Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Front Mission 2 brings turn-based strategy to life with its intricate Wanzer tactics and deep customization. Each mission tasks you with moving your mechs—known as Wanzers—across isometric battlefields, carefully positioning units to exploit terrain advantages and enemy weaknesses. The shift from an overhead grid view to a third-person perspective during combat sequences ensures each attack feels impactful, as you watch your pilots unleash missiles, bullets, and melee strikes in cinematic detail.

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Customization lies at the heart of the experience. Between missions, you have full access to a workshop where you can swap out arms, legs, torsos, and weapons, and even adjust armor plating and internal systems. This breadth of options encourages experimentation: swap a light machine gun for a high-powered sniper rifle, or fit additional booster jets to gain a mobility edge. As you earn credits and parts, you’ll constantly refine your lineup to tackle ever-tougher challenges.

The game’s structure of over 30 story-driven missions keeps the pacing engaging. Objectives vary from simple “eliminate all enemies” tasks to high-stakes rescue operations and timed assaults on enemy strongholds. Each mission introduces new mechanics—such as linked fire between multiple Wanzers or environmental hazards like collapsing bridges—keeping battles fresh and strategic decisions meaningful.

Dialogue and NPC interactions between missions don’t just advance the plot; they also unlock side missions, special weapons, and unique pilot skills. The combination of role-playing elements with tactical combat makes Front Mission 2 more than a strategy title—it becomes a campaign where each choice, loadout tweak, and conversation can sway the war in 22nd-century Aroldesh in your favor.

Graphics

Front Mission 2 marks the series’ first fully 3D outing on the original PlayStation, and while it shows its age in polygon counts, its art direction remains compelling. The Wanzers are modeled with sharp, angular lines that capture the industrial militaristic aesthetic, and each component swap is visually reflected on-screen. There’s a satisfying mechanical weight to every movement and attack animation.

Battlefield environments range from urban sprawls to desert canyons and snowy mountain passes. Textures may appear flat by modern standards, but the level design uses environmental obstacles—ruined buildings, trenches, and debris—to heighten tactical considerations. Lighting effects during explosions and weapon fire add drama and help convey the intensity of the battlefield.

Cutscenes and character portraits lean on high-contrast, hand-drawn art styles that give pilots distinct personalities despite limited voice acting. These interludes heighten emotional stakes, whether you’re witnessing a mutiny in progress or a reluctant Alliances commander grappling with the fallout of civil war. Even in static frames, the art conveys tension and urgency.

Menu interfaces and HUD elements are clean and functional, showing critical information—hit percentages, ammo counts, and movement ranges—without clutter. While occasional slowdowns occur when multiple animations trigger simultaneously, they rarely disrupt the flow of gameplay and instead underscore the explosive power of your most devastating weapons.

Story

The narrative thrust of Front Mission 2 unfolds in the nation of Aroldesh, where an OCU Wanzer squad is suddenly thrust into the chaos of a coup d’état. You begin on routine patrol, only to witness your base infiltrated and overrun by rebel forces. This shocking opening sequence sets a tense tone that reverberates throughout the campaign, as loyalties shift and civil war spreads like wildfire.

Characters aren’t mere cannon fodder; each pilot has motivations, backstories, and relationships that evolve through in-mission briefings and post-battle conversations. You’ll negotiate with local resistance leaders, attempt to broker fragile alliances, and sometimes make morally grey decisions to protect innocent civilians caught between warring factions.

The branching dialogue options and NPC side missions enrich the main plot, revealing hidden conspiracies behind the coup and exposing the murky interplay between major powers. Though the overall arc follows a linear progression of 30+ missions, the depth of character interactions and optional objectives lends the story a dynamic feel that encourages multiple playthroughs.

Emotional payoffs—such as rescuing a friend from enemy captivity or confronting a former ally turned warlord—punctuate the strategy gameplay with human drama. These narrative peaks give weight to each victory and defeat, ensuring you’re invested not just in the outcome of battles, but in the fate of Aroldesh itself.

Overall Experience

Front Mission 2 remains a standout title for fans of tactical RPGs, delivering a robust blend of strategic depth, mech customization, and engrossing storytelling. Its 3D visuals and cinematic combat sequences raised the bar for mecha-based games on the PlayStation, even if they show signs of age today. The core gameplay loop—battle, upgrade, converse—never grows stale, thanks to a steady influx of new weapons, skills, and battlefield conditions.

For new players, the learning curve can be steep, especially when mastering customization rules and reading enemy movement patterns. However, the game’s careful pacing and clear mission objectives help you acclimate quickly. Veteran tacticians will appreciate the challenge of squeezing maximum efficiency from limited resources and devising strategies against boss-level Wanzers.

Replayability is high: different pilot pairings, alternate loadouts, and optional missions can dramatically alter both combat scenarios and story revelations. Collecting all weapons, unlocking hidden Wanzers, and exploring every dialogue branch can easily double the game’s 30-mission campaign length.

Ultimately, Front Mission 2 offers a compelling package for players seeking a deep, mech-focused strategy RPG. Its blend of mechanical customization, tactical combat, and a politically charged narrative ensures that each mission feels consequential, and every dialogue choice impacts the larger war effort. If you’re ready to lead your Wanzer squad through the turmoil of 22nd-century Aroldesh, this classic title delivers a richly rewarding experience.

Retro Replay Score

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