On Thursday May 26th, Bandai premiered the Gundam Game Fest, a stream dedicated to providing the latest information on all the Gundam games. Though relatively short and light on new announcements, there was at least something new shown at the end with SD Gundam G Generation Eternal, a mobile-exclusive tactical RPG that seems to be a “greatest hits” crossover of the most famous scenes and battle across the Gundam franchise. The game seems as though it will run the typical gacha monetization model, as the Gundam Game Fest announcement states:
“Players will be able to enhance their gameplay by obtaining new mobile suits to take into the action and increase their chances of success by enhancing their mobile suits using a variety of methods.”
It will most likely be a one-two punch of both a mobile suit and equipment gacha, mirroring the systems in Battle Operation 2 and other gacha titans like Genshin Impact. Bandai will be running a closed beta test before launch, but currently has not opened applications. Honestly, I’m excited to get a new Gundam SRPG, but given how other pay-to-win titles in the space get, I’m not gonna hold my breath too much. There’s always Super Robot Wars!
SD Gundam Battle Alliance
The Gundam Game Fest led off with a new, extended look at SD Gundam Battle Alliance, which was revealed in the February Nintendo Direct. We also finally got a release date and confirmation of how the release will be handled in the west. Unfortunately, it is currently digital-only, releasing August 25th, 2022 for $60 USD on Playstation 5, Playstation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC while supporting the most languages of any Gundam game, ever. Maybe, someday, Bandai will realize that Gundam fans want physical copies of stuff just as badly as Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and My Hero Academia fans.
This is looking to be an interesting title, if the Gundam Game Fest trailer is any indication. It will be a combo-heavy Action RPG with 3 player co-op, a first for the franchise. You’ll be fighting enemies in distorted versions of the Gundam timeline and then play through the original versions to experience the true story. For example, Gundam Barbatos replaces the Gouf in the desert combat scene from The 08th MS Team. Once Barbatos is dealt with, you will play through the scene as it originally was. This is very obviously a form of padding to re-use content, but it will definitely lead to some interesting interactions with fan favorites.
There’s a focus on customization and constant gear upgrades, as well as an emphasis on raid boss-style encounters, with big enemies and bigger health pools requiring multiple players, à la Monster Hunter. It’s not something I’ve seen done in the franchise before, so it’s a very refreshing take on the SD game formula. The Gundam Game Fest did a good job of selling me on the game. Look for our review shortly after it launches!
Gundam Evolution
Originally announced at Sony’s State of Play earlier in the year, Gundam Evolution enjoyed a boost in attention from series fans thanks to the in-depth look shown at Gundam Game Fest. It provided a deeper look into how the game will handle for those that weren’t lucky enough to get in last month’s network test, which we gave an in-depth preview of. There wasn’t much new information released, with the developers instead choosing to showcase and explain the game modes that will be available at launch. Bandai did make sure to mention that the console versions will be getting their own network test at the end of June. Any fans interested that are playing on Xbox and Playstation consoles are currently able to apply for a spot in the console network test. I hope to see some of you out there!
Gundam Battle Operation 2 and The Witch from Mercury News
In what was the shortest section of Gundam Game Fest, Gundam Battle Operation 2 got about two minutes to show off its newest map and the addition of the Delta Plus as a playable unit you can get from the gacha. The game is also headed to Steam with a beta this summer. But, just a few short hours after the show ended, Sunrise confirmed that the new series, The Witch From Mercury, will indeed be simulcasting in the west, further demonstrating their commitment to reaching fans around the world. It’s hard to believe that, just a few years ago, the only way to play most Gundam games was via import. Let’s hope this becomes a yearly event.
As always, thanks for reading!
