News: Gundam Battle Operation Announced
Posted on : 14-03-2012 | By : Cacophanus | In : News
Hardware: PlayStation 3
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In the latest issue of Famitsu, Bandai Namco have announced Gundam Battle Operation (pictured above). A free to download online multiplayer PSN title that will very likely offer further paid content (freemium basically). It’s being developed by B.B. Studio, though they’re citing the upcoming Super Robot Wars Z 2 Saisei-hen as a reference. That’s a little odd as it’s far more likely being developed by the team who made Gundam Senki 0081, who are also part of B.B. Studio (plus the early screenshots look like it’s similar tech anyway). Apart from the freemium thing, which inherently concerns us (as many titles that adopt this model are often pretty crappy to play, though Hawken may likely change all that to be fair), we are more worried if Terada gets involved in this. As whenever he ventures outside of SRW he tends to ruin everything, especially when it comes to action games. That aside, the game seems to be set in early Universal Century, judging from the mobile suits on display, and will feature 12 player online matches (6 per side). Apparently, you’ll also be able to exit your mobile suit and walk around on foot too. There will also be a closed beta at the end of March for 10,000 players and the final game is expected in June.
Still bashing freemiums,for shame.
Hardly, when the majority of freemium games stop being awful crap then I’ll happily change my stance on them.
The thing I don’t understand is that you give Hawken a chance but you don’t even mention Mechwarrior Online and further more the title of freemium may not even fit for this game.For all we know we could just be buying maps and silly paint schemes.
True, we don’t know what they’re selling yet. Though if Gundam Unicorn’s DLC setup is anything to go buy, I’m expecting mobile suits will be a key purchase model.
As for MWO, I’m still on the fence with that. The new footage looks more promising but Piranha worked on the shitty Bayformers games, so they hardly have a good track record.
Plus, there’s a real danger with the freemium model that the core game will be utter shite and you’ll have to pay your way through it. When done like that, freemium games are cynical in the worst sense.
That is truly the worst kind of freemium, but I haven’t actually played many games like that.
In my opinion, S4 League is the worst offender, pay for the STRONGEST items in the game. And they’re not even permanent, they’re scamming their loyal players and by extension their regular playerbase too. It’s disgusting.
Most games just kinda have the core to which the paid content either negates the horrible grind(SD Gundam Online)/adds stuff onto the main campaign (Spiral Knights).
I have high hopes, but then again, I’m an easy optimist.
I don’t mind spending a little bit of dough on a great game.
It’s by the goddamn 0081 team, this is going to BE GREAT.