Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Gigantic Drive Review - Sony PS2

Collapse
X
Collapse
  •  

  • Gigantic Drive Review - Sony PS2

    Throughout the sixties and seventies a certain genre of anime and manga ran rampant across the nation that is Japan. It galvanised an entire generation, a generation that grew up to be game designers. These game designers then went and created Gigantic Drive. The genre that is being referred to is that of the "super robot", one of the oldest and most respected facets of Japanese pop-culture (next to the "real robot" genre, obviously). Gigantic Drive is a game that, literally, lets you control a "chogokin" from the ground up.

    The story revolves around Earth being besieged by big nasty alien robots called the Volgara. To fight these invaders, we have created three rather large robots, whose sole purpose is to kick many metal alien's posterior back across the galaxy. Studio Bones, of Cowboy Bebop fame, handles the story and character animation well (the character designs are done by Toshiro Kawamoto, again, of Cowboy Bebop fame). It is clear from the outset that the narrative focus is firmly tongue in cheek and, to anyone familiar with the conventions of the "super robot" genre, many of the references will give a few players the opportunity to crack a wry smile.

    Within the main game, there are three characters and three "kizin" (read: super robots) to choose from. Each character has a different story and a few different missions, but the main game is essentially the same. Regardless of this, the kizin are where the fun is at.

    Control of each of the kizin is undertaken from literal perspective of whatever character you choose. This means that you are the camera, and you will have to position yourself accordingly so as to achieve an optimum view. Views, and consequently controls, are changed through the use of the Select button.

    This brings us onto the controls. Gigantic Drive has a unique take on camera work, but the controls are equally special too. Moving your character about is pretty straightforward. Directions are undertaken by the left analogue/d-pad. First person view is toggled through the use of the X button. Grenades can be thrown, later on in the game admittedly, by using the Triangle button. Circle allows the character to fly, though the ability to fly (so as to achieve a satisfactory viewing position) is a tad surreal but necessary within the context of the game, whereas the Square button allows the player to enter some buildings and appear on the roof (without having to fly). It goes without saying that the shoulder buttons R1 and L1 allow your character to strafe. In any case, this is all elementary. The controlling of a kizin is a different matter entirely.

    To give you a better idea of what this entails, you don't just control the kizin itself; you can control each and every limb individually. In that, L1 moves the left leg forward, whereas L2 moves the left leg backward. The right leg is controlled through the use of the R1 and R2 buttons respectively. To walk you must input relevant L1, R1, L1, R1 etc. button commands. Turning is achieved by holding either L1 and L2 down (to turn left) and R1 and R2 (to turn right) and jumping is achieved by crouching (L2 and R2) and then inputting L1 and R1. Just getting your kizin to move is a pretty comprehensive experience. Combat is even more so.

    Again, each arm is controlled separately. The left analogue stick controls the left arm and the right analogue stick controls the right arm. The movement is fluid and intuitive and, considering that your kizin's arms are where most of the pain is dished out upon the Volgaran enemies, this inclusion will be very much appreciated by most players. That said, there is a great deal of depth left to the combat, whilst the controls maybe inclusive they are also very comprehensive. In that, the more you progress through the game the more money and, consequently more attacks, will become available. Learning these combos will help to defeat enemies quicker and, more importantly, with oodles of style.

    In addition to all these punches, jabs and uppercuts there are various other weapons at your disposal. The Triangle button initiates an energy based beam attack, whereas the Circle button produces ordnance (normally in the form of guided missiles). These may sound useful, but many of the more challenging opponents use something called the "Phantom System". This means they can teleport away from enemy fire and appear behind your back, meaning that the game's main combat focus remains strictly hand to hand.

    Thankfully, in addition to the plethora of combos, hand to hand combat can be modified too. Depressing the L3 and R3 buttons makes your kizin's hands change into weapons. These vary from drills and flamethrowers to electrified stunners and spewers of lightning death. All use your energy bar, but the damage inflicted when used is far greater than with you kizin's mere robotic hands.

    Finally, the Square button allows each kizin to transform. Some literally transform, into either a tank or a plane, but others merely power up. The former are very useful, and make traversing the sometimes complex environments quick and easy. Not to mention that controlling transforming robots is inherently cool anyway.

    Set over 52 missions, Gigantic Drive is a sizeable game. The graphics are also utterly superb and they really give the player a sense of scale mixed with awesome power. Unfortunately, the size and diversity of the environments themselves are somewhat lacking. It is clear to see what the developers wanted to do. Have a "Grand Theft Auto-esque" cityscape, intermingled with the controlling of really big robots. The PlayStation2 categorically cannot handle that, so sacrifices were clearly made. The robots remain intact, but the vibrancy and diversity of the areas is rather bland. There aren't enough pedestrians for one, and the buildings lack any interactivity (apart from when you blow them up). Not to mention the opportunity lost of re-creating famous cities around the whole for the player to lay waste to. Admittedly, there is a rather small part of Tokyo and bits of Rome available to the player but what about London and/or Paris?

    The music can also grate on occasion, simply due to its repetitiveness (more often than not the same track is used for almost all the missions). And for all the story's witticisms, of which there are many, it does get in the way of killing big alien robots which is, after all, where the game's focus lies. Finally, the learning curve is a tad redundant too. Whilst there are many enemies for the player to encounter, none tax the player all that much, nor do they require use of specific combos in order to defeat them. This seems, again, like a wasted opportunity. Having multiple combos at your disposal but never needing to use them does seem an awful waste of good ideas.

    Finally, the versus capability that the game offers is rather disappointing. Considering that the player needs access to a pretty comprehensive view, the screen management in "split screen versus" is rather lacking. The use of an iLink versus option would have been a nice addition, but this would not solve the problem that the split screen setup produces.

    For all the game's shortcomings, Gigantic Drive is a very special and unique game. There really is nothing else like it.

    Score: 8/10

    Text by Olly Barder

    Click image for larger version

Name:	01.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	35.7 KB
ID:	2743795Click image for larger version

Name:	08.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	38.0 KB
ID:	2743802Click image for larger version

Name:	05.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	31.7 KB
ID:	2743799Click image for larger version

Name:	02.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	35.8 KB
ID:	2743796Click image for larger version

Name:	06.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	24.6 KB
ID:	2743800Click image for larger version

Name:	03.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	31.6 KB
ID:	2743797Click image for larger version

Name:	07.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	34.2 KB
ID:	2743801Click image for larger version

Name:	04.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	30.9 KB
ID:	2743798

    • dvdx2
      #1
      dvdx2 commented
      Editing a comment
      There is also a US. version, known as 'Robot alchemic drive' (full English)
    Posting comments is disabled.

Categories

Collapse

Latest Articles

Collapse

  • Motion Gravure Review - Sony PS2
    by Archives
    In this image-obsessed industry, it's critical that a game projects a strong sense of identity. With an identity comes a target audience. Sony have arguably captured the 'twenty-something male' flag and, to consolidate this position, Sony Music Entertainment releases this: a game featuring nothing but scantily clad females. Oh, and some very nice scenery.
    ...
    21-08-2023, 12:13
  • Devil May Cry 3 Review - Sony PS2
    by Archives
    Family reunions tend to follow one of two distinct protocols: everyone meets up, reminisces and has a good old chat and a laugh; or everyone meets up, reminisces and remembers why it’s been so long since they last saw each other, the evening ending in a ferocious argument. Why is this relevant to this Devil May Cry 3 review?
    The latest meeting of the divinely comedic twin siblings of Dante and Vergil falls rather violently into the second category. Something about their murdered mother’s amule...
    06-09-2022, 08:30
  • Silent Hill 3 Review - Sony PS2
    by Archives
    Fear. It’s something that collective consciousness values as a desirable commodity, especially in the pop culture spin of everyday modern life - An element that mainstream entertainment likes to use in distilled form when it comes to getting a rise out of our adrenaline glands. Whether it be watching the latest slasher flick, experimenting with the next extreme sport or avidly reading the current best-selling horror fiction… On the whole, we take pleasure out of being scared. Read this Silent...
    11-07-2022, 13:50
  • Viewtiful Joe Review - Nintendo Gamecube
    by Archives
    Pink Lycra. There just isn't enough of it in video games. So Capcom have bravely stepped-up to the plate and given us a game, starring a Hot Pink hero, clad in a spandex jumpsuit, that isn't afraid to be laid back and humorous in style, whilst containing some rock-solid gameplay at its core. Like a piece of candy with a stone centre, Viewtiful Joe is sweet and tempting to the eye, but underneath is solid rock. Our hero is introduced in the opening cut-scene as a bubble-headed, California-accented Sk8r Boi, o...
    15-05-2022, 11:48
  • Castlevania: White Night Concerto Review - Nintendo GBA
    by Archives
    Castlevania: White Night Concerto is the latest instalment in Konamis Castlevania series. It is the second title for the GBA, but the first Castlevania game appeared on the NES back in 1987. It is ostensibly a platform game, like its predecessors. Certain things have remained constant throughout the series- in all but a couple of Castlevania outings, the main protagonist (in this case Juste Belmont) brandishes a whip. Secondary weapons are also available. Again these weapons are the same as tho...
    03-04-2022, 15:57
  • Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Mugen no Frontier EXCEED Review - Nintendo DS
    by Steven Walker
    For the uninitiated, Super Robot Wars Original Generation Saga: Mugen no Frontier (Endless Frontier) is an action-RPG spin-off from the popular Super Robot Wars series. The player has to use attacks to keep enemies in the air in order to do maximum damage, and string together as many attacks as they can. Timing and knowledge of characters' moves is the key to success. SRW OG Saga: Mugen no Frontier EXCEED is the sequel, and goes to show that a follow-up can be better than the original.
    T...
    04-01-2022, 15:20
Working...
X