Robotech: Invasion (PS2)

Robotech is the ledgend or anime seris, however my main concern is as usual, can the game live up to the anime. Most anime games fall hard and quickly into the dissconut pile which their is no return. At this time the game is just good graphics, but what about the gameplay.
Vicious Cycle did a good job re-creating the feel of the Robotech animated series in Robotech: Battlecry. Taking place during the first saga, Battlecry let you pilot the wondrous transformable Veritech vehicle in a cool, cel-shaded action game. Its follow-up, Invasion, takes place during the third Robotech saga and is a very different game from its predecessor. Instead of aerial action in cel-shaded environments, the skirmishes in Invasion take place on the ground and are similar to what you'd find in a first-person action title. The visuals eschew cel-shading for a more traditional look. Despite the drastic changes, Invasion looks like it will outdo Battlecry on all fronts.

As I mentioned earlier, Invasion occurs during the third Robotech saga: The New Generation. The game takes place on an Earth that's being invaded by aliens called the Invid that behave much like locusts. Invid go from planet to planet, sucking natural resources to make a fuel called protoculture. By 2038, Earth is dominated by the Invid, but the Robotech Expeditionary Force (R.E.F.) is on its way to reclaim the planet. There's also a comic book by the same name that's published by DC Comics' Wildstorm label (be sure to check out the covers by Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame). Though the comic centers on The New Generation's Lancer, the game lets you control a pair of different characters.

You start off as a character named Locke that wakes up in a hospital surrounded by R.E.F. soldiers. Shaking off whatever injury he had, Locke goes about doing the things that R.E.F. boys do: running, jumping, climbing trees, and blowing up Invid. He encounters another soldier named Tasha. She was part of an earlier mission to figure out how the Invid are able to plant moles in the R.E.F. (like Marlene from The New Generation was supposed to be). Halfway through the game you stop playing as Locke and play as Tasha in a flashback sequence the rest of the way. The various storylines are tied up and you're presented with a bunch of decision at the end. Depending on your choices, you'll get one of three endings. This is pure conjecture on my part, but I'm guessing Locke is actually an Invid and you can determine whether he'll side with the humans (like Sera) or be true to his race.

The main vehicle in Invasion is the Cyclone. This amazing machine transforms from a motorcycle to a wicked suit of body armor. Since the action is in the ground, it's very much like a first-person action game, though you can change views to third person or a pulled out third-person perspective. The game's display has a map with a compass and objective indicator. On the left are shield and health meters, while the right has ammo, clip/protoculture, and grenade information. The publisher claims that the game's environments will be large, so you'll need to use the motorcycle functionality of the Cyclone to reach you objectives in an expedient manner. The one caveat is that you'll have no shields when you're in motorcycle mode.

In terms of armaments, you'll have your trusty Gallant pistol, which can be upgraded to an attack rifle and a sniping rifle. There are also various protoculture weapons for you to discover and wield. Two vision modes help you take out the Invid. Night vision helps you spot your prey when it's dark outside, while thermal vision helps you see Invid in heavily forested areas. Thermal vision is also handy for spotting deadly mines before they blow you up.

I was shown a few portions of the game that had simple seek and destroy and protect missions. In addition to the traditional action, there are some RPG elements as well. There are several non-player characters you'll encounter. Many will give you vital information to help you figure out your next objective.

Visually, the game looks pretty cool. The Cyclones and various Invid are really awesome. The New Generation is my favorite Robotech series, so I totally marked out seeing all the different Invid. A quick glance at the dev menu also showed many of the same locations from the series, such as the Genesis Pit and Reflex Point; this led to even more marking out on my part. Longtime fans might be disappointed that Ulpio Minucci's score is not being used for the game, but video-game veterans will be pleased to learn that Jesper Kyd is composing the soundtrack. Kyd has done exemplary work on the Hitman series, Freedom Force, Messiah, and several other titles.

Both versions of the game will have online play as well. There will be eight-player deathmatch modes and a two-player cooperative mode. The specifics of how cooperative mode will tie into the story are still being sorted, but the publisher assured me that it will definitely be in the final product.

I was really pleased with what I saw in the early version of Robotech: Invasion. Even though it's quite different from its predecessor, it should definitely please Robotech fans. The traditional gameplay should help the developers avoid the annoying camera problems and tricky level design issues of Battlecry. In short, I'm fully expecting Invasion to be a superior product to Battlecry. And as a big fan of The New Generation, that's how I think it ought to be. This game from all looks seem to have the Nerv, But will it have the power to surive in the condole world. All will be revieled soon enough.