Super Robot Wars Y

Prior to this review assignment, I wasn't particularly well versed in the Super Robot Wars series. Apparently the sequel has roots stretching back to the early 90s and its Gameboy era, and the games that have launched since then are mainly about being able to collect various characters from various Anime series and have them fight inside huge robots. The concept and premise doesn't sound too crazy at first, but after spending several hours with the latest addition called Super Robot Wars Y, I can't be anything but disappointed.

The foundation is certainly not wrong. The gameplay is mainly about manoeuvring your combatants across a grid battlefield and letting them take on different enemy types. If you like titles like Fire Emblem, it's easy to feel at home, and with a light-hearted role-playing system (which allows your characters to level up and get stronger), there's reason to keep playing to build the strongest army possible.

The story is probably the only reason to play through this game.

The story is also fairly well done, although it is not special in any way. If you've played an anime-inspired adventure before, it's exactly the same set-up inside Super Robot Wars. Characters with funny hair colours talk about the end of the world while getting to know each other on a more personal level. In other words, there's saturated (and overplayed) drama mixed with simple comedy. It's not unique in any way, but if you have a sense of these individuals before, I can easily see how you can get an emotional payoff along the way.

This is how you convey a grand parade in 2025.

That's where the positive things to say about Super Robot Wars Y end. Because when you look at the price tag, the presentation is a joke. Visually, it looks like a Nintendo 3DS title running in upscaled format, and the crappy graphics along with the substandard sound effects leave much to be desired. Sure, the cartoony character portraits may stamp out with a passing grade, but everything from the menus to the game board feels like a minor insult for the amount of money you're asking for in return.

The fact that the game does not offer different languages, but is only bound to Japanese, feels stingy. It is particularly parodic when you can change the language when you read the licence regulations, but at the same time it is said - in the same document - that this "does not affect the language of the game". It's like they're trying to get away with as little effort as possible, and unfortunately it feels like a recurring theme throughout the experience.

Customising your robot can be fun.

Super Robot Wars Y has an acceptable foundation to stand on as already mentioned, but no effort has been put into making a good final product. Everything feels cheap and substandard, and what could be an entertaining title is reduced to an underwhelming adventure that isn't worth your time or money. If you like the previous games, and have some sort of attachment to the characters, then it's possible that you can find some sort of enjoyment here - but let it be at a reduced price in the future. Because as Super Robot Wars Y feels today, it's a game that isn't worth its price tag or any loyalty from potential new fans.

The graphics are atrocious for the price tag you ask.