Bandai Namco, none of the gamers have never heard of the name
of the Japanese developer / publisher on this one. Compared to other Japanese
gaming companies, he is arguably one of the most active. Through their gigantic
flags, memorable games such as Souls series or .Hack for example, glide.
Instead of sinking, in the past year, Bandai Namco's popularity has
skyrocketed. There are many anticipated game projects anticipated under their
current control, including some series of anime / manga-based franchises that
become an inseparable identity. No exception to the latest game series which is
finally available for Playstation 4 - Gundam Versus.
Looking at the name, title, and gameplay of the sunglasses,
we would not be surprised if many of you might be confused with Gundam Versus
itself. At least of the genre that he usung. You can simplify Gundam Versus as
a three-dimensional fighting game with appeal and mechanics similar to what you
find in Narutimate game series from CyberCOnn 2 and Bandai Namco over the last
few years. Not an action or musou, it's a series that demands you to engage in
a simple mechanical fight, but with an inner layer that still needs its own
mastery. This is a fighting game.
So, what is actually offered by this Gundam Versus? Why do
we call it a game that will be a wet dream for Gundam fans around the world?
This review will discuss it more deeply for you.
Certainly not Like most fighting games, at least for classic
titles in the past, Bandai Namco inject ONLY single-player mode that you can
enjoy in this one game, which can be called similar to Arcade concept. Called
as "Ultimate Trial", it can be played offline, this mode will require
you to complete a certain number of enemy waves. The higher the level of
difficulty you take, the more resilient the enemy is facing and the more waves
you have to finish before reaching the end point. Unfortunately, he is not
wrapped with a story element at all. You will only be dropped on a particular
battle arena, required to survive, without wrapping a story for background or
cut-scene though. The cut-scene you get is just a bit of a zoom cut to the boss
character that you'll face every 5 waves once.
But what's interesting? Although it does not have any
concept of the story at all, Ultimate Trial mode also includes a co-operative
online mode simultaneously in it. Not shoulder to shoulder to complete the
existing wave online, but through extra challenges that will appear randomly in
the game. Sometimes it appears as a Raid mode, sometimes just cooperative to
destroy enemies that are superior in quantity, this so-called "Extra
Wave" mode is an extra surprise that you can enjoy when choosing the
online mode for Ultimate Trial itself. Of course, there are rewards to solve
them.
So, what is the main attraction? Before we dive deeper into
the mechanics of gameplay and its appeal as a three-dimensional fighting game,
we'll talk about content. Indeed, he does not have a cinematic story mode ala
Injustice 2 or Street Fighter V, or Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite for example.
Indeed, it has no clear foundation from the plot side that explains why the
Gundams of these various series appear in the same place. But in the end, he
remains a new series of Gundam games that are ready to make gamers who love the
battles of giant robots, ending with their best wet dreams.
This wet dream is rooted in three main things. First? Of
course the number of roster is there. No kidding, Bandai Namco injects about 90
Gundams from 17 series during the existence of this one franchise for you to
taste. Each Gundam will come with its own unique identity, not only from the
surface design but also unique capabilities and weapons to different attack
animations. Not only that, this game also provides more than 100 characters
Striker or Gundam that you can call as support when fighting, although you can
not control in full. With numbers like this, you - especially gamers who are
also fond of Gundam - will likely fall in love from the first sight.
Of course from the visual details, especially the
presentations. Although we personally are not big fans of the anime Gundam and
understand all the variants that exist, but the visual approach offered by
Bandai Namco in Gundam Versus deserves a thumbs up. Details of the curve of the
metal material that wraps it, the color combination, until the standard posture
for the existing variant is presented so well. For some series that are
familiar enough for us such as Iron-Blooded Orphan for example, you can see the
details of Barbatos - the "main" Gundam who appear dazzling here.
Although you will rarely get a zoom-shot to enjoy it, but the details will
still radiate clearly during the gameplay.
two things worth talking about from this one aspect: music
and the arena of battle. As well as the details that they inject for the
existing Gundam design, the design of the battle arena that will accommodate
all your actions also deserves to be amazed. With the inherent atmosphere of
the Gundam franchise itself, which will probably be recognized for you who love
it, this battleground will be enough to make you feel involved in a major war
between the two factions. More cool? If there is a building within this arena,
you can also flatten it with the type of attack available. From the music side,
it also contains a lot of Gundam cross OST series over the years. Bandai Namco
even includes popular OSTs like INVOKE from T.M. Revolution in it.
