Review: SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE

Developer – ARTDINK

Publisher – Bandai Namco Entertainment

Platforms – PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, PC

I’m a big fan of the SRPG SD Gundam titles that have been getting complete translations the last few years, and was interested in how they would fair in a game with much more action than strategy. SD Gundam Battle Alliance is an excellent time if you have some pals to shoot space lasers with.

The story told here is very much in line with other SD Gundam titles and titles such as Xenoverse. It’s essentially a plot created to throw as much Gundam fanservice at players, and for what it is, it’s enjoyable. It contains a plethora of visual novel-style cutscenes that are absent while playing co-op, and the occasional in-mission cutscene break up the action.

Your enjoyment of the story can be directly measured against your love of the source material. You get to meet different heroes and villains of each timeline, and if you’re familiar with the storylines, then the crossover appeal will go a long way. If you’re new to Gundam, this isn’t the best way to dive into the lore, but it’s a good enough primer.

The graphics do a great job of bringing the turn-based special attacks into the forefront with character action-style gameplay to power them. The chibi-style Gundams and colorful but deadly lasers punctuate each battle with beauty and precision.

The gameplay is reminiscent of other Gundam titles such as SDGO or Gundam Breaker and consists of a healthy mix of cooldown-driven skills, light and complex attack combos, powerful specials, and, last but not least, dodges and parries.

The game’s mission and grind-based structure create plenty of opportunities for replayability, and the vast amount of Mobile Suits from all timelines will keep players busy for quite a long time. Co-op is recommended, as the companion AI gets overwhelmed in later missions, making them harder than they should be to complete.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is an enjoyable beat-em-up that resembles the PlayStation 2 era, but in a good way, I promise. Fun action, a great co-op, and tons of content to chew through. An easy recommendation for any Gundam fan.