An introduction to the seriesThe Super Robot Taisen (or Super Robot Wars) series is among one of the most famous turn-based strategy games (a genre that comprises games such as Fire Emblem, Advance Wars, and many others) in japan. It is a series created by Banpresto in which many mecha from different famous animated series from japan, such as the many Gundam series, Mazinger, Shin Getter Robo, Nadesico, and others, are gathered in a single game with story elements borrowed from all the series. Each installement of the franchise gathers a number of series, each contributing with some of it's main mecha, characters, enemies, and plot elements, along with some original content exclusively designed for those games. In the end, you have a unique game with solid mechanics and great appeal to many gamers, even those who are not familiarized with mecha anime.
In each game, original characters and mecha are added to the mix, and in 2002, Banpresto decided to release a special chapter of the series called "Original Generation", which basically gathers many of those original characters and villains from the many SRW games released so far, and gathers then in a unique storyline, with elements based on their stories from their original debuts. This game was released for the Game Boy Advance system, and after that, in 2005, a sequel called "Original Generation 2" was released, again for the Game Boy Advance. Both games were translated by Atlus and released on the USA, and were the first games from the Super Robot Taisen franchise to ever be released on the ocident, that being because this game features only original characters, so there aren't any licensing issues to be dealt with, like the other games from the series.
Recently, in 2007, comemorating the 15th anniversary of the SRW series, Banpresto released "Super Robot Taisen: Original Generations" for the Playstation 2, which is an enhanced remake from both OG games released for the GBA, and also included a "preview" of the next chapter of the series, "Original Generation Gaiden" (released for the PS2 in the end of 2007).
Super Robot Taisen: Original Generations
The game is a turn-based strategy game, so those already familiar with games like Fire Emblem will already have a good idea of how the game works. This game is a remake of both Original Generation 1 & 2 games, so you can choose to start with any of them. Lots of extra content were included, like enhanced graphics and beautifully jaw-dropping animations, extra units, weapons, secrets, missions and gameplay mechanics. Although this game has been only released in japan so far, There is a slight possibility of it making it's way to the EUA, but those who have access to import games should consider it, since it's a great game. Although you will be missing the story if you didn't play the original GBA games, you don't actually need to know japanese to play it, and once you get used to the game's mechanics, everything will be flowing pretty naturally.
GameplayThe game's system is pretty deep and allows for a great level of strategic planning and customization. The game is basically divided in two main moments: The Intermission screen, and the actual missions. You will be prompted to the intermission screen before every mission in each game (except for the first mission of each game), and you will probably be spending quite a bit of time there to do some thinking and planning. In this screen, you can check the stats of every mecha and pilot in your group, as well as spend Pilot Points to upgrade the Pilot's stats or buy them new abilities, money to upgrade your mechas stats and weaponry. You can also equip weapons onto some of your mecha, and also equip them with special parts that grant some bonuses or special abilities. You can also save or load the game if you so wish. When you're ready, you can depart to your next mission.
After some bit of story unfolds, you will arrive to a map divided in squares. Each unit occupies a single square, and moves around as you command. You may need to consider some things as you choose your units, as some of them perform better on some kinds of terrain, and also while you move them, since some terrain also offer different bonuses, and some others may hinder your units movement. The weapons on your units may also perform better or worse, depending on the terrain. When you arrive, you will usually be prompted with a mission objective, but also a special condition called battle mastery. If you meet this condition, you will gain a Battle Mastery point. The difficulty of the game will be adjusted depending on your BM points (if you get enough BM points, the game is going to stay on Hard mode. If you don't, the game will switch to Medium, and then Easy mode). Harder difficulties usually mean stronger enemies, but they will also give more money and experience, and there are also some secrets that can only be attained in Hard mode, so you may want to get every battle mastery, as it's also very rewarding since some of them may be pretty challenging.
On your turn, you will be choosing how your units will move and attack. You can attack before or after moving, but once you attack, the turn is over for that unit. Your pilots also have special abilities called Seishin (or Spirit) that consume Seishin Points (SP). They are very valuable, as they can turn the tides of a seemingly impossible battle to your favor. Each pilot starts the mission with full SP, but once it is depleted, they can't be restored unless they have SP restoring itens equipped, or if they have an SP regenerating ability, so you got to manage your Seishin use carefully. Another stat that you should be paying atention is the Will of each pilot. Each character starts the mission with 100, and it can be increased up to 150. Each character has got it's own Will growth rate, but it is usually increased by killing/hitting enemies, or getting hit. As your pilot's will grow, they will be having access to more powerful attacks, and some abilities require will to be activated. Increasing it will also increase your characters stats.
The two main new mechanics added to this game (which weren't included in the original GBA games) are the ammo creation system and the twin battle system. The ammo creation system is, basically, a system that allows you to create and equip special ammo on your mechas weapon, using parts you will be receiving during the course of the game. Some combinations of parts will give the ammo special abilities, and some can be pretty useful. The twin battle system allows you to join two units with 110 Will or greater in a single squad, granting them bonuses, and allowing them to attack together. This can be a great way to defeat enemy grunts, since both units will be attacking simultaneously, thus having greater chances of defeating enemies before they damage you. Also, each pilot has a special Seishin that can only be used while in a Twin squad.
StoryI won't be spoiling too much for those who plan on playing the GBA games (or wait for a USA release), but the storyline is actually pretty compelling, filled with interesting plot twists. The storyline in OG1 revolves around the Earth under the threat of an imminent invasion of a race of alien beings that were named the "Aerogaters". Organizations are mobilizing to defend the Earth against the menace, but there are always those with different ideals, or those who just want to take advantage of the crysis for their twisted, greedy intentions. I won't spoil the story much more, but expect many different twists along the way, for this game is pretty lenghty, as it is it's story. The OG2 happens not long after the events on OG1, so you'll just have to see it for yourself.
The many different characters are also worthy of note. They're mostly incredibly charismatic, and you'll find yourself enjoying watching their conversations unfold, some of which will end up having very humorous results. Each character has a well defined personality, and you'll learn to love most of them throughout the course of the games. Each character has it's own set of fully-voiced quotes to shout during battle, depending on which action they're taking (wether be attacking, defending, or dodging), and some even have special quotes for some weapons. This all just makes the characters look more lively, and less like just "regular units."
Closing Comments & MiscellaneousThe Super Robot Taisen series is an excellent one for the fans of anime mecha, and also a great option for those who enjoy a good strategy game. I highly recommend it.
Here, I will be posting some links to videos, screenshots and such:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8ZWygGFNS1w <- Preview 3 Trailer
(Highly Recommend!!)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Robot_Wars_Original_Generations <- Wikipedia article
Screenshots:
