Bandai Namco are working on a new free-to-play Gundam game for the PlayStation Vita, called Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Fortess, which is basically a real-time strategy game full of various Mobile Suits. Below are more details on how the game is played.
Preparation is everything strategy games, and same goes for Battle Fortress, where you’ll need to set up your Mobile Suit units while keeping the next objective in mind. Before going onto the battlegrounds, there are some rules you’ll want to know beforehand.
Each troupe can have one “Ace Machine” unit. These are the guys that can activate their “MS Skills” and also the pilot’s “Ace Skills.” You can choose up to three “Ace Assistant Machines,” which can also activate MS Skills.
Finally, the “Unit Machines” can’t use skills, but you can pick several of them at a time. Think of them as your pawns. They can be used as decoys or to attack by the numbers.
In Battle Fortress, your Mobile Suits will move automatically according to the AI during battle. What becomes important is the Mobile Suit’s action patterns, and this changes depending on the pilot, too.
Each pilot has their own thought patterns that determine which facilities they prioritize. For example, Trowa Barton from Gundam Wing prioritizes headquarters.
Ace Machines aren’t the only ones that can have pilots, as they can also be boarded onto Unit Machines, which gives them their own thought pattern AI.
Skills are used to perform powerful attacks, providing buffs, and various other effects. Knowing how to use these properly will give you a strategic advantage. Skills are split into three main categories.
MS Skills can be activated in the middle of battle to perform a powerful attack.
Ace Skills are activated at the start of battle, they provide various effects such as parameter increases, and are used by the pilots of the unit.
When specific Mobile Suits and pilots are used together, you’ll get to activate a special skill called the “Platoon Skill.” For example, if you pair Char Aznable with a ZakuII, you’ll get to perform a special “Red Comet” ability.
Once you know the rules, you’ll get a better idea on how to make your party, and you’ll be ready to take on the battles. The above demonstrates a fight where the player is fighting off against a wave of CPUs, but unfortunately, his headquarters got destroyed.
Rather than controlling single Mobile Suits, Battle Fortress is all about commanding several at a time as part of your own platoon. Here’s a look at some more images showcasing what’s available:
You’ll even get to combine several of the same Mobile Suits together to evolve them into their own Platoon units.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Fortress launches in Japan in Summer 2015 for PlayStation Vita.
