THE Gundam have had, since their inception, a very strong impact on the nerdy world. With anime, manga, and above all gunpla, the robots created by Yoshiyuki Tomino at the end of the 70s they invaded the world markets, not sparing even the videogame one. With Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy the boys of BBStudio, as we will underline during this review, they have chosen to embrace the two different souls of the franchise, bringing a product that combines – and improves – the classic gameplay of the series Battle Operation to the animated expression of the series. Ready to go back to your favorite mobile suit?
War machine
Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy is a title that relies heavily on single player mode, and about one’s past. As mentioned, in fact, the game produced by Bandai Namco owes much for structure to the previous one Battle Operation 2, while from the point of view of the narrative style it winks at the chapters of the saga of Sakura Wars. Pad in hand, in fact, we will have the very strong feeling of being inside an animated series, and the same structure of the levels runs in this direction. After having witnessed the 3D anime sequences, all beautifully made, for visual quality, music and dubbing, we will be able to customize our gundam and its equipment, and then launch into action.
Although the narrative component is the real strength of the game, it should be emphasized that this is, at the same time, also the Achilles heel of Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy (as in a certain sense it happened in New GUNDAM BREAKER, here the review). The game, in fact, perhaps it focuses too much on history rather than raw gameplay. But let’s go in order.
Before each mission we will be able to customize our vehicle, first of all choosing between three classes: Raid, Support and General. Each specialization has its own specific equipment and skills, and it is good to choose the most appropriate one based on the challenge you will face. Unfortunately, the overall challenge level will never really put you on the spot, and on many occasions the difference between the three styles of Gundam will remain effective only on paper, especially thanks to the help of the support mobile suits that will accompany us in battle.
The type of missions is affected by one certain background repetitiveness. Most, in fact, will see us face it waves of enemies within a limited area, and our skill will lie in managing ammunition and reload times, as well as switching quickly to the white weapon when necessary. At the end of each stage we will get rewards, useful for acquiring new weapons and customizing our vehicle. Unfortunately, some missions will have too general indications, and we will often find ourselves wandering the map in search of our enemies. Once the mission is complete, we will see the closing movie, and off to the next objective.
Fighting for justice
The best way to describe Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy is that of a slow but reasoned title, which succeeds in give your best only to higher difficulties. Away from the hectic musou, the progress within the map will be much more staid, like the clashes, where we will have to pay attention to the firing and reload times of the weapons, as in a rhythmic war dance, where a single mistake could compromise a great deal. part of our defensive assets. Within the maps of each mission will be side quests are also available, which will give us experience and new equipment. Sometimes, it will be better to complete them before aiming for the main goal, so that you are as prepared as possible.
As we said at the beginning of the review, Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy relies heavily on history, especially for this Vol.1. The plot is set during the Year One wars, right at the heart of the original Gundam anime story, when the war for justice sees the earth federation and the independent space nation of Zeon face off.
As in a “slice of life” high school anime, we will find ourselves in the role of the young soldier Anna, in an almost entirely female story (unfortunately absent the localization in Italian). The plot, however, seems to take off just as the experience of this first volume runs out.
The general impression is that the game was designed to “push” the animated series, although the general technical sector is able to do its duty (despite at times “woody”), net of not being in line with next-gen standards. If the Gundam models are in fact very successful, inspired by the classic units of the series, the same care is not found in the rooms, flat and in some too bare sections. A choice that clashes with the splendid direction of the animated scenes.
Not only that, the game looks like it be affected by the passage from a structure designed for the multiplayer of its previous incarnations, with a single player centered. The AI of the enemies is not the best, and very often they do not properly exploit a map designed for structure and objectives to a clash between real players.
Ultimately, unless you are a huge fan of the saga, we advise you to wait for the complete experience, which will arrive in the coming months, with the other two volumes that will complete the story and the Gundam package available. At present, to a narrative composition that, although compelling, has not yet entered its heart, there is a cumbersome gameplay even for robots, which cannot take flight because it is too anchored to formulas now outdated for this generation and which make Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy a game aimed almost exclusively at fans of the franchise.
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