Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is a unique game. Not in the way you may hope, and not in the way you may think by DW's recent downfall on PlayStation 2. But for the first time in 10 years, a hack-n-slash, button-mash-filled game has come that reminds us of the good old days when the X-Men and TMNT beat-'em-ups ruled arcades. It's short and not excessively difficult, but it also comes with zero frame rate issues, is without any major glitches, and contains more action than any Gundam game before it.

Is this the perfect Dynasty Warriors game? Far from it. But is it worth playing, especially if you're a former arcade junkie? You bet.

Mobile Suit Destruction

If you've played the DW series before, the Gundam edition is exactly what it sounds like: the same style of gameplay, camera movement, level design, enemy onslaughts, etc., as the other DW games but uses a new license. Next-gen power and a superior engine have made the series play better than ever, but the ideals haven't changed.

Given that this is a Gundam game, many will experience the series for the first time in this PS3 and Xbox 360 spin-off. If you're one of those players, here's the gist: you control a mobile suit from a classic Gundam series and take on thousands of enemy suits and bosses in a handful of large-scale battles. Dozens of suits are visible in almost every location – when enemies cluster together, you'll see well over one hundred units crammed onto the screen at one time.

Two primary weapons – one cannon and a lightsaber-style sword – give players unlimited attack abilities. You can fire the cannon repeatedly without repercussion, but most suits will have to be dealt with using close-combat attacks. That’s when the hack-n-slash portion of the game is introduced, and as you can imagine, it does not come to an end. Whether controlling Wing-Zero or some other famous Gundam, players will slash their way through each level. The occasional cannon blast is necessary, especially for those blasted enemies that just won’t stay put. But the majority of the action occurs with the X (sword attack) button.

Every successful hit from or against an enemy helps charge your suit’s SP attack meter, which – just like the other DW games – allows you to execute a multi-directional attack. Unlike DW’s special attacks, however, which were supernatural versions of real-life moves, these were taken from the Gundam universe. Heero Yuy’s Wing-Zero is one of the available Gundams, and its SP attack lets you steer a beam of energy for a few seconds. The beam destroys or severely damages anything it touches. Loran Cehack’s Turn A Gundam hovers while dropping bombs. To strike with a multi-hit blast, use Judau Ashta’s Zeta Gundam, and for a sword assault, the Gundam MK-II (piloted by Kamille Bidan) is the one to use.

Each suit may be customized (slightly) using the four skill and three part upgrade slots. Part upgrades affect the overall performance of the suit, enhancing either your melee or shot attacks, defense and/or armor capabilities. Skills increase performance based on the situation. Zero Range Shot increases the shot damage when fighting closer to the enemy. Heat Up increases the damage in proportion to the length of the combo. There are dozens of skills, so you’re likely to find some that meet your needs.

Story segments are interspersed through each mission, and though I would have loved to see this game recapture Gundam Wing’s magic, it doesn’t come close to reaching its status. In fact, none of the new or reiterated stories do. The game doesn’t provide anything beyond a few terse sentences, most of which have little to no connection to the characters they were written for. KOEI isn’t exactly an ace storyteller, but this is also a Namco Bandai property. Bandai, as in the original creator of Mobile Suit Gundam.

Suits ‘R’ Us

Amidst the ongoing assault on mankind (and man-made machinery), brief distractions will be unleashed. They come in the form of sub-bosses – nameless, mid-level enemies that are often referred to as “guards.” Hefty life meters and the ability to block most attacks gives them a fighting edge. When facing more than one, keep an eye on your health meter. Unlike the average cluster, which can be beaten down and taken out in a couple of hits, going up against multiple sub-bosses will do a number on your suit.

Damage is displayed via the aforementioned meter, plus sparks, smoke, and tarnished metal. If you’re consumed by the action – the non-stop destruction of all things robotic and metallic – or get lost in the act of tapping the same button several thousand times, it’s easy to ignore when your own suit is in danger. Aside from a few moments where I made a mistake or was truly overwhelmed, this was the only time I died – when distracted by the gameplay process and/or the array of polys thrown onto the screen.

Mobile Suit Action, Entertainment… Repetition

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is an action-packed button-masher. There are literally thousands of mobile suit baddies to obliterate. The suit designs are true to the anime, keeping the series’ cool factor from escaping. And though the CG intro looks amazing (far more realistic than any of the CG Gundam shows), the polygon models are the game’s graphical showstopper. Had the story been on par with Gundam’s heritage, the developers could have used these real-time graphics to push every scene. Computer-generated images are nice, but this engine has reduced their significance.

Dynasty newcomers won’t know it, but mechanically, DWG is a huge step forward. Outside of aerial attacks and having the ability to hover, these mobile suits can’t do much more than their “Warrior” counterparts. But while the series had become a technical mess on PS2, with slowdown, stiff gameplay, lousy controls, and a horrendous camera angle, the Gundam edition is silky-smooth in each of those areas.

Unless you’re a gamer who hates the hack-n-slash genre, you’ll enjoy this spin-off. But you’ll despise its repetition. Chances are you predicted that – even those who haven’t played the DW series before must have heard about “X Button Syndrome.” It was known as “Square Button Syndrome” on PS2, but the symptoms are the same: press the X button until all victory conditions are met. Victory conditions may be as varied as “protect your base” or “defeat a specific enemy,” but what they’re really saying is, “Kill everyone, fight-fight-fight!” Hence, DWG doesn’t give you much room to breathe. It’s a hack-n-slash game – albeit, a polished one – and nothing more.

Gameplay: 6.9
Hack-n-slash gameplay done right. Thousands of enemies, over a hundred of which can be visible on screen at any given time, and the coolest mobile suits around. If the developers could find a way to prevent the game from becoming repetitive, then the eventual sequel – or the next spin-off – could be amazing.

Graphics: 8.5
Excellent character models, explosions and other effects make for an eye candy-filled treat.

Sound: 5.0
The voice-overs are devoid of excitement, as is the music, which lacks the depth and artistic value of the soundtracks found in Gundam anime.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Can we say almost Medium? Dynasty Warriors: Gundam doesn’t offer much of a challenge beyond other hack-n-slash games, including its non-Gundam predecessors.

Concept: 6.9
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam scores a few extra points for its top-notch polish. But as a game, it’s just Dynasty Warriors with Gundam characters.

Multiplayer: 5.0
The same style of one-on-one multiplayer that was available several years ago on PS2. Not too exciting.

Overall: 6.9
Good (and bad) for all that it is, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is a fun, highly polished hack-n-slash title. The genre has been repetitive from the beginning and this game does nothing to change that. For that reason – and the game’s simplicity (press X to win) – most gamers will want to opt for a rental before making a purchase.