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GunGriffon: Allied Strike (Xbox) review"Okay, check this: it's the year 2008, see, and like, countries start leaving the U.N., and economic regions in South Asia joined together to create AWESOME POWER. I guess. Then the U.N. started to suck afterwards. Now fast-foward to 2023, and like, a democratic revolution broke out within this Asian nation, and then The South Asian Trade Area was like, "Whoa, terrorists!". So, now it's 2024, and the U.N. decided to form this multi-force thingy to fight against The South Asian Trade and gain REAL..." |
Okay, check this: it's the year 2008, see, and like, countries start leaving the U.N., and economic regions in South Asia joined together to create AWESOME POWER. I guess. Then the U.N. started to suck afterwards. Now fast-foward to 2023, and like, a democratic revolution broke out within this Asian nation, and then The South Asian Trade Area was like, "Whoa, terrorists!". So, now it's 2024, and the U.N. decided to form this multi-force thingy to fight against The South Asian Trade and gain REAL ULTIMATE POWER!! I think. Then stuff happens.... and you take control of a giant mech.... and blow crap up.... and........
Yeah.... I'm obviously struggling with the story here. Hell, if you look at the back of the box, you'll get a somewhat different description that sounds like it was taken from a Gundam show. So, I was very thankful that the plot ended up taking a backseat to what people play giant mech games for: ACTION! And GunGriffon: Allied Strike has plenty of it. For 13 missions, you and your insanely crappy strike force (it's like being surrounded by the red-wearing officers from Star Trek) will fight in giant mechs, or AWGSs (Armored Walking Gun System), against opposing AWGSs, tanks, and helicopters in your quest to kick the living crap out of everything that's not awesome. And don't think the enemy will just bend over and take it up the ass either, they'll attack harder than a sexually explicit comparison that I won't even bother mentioning!
You'll be doing combat in a variety of situations as this goes on, too: from running across an enemy-infested desert in an attempt to destroy petroleum facilities to protecting a defenseless base from a merciless group of AWGSs that wanna wipe it from extinction; they may not be original tasks, but they get the job done. Adding to the calamity of the battlefield is the intense soundtrack of GG:AS, and it does it so well. Like in the second mission: instantly, you'll be thrown into a tough task of destroying five supply convoys in a short time limit, all the while having to deal with an enemy that'll greet you with brute force. Matching this almost bleak situation will be a dramatic and heart-pounding score that plays in the background, and surprisingly, it'll work anytime during the mission, whether you're being filled with bullets by multiple AWGSs, or just rushing to the next convoy. The music does a wonderful job capturing the spirit of the battles, giving every mission an extra dose of drama.
But a couple of problems arise that prevent this from becoming one hell of an enjoyable game. One problem is that the enemy can be too lethal at times; there were many instances in GG:AS where an AWGS will fly through the air, land right in front of you, and end up severely damaging your mech before you got a chance to fight back. And there were moments where you'll be overwhelmed by the enemy's presence that you'll end up getting slaughtered in a matter of seconds.
Another problem, is that, if you make one tiny mistake, it can end up costing you the mission. Hell, mission 12 has you facing both these problems: here you'll have to go up against 30-plus AWGSs, tanks, helis, and turrets for approximately ten minutes as you storm a fort. Maintaining a healthy amount of life and ammunition is key to making it through this mission, because during the final minute, you'll have to stop a missile from launching from the fort. You'll have to give all you've got to take this thing out, and you'll have to do it while being hammered from all sides by AWGSs. If you think that sounds like a really crappy mission, then you're right, it's truly the worst this game has to offer. This may be one extreme example, but there are a few other missions that are just as annoying, but not as bad as this one, though.
The other annoyance is that GG:AS is simply too short; for your first time through, you'll probably finish it in under five hours, and other play-throughs after that will most likely be under two hours. Now, I'm not asking for a 40-hour epic, but at least enough that it won't leave you wanting for more. Granted, some of the missions have surprisingly high replay value, but it would've been nice if the game gave you more battles to fight in. Despite those glaring nuisances, you'll have fun with GunGriffon: Allied Strike if you know what you're getting when you purchase it (you're better off renting or getting it cheap though, it's not worth getting at full price): a short, action-packed game that'll keep you entertained for a few hours.
Oh, and KW-1b has a machine-gun on its crotch. I think it's safe to say that the developers have some kind of weird robot fetish. Sick bastards.
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