Gundam Evolution began its closed network test on Thursday, April 7th, allowing selected players to jump in and try the hero shooter out. I spent plenty of time learning the ropes and blazing through matches, so here are my thoughts. Many of the pros and cons listed here may be fixed or otherwise changed before launch, so keep that in mind.
The World Needs Heroe-… um, Mobile Suits
Gundam Evolution is a 6-vs-6 hero shooter, in the same style as Overwatch. Actually, it’s pretty much identical to Overwatch, from the UI to the game’s feel, and Gundam Evolution wears that inspiration proudly on its sleeve. Several gameplay mechanics and even character aspects are lifted directly from Overwatch to the point that some characters play nearly identical. Want to play as Genji? Pick Exia. Just trust me. More of a Roadhog person? Marasai is for you, complete with a grappling hook, but no self-heal. I spent so many hours on Overwatch before it fell apart and started losing players en masse, so I’ve been looking for a shooter to scratch that itch, and this does it well.
Mobile suits also have ultimate abilities, (powerful single-use moves that require charge built over time and through gameplay) and while some are fairly basic charging attacks, others are identical to those in Overwatch. For example, both games have one such ability that lets players and their team see all enemies through walls. The key difference between the two is that Gundam Evolution allows any player to revive “downed” teammates and this can turn the tide of a match.
Gundam Evolution Game Flow and Combat
There’s a lot to love with the game flow in Gundam Evolution. Rounds don’t feel overly long, and I never felt like there was an excessive amount of downtime during a match. A significant reason for that is the map design. Maps are fairly standard, with the usual choke points to keep things balanced. Maps and objectives are also very clearly laid out with some alternate paths available to mix things up and increase viable attack options. One other major addition to the combat of Gundam Evolution is a context sensitive button that allows you to communicate vital information to your team with a single press. It shows your team what you found and drops a ping for them. It will be useful.
Combat is fast-paced, and most team fights are over quickly but can be extended with proper use of revives, coordination, and strategy. The same moment-to-moment thought processes I used in Overwatch were useful here and if you are used to that game, you’ll fit right in. The time it takes to bring down an enemy was pretty low, much to my surprise. You can shoot down most mobile suits with a single clip if you aim well. I assume it’s so quick because of the revival mechanic, but most players have been skipping past that. As always with this genre, being alert and working together rewards you more than raw skill will, and, together, will carry you to the top of the scoreboard.
Gundam Evolution’s Visual Design
Gundam Evolution is not going to be winning any awards for its graphics. It does what it needs to, and while it looks better than Battle Operation 2 (BO2), it still doesn’t quite match something like Apex Legends in realism and clarity or Fortnite for colors and cartoony style. The scaling also feels way off. I don’t feel like I’m in a giant mech here like I did in BO2. Instead, I feel more like a regular person in cosplay running around a laser tag arena. It doesn’t ruin anything and is a minor complaint in the long run, but if you want something closer to a full-on simulation, you’d be better off with BO2.
There’s also a bit of an issue with visual information being portrayed through the mobile suits themselves. In simpler terms: the big, bulky mobile suits don’t always have big, bulky attacks or health and that’s a direct result of the need to stay fairly true to the mobile suit designs. For some, it’s obvious, like the Sazabi being a unit that can take a beating, but the Methuss has only 800 HP (the lowest, shared with Exia and Zaku) and is actually a healer despite its larger size and bulky look. For someone unfamiliar with the mobile suits, this will be an issue for the first few hours.
Gundam Evolution’s Balance
So far, I’d say there are very few major game balance issues in Gundam Evolution currently, with two glaring exceptions: the first is the Barbatos. As if crawling up from the depths of hell itself, Gundam Evolution’s Barbatos is far and away one of the most oppressive suits in the game. It’s what you get when you combine power, reach, speed, and pure malice. It can jump very high then fling itself back down to the ground very quickly, has attacks that damage a big area, and has an ability that will never run out in the hands of a skilled player. Playtesters are in agreement that it needs to be made way less powerful, with even players using the Barbatos as their primary pick agreeing.
Sazabi is a big threat.
Fan-favorite Sazabi is another common pick that may be due for a balance change, and it has a wide range of aspects that make it dangerous. It has the most HP at 1,400 (so it wins nearly any 1-on-1 fight), a shield it can bring up to negate some damage, it can use a dash to move to any ally or its own thrown tomahawk, covering a long distance, and it has close-range x-ray vision. Combine all this with a powerful, wide-range ultimate attack and your team is automatically at a disadvantage if someone isn’t playing it. The only weakness it has is its gun being designed for close range. A good Sazabi with a competent team assisting it will take an entire team to bring down.
Gundam Evolution’s In-Game Store
Actual purchases with real currency were disabled for the test, but the current store features cosmetics for the game and suits. Mobile suit and gacha currency are split, and there’s no easy way to tell how much real money a mobile suit will cost at current writing. I am a bit concerned that extremely powerful units will be locked behind real money, as Barbatos already needs to be unlocked with the free currency you’re given. If they’re smart, they’ll give everyone this same pool of basic suits for each role, then have a rotating “free” pick from the premium side. As far as the cosmetics go, there’s a lot of customization already available: skins that change how weapons look, mobile suit colors and variants, player profile pictures, and several other genre staples are all currently in the mix. I genuinely can’t wait to see what wild colors and alternate designs get added. There’s also a tiered reward system, aka “season pass”, that encourages lots of playtime and a separate purchase, so expect to see some crazy alternate colors and skins in there.
Closing Thoughts
Despite the rough edges and seeming lack of originality in many parts, I’m thoroughly excited to play this some more when the game launches to the public later in the summer. I’ve had a lot of fun during this test, and the gameplay is solid. Currently, Gundam Evolution is set to hit the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam and will be free-to-play. Hopefully, consoles will have the ability to match up with players of the other systems to help extend the life of the game. Considering Battle Operation 2 and its much slower pace has been going for a while, with a Steam release coming soon, I fully believe Bandai will at least give this a fair shake.
This is shaping up to be a real contender in the shooter space and another unique entry in the franchise, but could be held back by the Mobile Suit Gundam name being attached, as I’m sure that will deter a few people. I’ll be there on launch day. Will you, pilot?
