Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Assault (Gameboy Advance)

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Assault is a 2D fighting game that pits various Gundams and pilots against each other in 1 on 1 bouts. The game is technically a handheld installment of the Battle Assault series of games from the Playstation, with the main difference being that the available Gundams are limited to the ones found on the Gundam Seed franchise. Basically, it’s more of a spiritual successor to the Super Famicom’s Gundam Wing: Endless Duel, with a number of improvements.

For starters, there’s more play modes available: there’s a story mode, a VS. mode, an Arcade mode, a survival mode, a time trial mode, and even a practice mode. The combat is also faster and more novice-friendly due to the presence of an auto mode (where the input commands for specials and supers are simplified.) However, the biggest change is in the mechanics – first is that Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Assault now allows you to customize your gundam before the start of a fight, allowing you to balance the distribution of energy in order to prioritize HP, thrusters, or PS armor. Speaking of PS armor, the second change is that the mobile suits now have breakable armors. If you sustain enough hits, the armor breaks and you are left weaker (not to mention less fun to look at.)

If you are a big fan of Gundam Seed and you liked Gundam Wing: Endless Duel on the Super Famicom, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Assault should be right up your alley. It’s not as deep a fighter and the visuals aren’t that polished (it looks washed out and pixilated even on the Gameboy Advance’s small screen,) but it’s still a good handheld fighter and it occupies a specific genre niche on the GBA. Should be good for short bursts of mecha fighting action.

Ragnarok Tactics (PSP)

Ragnarok Tactics is a spin-off game from the popular South Korean MMORPG franchise, Ragnarok Online. As the name implies, Ragnarok Tactics is no longer a point-and-click online RPG but a tactical role playing game with a heavier emphasis on story (which is told through dialogue between static character portraits and the occasional animated cutscene.) Visually, Ragnarok Tactics looks more polished than the original MMO while retaining the original’s chibi anime art style. Think of it as a much-needed visual upgrade on Ragnarok Online.

The game plays very much like any Japanese tactical RPG (FF Tactics, Jeanne D’ Arc, etc) but retains elements from Ragnarok Online, including the job/class system, the moves and even the sitting/resting mechanic, which allows characters to replenish health while sitting.

Ragnarok Tactics looks and feels like a really good translation of the original MMO in your first few minutes of play. However, the novelty starts to wear off after an hour or so as you realize that the pacing of the fights is way too slow even when compared to other tactical RPGs. I mean, I love Tactics games and was obsessed with Ragnarok Online in its heyday, but Ragnarok Tactics tested my patience to its limits. I wouldn’t be surprised if people find it difficult to maintain interest past the first fight if they aren’t fans of the genre or the franchise. If you want a really good Tactical RPG, there are a ton of better games on the PSP, and if you just want a portable Ragnarok Online spin-off game, you’re much better off with Ragnarok DS on the Nintendo DS.