albireo's Full Review: Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise from the Ashes for Dr...
Gundam: Side Story 0079 is a fun game aimed squarely at fans of the myriad Gundam anime series. Those just geting used to the Gundam franchise should note that the events in this game occur during the original "One Year War" story arc, many years before the events in "Gundam Wing" take place. So don't blame anyone when you don't see the characters or mecha from that series in GSS:0079.
Bandai took a lot of care to present this game well to the people who will want to play it most (fans) with great graphics, sound and voice effects. The mission briefings really pull you into the story and make the other members of your unit seem like real people as they bicker and poke fun at each other. The missions have pretty simple objectives, most just require you to go out and destroy enemy installations or mecha, but they do throw in some curveballs here and there - for example: one mission involves intercepting an enemy aircraft and another requires you to ponder the offer of a cease-fire with an enemy elite pilot. Nothing you do really affects the story that much but it does add some fun and replay value.
The game is way too short with only 9 missions. Once you beat the game you unlock all the options and you can replay with different selections of weapons and mechs, but still...
Many reviews seem to complain about the controls - I didn't think it was that bad, and the auto-targeting lock helps a lot. The controls aren't any more complex than "Soul Calibur" and much, much better than in "Virtual On" which I personally found almost unplayable. It takes about 3 missions to get comfortable with the control setup and then you'll be ok.
The enemy isn't always that tactically bright, except for the elite pilots who pop up in a few missions. But the different enemy mobile suits are fun to fight, and it always took me a few times to figure out their particular weakness. You have a lot of choice in tactics - a "sniper mode" for taking out targets at a distance, the array of Gundam weapons like beam rifles and vulcans for closer combat, and a beam saber for melee combat. You'll need to master everything in your arsenal to win! You also command the actions of your two wingmen and "Oasis" which is a recon vehicle. The interface for that is (thankfully) pretty simple to use, which is a relief in the heat of battle. Don't expect them to accomplish much - winning or losing a mission is up to you, but they can help keep the enemy off your back when you need it.
Conclusion: If you like Gundam anime or anything in the "giant robot" genre, the first time you chase down a Zeon mobile suit in the middle of a city and take him out with a beam saber, you'll love this game! If your not a huge anime fan or like more complex simulation games - try before buying.
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