SD GUNDAM G GENERATION CROSS RAYS

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,201 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
SD GUNDAM G GENERATION CROSS RAYS Game Cover
There is very little to complain about with SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays because what it does, it does very well indeed, with no other game on the system to compare it against, other than its previous non-English entry. What we have here is months of content spread across an accessible, user-friendly package that will reward players who like to tinker with squad micro-management but will also let newcomers to the series enjoy the pyrotechnics display from each engagement. We doubt that we need to tell fans of the franchise why this is such a worthy investment; the amount of fan-service (we're talking the good, wholesome variety here) is staggering and more than worth the admission price. To those who love strategy RPGs and have already exhausted all possibilities provided by Fire Emblem: Three Houses and rabid Pokémon trainers who have filled their Pokédex, we offer this advice: Cross Rays might just be the best game of this type on Switch that you've never heard of, and would probably pass you right by if you’re not a Gundam fan. Take a chance on this and you might just become one. It's a fitting 40th-anniversary celebration of the entire saga.
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SD GUNDAM G GENERATION CROSS RAYS is a tactical RPG featuring massive mecha battles from the Mobile Suit GUNDAM series. Choose your favorite characters and mobile suits from over 30 years of GUNDAM history, and lead them to battle in epic clashes. Build your own team, strategize, and experience the ultimate GUNDAM crossover.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,201 reviews
story99 positive mentions
grinding110 negative mentions
  • Great for Gundam fans with a vast selection of mobile suits and characters from various series.
  • Engaging turn-based strategy gameplay with deep customization options for units and pilots.
  • Beautiful animations and soundtracks that enhance the overall experience.
  • Frequent crashes and performance issues, especially on certain hardware configurations.
  • Repetitive gameplay with long missions that can become tedious over time.
  • Lack of a proper tutorial and confusing UI that can overwhelm new players.
  • story822 mentions

    The game's story primarily retells the narratives of several Gundam series, including "Wing," "Seed," "00," and "Iron-Blooded Orphans," through a series of missions that condense key plot points into a visual novel format. While fans appreciate the nostalgic elements and the opportunity to experience beloved storylines, many criticize the lack of depth and the repetitive nature of missions, which can often take over an hour to complete. Additionally, the absence of a cohesive overarching plot and the reliance on familiar narratives may leave newcomers feeling lost or disengaged.

    • “I was surprised as to how deep and involved the storylines are; it doesn't feel like a synopsis when you're playing through the stories.”
    • “The Gundam elements are very well done, and the storyline closely follows the actual Gundam series.”
    • “The story is great, covering a lot of the original anime stories.”
    • “The story is near incomprehensible to people who aren't familiar with Gundam.”
    • “Story is just the story of the old animes, just with tons cut out and, unpopular opinion, Gundam storytelling isn't that good so when you actually cut out huge parts of the story to compress it you're just left with a lot of the stupid parts shining through.”
    • “The game doesn't have its own storyline or complex gameplay; it relies heavily on franchise IP.”
  • gameplay275 mentions

    The gameplay of "SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays" is a blend of turn-based strategy and RPG elements, offering a variety of mechanics and customization options that appeal to fans of the Gundam franchise. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and the extensive roster of mobile suits, some criticize the repetitive nature of battles, lengthy mission durations, and a lack of clear tutorials for new players. Overall, the game is enjoyable for those familiar with the genre, but it may feel grindy and tedious for others, especially without a proper introduction to its mechanics.

    • “The enjoyable strategy and leveling make it so engaging, and the simple gameplay keeps it from ever getting boring.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, but the grind is real.”
    • “The gameplay, while tricky to start out with due to not being given much guidance, is easy to get the hang of and is a lot of fun.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and easy, with teams being able to recover HP just by staying together, story characters that auto-regenerate health every turn, making it impossible to lose unless they get blown up in one round, and an AI so inactive that it will literally do nothing unless you move towards it half the time.”
    • “The game really doesn't explain its mechanics well, and there's no dedicated tutorial; it just thrusts you in the deep end.”
    • “The combat is incredibly repetitive and tedious, the energy system does little to improve gameplay, and the stages are unbearably long.”
  • graphics179 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received a generally positive reception, with many players praising the high-quality visuals, stunning battle animations, and vibrant art style that appeals to both new and longtime Gundam fans. However, some users have reported technical issues, particularly with AMD and integrated graphics cards, leading to crashes and performance problems. Overall, while the graphics are considered a significant improvement over previous titles in the series, there are still areas, such as tactical graphics and UI design, that could benefit from further enhancement.

