War of the worlds
Chaos reigns on Earth in Mobile Suit Gundam Operation: Troy, a new first-person shooter game for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that is based on Gundam, the long-running Japanese anime series.
Created by Osaka-based developer Dimps Corp and published by Namco Bandai Games, Operation: Troy takes mechanised warfare to another level as players enter the intense battlefields of The One Year War - a conflict from the series' first season - when rebel space colonies launch a brutal war for independence with against the planet.
New war machines, called 'mobile suits', have been developed as the ultimate instruments of destruction. Called 'mecha', these agile, heavily armed and armoured humanoid-shaped giant machines have their control cockpits either in the abdomen, head or chest. They are optimised for a variety of short-range attacks, even allowing gamers to engage other mecha in hand-to-hand combat.
This game is different from others based on the series because players are thrown in to battle as ordinary soldiers, not as one of the main characters from Gundam, such as Amuro Ray or Char Aznable.
Gameplay is easy, even for novices. If you've played any of the Call of Duty or Halo games, then you'll be right at home with Operation: Troy. One joystick controls movement and direction while another handles aim and view. There are buttons for reloading ammunition, changing weapons and standing up and crouching down. Players can also customise their mobile suits.
Unlike Gundam-based games for Sony's hand-held PlayStation Portable system, there is no enemy lock-on function in Operation: Troy, which makes close-quarter combat difficult. The real fun starts when you're on the multiplayer online mode, which allows up to 10 players to battle it out to be the last mecha standing. Thanks to the Xbox 360's high-definition video resolution, the mobile suits, vehicles and environments are nicely detailed - down to the rust and damage from combat. The game's audio is top-notch. If you have a decent sound system installed at home, the gunfire and explosions will rattle your windowpanes.
Operation: Troy's major let-down is that most of the settings emerge without any visible damage incurred from the fierce battles between mechas.
Pros: Mobile suit warfare allows for intense fighting.
Cons: Battle zones appear undamaged by the carnage.
