It's WARS! Imagine all of Gundam series mixed out in a map and they fight each other. The best series yet!
Le Clueze... or imagine at last Char could feel what it's like to be punched by Domon's Shining Finger.
Now for the review breakdown:
Story
You can choose 4 generation story starts from UC series, Another series (After Colony, After War), Next Generation series (Cosmic Era, Anno Domini in 00) and there is Extra Generation series which will let you experience the total mix of the wars.
The main story of each generations are based on respective storyline and usually divided into 3 or 5 stages, but if you fulfill some requirements you can trigger the WARS BREAK. It is like an extra phase with units and characters from any generation that
will appear in the map.
Gameplay
Not too different from the previous SPIRITS but lots of new features installed in WARS. You choose one Master Character which is a main character from their storyline such as Amuro, Kira, Shinn or Setsuna. Each of them has a Scout Link that will activate the characters linked to their storyline so that they could be used in your group. The original characters also reappear in this series, so if you miss them, don't worry. You can choose a new Scout Link if you have finished one storyline. You can have up to 2 of your custom groups in a map or you could just have 1 or 2 master unit in a map. The battle system is also upgraded from the previous version. Low level units only have limited chance to make another move if it kills an opponent but higher level means the chance will increase. The high tension meter is reduced to 2 instead of 3 from SPIRITS. Yeah, ofcourse you can still inflict Super Critical Hit. Some units will have it's special
ability if the tension is raised, like Gundam F91, Destiny Gundam and ofcourse those from G Gundam series can enter Hyper Mode. Wait! Some characters also have their special ability triggered in high tension mode. Kira, Athrun and Shinn can trigger their SEED mode, and yes, Allelujah will change to Hallelujah! Oh, there are lots of new Option Parts to be used in your units.
Cut scenes
This part is what I think the most dramatic in this game. Almost all characters has cutscenes when they attack or when they commanding an attack. Watch Amuro and Char fights together or Setsuna commanding an attack with the Celestial Beings or even
the original characters following him. Or what dialogue could it be when Seabook attacks Master Asia? Some "couples" also have their own cutscene like Kira and Athrun's Full Burst Attack.
Unit Development
This is the one that made me addicted to this game. The unit development is just the same as the previous. You just simply raise the unit's level and you can develop a newer unit or you could just combine it with another unit to produce newer unit in the factory. There is one new element in the development. The exchange mode will allow you to develop some unit into totally different unit from another generation. So you can have Deep Striker from Gundam MkII, yeah it rocks man! The development also have some tweak such as a new combination will be highlighted so you can easily discover new combinations.
Graphics
Not too much to be spoken, only it IS greater than the previous. Some new animations, CGs and effects.
Musics
Ohh my... this part also becomes greater. Some character has their own BGM when it comes to Super Critical Hit attacks.
Playtime
About an hour or so is needed to finish each stage if you have triggered the WARS BREAK. Well, you could also finish each stage with your own style whether you want it to be quick or enjoying the battle. Each normal stage has 2 WARS BREAK and 4 WARS in the EX stages.
Minuses
Although there are LOTS of character and units appeared but some from the SPIRITS series wasn't. I miss the Hazel-Rah...
and where's Cagalli?
Overall
This is just the best SD Gundam series yet. It is highly recommended for Gundam fans, and hey... Bandai still rocks the PS2 console heh? WARS BREAK!!