Gundam Needs Another Turn-Based JRPG Like MS Saga
If there is one thing that the Mobile Suit Gundam is not short of, it is video game adaptations. There are some truly brilliant games out there like the recent Gundam Breaker 4. That said, there is one genre of games that is far too overlooked, and that is turn-based JRPGs. Gundam seriously needs another turn-based JRPG like MS Saga: A New Dawn. One of the retro games I’ve recently visited for the first time was MS Saga: A New Dawn. This fascinating PS2 entry in the Gundam series features its own unique world, characters, and lore. It acts as a turn-based JRPG of the time period, much in the style of classic Final Fantasy games like FFX and the like but with a neat Gundam twist. Screenshot by Siliconera There is a party of characters you collect throughout the world, which is based on the real planet Earth after some destructive events. You can have up to three party members in battle at once, which is surprisingly complex. You have your normal physical attacks with laser axes and swords, plus ranged attacks with guns. These attacks work differently in battle. For instance, if an enemy isn’t resting, they are able to counter any physical attack you do. On the other hand, ranged attacks don’t have to worry about counters but generally deal less damage. On top of this, there are special attacks you can use after you gain certain attack points each turn. There is a lot of challenge in this turn-based game. While it does require a ton of grinding, I enjoy exploring the world and, above all else, customizing my mech. There are so many different mechs available from the more generic Zakus to the special crossover Gundam from the various anime series. Overall, MS Saga: A New Dawn has impressed me. Outside of the awkward difficulty curve, occasional pacing problems, and intense grinding requirements, this is already one of my favorite PS2 games. It is certainly also my favorite Gundam game of all time. The turn-based nature of JRPGs translate so well to the story-driven and highly customizable nature of the Gundam series. Screenshot by Siliconera This is why it is so imperative we see a return to this style in the future. Sure, a remaster of MS Saga: A New Dawn would be nice and solve part of the issue. However, it has some quirks fans may not love like the aforementioned issues. That is why it is better to see a brand new turn-based JRPG that is also set in its own standalone universe. This new Gundam JRPG could benefit from the graphics used in modern games like Gundam Breaker 4. At the same time, it could learn from how fast and smooth turn-based JRPGs should be today. Finally, it just needs to have a worthy story with some great characters and this is instantly up there for one of the best anime games of all time. It is a shame MS Saga: A New Dawn is currently only on the PS2 with no remaster or port in sight. It is, to me, the best Gundam game to date. While we don’t need it to come back, it is necessary for a new Gundam turn-based JRPG to happen. If so, it could go down as easily the best MS Saga: A New Dawn game and one of the strongest anime-to-video game adaptations of all time. MS Saga: A New Dawn is only available for PlayStation 2. The post Gundam Needs Another Turn-Based JRPG Like MS Saga appeared first on Siliconera.
If there is one thing that the Mobile Suit Gundam is not short of, it is video game adaptations. There are some truly brilliant games out there like the recent Gundam Breaker 4. That said, there is one genre of games that is far too overlooked, and that is turn-based JRPGs. Gundam seriously needs another turn-based JRPG like MS Saga: A New Dawn.
One of the retro games I’ve recently visited for the first time was MS Saga: A New Dawn. This fascinating PS2 entry in the Gundam series features its own unique world, characters, and lore. It acts as a turn-based JRPG of the time period, much in the style of classic Final Fantasy games like FFX and the like but with a neat Gundam twist.
There is a party of characters you collect throughout the world, which is based on the real planet Earth after some destructive events. You can have up to three party members in battle at once, which is surprisingly complex. You have your normal physical attacks with laser axes and swords, plus ranged attacks with guns.
These attacks work differently in battle. For instance, if an enemy isn’t resting, they are able to counter any physical attack you do. On the other hand, ranged attacks don’t have to worry about counters but generally deal less damage. On top of this, there are special attacks you can use after you gain certain attack points each turn.
There is a lot of challenge in this turn-based game. While it does require a ton of grinding, I enjoy exploring the world and, above all else, customizing my mech. There are so many different mechs available from the more generic Zakus to the special crossover Gundam from the various anime series.
Overall, MS Saga: A New Dawn has impressed me. Outside of the awkward difficulty curve, occasional pacing problems, and intense grinding requirements, this is already one of my favorite PS2 games. It is certainly also my favorite Gundam game of all time. The turn-based nature of JRPGs translate so well to the story-driven and highly customizable nature of the Gundam series.
This is why it is so imperative we see a return to this style in the future. Sure, a remaster of MS Saga: A New Dawn would be nice and solve part of the issue. However, it has some quirks fans may not love like the aforementioned issues. That is why it is better to see a brand new turn-based JRPG that is also set in its own standalone universe.
This new Gundam JRPG could benefit from the graphics used in modern games like Gundam Breaker 4. At the same time, it could learn from how fast and smooth turn-based JRPGs should be today. Finally, it just needs to have a worthy story with some great characters and this is instantly up there for one of the best anime games of all time.
It is a shame MS Saga: A New Dawn is currently only on the PS2 with no remaster or port in sight. It is, to me, the best Gundam game to date. While we don’t need it to come back, it is necessary for a new Gundam turn-based JRPG to happen. If so, it could go down as easily the best MS Saga: A New Dawn game and one of the strongest anime-to-video game adaptations of all time.
MS Saga: A New Dawn is only available for PlayStation 2.
The post Gundam Needs Another Turn-Based JRPG Like MS Saga appeared first on Siliconera.
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