What happens when you mash together super-deformed mechs with a Tactical RPG featuring stunning high-def 3D models and beautiful animations cut-ins? You get SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays. Gundam has been around since 1979 and has gained more than a cult following, as such who wouldn’t want a chance to play as one of their favorite Gundam’s and gain victory. Here is our review of SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays on the PC via Steam.
With any turn-based RPG game the main mechanic, of course, is present, move your pawns into the right strategic place and plan the demise of the target. What can be better suited for such a task then a Gundam, powerful machines that are able to destroy entire space colonies? With different eras to choose from such as Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Seed, 00, and Iron-Blooded orphans, there is a geek moment waiting just around the corner. My personal favorite is Gundam Wing, having the chance to lead Gundam Deathscythe into battle and obliterate my opponents with his beam scythe brings out some questionable enjoyments.
With good rating and being what it was there was nothing stopping me from downloading this title right away. The opening title videos are extremely well detailed and meet my expectations. I absolutely love the attention to detail and all the hard work put into the special effects. Not only did the visuals appeal to my inner teenager the soundtrack is accurate and brought by those emotional memories reminding me what I loved so much about Gundam. Story mode allows players to pick the era and play the exact story from the anime just with dialog as the filler. Where things differ is how the story plays out. There is enough improvisation to allow players to complete the missions using their own paths and tactics. SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays feature plenty of learning material such as galleries and information about the different mobile suits and warships. Of course, in order to view them all, you will need to unlock them by playing the story mode. With some exceptions, there are some mobile suites that to obtain you need to design them by combining two different mobile suites and others together.
One thing that was both odd and interesting to me was completing the missions but using Gundam’s not originally in that story. While it helped complete the missions it felt out of place. The game-play of the title was rather plain and leads to tiresome missions and battles. The repetitive nature at first was passable but after while I found that it was enjoyable to watch those awesome animations but get bored the moment, they were over. Eventually skipping the animations entirely just to speed up game-play.
This leads to a melancholy state, it’s a Gundam game featuring some of the most popular eras and mobile suites but with lackluster game-play, the fun seems to end once the novelty wears off. With that said another ball dropped, in my opinion, was the old-style sprites, this left a lot to be desired. With how detailed the 3D animations where I would have liked to see a much more detailed battlefield using better visual effects and sprites.
A code was provided by the developer for the purpose of review.
