Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam explained

Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam
Developer:Capcom
Publisher:Bandai
Producer:Jun Takeuchi
Hideki Miyake
Ken Matsumoto
Artist:Ojh
Ryuji Higurashi
Sho Sakai
Programmer:Manabu Kawase
Makoto Kadono
Kazushi Sano
Composer:Takeo Wantanabe
Yuji Matsuyamu
Shigeaki Saegusa
Genre:Third-person shooter
Modes:Single-player, multiplayer
Platforms:PlayStation 2, GameCube

is a third-person shooter published in 2004 for PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It takes place seven years after the One Year War Gundam storyline. The game includes 31 mobile suits[1] which can be played in five different modes: Arcade, Versus, Universal Century, Survival, and Training.[2]

Plot

The game takes place within the continuity of Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. Although the overall environment that the arcade mode is placed in is set seven years after the one-year war that took place during the first major entry.[3] In the game, the player can play through several game modes that will allow access to unlock characters, weapons, artwork and more. It is even possible to unlock Gundam suits from Gundam SEED (despite the fact Mobile Suit Gundam SEED does not take place in the universal century continuity).[4]

Gameplay

Arcade Mode

This allows players to choose between either the team up of the E.F.S.F and A.E.U.G, or the Titans and Zeons. Once done, the player will have the option to choose their own difficulty within the mode. The player must choose both a ground unit and a space unit for combat. They may also choose which weapons they want to customize for their characters. The player will then be put through a gauntlet of matches against computer control in which they have to fight. This mode is also two player, which can either be used to co-op or play against each other.[5]

Versus

Versus mode is quite similar to the one on one option on arcade mode, except that there is only one match rather than a gauntlet of matches.

Survival Mode

Survival Mode allows player to battle an endless gauntlet of CPU players. Unlike in the arcade mode, the player will not recover health from matches. The player continues to fight until they have been defeated.

Training

This is the standard training mode for players that want to learn and experience the controls and gameplay as well as experiment with suit and weapon combinations without consequence.

Universal Century Mode

The Universal Century mode is at its core the campaign mode of the game. This allows the player to pick between three forces, The A.E.U.G, The Titans, and The Axis. Each team is its own storyline that the player can play through. They all take place within the One Year War timeline that the First three Mobile Suit Gundam series revolve around.

Playable characters

Pilots
Character Team
Amuro Ray (0079) Earth Federation
Hayato Kobayashi Earth Federation
Kai Shiden Earth Federation
Ryu Jose Earth Federation
Sayla Mass Earth Federation
Sleggar Law Earth Federation
Jerid Messa Titans
Paptimus Scirocco Titans
Mouar Pharaoh Titans
Four Murasame Titans
Rosamia Badam Titans
Kacricon Cacooler Titans
Yazan Gable Titans
Lila Milla Rira Titans
Dunkel Cooper Titans
Ramsus Hasa Titans
Gates Capa Titans
Sarah Zabiarov Titans
Reccoa Londe Titans
Emma Sheen Titans
Buran Blutarch Titans
Kamille Bidan Anti-Earth Union Group
Quattro Bajeena Anti-Earth Union Group
Apolly Bay Anti-Earth Union Group
Roberto Anti-Earth Union Group
Emma Sheen Anti-Earth Union Group
Katz Kobayashi Anti-Earth Union Group
Amuro Ray Anti-Earth Union Group
Fa Yuiry Anti-Earth Union Group
Rebeccoa Londe Anti-Earth Union Group
Judau Ashta Anti-Earth Union Group
Elpeo Pie Anti-Earth Union Group
Char Aznable Principality of Zeon
Lalah Sune Principality of Zeon
Haman Karn Principality of Zeon
Garma Zabi Principality of Zeon
Dozie Zabi Principality of Zeon
Black Tri-Stars Principality of Zeon
M’Quve Principality of Zeon
Ramba Ral Principality of Zeon
Ple Two Principality of Zeon
Apolly Bay Principality of Zeon
Roberto (0079) Principality of Zeon

Development

The time of the production's start date is unknown. It is possible it could have been close to a year in between the release of its arcade counterpart, which would have been 2004. Although there is no official ties to the game, nor its developers. The possible prequel to this game in terms of story and setting is Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon as the campaign mode takes place closer to the storyline of the first Mobile Suit Gundam entry. It is also likely that the game was developed on the third generation of the unreal engine given Bandai history with that system[6] and the time period it was released.[7]

The GameCube version was only released in Japan.

Reception

The PlayStation 2 version received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, however, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40 for the PS2 version, and 32 out of 40 for the GameCube version.

The game was praised for the number of available playable mobile suits and the number of different modes of play. However, it was criticized for the bland background, poor controls, low frame rates and a nonadjustable camera angle.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Surette . Tim . January 21, 2005 . New Gundam title mobilizing to PS2 . . . September 26, 2021 . September 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210926224655/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-gundam-title-mobilizing-to-ps2/1100-6116911/ . live .
  2. Web site: Mueller . Greg . July 12, 2005 . Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam Review . GameSpot . CBS Interactive . September 26, 2021 . September 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210926224657/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mobile-suit-gundam-gundam-vs-zeta-gundam-review/1900-6128914/ . live .
  3. Web site: Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam Details and Credits for PlayStation 2 . Metacritic . CBS Interactive.
  4. Web site: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam Cheats . . . 2021-03-23 . 2017-05-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170515182251/http://www.gamesradar.com/gundam-vs-zeta-gundam/cheats/ . live .
  5. Web site: GamesIndustry International . May 20, 2005 . MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM™: GUNDAM VS. ZETA GUNDAM™ . GamesIndustry.biz . Gamer Network.
  6. Web site: Kayser . Daniel . May 5, 2020 . Unreal Engine Spotlight - BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment . . March 23, 2021 . April 17, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210417140143/https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/spotlights/unreal-engine-spotlight---bandai-namco-entertainment . live .
  7. [Unreal Engine]