How Is Your SNES Gaming Going?

[Exhuminator]

I know the JP version is better but to have this game finally is nice too.

You know... I'm really not so sure it is. Because when I played Assault Suits Valken recently, I found myself annoyed with the constant anime cutscene stuff, and after a while I just started skipping through it. I kind of think now that Cybernator may be the stronger game, because it cuts out so much of the dialogue fluff, and just focuses more wholly on rampaging mech stomping action. Great game either way, hope you enjoy it!

And while we're talking about mech action games... I will once again try to talk you fine folks into going full force with Front Mission: Gun Hazard. Not only is it the best mech shooter I've ever played, it's also the best mech action-RPG I've ever played.... AND it's my all time favorite SNES game. Yes, I think it's better than Super Metroid and A Link to the Past. Now that might sound like silly shit to say, and granted I have a soft spot for mechs... but still, Gun Hazard is goddamn godly. More people need to give it a fair try.

http://fantasyanime.com/squaresoft/fmgh.htm

[MrPopo]

I personally think Metal Warriors is the strongest of the SNES mech games, but Gun Hazard is pretty baller. You get that heavy dose of Front Mission style story to go with your giant stompy doom mechs.

[Exhuminator]

I really loved Metal Warriors VS mode. Single player... I didn't find its level layouts to be as nicely designed as Valken or Gun Hazard, but Metal Warriors is still highly worth playing. Its variety of mechs to pilot are second to none for sure.

[Gunstar Green]

I really loved Metal Warriors VS mode. Single player... I didn't find its level layouts to be as nicely designed as Valken or Gun Hazard, but Metal Warriors is still highly worth playing. Its variety of mechs to pilot are second to none for sure.

I agree. Metal Warriors level designs and set-pieces aren't really up to par. A lot of the single player levels in Metal Warriors are really bland and monotonous and it doesn't really shake things up. Gun Hazard can get this way too but that's more due to its role-playing mechanics making the level design less linear and focused so I can forgive some of it. I don't like being overly critical of Metal Warriors because it's still great, it's just not as great to me.

As for the cut scenes mentioned earlier in Valken vs. Cybernator it's really a matter of taste. I like how Cybernator never stops the action, but I also like having the talking heads intact as well as the censored material. I don't think Cybernator is as gutted as people say but I still prefer the original game with a translation patch.

[MrPopo]

I must have played a different Metal Warriors from you guys, because I think it has the most interesting levels.

[Exhuminator]

I'd like for you guys to play through Night Slave and tell me how you think it compares.

[Gunstar Green]

I'd like for you guys to play through Night Slave and tell me how you think it compares.

I've been meaning to get around to it actually.

In the 90's I had the Korean PC game Iron Blood (or its original title, Interrupt Bloody Signal) which plays like a much less polished version of Valken if you pick the Cyber Troll mech. It goes as far as even knocking off the weapons level up system. It was kind of neat for what it is.

The other mech changed the gameplay to be more like Strider.

[Sarge]

I actually don't think you're crazy at all on Gun Hazard. It's a phenomenal game, and if you love mech games and SNES-era SquareSoft, then it's the best of both those worlds. I can absolutely see it topping a few folks' lists, even if it's not quite at the top of mine. Definitely 9/10 territory at minimum, though.

[Ack]

Now how about a mech game to avoid?



Xardion never gets off the ground for me. It plays stiff, it never graphically impresses(though it had a 1992 release, so it's early on in the SNES life cycle), and while it's pretty cool how it lets you swap between three different mechs on the fly at any point, I ended up just sticking with one for the most part for maneuverability and only swapping to the others when necessary.

[Gunstar Green]

I was so excited when I discovered Xardion while hunting for hidden gems back in the early 2000's, especially with the Getter Robo-ish form changing, but boy was it a letdown.