a diorama! It's a nice touch of humor seeing your mech go through its movements as little men run back and forth.

I was thinking that the game was going to go a less serious route than the others, and I'm more than pleased to report that Gun Griffon Blaze goes for the throat right from the start, and doesn't let go for one second. Each of the missions takes place in locations all over the Earth, and there are 3 basic mechs to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. You can equip them anyway you want from available parts, and more become available as the game progresses. It's no Armored Core 2, but this is actually a good thing, as it makes setting up less of a chore and the action quicker to jump into- so let's go!

As in the first GG, you can choose from a number of locations to fight in (ranked by difficulty), and the action is faster and better than ever. Where the first two games suffered from enemies popping in a few hundred feet in front of you, in GGB you can see for miles in every direction. The formerly cluttered HUD has been replaced with a simple proximity locator which, once you get used to it, makes finding enemies a snap. Combat is more arcade-like than before, with weapons, repair units and the occasional deadly enemy grenade hidden in the buildings and mechs you'll destroy. As before, missions are timed, which makes for some interesting combat decisions. There's no set way to complete a mission, provided you do it in the required time limit, and for the most part, there's more than enough time to complete your objectives. You'll probably run out of time the first few times you play, simply because you're in awe of the graphics.

Along with the superior draw distance and sweeter than Tastykake 60 FPS action, the details on everything in the game are staggering. The speedy enemy mechs, dust and rocks kicked up by stray shots and explosions, and the way buildings can be shot apart piece by piece before exploding- it's all simply exhilarating. In one early mission, you have to destroy a space shuttle before it launches, as well as the enemy bases surrounding it. I played this mission over and over just so I could fly all around the shuttle area and see how much stuff I could blow up. The answer is pretty much everything, folks. The only odd thing is that in the future presented here, trees seem to be made from high grade redwood or solid titanium- you can't destroy them at all! This bugged me a lot, as in the the first two games, trees could be blown up by weapons or crushed as you passed through them. I'm wild guessing that since the conventional radar is no longer there and a lot of enemies are hidden in forest areas, it adds a bit of strategy and suspense to the action. It's the only gaffe in the game, but it's a big one. Fortunately, the game has a lot of other beautiful environments to blow stuff up in, so I can slightly forgive the too-tough trees.

The controls take a bit of getting used to, but going through the training mission two or three times should make you a master. The right stick and buttons are used for moving, firing, and weapon selection, and the left side of the controller is for adjusting your viewpoint and using the boost. The boost function is great for getting airborne and taking out enemies hidden away in the trees firing missiles at you, avoiding ground hazards, or coming face to face with the helicopters that will pester you like horseflies. Just remember that you can move in the air, and the game becomes a bit more fun. The Dual Shock 2 is definitely my favorite controller, with the slightly smaller size and weight making a huge difference in a game like this. The music is a mixture of great militaristic stuff, and it fits the action perfectly. Just don't listen to the sad theme after the intro- you'll be on the phone to Suicide Prevention in about two minutes flat.

Game Arts has been quietly creating some of the best, most challenging console titles for years, and Gun Griffon Blaze joins Alisa Dragoon, Silpheed, Grandia, and the Lunar games as part of any true gamer's essential collection. Thanks to Working Designs for publishing this one, and hopefully Game Arts will produce a sequel one day with the return of those destructible trees, and perhaps a multi-player network mode for those that need it- then it'll be perfect.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/01/03, Updated 01/01/03