It is a familiar refrain – in the future, men will fight wars from inside heavily armed and armored mechanical machines. The ground will shake as this behemoths rumble through, blasting the landscape with a variety of weapons and creating ruins and wreckage from what was once a city.

Front Mission 4, a release from Square Enix for the PlayStation 2, plays off that theme.

Mankind continues to find new ways to annihilate its own species. The latest development is the “wanzer,” a human-controller mechanized unit. Think of it as a mech, for long-time game players.

These mechs are built for laying waste to enemies and their surroundings. While the setting is ostensibly a research facility testing new machines, that does not mean that players will not be involved in the wars that are raging across the world. On the contrary - while you begin with a new pilot at the Durandel research institute, soon you will be embroiled in wars in both Europe and South America.

Front Mission 4 is a turn-based tactical combat game. Players control the wanzers, but you can also utilize a new feature to the franchise in linking up with fellow squad member for tactical maneuvers. The game also has some features new to the series. There is a voiced dialogue, which does sound a little forced at times, but allows players the option (at times) of not reading the information presented while setting the tone for the missions and game.

Other features include the ability to assemble wanzers from the ground up; strategic elements such as air strikes and supply drops; huge battle maps; and environmental effects.

From the opening cutscene, you just know that Front Mission 4 is going to be something special. The environments, and the mechs, look so real.

As you progress, you will level up and earn enhancement points (EP), which can be used to enhance (what else) skills and abilities. Essentially, you use the EP earned to buy new abilities, which are programmed into the wanzer’s computer. There are three types of abilities you can enhance: attribute, weapon proficiency and battle skills. Attribute points (AP) are broken down into AP Charge (the amount of AP a pilot regains during each turn); Link Points (which are used to link other pilots for support in battle); Skill Slots (determines the number of battle skills each pilot can equip for a mission); Speed; Evasion; and Resistance Percentages. There are eight basic weapon types.

You can also repair your wanzer during battle, using items from the backpack.

The game does feature a tutorial, which will guide players through the player interface and launch them into the campaigns that this game has to offer. But don’t expect rocket science here – the player interface is very easy to use and you will be embroiled in the conflicts quickly. Detracting, though, from that is the “personality” side of some of the characters, which is brought into play. Rather than deal with more pertinent information, there is some side stuff, which may be cute, but has little to do with the overall game other than set up some minor story points. This game is really about the action, and because the game can move slowly through the turns, getting into the meat of the game is more important than who is scrubbing toilets with a toothbrush.

Graphically the game presents a bit of a mixed bag. The set-up elements are well done, but the distant perspective does little to reveal the richness of the details. The combat phase relies on cutscene material, which is superb.

Front Mission 4 is a solid turn-based combat vehicle. It just does little to break out in the genre and stand as a solid step forward for the style of game. Those who enjoy the cerebral exercise of war games will likely enjoy this challenge. Those who crave a little more constant action with their mech games may wish to pass on this.
 

Gameplay: 7.5

This is turn-based action; while relatively intuitive in the controls department, consider this a chess match, with all the pacing of tactical, thought-out warfare on a checkered board. Now this particular board happens to have buildings and such in the way, but you have time to think through your moves.

Graphics: 8.2

The movement phase is not all that spectacular, but when the camera zooms in for the combat, it looks very good. The environments are well rendered, too.

Sound: 7

This is a little forced in the dialogue department and the music is better turned off. While solid, it just does not carry the feel of the game that well.

Difficulty: Medium

Remember, this is tactical, turn-based combat. Advancing and attacking is not always the best option. The AI seems relatively sharp and responsive, and provides a great challenge.

Concept: 7.5

The interface is simple to use, the game itself requires thought. Nothing particularly new here, though.

Overall: 7.8

Front Mission 4 is a solid game, but not a step forward in the genre of mech warfare. However, combine very good graphical elements with tactical settings in turn-based combat mode of play and you have a solid title.