I recently had
the chance to play a demo of Enixs big robot brawler Robot Alchemic
Drive. Although it is due to be released in a just a few weeks, I just
had to start spreading the word: RAD is a unique and intriguing game
that proves there is still life in the mech genre.
Yeah, I know,
the mech genre was never really dead, and this falls slew of big robot
games is proof of the vitality of the genre. But even hardcore fans have
to admit that it has gotten a bit stale. RAD turns the genre on its ear
by taking your point of view out of the robot and placing it firmly on
the ground. You have full control of your chosen human character in the
3D environment which, as is the fashion, is being destroyed by a giant
killer robot or alien from another dimension. You must guide your
character through the mayhem to a rendezvous point where you will be
given the controls to your mech. Then you must find a vantage point
somewhere near the battle where, hopefully, your line of site will
remain unobstructed. Press select at any time to take control of your
robot, and again to switch back to your human character.
This point
of view is brilliant. My primary complaint with all giant robot games is
that it never feels like you are controlling a giant robot. The scale
always seems to be muted, or simply relative to the other robot you are
fighting. There is never that sense of grandeur that seems to me would
be the point. But by placing you on the ground as two hulking
monstrosities hurl each other through buildings, the devastation becomes
overwhelmingbridges are falling, power lines are down, people are dead
in the streets, and there is a very real possibility that you may be
next. You better choose a safe place to stand, and even then be ready to
run, because if the battle moves too close its possible that the next
big hit will send one of the enormous robots crashing down on top of
you. There is nothing more humiliating than being squished by your own
fallen mech.
The game has
one more twist, howeverthe control set-up. Both strange and perfect,
the controls act more like a remote control device than your typical
video game. The shoulder buttons control your legs so that you step
forward with your right leg by pressing R1, left with L1. To walk you
must alternate pressing the two buttonsright, left, right, left. R2 and
L2 step backward. R1+R2 turns right, L1+L2 turns left. You move your
arms with the right and left analogue sticks. Tipping the right analogue
stick forward results in a right jab. If you rotate the left stick 90
degrees, you get a left hook. Then you can move your torso with the
directional buttonsup to arch your back, down to bend over, right and
left to pivot at the waist. The button pad fires projectile weapons like
lasers and bombs, and, if applicable, transforms your robot into a
vehicle.
Thats
right, some of the robots can transform. There are three robots to
choose from in the demo. One is light and fast and transforms into a
jet. Another is bulky and slow and transforms into a tank. The last one
falls right into the middle and doesnt transform, although it does have
that cool Shogun Warriors move where it shoots its hand like a
big, blunt missile. Or was that Voltron who did that? The enemies
in the demo were a big lizard, a sleek battle robot, and a massive
juggernaut.
The graphics
are great, even at the early stage presented in the demo. Everything in
the environments is destructibleif it stands you can knock it down.
There is a 2-player split screen multiplayer. And, as if all of this
werent enough, the character designs are by none other than Toshihiro
Kawamoto, of Cowboy Bebop fame.
The game
isnt perfectI can already tell that the story line running between
battles is tedious at best, and the one female human character is of the
annoying giggle-box anime variety rather than the kick-ass heroine
kindbut this game is a one of a kind experience. I was truly wowed by
the scale and intensity of the battles. Mech lovers, put this one on
your must play list, it is guaranteed to be an interesting ride.