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That underlying control style is frustrating bordering on insulting if you’ve had the pleasure of playing any other online game in the last five years or so. You’re given the choice between male and female operators and it’s probably not hard to guess which sex the game defaults to.ĭisappointingly, while clearly inspired by the more frantic pace of EXVS, Next still feels very old and very clunky. This choice, it should be noted, comes after you’re given the choice of selecting your player operator’s hair color because priorities. That wouldn’t be so bad – except your very first choice of Mobile Suits is between a Zaku II and whatever the hell the equivalent of a Zaku II was in Gundam SEED, and who actually wants to play as something from Gundam SEED? If you’re a Universal Century snob like myself, you’ll also be disappointed by the fact that Next eschews the One Year War timeframe of its predecessor and incorporates Mobile Suits from a variety of Gundam series. The game does allow you to aim manually, but doing so drains the same boost gauge that limits your boosting and jumping, so it’s clear the designers didn’t want you manually aiming too much. Next still feels very reminiscent of its PS2-era roots, with a lock-on system that feels just as out of place and restrictive as it did last time. The thing is, Next seems to borrow EXVS’s flash and style, but doesn’t bother drawing from the solid gameplay underneath. That’s not a bad thing, mind, because the VS series has been arguably the best Gundam game series of the past decade and has supported online play in both arcade and home versions. Everything from the menu design, to the mix of inter-universe mix of Mobile Suits, to the more arcade-y gameplay, seems inspired by that series. Immediately upon booting up Battle Operation Next, it becomes apparent where the designers drew their inspiration from this time: Gundam Extreme VS ( EXVS). So how does Battle Operation Next fare? Well, not great. The idea of shoe-horning outdated single-player mechanics into a modern online game just didn’t work, although it was a tantalizing taste of how good an online Gundam game could be If anything, the series needed to draw further inspiration from Operation Troy and look towards Western-developed online shooters, like Battlefield, for some new ideas to inject into the Gundam franchise games. Ultimately, it was an entertaining enough diversion that left you thankful you didn’t have to spend 7,000 yen to play it. While terrifying to run around underfoot of giant robots, it lent a sense of scale rarely seen in Gundam games. Interestingly, it borrowed the ability to exit your Mobile Suit and move around on foot from the cancelled Xbox 360 title, Gundam: Operation Troy. The basic control mechanics that failed to utilize the twin sticks, as seen in games like Gundam: Side Stories, felt thoroughly played-out by the end of the PS2 era and all the more dated by 2012. The original Battle Operation was an uneven mix of gameplay mechanics borrowed from PS2 and PS3 Gundam shooters, some new ideas from a cancelled Xbox 360 game, and the then-new free-to-play format. That game’s sequel, Battle Operation Next, recently had a limited beta event on PSN (both PS3 and PS4) and we played a few rounds. Released for the PS3 back in 2012, it drew inspiration from a number of earlier Gundam games and attempted to shoehorn some familiar (and unfamiliar) ideas into a free-to-play online game. In addition, you can freely interact with various war buddies on the road!Ĭurrently available on PS4 and PS5, Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2 is coming to PC ( Steam) on May 31, 2023.Gundam Battle Operation was, if nothing else, an interesting failure. Base Camp: An online lobby where you can connect with players from around the world! As a pilot, you can strengthen your MS and prepare for various battles in the base camp.Acquire & Customize MS: After a battle, use the DP you've earned to develop your MS, or use tokens to acquire more powerful MS through lottery rations! You can even customize and enhance your favorite MS!.Infantry Combat: The hero of the battlefield is not only the MS?! Get out of your MS to plant bombs in your opponent's base or call in support artillery to stir up the battlefield! Infantry combat is sometimes the key to victory on the battlefield!.6 online battles: You'll be able to play against other players from around the world in online team battles of up to 6 vs. Originally expected to come to PC in 2022, Bandai Namco Entertainment announced that Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2 is coming to PC ( Steam).
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