andrew_rage's Full Review: Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise from the Ashes for Dr...
graphics: the mobile suits, the buildings, the textures... all look really good. the colors used are appropriate and add something. the scaling of environment to mobile suits is done very well. there was no glitchiness in the graphics, they did look very clean, but they are not the best results the dreamcast is capable of, nonetheless very good. the cockpit in the mobile suit is detailed well with different displays and lights. an all-around polished feel with graphics.
sound: sound in this is probably one of the best done jobs on dreamcast. everything is timed well, the weapons and jumping sounds are awesome, and radio communication with your squad adds to the whole experience with realism. the voice acting, for a video game, is superb. lip-sync is seamless.
gameplay: this is the only area that seems to throw a road block up infront of an almost perfect game. the controls are very difficult to get used to and fully utilize. you can't just jump in and do well at this game, you have to know what each button does and develope skills with the layout. if you sit down and just figure them out as you go, it should take maybe 20 minutes before you can actually hold your own in the game and do well. to be a really good player it could take about an hour or more. if you're an experienced mech-game player it may take significantly less than the time quoted for the general gamer. aside from knowing the controls, the game runs very well, the controls are responsive, animation has no slip-ups, and the menus are relatively easy to navigate. the command center area with your in-game e-mail, mission briefings, garage(where you can update your mobile suit, talk with mechanic) is kind of neat. so aside from slightly difficult to learn controls, this area is more than adequate.
overall appeal: the story is very futuristic yet not over the top in comparison to some that are out there. the graphics and the sounds are top notch. the controls take some effort to learn, but then again, wouldn't piloting a real mobile suit take some work to learn as well?! once you get used to the controls they won't be difficult at all. the openning FMV is really entertaining, as well are the ingame cinematic sequences. the game isn't all that long of an experience but it is just a type high-tech robot battle anyway, that is enough to warrent replay. this game feels very finished. and the whole fact that you are with others from your army(and you can communicate) creates more realism than the many games that pit one guy against everybody else, which is obviously fake(unlike the whole idea of mobile suits in the first place...)
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