Kidoh Senshi Gundam Zeta no Kodou

KIDOU SENSHI ZETA GUNDAM - ZETA NO KODOU

T-13315G
Copyright © 1997 Sotsu Agency/Sunrise
Copyright © 1997 Bandai
Sega Saturn
¥4800, plus tax

— by Charles McCarter

Bandai and Sega seem to be enjoying a lot of success with their recent GUNDAM games. A scant two months after the release of the final GUNDAM GAIDEN installment, ZETA GUNDAM, a "2 1/2 D shooter" based on the popular television series was released.
In the GUNDAM GAIDEN trilogy, the player took the role of Federation Pilot Kajima Yuu and piloted the Blue Destiny gundams through an original story set in the GUNDAM universe. In ZETA GUNDAM, however, the player takes the role of Camille Vidan, the series protagonist. Now you can see how you measure up against the other characters in ZETA GUNDAM.
The game feels very much like the television series—it opens with a digitized version of the first opening, and after that, each mission is titled the same as the corresponding episode in the series. After the mission title screen, the player is treated to a selected scene (or scenes) from that particular episode before moving on to the actual mission.
Unfortunately, the missions are the weakest part of the game. Most are relatively short compared to all the waiting one has to do before playing them. But the greater problem is that they are often too easy—until you get to the boss. The mobile suits you fight en route to the boss are apparently made of duct tape and chicken wire because they are so easy to kill. Bosses, however, represent the other end of the spectrum and often wipe the floor with you, even with the difficulty level set on easy. This makes for some very frustrating play.
The game is a side-scroller and is called 2 1/2 D because the action occurs in 3 planes—fore, middle, and back. The player is always positioned mid-screen and cannot move from one plane to another.
Combat itself is not that difficult. The player selects from a variety of weapons including the Vulcan Cannon, Beam Saber, and Beam Rifle, as well as special weapons which are mission-dependent. There is also a New Type Weapon, which is good for picking off enemies on the other two planes. Enemies from the fore and back screens move in to attack you. However, by pressing the "lock on" (Z) button, and then the "New Type Weapon" (A) button, you can destroy these enemies. Once you get the hang of it, it makes Kamiyu's life a lot easier—and a lot longer. And mastering the New Type Weapon is essential for defeating the bosses.
Depending on your success rate, at the end of each mission your experience level, life, armor points, and rate of regeneration increases. And some missions have a back-up unit that can be called in to assist in a pinch. The unit you get depends on how well you did on the previous level. You can get anything from a Rick Dias all the way up to the Aghama, which basically strafes the entire screen with supporting fire.
This game has a lot going for it: The ZETA GUNDAM storyline and its wide variety of mecha (the game boasts that every mecha in the series appears in this two-part game), as well as the successful 2 1/2 D shooter format, with the interesting addition of the New Type Weapon. But the uneven game play is a real distraction—the main forces are too easy and the bosses are too difficult. And I don't say this lightly—I spent several hours trying to clear one mission with no success. Apparently most of us without New Type abilities are going to have trouble here.
Another noteworthy item is how to actually start the game. When I put it in my Saturn all I got was sound, no picture. After getting over the initial panic, I found an inconspicuous scrap of paper that had fallen out of the instruction booklet. This paper, titled "An Explanation and Apology," held the answer. In very polite Japanese, it stated that due to a problem with the cinemas, players have to start the game using the Multiplayer menu; if the game is not started this way, the cinemas (including the opening credits) will not be viewable.
ZETA GUNDAM: ZETA NO KODOU has its share of problems. However, one of the biggest problems, the uneven game play, may be enough to turn even some die-hard fans away from the game. It's a good game, but not a great game. And if you just want a shoot-em-up game, GUNDAM GAIDEN is much more appealing.

Rating: **1/2 (out of 4)