Vanguard Bandits

"Giant mechs...how can you go wrong?"

I recently purchased Vanguard Bandits thinking it would be cheap Gundam rip-off...but I said to myself ''Well, you get to control armies of Giant Mechs...how can you possibly go wrong?''. The first thing you find in the game is an AWESOME anime intro. movie bringing you to the title screen. From here on in, I was hooked. I couldn't believe it. Not only did you get mechs...BUT IT WAS A GOOD GAME! As all anime fans, I've been suckered by countless ''Robot Battle'' games, all of which promptly were thrown into the nearest wall. But Vanguard Bandits succeeded where they failed...it kept my interest.

First of all, you control a party of ATACs (Big Mech things)which you must strategically maneuver and battle with. However, in between battles, an RPG plot line develops, providing a reason for the next battle. I must say, it was a welcome change from Final Fantasy type battles in which you simply select a move and go. In this game you actually have to think about future moves and try to out-smart the computer (Tough at times, not at most).

Graphics: 7/10
Now to the specifics. The battle map graphics are pretty good, but the mechs are kind of small. However, the Battle Animation more than makes up for this. Basically, after choosing your move, a 3-5 second animation pops up showing the battle. It is in stunning graphics and even has the pilots trash talking each other.

Sound: 6/10
The sound of this game is very repetitive. It is usually some sort of remix of the original theme, but at sad parts it is actually very nice in the background. Also, there is an ATAC viewer where you can see the Mechs you have encountered and listen to the game's music in the background.

Gameplay: 10/10
Learning how to play this game literally takes five minutes. The controls are incredibly easy and require no real practice to master. The battles themselves run very smoothly, but can take a while (usually 1 hour per battle, and there are 56 of them). One great feature adding to replay ability is the fact that there are three branches of the game you must play through to unlock every mission...meaning you get at least replays out of it.

All in all, if you a fan of Giant Mechs, strategy games, or RPGS, get this game. Or, you could go with those other games and experience the satisfaction of throwing them into the nearest wall once you play them once.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/27/01, Updated 12/27/01