“Gundam Evolution is a hero shooter that offers Gundam followers and new gamers a full product regardless of being free-to-play, although it isn’t with out excessive merchandise costs and tech quirks.”
Professionals
- Distinctive gameplay
- Nice fan service
- Appears like an entire product
- Giant character roster
Cons
- Lack of stage selection
- Expensive microtransactions
- Hitbox points
It’s wild to suppose there would ever be a world the place a sport primarily based on the Gundam franchise is seen as a real competitor to the hero shooter throne that Overwatch sat on because it launched in 2016. The sequence is a juggernaut with regards to anime and mannequin kits, nevertheless it has by no means delved into the mainstream gaming scene past just a few Dynasty Warriors titles. Nevertheless, this yr noticed the discharge of Gundam Evolution, a Gundam sport that seemed to enchantment to extra than simply followers — one thing it actually achieves. It’s a bit of fine timing, as the discharge is already overshadowing among the upcoming Overwatch 2‘s missteps. However that’s to not say Gundam doesn’t include just a few errors of its personal.
Gundam Evolution delivers precisely what its title implies. It’s an evolution, not only for the Gundam franchise, however for the crew hero shooter style itself. The choices and distinctive taste it presents aren’t restricted to only placing gamers in mechs (referred to as models and cell fits within the Gundam world) and throwing them right into a sport of Overwatch. It goes above and past to make the expertise genuinely enchantment to extra than simply Gundam followers. That doesn’t imply it utterly ignores the elements offered by Overwatch, nevertheless it places its personal spices within the stew on high of these
These mechs aren’t only for present
Gundam Evolution might seem like a primary Overwatch clone with mechs, however there’s far more to it than that. The shooter has its personal distinctive taste that neatly matches the hero shooter style into the Gundam framework to invent one thing that capabilities as greater than anime fan service. In fact, there are clear similarities to Overwatch, with all of the fundamentals of the sport and even straight-up move-set copies of a few of its characters showing right here. Like Overwatch and the remainder of the hero shooter style, Gundam Evolution offers gamers entry to totally different heroes referred to as cell go well with models. Every of those 17 models has its personal particular skills and, within the case of Gundam Evolution, secondary jobs.
I say secondary job as a result of Gundam Evolution was created with a key gameplay philosophy: Each hero can combat. Once I used Methuss, I discovered that the unit may do far more than heal. This cell go well with has spectacular mobility (one capacity lets it briefly rework right into a flying ship), packs very good firepower with correct intention, and is superb at reviving at a distance with its therapeutic capacity. Every unit has that stage of versatility, making extra characters really feel like viable choices at current.
There’s even a Splatoon-like facet to the gunplay due to jet boosters, which permit models to sprint ahead and hover. Whereas it’s important to get kills to additional safe a match goal, a part of the stress comes from gamers’ capacity to fly into a degree with a well-placed enhance, land just a few key photographs, and safely zip out. The sprint isn’t infinite, so gamers have to control their meters to make sure they’re utilizing the software on the most opportune second, similar to skills.
These modifications to the hero shooter formulation play a key function in making a match really feel as fluid as attainable …
In such a high-octane sport, these modifications to the hero shooter formulation play a key function in making a match really feel as fluid as attainable, whereas opening the door for a great deal of technique. As an example, in loads of video games utilizing Methuss, I’d run in to heal an ally. Proper after that, I may get some photographs in and shield them whereas they ran to security after which use my ship capacity to flee myself. These choices aren’t extensively out there in different video games of the style that’s what units Gundam Evolution aside.
This individuality doesn’t make the sport excellent although. The pace and motion tacked on high of its “jank” could make for a irritating entry section for first-time gamers and even fast learners. Throughout my first days of enjoying, I bumped into cases of wonky hitboxes and bizarre buffers on totally different strikes and dashes at instances. One fixed problem I’ve hit just isn’t with the ability to inform when assaults hit correctly. It’s a type of video games the place when you can work previous or be taught to work with the problems you’ll discover tons of enjoyment, nevertheless it’s positively not for everybody resulting from these points.
