Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)A lot of the negative buzz about this game comes from established fans of the Front Mission franchise - myself having played nearly all of them including the brilliant Front Mission 5: Scars of the War. Some people are angry that the game is an action/TPS title, which is understandable to a degree, but two things to consider: 1) this is not the first action title or even TPS in the series (see: Gun Hazard, FM Alternative, FM Online) and 2) FM5 essentially 'ended' the series and wrapped up all plot points with a nice bow, so Square really was free to start anew with this game.
So with that out of the way, taking the game on its own merits, it's fantastic. Part of me wants to give it 4 stars, because it is not a perfect game, yet it has a hard-to-define appeal and substance that brings me back for more.
Take the plot, for example. While not even close to the mature, dramatic storytelling in Front Mission 5, Evolved has it's own panache and flair. To put it bluntly, it's kind of a B-grade mecha war story, copied poorly from an 80's mecha anime with a little Western touch. The plot is corny and sappy, but in an endearing and honest way, and though that may turn off long-time FM fans at first, it really is a fun story if you just shrug your shoulders and jump in.
Music is top notch, with a live orchestral recording by the man who composed Bioshock 1 & 2, Garry Schyman. In an interview, Mr. Schyman mentioned he wrote "Dylan's Theme" in a way that could be arranged for use in many situations, from sad and longing to heroic and furious. The soundtrack is indeed very focused and the main theme is used as an effective tool. Aside from the obnoxious Transformers-esque vocalizations, sound effects are brilliant. Guns are clanky and loud and it feels great. Voice acting is a mixed bag as expected, and I can safely say that Hydrogen Whiskey, the company that handled the voice work, messed up somewhere in administering the lines to the voice actors. The problem isn't so much that the voice actors are bad, per se, but the way they read certain lines, you can tell they likely read them out of order and without any context, because the cadence of their voice just doesn't make sense with what's going on. Hamilton is the worst offender by far - there is one instance where not only does he mispronounce a word (most likely from bad script editing rather than any fault of the actor), but this misspoken word changes the entire flow and meaning of the sentence it's in. When you have the subtitles on, this because apparent with his lines quite often and is rather sad, seeing as the actual subtitles make sense. On the other hand, the main character Dylan's voice acting is the best of the bunch and mostly well-done.
Graphically, the game uses distinct color pallets for the different acts of the game, which artistically gave it some flair. My favorite is definitely New York, which is given a very dusty, polluted, overcrowded grayish brown cast. I know that sounds awful, but it works with the setting, immersing the player into this sudden war breaking out in the city. On the PC, performance is very good, keeping a smooth 60 FPS most of the game. Textures on people's clothing could have used some work, but otherwise the game is very functional in its look, with lots of great details to those who pay attention, including some fantastic Front Mission series references on posters in New York, or little touches like "This is not a drill" scrolling by on infoboards when attacking a base. There is more to the graphics than one glance can uncover.
The meat of the game is the gameplay, and oh, how it sings. Gunplay is fun and fast with an arcadey flavor. Skating - an FM staple - is great, especially with the Agility backpack. It makes for stylish showdowns and some great chase scenes. Customization - another Front Mission hallmark - is here, with many of the mechs and weapons present since the original game being available once more. It's very fun to actually be in direct control of these iconic weapons and wanzers - what a change of pace. And while the scenario is solid, the gameplay itself shines even brighter in Multiplayer. While the included modes are rather basic, the 8 player matches are fun and require some real-time tactical thinking (hey, tactics are in the game after all!)
DRM-wise, like most Square-Enix titles, Steamworks is required. Though I hate the fact that Steam essentially means you can never sell off your game, it is otherwise one of the more humane DRM schemes being used (and honestly, I don't plan to sell the game anyway.) Certainly not the worst - hey, Ubisoft - Steam does have its ups and downs.
This game will likely get a lot of negative backlash from certain series fans, not to mention the usual internet hatred/ignorance of titles like this. But if you have a soft spot for mecha anime, a goofy but endearing plot, and a tight, solid gameplay offering, this is well worth a purchase.
I have had a lot of fun with it, and isn't that all some games need to be?
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Front Mission EvolvedIn the future, the world is a changed place. Technology has advanced. Countries have merged into massive geopolitical blocks. But one thing, sadly, remains the same: Humanity's appetite for war. When a terrorist attack destroys one of the USN's prized orbital elevators, the military is mobilized to eliminate the threat. Dylan Ramsey, a young engineer, finds himself quickly caught in a swirl of destruction, conspiracies and crumbling alliances. Experience his story in this high-octane third-person shooter. Choose from dozens of weapons and wanzer parts to customize your unit, and blast your way to victory. When you think you're ready for a new challenge, join the ranks of online pilots for intense multiplayer battles!
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