Gundam Seed: Battle Assault

Fans of Japanese culture and animes, in general, will quickly recognize the inspirations behind this fighting game. With over forty years of legacy and content, the Gundam anime series was responsible for popularizing the mecha fighting genre. In Gundam Seed: Battle Assault, they draw inspiration and put players in the shoes of the characters from Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, in a purposeful way this game was released originally on the mobile platform Gameboy advanced at the time.

Brawling Robots

Gundam Seed: Battle Assault, is one-hundred percent a fighting game. Giant robots fighting through the streets is still a very interesting concept, one which I find extremely fun, but it is clear that those that understand and watch the anime will have a better time. There’s very little guidance or ambiance whatsoever in regards to story-telling, for those unfamiliar with the series it becomes hard to piece together why people are fighting even in the story mode, being up-to-date with the anime will ensure that fans get more enjoyment of this game.

The game has twelve playable characters, eight of them are from the main roster and the remaining four are unlockable by specific actions. The roster is fairly big for a game developed toward mobile gaming, nonetheless, combat mechanics feel underwhelming at best. This means there isn’t a lot to uncover, and even its more unique mechanics can be overlooked for the most part.

Battle Assault

Gundam’s fighting relies on projectiles, jumping, blocking, kicking, and punching similar to every fighting game ever designed. Where it tries to differentiate itself is by allowing players to change stances during combat, between Berserk Mode, and Thruster Mode. Simply put the first one exchanges armor for damage, and allows you to use your “Ultimate Attack”. The second one provides greater mobility and sends you flying skywards.

For all its attempts at creativity, what we ultimately get is a game that is easy to play, and doesn’t require mastery of all the mechanics to be played. This characteristic probably won’t provide avid fighting game players to extract much value from the game, but fans of the anime that go in without unreasonable expectations can find an easy-to-play game that furthers provides more lore on the anime, even if it is in a non-canon way.

Verdict

In the end, Gundam Seed: Battle Assault, will attract casual fighting players, the fans of the anime, or the fans of mecha robots. The fact that mechanics that could be seen as complex aren’t extremely essential to master, to have fun playing the game, makes it an approachable game for most gamers. This isn’t a classic by any standards, but it certainly has its place among its niche.

Pros:

• Easy to Execute
• Soundtrack
• Creative Mechanics
• Artwork

Cons:

• Mechanics Can Be Overlooked
• Very Short Story-Mode (30 min average)
• Generic Fighting Game
• Story Doesn’t Welcome Newcomers