The phases may use some work
One space the place it’s clear that Gundam may use a little bit of upgrading is the stage selection. I don’t totally fault the crew for the present stage choice, which options some repetitive design. Gundam is a sequence the place tons of battles happen on desert-like planets, darkish house stations, and machinery-filled bases. However once I have a look at each the locales within the Gundam anime sequence and numerous phases in different hero shooters, it seems like there’s nonetheless house for the dwell service sport to increase in later updates.
It’s laborious to navigate once I’m staring on the identical metallic and metal textures round each nook.
There are Gundam sequence that take the fights to cities, water-based areas, and past, however Evolution lacks that very same biome-trotting really feel. Whereas enjoying the preliminary betas, I discovered myself getting misplaced irrespective of what number of instances I performed by way of sure battlefields, as so many pathways and lanes seemed just like each other. It’s laborious to navigate once I’m staring on the identical metallic and metal textures round each nook.
That’s to not say these phases are poorly designed. Every has nice choke factors and merchandise placements, which helped me construct an eventual psychological map of phases. Sooner relatively than later, I felt proper at residence. The sport’s three totally different modes: Level Seize, Domination, and Destruction, can change the texture of maps, including some further twists to the combination.
In Level Seize, one crew captures two totally different set goal factors whereas the opposite defends. Domination sees each groups consistently traversing your entire map whereas trying to seize a number of factors. Lastly, in Destruction, one crew makes an attempt to arm an explosive and shield it till it goes off whereas the opposite does the other. Every mode makes use of the maps otherwise sufficient to make them really feel new. Nevertheless, the 6v6 participant depend in every mode (that’s the next participant depend than Overwatch and its sequel) might hit gamers otherwise. For some, this bigger unfold might find yourself feeling a bit unbalanced for the goals and the maps they’re performed on.
Since it is a sport that’ll doubtless be supported for some time, it’s totally attainable that Bandai Namco may herald some variation in new seasons. Till then, I’ll be praying I’ll have the ability to fly the blue skies hanging over a metropolis as an alternative of getting misplaced on a non-distinct house base.
It’s free-to-play, however…
I used to be shocked once I noticed the variety of models out there without cost once I began up the complete model of Gundam Evolution. As quickly as you open the sport, you have got entry to all 12 of the models that have been out there within the sport’s beta freed from cost. This broad number of cell fits permits tons of experimentation and grants entry to an entire expertise with out forcing gamers to drop a cent.
It received’t empty your pockets or beg you to spend your total life enjoying to get a superb day out of it, however the premiums might be a straightforward turnoff …
There are 5 further models that gamers can unlock both with an in-game unlockable forex referred to as Capital or by way of precise cash, which might be traded for EVO cash. The unlockable forex is attained by finishing challenges and leveling as much as fill out the free battle move tiers. There are additionally paid battle move tiers that reward gamers with the forex granted by paying precise cash.
Whereas the free-to-play roster has sufficient variation to ship a full expertise, these wanting the additional bells and whistles of the extra 5 models and skins must pay some further. For instance, these trying to play utterly free and unlock everybody else by way of the free battle move will solely accumulate sufficient unpaid forex to get one character to unlock per season.
The precise financial purchases aren’t any joke both. Every premium character comes at a value of $10, which means it’s $50 for the set. The skins add on an additional premium as effectively. A pack of 4 easy reskins got here at $80 (and what’s worse is that they aren’t precisely the prettiest cosmetics). There’s at the least solace in the truth that these skins and further characters aren’t wanted to benefit from the sport. One can simply soar in, ignore all this, and play the sport with out paying a penny. However if you wish to play the complete sport, both be prepared for a gradual and regular grind or pay up.
Gundam Evolution brings sufficient distinctive twists to make it a real contender within the crew hero shooter style. The sport switches issues up sufficient that I’m assured it may entice gamers utterly illiterate in Gundam sequence. For followers, although, it brings a wealth of thrilling references to dig into like particular VIP outros. It received’t empty your pockets or beg you to spend your total life enjoying to get a superb day out of it, however the premiums might be a straightforward turnoff for those who need a wider expertise. The jank of the sport may flip away potential suitors. However due to the promise of future updates and being free-to-play, Gundam Evolution may need the excessive floor in its battle towards Overwatch 2.
Gundam Evolution was reviewed on PC.
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