    • “The visuals are stunning, with a nice blend of sprites and models.”
    • “The graphics are top notch and its pre-rendered cut scenes graphics are so good that I do not mind it playing over and over again.”
    • “The graphics are great!”
    • “As expected, graphics, voice dubbing, and gameplay have not changed much from its predecessors.”
    • “The graphics, while not bad, are overshadowed by the design and UI that remind me of the SNES era.”
    • “The game itself is not looking like the best game in terms of graphics, but you learn again that not good graphics make a good game.”
  • music122 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and nostalgic value, featuring a mix of original soundtracks and remixed tracks from various Gundam series. Players appreciate the ability to customize their own background music, allowing for a personalized gaming experience. However, some have noted that certain tracks can become repetitive over time, though the overall selection and integration of music significantly enhance the gameplay atmosphere.

    • “The music is fantastic, as is typical of anime music.”
    • “The ability to manage and customize the background music through all aspects of the game (menus, stages, even down to characters) is awesome.”
    • “The music absolutely slaps, the roster is incredibly huge, and there are a lot of really cool new features that really help this one stand out from the pack.”
    • “My only considerable complaint is that the music for attacks is repetitive sometimes.”
    • “It doesn't really happen to me that the music of a game irritates me, but I had to mute it here after like 10 minutes.”
    • “The music selection is also good but sadly does not include the actual theme songs of the series and I do wish all the text scenes are fully voiced after all these years.”
  • grinding112 mentions

    The game is widely regarded as grindy, requiring significant time investment to level up units, unlock characters, and earn in-game currency. While some players appreciate the grind as part of the experience, especially with the introduction of dispatch missions that automate some of the process, many find the gameplay tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later stages. Overall, the grind can be enjoyable for dedicated fans of the Gundam franchise, but it may deter those looking for a more streamlined experience.

    • “Grinding can be a rewarding experience if you approach it with the right mindset.”
    • “The grind is where you truly develop your skills and strategies.”
    • “Many players find that grinding helps them connect more deeply with the game.”
    • “The combat is incredibly repetitive and tedious, the energy system does little to improve gameplay and the stages are unbearably long.”
    • “You spend 90% of your time grinding for money and for new gundams.”
    • “The only major downside for me is that this one requires an insane amount of grinding, more than other releases, but only if you want to go into the hardest difficulty at the end of the game.”
  • optimization25 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including crashes, stuttering, and lag during animations, particularly on lower-spec systems. While some users report smooth gameplay after adjustments, others highlight that the game is poorly optimized for its graphical style, which primarily features 2D images. Overall, the game is seen as needing further optimization to enhance the user experience, especially for those with less powerful hardware.

    • “Crossrays is also the first installation that emphasizes pilot performance over milliseconds, allowing even the weaker grunt units to perform like cutting-edge units as long as the pilot is an ace themselves.”
    • “Not to mention, it's an immediate buy if you're a Gundam fan. Sure, it's SD, however, it's the more optimized models compared to what they used to be.”
    • “It runs smoothly, character/mecha details are great, and there is a smooth transition between starting and ending an attack animation sequence. An added bonus is that they've taken proper BGM tracks from the series, which is normally a tricky situation when licensing these games outside of Japan.”
    • “I already changed the graphics to high performance NVIDIA and it's still crashing.”
    • “This game isn't optimized very well, which is funny considering 90% of what you see is a 2D image, and only very few 3D models are on display. It's hilarious that they'd go through the trouble of actively making the game look worse when they could just use the 3D models everywhere.”
    • “As of now, the game is literally unplayable and is poorly optimized.”
  • stability21 mentions

    The game's stability has been a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various technical glitches, particularly on PC. While the initial launch was notably buggy, players have acknowledged that the developers have been proactive in addressing these issues with patches. However, some users still experience ongoing problems, such as save data management and performance issues, indicating that the game requires further refinement.

    • “The PC port is decent, with some caveats (a little bit of console influence in the menu design). I haven't been able to get a resolution higher than 1920x1080 yet, but otherwise, it looks and runs great.”
    • “Not because of difficulty spikes, but frequent crashes and freezes.”
    • “I cannot fully explain what is causing it, but this game refuses to use the Steam Cloud for its save data, and as a result, continuously eats up more and more memory until the game itself begins to create bugs and glitches due to insufficient space.”
    • “These freezes only grow more frequent as more data is taken up.”
  • replayability19 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with numerous difficulty levels, extensive character and unit development, and a wealth of content that encourages players to revisit missions and grind for upgrades. Players appreciate the balance between story progression and the challenge of higher difficulties, making it accessible for casual players while still offering depth for those seeking to maximize their experience. Overall, the combination of tactical gameplay and customization options contributes to a highly engaging and replayable experience.

    • “There is so much replayability and so much content to begin with.”
    • “You can play through the stories of some of the best series (Gundam Wing) and the different difficulty levels with increased rewards allows for a lot of replay value, especially since you can make your own custom pilots and level both them and mobile suits up to transform into better ones, giving you a reason and reward to level grind.”
    • “With hundreds of hours of replay value, it's more than worth the price of admission!”
    • “Very little replayability so far.”
    • “The game has a high level of content before worrying about replayability, but even then each campaign mission has 3 difficulty modes making the enemies you face much more threatening.”
    • “A slight learning curve if you are new to the SD Gundam strategy games, but the progression and unlocking of units will keep you coming back for replay value.”
  • humor15 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players enjoying funny character lines and amusing bugs, such as a launch glitch that caused exaggerated damage values. While some find the art style and voice lines entertaining, others feel the humor can become repetitive and that the game lacks the comedic charm of previous Gundam titles. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch, even amidst performance issues.

    • “It is awesome to see some of my favorite characters spout funny new lines when they use mechs from other Gundam series!”
    • “This game isn't optimized very well, which is funny considering 90% of what you see is a 2D image, and only very few 3D models are on display, making it hilarious that they'd go through the trouble of actively making the game look worse when they could just use the 3D models everywhere.”
    • “To address the naysayers, there was a launch day bug (for about an hour) where all damage values were multiplied by about 30x, which was hilarious and unintentional - it was patched almost instantly, but not before a couple hundred people rioted and gave one of the most promising games of 2019 a negative review.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the character design in the game, noting its uniqueness compared to competitors and drawing favorable comparisons to other franchises like Fafner and Gundam OO. However, some mention that the character development system has been simplified, allowing players to invest capital instead of points, which may impact depth but does not detract significantly from the overall experience.

    • “Aside from that, the custom BGM and character design are the main reasons I love this game. The new UI may seem a bit confusing, but I think it's not a big deal.”
    • “I love the character design; it feels reminiscent of Fafner.”
    • “The character design is something that makes this game unique compared to its competitors.”
    • “They simplified certain aspects of character development; now you can just spend capital instead of points.”
    • “Aside from that, the custom BGM and character design are the main reasons I love this game, but the new UI seems a bit confusing.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game largely hinges on players' pre-existing connections to the Gundam series; those without such ties may find the early grind off-putting. While the battle animations are visually appealing, their repetitiveness and lack of engaging environments can detract from the overall emotional experience, leading to a sense of boredom during the story progression.

    • “Gundam is a series with a deep place in my heart, and after seeing Bandai reluctantly touching the PC market with this game, I have to write this review because of how nice it plays.”
    • “The battle animation visuals, though nice, become repetitive and too long. Without a map for the fight animation, you end up playing a boring story in a dull environment.”
    • “The emotional impact of the story is undermined by the lack of engaging gameplay, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “Despite the potential for a deep narrative, the execution feels flat, leaving players emotionally disconnected from the storyline.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    Reviewers highlight the game's atmosphere as immersive and engaging, particularly praising the use of original soundtrack elements that enhance the storytelling experience. The ability of warships to operate in various environments, including space and atmosphere, adds to the overall depth and enjoyment of the game.

    • “For an old veteran like me, it makes me happy that they used the original OST here. When playing the storyline, you can very easily indulge yourself in this fantastic atmosphere.”
    • “First off, try to get two warships that can handle space and atmosphere as soon as possible.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization model for SD Gundam G Generation Eternal is free-to-play with in-app purchases, but users criticize the excessive fragmentation of downloadable content (DLC), perceiving it as a cash grab.

    • “Bandai Namco has announced the Gundam strategy game SD Gundam G Generation Eternal for iOS and Android, which will be free-to-play with in-app purchases.”
    • “These DLCs are separated into way too many pieces for the cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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Play time

78hMedian play time
84hAverage play time
5-190hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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