Zoids Assault

I've always had an obsession for mech based games. I just recently picked up an XBOX 360 and found this little gem in the discount bin at a local Wal-Mart. I dind't know what to expect when I found this game, but I thought for $10 I couldn't go wrong. I have to say that I am glad I decided to play this game before reading the reviews. To say the least this game got terrible reviews. I find tactics based games very enjoyable and this game was no exception. After the first level I was hooked. Although there are some limitations with this game that I wish had been expanded upon, the overall experience is pretty good. I like the battle cut scenes, it makes the levels more enjoyable than the typical single slash from a sword that we see in games like Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth, or even Final Fantasy Tactics. One of the features that makes this a little more challenging is the support character attack system. Instead of the typical I shoot you then you shoot me style of war games, the battle sequences are based on weapon range and character locations. This tends to make you think twice before emptying a clip into your opponent.

One thing that is a little aggravating about this game though is the randomness of the AI. I like the fact that I can't read the opponents every move, but sometimes it makes clearing missions a headache. I also like the fact that I do get killed in some levels and have to replay them. Let's be realistic here, if we beat every level without any losses, is the game really worth the money we paid. Its not as though I suck at games because I die every so often, but this factor is needed in order to improve the overall quality of the gameplay. The achievement points for the 360 are nothing to brag about. Basically just get through a certain percent of the game and they flood you with points. There are also only 8 achievements, so the weighting point wise for each is high.

I don't think I would go so far as to pay more than $20 for this game. As much as I love to collect anime based games, the gameplay is not good enough to pull this title out of the discount bin; at least for me. I do recommend picking this title up if you can find it for a cheap price. If you are a fan of Zoids, or mech based strategy in general, then you should find some fun in this title. One thing I did learn from this game though was that reviews are often deceiving and not the greatest representation of a games quality. I also think that some of the next gen games we have spoil us and cause us to be a little too critical many of the lesser known games available to us.