I don’t know a lot concerning the Gundam franchise past a number of reminiscences of the older reveals after they aired on Toonami again within the day. Younger Zack preferred the large mech battles. And in 2022, I nonetheless like huge mechs. I additionally like team-based shooters. So fortunate me, Gundam Evolution mashes collectively the well-known mechs from the Gundam franchise with gameplay similar to Blizzard’s well-liked hero shooter, Overwatch. The top result’s lots of enjoyable, but in addition a bit unbalanced.
Launched final week on Steam, Gundam Evolution is a brand new free-to-play first-person shooter set within the well-liked anime universe that includes a big number of iconic mechs from the reveals. Every of those mechs has its personal weapons, skills, and supers. These highly effective tremendous assaults are unlocked throughout the match as you kill enemies and full targets. If this sounds lots like Overwatch, wait till you see the in-game HUD and visuals. However hey, when you’re gonna copy one other recreation, Overwatch ain’t a foul alternative. And Gundam Evolution is extra than simply an anime reskin of Blizzard’s staff shooter.
One of many greatest variations is that Gundam Evolution incorporates a “Down However Not Out” system ala Gears of Battle or Battlefield. So whenever you go down, you’ll be able to request for somebody to revive you, and anyone in your staff can convey you again to life. Nonetheless, anybody on the opposite staff can (and certain will) blast you open with a laser rifle and drive you to respawn. This wrinkle makes giant staff fights really feel totally different than in Overwatch, as a single participant operating away and looping again round to revive a number of folks actual quick can flip a profitable rush right into a horrible failure.
Whereas the revival system does change issues up a bit, anybody who has performed lots of Overwatch will doubtless really feel comfy hopping into this Evolution. Lots of the controls and even the in-game UI really feel immediately ripped out of Overwatch. What’s lacking, although, is Overwatch’s steadiness and polish.
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Gundam Evolution isn’t damaged or something. In my few hours with the sport, it ran tremendous and I used to be capable of finding matches shortly with little to no lag. However matchmaking isn’t very balanced. Practically each match I performed was a whole blowout. Both our staff would stomp the opposite staff in minutes, or the alternative would occur. And this might result in gamers getting annoyed and leaving, making issues worse. It’s a disgrace as a result of the few matches I performed with balanced groups have been actually enjoyable. There’s a snappiness to the fight in Evolution that I take pleasure in lots. You each really feel like a giant, highly effective mech but in addition really feel quick and exact. It’s good. Nevertheless it’s laborious to take pleasure in that when the sport retains tossing me and others into one-sided slaughter-fests.
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If a few of the matchmaking points might be solved and a few of the extra highly effective mechs nerfed a tad to cease them from controlling matches as a lot, Gundam Evolution may find yourself being one thing particular. As somebody with principally zero curiosity in or data of the franchise, I nonetheless had a blast taking part in Evolution. And I think about megafans of the collection will take pleasure in this new shooter simply as a lot as I did if no more, due to their historical past with Gundam. However till issues are a bit extra balanced and constantly enjoyable, it’s robust to suggest of us try this Evolution until they don’t thoughts some delicate frustration and terrible matches.
Gundam Evolution is out now on Steam. It’s deliberate to launch later this 12 months on consoles.