An offshoot of the SRT:alpha series, this is a great game that is just a small step short of its predecessor.
All Super Robot Taisen(SRT) games share the same basic formula, super robots and real robots from the TV series and movies of the time, with all of their appropriate attacks and abilities, put together in one strategy RPG(SRPG) with a loose story tying them together. So if you are familiar with SRT, or if you like SRPGs then you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect. You command a set number of units, which you usually get to choose, through a number of missions which take place on 2D maps that are laid out on a grid. Through the course of the game you earn credits that you then apply to upgrading the stats and weapons of the robots you like, making them stronger in preparation for the end game. Standard SRPG stuff, just with robots and giant monsters instead of goblins and knights. The main SRT games differ from the OG games because the robots and characters included in them are taken from Japanese Anime as well as including the original robots and characters that appear in the OG games exclusively. If you would like to learn more about SRT and the various robots and characters included in this and other games in the series, go to this link;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_robot_taisen
Super Robot Taisen: Alpha Gaiden(SRT:aG) is the second game in the SRT:a series. It is an offshoot of the main series in that the story takes place in kind of an alternate time-line from the series proper. SRT:aG has almost everything that made SRT:a great. I did find it a bit strange that you did not have access to many of the original units that were available in the first game. The inability to form the SRX was particularly surprising. And while all of my favorite Macross units return for a second go around(except for the SDF-1 Macross itself(?_?)), as well as many of my other favorite anime units, Giant Robo is nowhere to be found. These omissions have been replaced with units from other series, like Zabungle and "Turn A" GUNDAM for example, so check the new ones out and if you like them better, cheers to you.
The gameplay in SRT:aG is almost identical to SRT:a. There are only a few changes; no two moves per turn for the Macross units, the availability of the bazaar from Zabungle in which you can buy units and equipment, etc... Like the previous installment SRT:aG is a difficult game, but if you have a plan you can overcome even the hardest difficulty setting, as I did. The final two or three battles in particular take a lot of preparation and a meticulous strategy.
The map and unit graphics are largely unchanged from SRT:a, but the battle animations are MUCH improved. All of the sprites have been redone with longer and more dynamic animations.
The sound once again is great, all of the themes, effects, and voices are accurate and reproduced in flawless CD quality.
The value for SRT:aG may be a bit higher than the previous game because of the addition of a replay system. It is not the robust replay system of many of the later editions of SRT but it is more than there was in SRT:a. From your second play-through you receive cash based on the difficulty setting on which you previously finished the game, to a maximum of 2,000,000 credits for Hard. This seems a bit spartan compared to the more recent replay systems, but it is better than nothing. Another thing to consider is that SRT:aG is quite a bit shorter than SRT:a, so the final assessment of value for this game would hinge upon the player's desire to play through the game more than once.
SRT:aG is another great edition of SRT, but it just does not reach as high as SRT:a. If you like SRPGs you cannot go wrong with this game, and if you are a SRT collector like me you should already have it. But if you are looking to get the best SRT for the PS1 I would most highly recommend SRT:a.