With all the content he offers on the surface, it does not
seem excessive to mention that the Gundam Versus does contain enough content to
be a wet Gundam fan dream over the years. Although they do not enjoy the
gameplay that he offers, the content offered will probably meet what they want.
But unfortunately? Beyond all this potential, Bandai Namco does not include the
"MODEL VIEWER" feature in other games, allowing you to pay more close
attention to the characters in more detail. Why Namco Bandai does not include
this feature? We also question it.
In the previous session we talked about Ultimate Trial - the
only mode with challenges you can enjoy solo. A fashion that is ready to make
you feel busy with a bit of cooperative multiplayer elements in it. But of
course, the Gundam Versus is not built by making the mode the main attraction.
The focus of this game is the online competitive mode that it offers. As we
stated earlier, this is a three-dimensional fighting game.
Fighting Online
Can fight 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, or 3 vs 3, then like game fighting
in general, then the focus is to subdue the other team opponent. But for the
balancing process, Gundam Versus implement a fairly unique system. Given that each
Gundam has different powers according to its anime version, each Gundam is
divided into categories of numbers in the hundreds, from 200-500.
You can call it a power category, but it has a bigger effect
in the fight. These numbers will represent the numbers to be deducted from the
total team / HP team value each time your Gundam is destroyed when fighting.
With the limit of HP 1000 / team, then if you use the Gundam 500 type, then you
are only allowed to twice die. While if you use Gundam 200, although weaker,
you have the chance to return at least 5 times before losing. The balancing
process is rooted from there. The significance of this figure also has an
effect on the competitive battle system online.
Among the three modes, 2 vs 2 battles, either Casual or
Stylish, are the most popular modes on Gundam Versus today. More exciting than
1 vs 1, but still manageable and mastered compared to 3 vs 3 which often end up
screwed up, this mode requires gamers to join berstrategi. The choice of Gundam
used for fighting will usually determine the course of the battle. As an
example? If you meet an enemy Gundam with a unit value of "500" for
example, it will be rational for you and your friends in your team to pursue
and destroy it as soon as possible. But on the other hand, the fact that it is
a stronger Gundam type, then the risk will also be high.
CONTENT ABOVE
Somewhat quirky indeed that with only at least, two series
of reviews only, we've covered the overall content offered by this Gundam
Versus. Gameplay content that you can enjoy is really limited only in between
Ultimate Trial containing enemy waves and can be tasted alone or Online
Competitive which is the main attraction of this one series. However, for those
of you who really love the weight of this series and want more
"content", there are a myriad of collectibles that you can open.
A task that is not easy, why? Because all this extra content
is connected to each Gundam based on the number of experience points and the
existing level. Through this system, you can unlock more content rooted in your
existing Gundam series, from opening a new character as a pilot or navigator,
getting new emblems to place on placards when fighting online, up to the latest
Striker (Support) type can you call when fighting. But again, the progress to
unlock each of these characters is locked on each Gundam. So to open all the
collectibles that exist today? You should at least, ever play every Gundam of
the 90 roster provided, reach the required level, and then buy it.
Conclusion
So, what can be deduced from Gundam Versus? Shocking, is the
word we will choose to explain the overall experience. That despite the fact
that we set out not as a big fan of Gundam and only knew and had completed a
series of series, he still ended up being a three-dimensional fighting game
that remains fun and has its own depth to master. Of course not in terms of
mechanics, but rather learn about strategy and exploit timing of existing
attacks. The battle can run fast enough and chaotic until he can ensure
adrenaline continues to pump in your body. With more than 90 Gundams emerging
from 17 series, each of which comes with fantastic visual, attack and animation
details, this is a game that will fulfill the dream of Gundam lovers all over
the world.
However, of course this does not mean the game comes without
any deficiencies. The absence of Story mode that injects cut-scenes or lines of
story is certainly unfortunate, because of the potential that in our eyes, can
catapult its appeal to a higher level. Limited content into two major modes is
also questionable, although quite rational, considering its status as a
three-dimensional fighting game. We also deeply regret that for as many and as
big roster as this, Bandai Namco does not look tempted to exploit this
attraction further. And with features like Photo Mode (when playing offline in
Ultimate Trial mode) or just a Model Viewer will improve it.
But regardless of the shortcomings, Gundam Versus remains a
three-dimensional fighting game that deserves thumbs up. For gamers who are not
present with a love of death for Gundam, he may not look like a mandatory
fighting game, despite having the mechanics presented, to be admitted, quite
exciting and fun. But if you love dying in epic battles between these gigantic
robots with this intense political content and continuing to follow from series
to series, this will fulfill your best wet dream of Gundam.