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Platform: XBox

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Genre: Action/Sim

ETA: Sept. 2002

Steel Battalion (Tekki)

Sometimes I wonder if there is some sort of unwritten law in video game land which states that all consoles must have at least three giant robots games available for them within a year of the system initially being released.  The Dreamcast had Gundam 0079, Virtual On: Oratorio Tangrum, and Slave Zero in short order, the Playstation 2 had GunGriffin Blaze, Run=Dim, and Armored Core 2 among such monster mecha related titles to hit its library early on, and the XBox has Phantom Crash as well as Murakumo headed its way.  Now Capcom is clocking in with their own giant robot title for Microsoft’s console called Steel Battalion (Tekki in Japan).  

Like any self-respecting developer, Capcom is staying largely tight-lipped on all the nitty-gritty details in regards to the game.  We know there’s a little insurrection in the works in the game world of Steel Battalion and it’s up to players to fight off those that would like to take over.  Outside of this, the plot is anyone’s guess.  However, what players will be required to do should be quite evident: wreck havoc, but it's in a just sort of way, so don't sweat the ethics.  You'll be told where there's trouble and you'll need to respond as the missions come at you, allowing you to fight enemy mecha and any other war machine they can throw at you.  All the action takes place from an in-cockpit viewpoint bringing a sense of "realism" to the game, as opposed to the over the shoulder camera view usually embraced by similar titles.

In terms of gameplay approach, though, Steel Battalion is looking like quite the mecha sim, and yes, I do mean simulation.  Up to this point nearly all mecha-based titles to hit console gaming have been arcade-like action affairs with fast, twitchy gameplay.  This game looks like it will have a lot more in common with the MechWarrior games on the PC where everything from heat, to balance, to very hands-on weapons control will need to be considered and mastered in order to do well in the game.

Looking at the control this really isn’t too hard to fathom.  The unit is absolutely gigantic, with over 40 buttons, 2 joysticks, throttle, and being divided up into three subdivided panels, the controller looks just like something you might find in an actual mecha cockpit.  Hopefully there will be some especially good tutorials and training missions in the game to get properly accustomed to this enormous peripheral.  It’s just amazing how large the thing looks.

At this point the real hard details on Steel Battalion are sketchy at best.  It’s nice to see a developer going for a slightly different vibe with their approach to the world of giant robots.  We expect to have a lot of things cleared up regarding this game come E3.

- Mr. Nash

May 6, 2002