SD Gundam: Battle Alliance Reviews
Ultimately, SD Gundam Battle Alliance feels like the sort of game that will appeal to those who haven't picked up a Gundam game in a few years, but it's not going to move the needle for anyone else. Standard and unexciting combat is combined with some strange meta-narrative decisions that make this feel like a cute spin on some of the series' most iconic moments. The RPG elements of the game are also very limited, which means arcade-style fighters like Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost ON offers more exciting action. SD Gundam Battle Alliance is solid and will definitely be a hit with dedicated Gundam fans, but it's definitely not a reason to dive into the property for those who haven't done so before.
Earlier in this review, I mentioned Ramba Ral and his suit, the Gouf. If you understood the reference, then SD Gundam Battle Alliance was made for you.
What could've been a bridge between the veterans and the newcomers to Gundam instead becomes a product that will cast aside anyone looking for a crash course. The veterans should find more than their money's worth, though.
With eternally stagnant, overly repetitive combat with subpar lock-on to boring, tiny levels, SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a substantial step down from the quality of Artdink's PSP classics.
SD Gundam Battle Alliance is primarily a game for those that are familiar with the IP. Focused around replayability, it makes the player build an admittedly interesting cast of characters. Sadly, it stumbles and falls with repetitive gameplay, strange design choices and overly long, intrusive dialogue. The goal of the game is admirable, but it almost sets itself up to fail. Bringing together things from such a storied franchise is no easy feat. It’s a fairly decent introduction, with lots of history and some context to dive into. At the very least it has piqued my interest regarding Gundam. I wouldn’t say I had fun playing though it, with there just being too many flaws overall. It is a love letter to the wider franchise but not one addressed to this reviewer. Unless you are a hardcore Gundan fan, or want a rough and ready introduction to it, I would probably give this a miss. Overall, I give SD Gundam Battle Alliance a Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
SD Gundam Battle Alliance is an experience that is perhaps better for fans of the franchise and those who love grinding for materials.
It's that simplicity that's SD Gundam Battle Alliance's bigger problem. Simply put, the fighting just isn't that interesting. You have a couple of different melee and ranged attacks, but you just do them over and over again until you've wiped out the enemies, ending with a big boss fight, and it never really mixes it up.