Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon

A new game for a system I forgot I owned: let's take a look! First of all, I'll just say this: I suck at these 3D "3rd-person" games (quotes since I have really no idea as to how to define the game. Imagine TF2 on 3rd person with a rotating camera). I was absolutely dominated on my test run in the Federation Campaign on my third mission, even though the difficulty was only 4/10. Setting it to a 2 made my life easier. Let's start with the graphics. Obviously, the PS2 has some great graphics, though it sucks that I can't really even see how well the models look since my TV makes all PS2 games look REALLY pixelated. Draw distance is fine, but I find some of the textures in the game lacking, especially in areas with large pits like Odessa, where the entire wall of a cliff is just one image stretched to cover it. Anyway, the graphics aren't bad. Next: controls. The controls of this game work well, though it is incredibly frustrating that the camera isn't controllable. When not targeting an enemy, it doesn't move at all until you physically shift your MS. When it does target though, the camera is fantastic. It's you and the enemy, mono-e-mono, and the distance between the player model and the camera is pitch perfect. However, that doesn't excuse the targeting system. Pressing O on the controller allows you to swap targets. The game doesn't really auto-aim. If you killed an enemy and another is right behind you, it will not auto-target; it only targets the enemy directly in your field of vision, a really dumb idea. The targeting system has no priority as well, so manual shifting is a must. Finally, everything else! Character selection is great - you can select all of the MS you've seen in Gundam 0079, from the Zaku I to the Zeong. While both Arcade and Campaign (have not tried out Vs. yet) limit your suit selection based on your faction, Campaign mode has rare chances of the player capturing an opposing MS, so Zeeks can use Guncannons and Feddies can use Z'goks (given the chance). Also present are difficulty selection and damage output, so you can make the game easier on yourself if you suck, like me. The music is fine, if a bit repetitive, since they are all from Gundam 0079 despite the appearance of Gundam [G] and GM [G] from the 08th MS Team. The worst part of the audio is the English Voice Actors. While some of them are OK and resemble the Japanese originals to an extent (Amuro and Char, for instance), others plain suck and will drive you insane (M'Quve and Lalah). Overall though, its still OK. For Bandai/Capcom's (word has it they programmed the game) first attempt at a PS2 Gundam game, this game is pretty amazing. If only I can get some higher video output for it... (Gunpla (Gundam models) not included)

I used to have this game before. Upon replaying it, I still enjoyed the game, with the whole strolling down memory lane. The seller had it in great condition, with very little scratches and so forth.

The seller listed the item as "good" condition but the disc is covered in scracthes and the box has stickers from various game shops on it. This is fair or acceptable quality, but definitely not good. I would think twice before accepting the quality listed at face value. Aside from that, the game works so far.

Everyone who gives this game five stars is doing consumers a disservice. I cannot say enough bad things about this game. I really cannot. Which is a shame, considering the Gundam franchise probably has the greatest video game potential of any TV/Movie franchise. However, Bandai seems to TRY to consistently drop the ball with any Gundam game they make. Let us start with game play. Fvs.Z harkens back to the days of Atari, bringing back the concept of weapons fire where you can literally walk out of the way of a bullet. I kid you not, you can literally watch a shot come toward you, walk to the side, and a shot will miss. Actually, I have that wrong, the computer walks to the side and you miss, the computer fires, and you get hit. I have actually seen a stream of bullets arc towards me IN FLIGHT to hit me. I have been fired at, scooted to the right, was shot at again, and scooted to the left and was STILL hit but the FIRST shot. Did I mention lasers are the slowest? Yes, a bullet can outrun light in this game. An understanding of physics you couldn't pass off on an elementary student aside, there are other aspects of this game were poor game design rears its ugly head. I don't mind a game that is skillfully challenging; that is, a game were practice and good tactics are required to get ahead, but I hate games which rely on cheap gimmicks to make levels hard. Fvs.Z is one such game. Enemies will suddenly appear right next to you (falling out of the sky -- I'm not kidding, they fall right out of the sky and land next to you, and the first warning you get is when they fire). The game's targeting feature is pathetic; if there are three enemies attacking you, you usually want to target the one closest, but FvsZ typically targets the enemy farthest from you, and usually one that doesn't have line of sight. So, while someone is behind you, you have to hit 'switch target' three or four times before you can fire at said enemy. Wait! It gets even better, as there is a certain time frame in which you can actually shoot at an enemy and hit. What I mean is that you only get one shot at an enemy mobile suit, it gets damaged, then you can't shoot it again for about five seconds (usually until it moves and fires back at you). Essentially this is a game feature trying to enforce turn-based play in a real time game. To further compound an already horrific game, there is usually a two to three second delay between hitting a button and having your mobile suit respond. Now, this might not be bad, if the computer was held to the same standard. There is even more! The game ports 200+ missions on the back of the box, but this is somewhat misleading as there are only three basic types of mission: kill enemies until time expires, keep something alive, destroy a certain amount of enemies before they destroy you. There are only about a dozen or so different levels you play in, and many of the levels are almost identical, with only a different bitmap making up the horizon, or 2 buildings on one side instead of the other. Add to this that all the levels are quite small, and 200+ missions starts to be rather small. The 3D space levels ported on the back of the box are also misleading, as "space combat", at least FvsZ style, is the same as ground combat but with a star backdrop (well, you CAN end up upside-down, but moving and fighting are identical to ground combat). Another exciting aspect of FvsZ are the missions where you fight named characters from the original Gundam TV show -- these missions entail you running from said characters (I hit one over ten times and couldn't even see a drop in his health; and you can usually only take one or two hits from a TV show character) until time expires, or waiting for a named character from your side to show up so you can watch them fight. Wow. Exciting. Yep. I love playing levels were I do not do anything but run in a circle waiting for time to run out. Now, if poor game play and sparse levels were not enough, the mobile suit selection leaves a bit to be desired. The Ez8 Gundam from the television show 8th Mobile Suit Team does not make an appearance in the game, although the other mobile suits from the show do. That right there is the biggest crime. Also, no mobile suits from Gundam 0080 make their appearance, nor can you use ANY mobile armors. Well, after all of this, if you are still interested in the game, don't buy it, rent it first to try it. The mindless game play rip off (but poorly implemented) of Virtual On can be fun for a little while.... Another good reason not to buy it is to deprive Bandai of the money, so maybe they will figure out a poor game with the Gundam name is not a good game.

Its fun for a while but gets boring real quick The gameplay was pretty good. Unlike the games that came after. What kills the game is the small maps & the large mechs & ships

I grew up with this game in my teen years. I love that you can play through both zeon and earth federation campaigns and unlock so many mobile suits. And you can unlock the revears side's mobile suits for your faction and they'll be painted your faction's colors. Lots to do in this game. Multiplayer is great. You and a buddy can be on the same team fighting AI or on opposite teams by yourself OR opposite teams with AI teammates. You won't regret buying it if you're a fan of Gundam. If not, you'll probably still enjoy it. I have a PS4 and the graphics on this game are not a let down. Not bad at all for its time.

Product came in with game and manual. Bought as very good. But the case was heavily damaged based on internal packaging. The disk however was safe and even barely scratched, almost flawless actually. So just a minor issue of replacing the case but everything else is there and works.

Ive been playing this solid for the past several days and its just as good as when I played it as a kid. Lots of suits and mobile armors to play as. Stays true to the story of mobile suit gundam. Probably the best gundam game for the ps2.

Haven't played this in almost 20 years! Great game, I missed it a lot!

it was a game my son had been looking for and he found it here. the first one we ordered didnt come within the time frame they said it woud but this one did so no complaints.