(This is a reprint of a review I wrote 9 years ago for a site that no longer exists and that I can't even remember the name of any more. Also note that this is a review of a Japan-only game.)
This game seizes me with such rapture that I must begin my review by babbling about it in Engrish.
Remote Control Dandy! Giant blue robo with rocket punch! he shoot fist and then return just like Tranzor Z! You play little boy who control robot. You run around in street and watch robot fight! You can go on top of building to watch robot fight! Very revolutionary! Giant blue robo have rocket upper that send bad robo spinning into air! Building get smash and destroy! Giant blue robo smash helicopters, big pain in ass! Giant blue robo pick up trucks and throw them! Later you get giant red robo too! Four robo in all! Red robo steam-powered, shoot missile! Giant robo walk through street to smash bad robo! Is awesome! Use money from missions upgrade robo! Too much Japanese text, but easy to figure out. Building open up, giant robo come out! Mountain open up, giant robo come out! Field open up, giant robo come out! Everyone, you must get!!
Okay, now that that's out of my system, here's the review:
Graphics: 9
Since the plot of the game is that you're piloting a giant robot via remote control, all the camera angles in the game are from the point of view of a little boy running around the streets and along the tops of buildings. This seems really annoying and disorienting at first, but you quickly get the hang of it and grow to love it. The only complaint I still have about this system is that you have to move the robo and yourself seperately, so you have to constantly switch back and forth between yourself and the robo. This is especially bothersome when you're in the middle of a fight and the enemy robot backs out of range, but it's kind of a necessary evil to keep with the theme and keep it challenging.
The scenery is perfect, and the robot models and animations are spot-on. It has the same sort of feel as watching one of the old giant robo animes, with the added effect of you being the one in control. The camera also adjusts automatically pretty well to focus on your robo most of the time, or frame both your robo and the enemy, or track your rocket punch as it flies through the air and loops back to you. And there is no greater thrill than watching an evil giant robo topple head-over-heels through the air from a rocket uppercut to land in the middle of a highrise building (although you have to pay for that building afterwards). The action is also intercut with very high quality animated discussions with your co-workers and other people around town, all of whom speak with unique and well-acted voices.
Music/FX: 7
The music is perfectly reminiscent of the animes and live-action shows this game was based on, with a nice heroic "charging into battle" feel pervading. The sound effects are also great with big bassy explosions and steps, and the wonderful groaning, Jaws-like sound of the rusty evil robots moving around. None of the music is particularly album-worthy, but that's good because in a game like this the music is supposed to set the scene, not stand out as a distraction.
Gameplay: 9
Again, the camera-work and switching back and forth between the boy and the robo is a little tricky, but overall it works out fine. There are tons of different special moves your robo can do (in addition to the ten basic punches), and there are a total of four different robos that become available as the game progresses (although only one is available at the start). You also get the option between missions to upgrade your robos with better armor, faster motors, and more special moves (like the Double Rocket Punch and the Tornado Fist), and you can upgrade yourself with better armor (for when you accidentally get stepped on) or jetpacks and guns (for getting over / rid of those pesky buildings in your way). There are also a multitude of various enemy robots ranging from simple soldier robots to robos with elastic arms and wrecking-ball fists, to a robo with a graviton gun and Saklim 2, who detonates an internal atomic bomb as its last line of defense. The missions are also more than just "seek and destroy"; in some missions you have to keep evil robos from destroying your school, in other missions you have to capture a truck full of terrorists alive, or put on a demonstration to raise money for a local market, or carry a stalled oil tanker to shore, and in another mission your robot has been cast in a movie and you have to follow the director's instructions.
Story: 9
This game has enough story to kill the gods, but unfortunately it's all in Japanese. All of the above missions have lots of plot elements surrounding them, from the girl at school who asks for your help with her dad's market to the anti-robot protesters who you have to perform good deeds (like getting a bus-load of people away from a burning building) to impress. All the characters also have unique personalities which are expressed very well and come out in your interactions with them, lending yet more depth to an already richly-detailed game.
Clueless American Playability: 6
Unfortunately, ALL the text in this game is in Japanese, and there's lots of it. It's stretched my limited knowledge of Japanese just to figure out how to buy upgrades for the robos and I've only finished several of the missions through lots of guesswork and trial-and-error. However, this is an awesome game, and if you know a little basic Japanese you might want to tackle it. Here are a few pointers:
-In between missions, the cute girl will sell you items for yourself. Items with the square button in the description are guns, and items with a circle in the description are jet-paks. The other items are armor and parachutes and things.
-The woman who is angry most of the time will invest money for you (I think) the first option checks your finances, the second option invests, and the third option withdraws (I could be completely wrong about this. I'm not sure).
-The scientist guy helps you with your robo. The first option lists your moves and special moves, the second option buys stuff. When you're buying stuff, the first option buys special moves, the second option buys armor, and the third option buys the "Mega Motor" which will increase your robo's speed.
-The butler (at least he looks like a butler) will save and load.
-When fighting Sakhlim 2 (you'll know when this happens) you have to just keep him busy until the time runs out. It's okay to shoot your machine gun at him or jab him to get his attention, but if you damage him very much at all he'll use his atomic attack and destroy the city. Once the time has run out he'll collapse and you'll complete the mission.
-When you're playing the "making a movie" mission, the director is telling you to jump from the upper cliff onto the target, not the lower cliff.
-When selecting your robo, the lower number is the robo's maintenance cost. I recommend using Gareth for the simple menial tasks like carrying things because he has the lowest maintenance cost.
Overall: 8
This is another must-have game for your Japanese Playstation collection. If you don't know Japanese yet, this game in itself is reason enough to learn. At first I abandoned this game for others that I got at the same time because it was slow-starting, but now that I've gotten into it I'm totally addicted and can't stop playing. Get it now, and teach yourself Japanese in the process of figuring it out!!