PlayStation 2

Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam

Even with all the unchanged flaws, Mobile Suit Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam is still the best Gundam game to ever come out, and is highly recommended to fans of the series.

While Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam can be a quite enjoyable game to play in short bursts, it really cannot be played for hours on end because of the repetitiveness of its mission structure. Although, if you like the anime series or the other Mobile Suit Gundam games, this game will definitely be right up your alley. If you’re not in the Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam anime crowd, unfortunately it may not garner the interest needed to really enjoy the game.

Rent first, space-case. Sure it's flashy, but this chilly, oh-so Japanese game, like your 1996 Honda, takes a long time to warm up.

The elements of a fun and hugely successful game are here, Bandai and Capcom. You've just got to want to put some cash and effort into making it something more than a retread.

When you get down to it, Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam is simple, frenetic button mashing delivered in two-minute bursts. There's some skill involved in evading enemies and rationing your ammo, but this is really just a basic arcade action game at its core. The multiplayer modes are great, but the unsteady frame rate quickly kills the fun. Gundam fans will enjoy unlocking all the mobile suits and playing through the universal century timeline from multiple perspectives, but everyone else will probably be left wondering what all the fuss is about.

In conclusion, it's fair to say that Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam is obviously aimed at the more hardcore Gundam demographic, and most likely won't broaden the series' fan base. The impressive amount of unlockable mobile suits probably won't be sufficient to satisfy most regular players, and the main game mode can lapse into the realms of boredom rather swiftly. It's advisable to rent this game before you opt for purchase, although it may still prove a fair addition to your collection for those moments when you crave quick piece of action with or without another player.

Sadly, Mobile Suit: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam delivers a lackluster game unfitting of the much-loved series. BanDai has produced better games for this series before but this one just does not rise above its controller problems or its uninteresting story involving a conflict that should have been more epic than perplexing. In the end, the game will only disappoint fans of this series. If you’re a true fan of all things Gundam, then by all means do yourself the favor of renting before considering a purchase. Everyone else could just skip this one.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam has all the right ingredients for a stellar title. It has a rich history to draw from, killer robots with swords and big guns and a huge list of selectable Mobile Suits to choose from, but somewhere along the way something went wrong, it’s like the recipe got lost and they tried to recreate it from memory and it didn’t come out right. A lot of things went wrong here that if corrected would make this a great game, but since it is what it is, it’s just mediocre at best and should be left to only the most ardent Gundam fans.

For the life of me, I can't understand why Bandai hasn't done something significant with this franchise. Instead of the continual stream of extremely limited games it has pumped out bearing the Gundam monkier, the company needs to invest in more fully using the license. In short, it needs to make a real game - one with an intriguing story, gameplay depth, and top-notch assets.

Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam should make fans of the series content, but with outdated graphics, frustrating controls and a confusing storyline, most gamers should leave this title on the shelves. If you want your mech needs met, turn towards the earlier mentioned Armored Core series, or if you have a PC, the infamous Mechwarrior. These latter games are much more solid than this anime title.

As a business move, it's hard to fault Bandai for prioritizing the inclusion of bobbles and trinkets that will distract and amuse the anime fans in the audience over a radical reworking of this creaky fighting game engine. Of course, given their partner in crime, Capcom, it was probably a fait accompli. Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam has more mechs than you can shake a beam saber at, but it's also a bit rusty and tiresome in this age of extremely competent fighters. The accessibility gives it decent chops as a party game, and the unlockables give it fanboy cachet, but it's simply time for Capcom and Bandai to rethink this enterprise. Speaking of which, they've already announced an arcade version based on Gundam SEED, the latest TV hit in the franchise. We'll see how that one turns out. Our guess: the same as ever.

Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam is not a horrible game, but it's designed for an incredibly niche audience, and its gameplay and graphics are so out of date that there's no compelling reason for anyone else to give it a shot. If the story mode was deeper and gave some background as to just what is going on, then perhaps it would be worth a look; but that didn't happen. If you're a fan of the series, Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam gives you just what you want. Everyone else should stay away.

Myself, I can't tell a Gundam from Go-Bot, but I doubt that even the more ardent fan of Mobile Suit Gundam would be able to extract even a drop of enjoyment from this dried up, withered husk of a game. Gundam v. Zeta Gundam is essentially a Zone of the Enders rip-off, although one that lacks any of the actual fun of that series, replacing thrills with painfully dull gameplay, wonky controls, insanely repetitive battles and a crappy camera. Put it this way: Unless you have a Gundam tattoo, avoid this product like a White Castle hamburger that's been left out in the sun for three days.

It’s a shame that a series with such a rich history wasn’t given the attention it deserves. The more tightly focused Gundam Side Story: Rise From the Ashes on the Dreamcast was a much less ambitious title in terms of covering the universe, but managed to provide an exhilarating experience that more adequately conveyed the feeling that you were actually piloting giant robots and destroying skyscrapers with missed blows. Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs Zeta Gundam is a lightweight in this regard, and even though its quick-capped battles provide a glimpse of potential - Virtual On already exists, so they might as well have taken the formula and refined it - its shortcomings will nonetheless most likely be overlooked by fans bowled over by the sheer amount of stuff for them to check out.

Expect slowdown when there are more than a couple of robots onscreen. You can also look forward to sparse environments which for the most part are non-interactive. The voiceover work and the soundtrack are also under-whelming. If there was an award for missed potential than Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam would certainly be up for game of the year.

More time is spent fighting with the controls than against the enemies in this confusing pile of robots bashing each other to pieces. Since pretty much every aspect of this titles disappoints in a few different ways, the saving grace is just one word: robots. This game truly has a lot of robots. And they smash each other. Smash, smash, smash. Smashity, smash, bam, boom, kapow. That about sums it up so save your cash.