SD Gundam G Generation Genesis is a fun exploration of Gundam history

With its long, storied history, “Gundam” remains one of the most recognizable and influential properties in geekdom. Such success deserves celebration, which is why Bandai Namco’s “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” exists. This game recounts the giant mecha series’ greatest epics, from “Mobile Suit Gundam” – the 1979 anime that started it all – to the recent “Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.”

But “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” is more than just a history lesson. It also offers satisfying turn-based warfare for all you strategy nerds out there. Not to mention this is the first title in the series to feature English subtitles, making it a treat for non-Japanese fans.

Memory lane

“SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” features 17 scenarios, each representing a series in the franchise. All series are set in the Universal Century calendar era, which makes sense, given it’s the most developed and popular of all the “Gundam” timelines.

Longtime fans of the property will already be familiar with these stories. With so much content to pull from over 30 years of “Gundam,” however, the game abbreviates each saga, focusing only on pivotal moments. Highlighting epic battles and character-defining moments seems like an excellent idea; if you want someone glued to the screen, show them the best bits of “Gundam.”

Unfortunately, the delivery of these stories is rather dull. Static “talking” heads and backgrounds, reams of slowly crawling text, mostly unmoving 2D sprites, and the rare, barely animated “cinematic”: these are the tools “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” uses to convey its narratives. It doesn’t help that cut scenes are generally lengthy: one introductory sequence took 40 minutes before letting me play a mission.

Also annoying is how missions are often interrupted by such interminable storytelling segments, so that you’re taken out of the action for extremely long stretches. You can fast-forward these segments by mashing a button, but they still rob you of the time you should be spending on actual gaming. And it’s frustrating how the game won’t let you skip them altogether until you’ve completed the missions they’re tied to.

“Gundam” enthusiasts will likely appreciate this trip down memory lane; for non-fans, it will seem like endless tedium.

Mobile suits assemble!

Each scenario is composed of several missions. You can do the scenarios in any order, and can jump from one to another after every mission.

The heart of the mission is the turn-based battle which, I’m glad, is where “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” shines.

Battles take place in areas sectioned into grids. Into these areas your forces are deposited, which you must use to defeat the enemy’s forces. While victory is often as simple as wiping the opposition out, each mission provides special conditions that, if met, will grant you special bonuses. Examples of special conditions include destroying a specified number of enemies within a given number of turns, or killing certain enemies in a particular order.

Missions can often last hours, and boast plenty of surprises, such as the arrival of additional forces – friendly, hostile, or both.

At the start of each mission, you’re usually given control of several units, such as mobile suits, tanks, and jetfighters, and one or more giant battleships. Units can be commanded to perform a number actions, such as attack, move, use skills, and more.

Units have multiple types of attacks of varying damage potential and area of effect. Performing an attack consumes energy. If, for instance, your mobile suit runs out of energy, it won’t be able to do any more attacks until you take it back to the battleship for recharging. A single battleship can hold several smaller units simultaneously, can be used as a transport carrier, and instantly heals all stored units. Battleships, and some special units, can also use skills that provide buffs to standard units.

Success entails planning and the sound use of tactics. If a lone mobile suit strays too far from its battleship and attacks too many times, it could end up defenseless, and at an increased risk of never returning to safety. Allow your company to be surrounded by your foes, and you could be facing a massacre.

Destroying an enemy also gives your unit an additional move and boost in power. This is good for up to three kills, meaning you can receive the benefits as many as three times. A useful strategy I employ is whittling down enemies’ life bars before unleashing a single mobile suit on them for a string of kills.

“SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” features RPG elements. Units level up as they fight, allowing you to increase their stats. Upon reaching a certain level, mobile suits can even transform into more powerful forms. Pilots also level up, and learn useful abilities in the process.

As each series’ missions get progressively more challenging, some grinding is necessary to ensure your units are up to snuff. And sometimes, unless you want to be overwhelmed by the enemy’s sheer numbers, you’ll need more than just the starting units the mission provides. Thankfully, “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” includes a system that allows you to build additional units for use in future battles.

A rich variety of units, from mobile suits to battleships, are available for development. You can also recruit pilots and even attach modifications to your war machines. You’ll be able to acquire and build more units – over 650 of them! – the more you play. Once produced and battle-ready, you can organize them into groups, then deploy them in any mission.

Between the solid turn-based combat and the diversity of units to manufacture and obtain, “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” is one of the more satisfying strategy titles today – and this is coming from a non-“Gundam” aficionado. It feels very traditional, which isn’t a bad thing; many of the best strategy games are either classics from decades ago, or heavily inspired by such.

A handheld game?

When it comes to visuals, “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” underwhelms. While the 2D sprites and backgrounds are vibrantly colored and wonderfully detailed, one can’t deny that they give the game a dated look.

The SD (super deformed) mecha look amazing in 3D, managing to find a comfortable spot between badass and cute. Wonderfully animated 3D sequences are mostly used in cinematics you can opt to view when units attack each other during combat. Sadly, as exciting as these cut scenes are, they grow repetitive quickly, so much so that you’ll find yourself skipping through a majority of them.

It’s obvious “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” doesn’t take full advantage of the PlayStation 4’s power. One wonders if this was developed with the PlayStation Vita first and foremost in mind, with the PlayStation 4 version only coming as an afterthought.

An enjoyable turn-based strategy game

True, “SD Gundam G Generation Genesis” isn’t much of a looker. Its storytelling style is both lackluster and obnoxious, and will likely only be appreciated by hardcore “Gundam” fans.

Thankfully, the game pleases where it matters most – the gameplay. Boasting hordes of units to be collected, an excellent unit development system, and exhilarating battles that allow you to employ a vast array of tactics, this is a deep turn-based strategy experience that’ll provide weeks of enjoyment. — TJD, GMA News

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita