FRONT MISSION 2: Remake
- April 30, 2024
- Storm Trident S.A.
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"FRONT MISSION 2: Remake" is a tactical RPG, remake of the second game in the main Front Mission series. The game takes place 12 years after the Huffman conflict, where players will switch between three characters uncovering a conspiracy behind a coup in the impoverished People's Republic of Alordesh. Experience intense strategy and a deep storyline in this long-awaited release.
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- The story is engaging and retains the political intrigue that fans of the series appreciate.
- The game features improved graphics and character customization options compared to its predecessor.
- The tactical gameplay is deeper with the introduction of an action points system, requiring more strategic planning.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including save issues and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
- The user interface is clunky and outdated, making navigation and understanding game mechanics frustrating.
- Many players find the difficulty to be uneven, with some missions feeling unfairly challenging due to RNG and enemy AI.
- story179 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of Front Mission 2 is engaging and features a complex geopolitical narrative, but many players feel it lacks the excitement and depth of its predecessor, Front Mission 1. While the characters are more developed, the plot twists are often predictable, leading to a draggy experience, especially in the latter missions. Overall, the remaster retains the franchise's signature military drama but suffers from translation issues and uneven pacing that detracts from the overall storytelling experience.
“I did enjoy the story, as, like many other Front Mission games, it is a conspiracy that unfolds throughout the game.”
“With English, the mission and story become more clear.”
“The storyline is way too draggy.”
“I'm conflicted about the storyline: on one hand, it's not as crazy as in the first game and the characters have a bit more depth, but on the other hand, the twists and turns are predictable and kind of meh.”
“The story, just like the first one, deals with groups of people stuck in the middle of a geopolitical power struggle, though it admittedly lacks a bit of punch due to quality-control issues with the translation that make it difficult to judge.”
- gameplay48 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay retains the classic Front Mission mechanics familiar to franchise fans, but many players feel it lacks modernization compared to its successors, leading to uneven difficulty and frustrating mechanics. While the introduction of new elements like action points and status effects adds depth, the user interface is criticized for being cumbersome and not effectively communicating game mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a mix of potential and disappointment, with a need for clearer tutorials and improved UI to enhance the experience.
“Gameplay is classic Front Mission; if you're familiar with the franchise, you know what to expect, and it delivers.”
“The game expands on the core gameplay from Front Mission 1/remake by adding elements such as action points, armor resistances, ammo limits, status effects, and other tweaks that change the dynamic of how battles will play out.”
“Do yourself a favor and go through the tutorial; it helps a lot to actually understand game mechanics.”
“Several cutscenes are broken and auto-repeat, and it's nearly impossible to aim for the achievements related to enemy surrender mechanics because an enemy surrendering has a chance to brick the game.”
“The difficulty in general is very uneven: some missions are almost impossible to win if you're not an expert in game mechanics, while others are as simple as you can imagine.”
“The UI is absolutely awful; it makes the gameplay feel horrendous.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the improvements and visual effects compared to the original, while others criticize the basic animations and occasional graphical glitches. Users report issues with the game not saving their graphics settings, reverting to a low resolution upon launch. Overall, while there are notable enhancements, the graphics are still considered inferior to more recent titles in the franchise.
“The graphics are great and the levels are perfectly recreated from the original.”
“They seriously improved the graphics, visual effects, and music - everything looks and sounds way better.”
“This remake is more than I could hope for: they kept the game as it was, while improving the graphics.”
“While not too jarring, the graphics and animations are a bit basic and sometimes even subpar.”
“The other issue is that it doesn't remember my graphics settings; it keeps resetting to a default fullscreen 640p instead of a windowed 4k.”
“Downgraded combat view of the mechs just quickly making an attack instead of moving on the battlefield and actually fighting like in the original PS1 release. 2008 graphics, they did not bother to even paint over UV sims on the hard rod, basic animations from the same period, and the mechs' attacks look just basic, almost like toys.”
- stability16 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous bugs, particularly in the map and dialogue systems, leading to a frustrating experience for players. While the core gameplay elements, such as battles and mech customization, are mostly stable, the overall lack of polish, including awkward menus and missing autosave features, detracts from the experience. Players are advised to save frequently and may encounter issues with achievements due to these glitches.
“The actual battles and mech customization, the meat and potatoes of this game, are generally bug-free.”
“It is extremely buggy.”
“I cannot believe how buggy this is, basic testing would have revealed some of these bugs.”
“There are some typos in the dialogue, the menus are awkward, there’s no autosave, and I saw some graphical glitches during my playthrough.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many noting significant improvements in quality and enjoyment compared to previous installments. Reviewers appreciate the integration of music with the game's characters and art, highlighting it as a standout feature alongside enhanced graphics and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the music contributes positively to the gaming experience, with some players expressing a particular fondness for it.
“They seriously improved the graphics, visual effects, and music - everything looks and sounds way better.”
“I liked the characters, art, and music though.”
“Fm1 has this crazy plot and borked but fun eat or be eaten balance, while fm3 has peak gameplay mechanics, just as good characters, and even better music.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
“The audio quality is poor, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
In the transition from the first to the second game, players note a shift in the grinding mechanics; while the first game required grinding for levels and skills in the arena, the second game allows players to gain skills exclusively through mission completion. This change may streamline progression but alters the grinding experience significantly.
“In the first game, you could grind for levels and skills in the arena, but in the second game, you can only gain those skills through missions.”
“The grinding mechanics in this game feel tedious and unbalanced compared to the previous installment.”
“I found the grinding to be excessively repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the reviews stems from the absurdity of the game's outdated graphics and animations, with users highlighting the ridiculousness of mechs attacking in a toy-like manner and tanks firing at nonsensical angles. Phrases like "stop laughing!" emphasize the comedic frustration with the game's lack of polish and the stark contrast to its original release. Overall, the humor is derived from a mix of disappointment and the almost farcical presentation of combat mechanics.
