Front Mission
Wanzers rolling diceGenre: strategy - turn-based tactics
Publisher: Square
Year: 1995
System: SFC
Gameplay Score: 3
Gameplay Notes:
The core gameplay is incredible, but one fundamental flaw ruins the entire experience for me, and that is the randomness of each encounter. Success or failure in a strategy game should be determined by strategic and tactical decision making. It should NOT be determined by pure luck. That's for RPGs. The outcome of every attack is so wildly random that no amount of preparation, placement, or planning will ensure victory. Your attacks not only deal random damage but also hit random parts of the mechs (wanzers) so you can't even direct your attacks. Again, the gameplay itself is great. Move your units around, switch between them, use items, utilize ranged or melee attacks - it's all good stuff. But the randomness just boils my biscuits.
Level Design Score: 3
Level Design Notes:
There are something like 30 missions with a variety of win conditions and mission objectives. I don't have many gripes about this aspect of the game, but the extensive shopping and customization of your mechs drove me nuts. Between stages you visit cities and have to spend an inordinate amount of time tweaking and fiddling with your build out. I don't want to go shopping, I just want to play some missions!
Theme Score: 5
Theme Notes:
Near future mechs in a militaristic society. Yes please.
Art Style Score: 4
Art Style Notes:
Lovely graphics throughout. The mechs are sort of small on the grid but animate well and look amazing in the battle animations. The only downside of the graphics is the drab colors. Granted, they fit the theme but they're still blah.
Audio Score: 5
Audio Notes:
Amazing soundtrack. There's a hidden Sound Test from the main menu. There are 255 musical tracks! The soundtrack easily rivals anything else Square out out in the 16-bit era.
Overall Score: 68
Review ID: 1639
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