Mobile Suit Gundam vs. Gundam Next Plus is a 3rd person arena shooter that takes several dozen gundams from the franchise’s long, storied history, and pits them against each other in deathmatches (anywhere from 1 vs. 1 to 2 vs. 2) in large expansive battlegrounds set on various locations ranging from urban city landscapes to outer space.
The Game and the Story
This is more of a commemorative game for the Gundam franchise’s 40th anniversary, so you won’t find much in the way of story. It just takes two to 4 mobile suits/armors from each series and gives you a chance to pit them against each other. The lack of a story isn’t much of a problem, as this is all about action-packed fights between some of the best-looking mechas in the history of ever.
The controls are fairly easy. You just use the analogue or digital pad to move, the face buttons for various long range and melee attacks, and the shoulder buttons can be used for super moves and assists. Some characters have screen filling attacks or transformed modes (e.g. the Unicorn Gundam’s awakened state) that provide damage or speed bonuses.
Graphics are exceptional. Some of the cities have textures that look rough, but the mobile suits themselves are perfectly rendered and look very much like their anime counterparts. The audio is also well-done, and the gundams sound like they do in the anime – from the whooshes to the vmmms, to the sweet, sweet sound of HeavyArms’ gatling guns. The background music is also top-notch, featuring the vocal theme songs of the series in which the stages take place.
Buy or Not
Definitely buy, even if you’re not a Gundam fan. Gundam vs. Gundam Next Plus is addictive and provides short bursts of third person mecha action, coupled with a ton of mobile suits to unlock, ensuring that simply renting this out for a week will leave you wanting more.
