The perfect tactical shooter has finaly come to the gamecube.
The game starts out with training levels that introduce you to the switching between units, the use of vehicles, and then it throws you into the story mode which is inventive and entertaining. The story is basically where your nation (the frontier) is fighting to stop the evil nation that has resurected a legion of ancient troops from the soil and is now on a quest to take over the world. Yeah, sounds corny but it actually works really well. Ill just give you the story teaser in the game manual
"Let battle commence....
The world of Battalion Wars has a turbulent history, served by global conflict and only briefly interspersed with periods of tense, nervous peace. Over time, the great armies of the Western Frontier and the Tundran Territories have fought each other to a standstill.
They now abide by a treaty gauranteeing mutual sovereignty, their two vast empires seperated only by a thin stril of land - a Demilitarized Zone. Both sides monitor each other closely, primed to retaliate in the event of a preempted strike.
Gorgi, Tsar of the Tundran Empire and supreme commander of its military forces, will soon pass the reins of command to his son and heir, Marshal Nova.
The Marshal has a more modern outlook than his father, and with Nova in charge, some dare to dream that a real and lasting peace might yet be possible...
But on the other side of the DMZ, General Herman of the Western Frontier is spoiling for a fight; it's been too long since Frontier troops saw combat.
Brigadier Betty has a plan to get the man fighting fit and keep an eye on the Tundrans at the same time - this is where you come in, as special Battalion Commander for the "Fightin' Frontier"!" Yeah, I had to type all that.
You start out every mission with a variety of units that you have to conserve and keep alive. There are very rarely any reinforcements so you cant spare to sacrifice anyone. This actually work though. You could keep your footsoldiers in back behind some tanks and then when the rocket troops come in rush them out to take the kill.
The controls are perfect for this game. You use the c-stick to switch between units and the x and y buttons to command them to follow, stay where they are, or move to a designated location. You also have basic controle like shoot, jump, dive, things like that that every shooter game has to have.
The graphics are great. The basic infantrymen look cartoony as the rest of the troops look like child men that are supposed to look serious. The cutscenes that sometimes pop up in between battles are well done and explain the story very well. You will also get calls from your commanders while yo uare in battle. All of these things make the game fun to play.
There are four campaigns int htis game. Each one occurs in a different nation that you are fighting through to get to the last nation. The missions vary so much. Anything from capturing a base, to rescuing some soldiers on a wild chase through the mountains, to getting a high kill count. All the missions are fun and make you use your troops wisely and effectively. Your success is based on a grade rating that is based off of three parts. Technique, Speed, and Power. These are all averaged to give you your overall grade. This isnt just for fun though. There is a reason to do well on these missions. If you get a high average on yout total grade throughout a campaign then you can unlock a bonus mission where you get to play as a different nation.
Go buy this game, right now. Pick it up on ebay or at your local gamestop because if you dont have a copy, you are missing out on somehting special.