FRONT MISSION 2: Remake

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 171 reviews

story24 positive mentions

stability14 negative mentions

The game features solid mech strategy gameplay that can be enjoyable for fans of the genre.
The remastered graphics and sound have received praise, enhancing the overall experience.
The game introduces new mechanics like the Action Points system, adding depth to the tactical gameplay.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, making it frustrating to play at times.
The user interface is considered clunky and outdated, detracting from the overall experience.
Many players feel that the game lacks the depth and strategic elements found in its predecessor, leading to a reliance on luck.

story
182 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
85%
2%
The story of "Front Mission 2" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its geopolitical themes and character development, while others find it predictable and lacking the depth of its predecessor. Many noted that the narrative can feel draggy, especially in the latter half, and is marred by translation issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, fans of the franchise still find elements to engage with, particularly the unfolding conspiracy and military drama that are hallmarks of the series.
- “The story is interesting, but FM1 was better; again, FM2 still kept me engaged.”
- “I did enjoy the story, as, like many other Front Mission games, it is a conspiracy that unfolds throughout the game.”
- “The story, I think the second half of the game gets pretty boring.”
- “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, uh, character, in them; on the other hand, 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.”
gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
72%
8%
The gameplay of the latest installment in the Front Mission series is a mixed bag, featuring expanded mechanics like action points and ammo limits that can enhance strategic depth but also lead to frustration due to unclear systems and uneven difficulty. While the classic elements of the franchise are retained, many players feel that the user interface is outdated and hinders the overall experience, making it difficult to grasp the game's mechanics without a thorough tutorial. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects, the execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a sense of wasted potential.
- “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.”
- “Though my memories of the gameplay back then are a bit sketchy, the new 3D combat system was innovative, and that brings me to the second thing I like about this new version - the somewhat enhanced 3D graphics, though still inferior to the later versions of the franchise are a nice improvement.”
- “The gameplay is fun, but the UI desperately needs to be cleaned up and modernized a bit for this game to shine... it would not be removing any of the difficulty or depth of strategy to make your players better informed.”
- “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.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The graphics in the remastered version have received mixed reviews; while some players praise the significant improvements and visual effects, others criticize the basic animations and occasional graphical glitches. Users have noted issues with the game not retaining custom graphics settings, and while the levels are well recreated, some elements feel outdated compared to newer titles in the franchise. Overall, the remaster enhances the original's visuals but still falls short in certain areas.
- “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.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
88%
The game is reported to be extremely buggy, with numerous glitches affecting the map, dialogue, and menus, though the core gameplay elements like battles and mech customization are generally stable. Players have noted issues such as typos, awkward menus, and a lack of autosave, leading to a frustrating experience that requires frequent saving. Overall, while not game-breaking, the stability issues detract significantly from the overall experience.
- “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.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
The music in the game has received notable praise for its significant improvement, enhancing the overall experience alongside upgraded graphics and visual effects. While opinions vary, many players appreciate the soundtrack, with some highlighting it as a standout feature that complements the engaging gameplay and characters.
- “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.”
- “I'm one of the minority who likes the music.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players note a shift in the grinding mechanics from the first game to the second, with the first game allowing skill and level progression through arena grinding, while the sequel restricts this progression to mission completions. This change has led to mixed feelings about the grinding experience, as it alters the pace and method of character development.
- “In the first game, you could grind for levels and skills in the arena, but in the sequel, you can only gain those skills through missions.”
- “The grinding mechanics in this game feel tedious and repetitive, making progress feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- “I found the grinding aspect to be overly time-consuming, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the reviews stems from the exaggerated disappointment with the game's graphics and animations, likening the mechs' combat to a toy-like experience and mocking the outdated visuals. Phrases like "stop laughing!" highlight the absurdity of the situation, suggesting that the game's shortcomings are so pronounced they invite a humorous response. Overall, the humor is rooted in a blend of sarcasm and frustration over the game's failure to meet expectations.