Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation 2

"Hum, haven't I seen you somewhere?"

Introduction
If you are reading this review I bet you already played Super Robot Taisen ("Taisen" means Wars in japanese). However, as in the first Original Generation for GBA, in this game you won't be able to play as robots from the japanese anime/manga series, but only with the robots created for the games... Is this a reason good enough for fans to play this game?

Gameplay
Exactly as in all the other games from this series, this is a turn-based strategy game, in which you will be controlling a set of robots (which increases as you advance in the game) and will need to perform certain mission with them. Most of the times you don't need to know japanese in order to know what to do (usually you just need to protect a certain unit or destroy the enemies), but sometimes you will need to do it, and that can be a problem...

Apart from that, between each of the levels you will be able to save/load your game and check many data, plus equipping your robots with new moves. However, some things appear to have changed in this new game, as you will be able to improve the stats and moves of your robots ONLY in a quick space before the starting of each battle, and only if you have a carrier spaceship on your team in that specific level.

As for the levels themselves, new features were added, meaning that you will be able to see the damage rating for your unit and then one you're attacking (only when it can counter you) in the opposite sides of the screen.

Concerning the gameplay, I must finish by saying that personally I don't think that many things have changed since the first Original Generation , except that some new bonus were added to people who manage to finish the game some times or perform specific tasks in it.

Story
I can't say anything about the story in this game, as it is full of kanji and unfortunately I can't read that type of ideographic letters. However, I can ensure you that it has lots of things that you wouldn't expect at first...

Graphics
I must say that this must be one of the best points in this game, as they seem to have improved a lot since the original game. You can now can see all the units in battle in a quite clear way, and even their attacks are more detailed than ever... I mean, when usually some of the attacks just passed across the enemies, now they also really touch them.

Also, the units themselves are more detailed and you can see them attacking in a way somehow different than before, in a more detailed way.

Truly, I must say that the graphics in this game are among the best I've seen this console, and perhaps even better than the ones of some of the Super Robot Taisen games for playstation 1.

Sound
Personally I didn't noticed many changes in the sound from the last game, but each of the robots seem to have their own music (played when they attack, but no lyrics unfortunately...), and when the battle starts appears there is a music for each specific type of terrain.

Play Time/Replayability
Having more than 40 levels, this is a game which you may take a long time to finish, as it is quite difficult (truly, I already played hundreds of games, and despite everything I had an hard time in this one), and even more difficult if you are not used up to this series. Also, it has an huge replay value, since there are new modes to be unlocked by performing certain tasks and lots of new units and attacks to be acquired.

Final Recommendation
So, why not giving this game an higher score? Personally, I think that it is too hard for people who are not used up to the series. Plus, if you are not a fan from the series, I don't think that the bonus in this game are enough to make you replay it. So, I only think this game is good for fans of the series (or, even better, for fans of the first original generation game) or people who want an hard strategy game...

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/11/05