Robotech: Battlecry

Anime and Robotech fans better be ready for some intense action that brings
the Robotech show of the past, back into the future in vivid cel shaded color
that often looks better than the show itself once did. The fate of Earth is
in your hands as you take control of a Veritech fighter in 40 stunning levels
and fend off the enemy forces of the alien Zentraedi. Meticulously detailed
Veritechs, several members of the original cast providing voice acting, and
an incredibly recreated 3D anime experience make Robotech: Battlecry
a must see for those already hooked on the anime show of the past, and newcomers
as well.

Played from the third person view, you take the seat of a Veritech
fighter, a unique mech styled combat machine that stands 40 feet tall, and quickly
transforms into Guardian, Battleoid, of Fighter
Mode to offer you with different weapons a movement options. There’s
a huge difference between a jet fighter and a 40 foot mech, and you’ll quickly
learn which is right for the mission at hand. The hybrid Guardian mode offers
the best features from both the Battleoid and Fighter, leaving you with a half
robot, half fighter jet machine that’s extremely effective at taking out those
Zentraedi forces. The main section of the game is the story mode, where you’ll
hear commentary, and communications from some of the original cast of characters,
including your main character, Jack Archer.

There are a ton of mission, about 40 in all, and all run into each other almost
seamlessly between story telling cinematics that keep you engaged almost as
much as the constant barrage of missiles heading towards you. Controlling your
Veritech at first seems a bit complex and awkward, but soon after you’ve seen
the better side of an enemy’s attacks, or should I say 10 or 20
simultaneous enemy attacks, you’ll find a way to acquaint yourself
a bit faster if you’re to succeed. Switching between the fighting modes is a
snap, by pressing the D-Pad, and other controls like primary and secondary weapon,
thrusters (boost), and special weapons are mapped to the standard A,
B, X, and Y buttons. The
one complaint we did have is that there is no option to program your own settings,
which would have cut down on the learning curve quite a bit. The trigger buttons
would have been much more effective as a weapon device, rather than a strafe
move.

It’s pretty straight forward right from the start, with your mission objectives
clearly listed at the beginning of each level, and from there it’s non-stop
action with very few drops in the action department. Once you’ve mastered the
controls, defeating the enemies becomes a simple, yet challenging task, slightly
complicated by the sometimes uncooperative camera, that seemed to offer a few
more missile invitations than we had hoped for. Unlimited ammunitions was a
welcomed surprise, yet health pickups would have been nice as well. Some of
the ‘boss’ battles were extremely difficult, and make you think twice
about the power of your machine. Fear not though, as you complete mission objectives
you do gain access to many varied and different looking Veritechs, that all
have noticeable differences and features.

In addition to the story mode, there is also a brief training session that will
familiarize you with the different controls of each Veritech mode, quite helpful
if you always seem to ignore the manual included with the game. It’s important
to note that as you switch between different modes, a button will have a different
action associated with it, you’ll need to become very familiar with the control
scheme for every mode to succeed. There is also a Versus mode, a multiplayer
shootout that pits you against one of your best buddies in a fight to the death.
Played via split screen and no option for lan connections, multiplayer seemed
a bit of an afterthought, which in light of the spectacular single player story
mode, wasn’t too much of a let down.

Cel shaded graphics displayed in HDTV 480 dpi look
incredible! The environments are extremely colorful and vibrant,
and you’ll often comment that the game looks better than the show did. Vicious
Cycle is to be commended for creating an experience that Robotech fans have
hoped to see for several years, and they have done it in stunning fashion. The
Veritechs are meticulously detailed and accurately portrayed, and animation
effects while changing modes, or performing barrel rolls, half loops, and strafing
are very realistic. Explosions and missile trails capture the effect of the
show, and are spectacular, while details on some of the enemy craft were incredible,
some seemed like they needed a bit more attention.

The onboard soundtrack is satisfying and sets the whole Robotech
tone very well. Vehicle and weapon effects are among the most impressive, from
changing modes, to firing missiles, it’s all pretty satisfying. An original
cast of characters talking you through missions, and coming up with witty comebacks
upon defeat add to the whole sense that you are re-creating on of the Macross
Island shows in real time, making it a real collectors item for die hard fans,
and while we have heard better surround sound in the past, the audio definitely
adds more than it takes away from this title.

The single player story mode is without a doubt
a blast! Going back just to check out some of the stunning cel
shaded animations in the game doesn’t seem quite far-fetched, and the Robotechies
among us will certainly wear this DVD game thin. For the more casual Robotech
gamer, although going through the fairly long storyline will give you the bang
for your buck, the replay appeal may be slightly diminished based on it’s sometimes
repetitive gameplay, and lack of a truly impressive multiplayer mode.

Overall Score: 8.7 [Not an Average]

If there are any Robotech fans left that
haven’t picked up this game yet, we Highly Recommend
you do so, as you’ll not only pick up a nifty box that may become a collectors
item some day, but you’ll also get a great game that puts you in the director,
and actor’s chair in an exceptionally created Robotech: Battlecry.