Robotech: Invasion
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| Robotech: Invasion | |
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| Developer(s) | Vicious Cycle Software |
| Publisher(s) | Global Star |
| Release date(s) | October 5, 2004(Xbox) October 6, 2004 (PS2) |
| Genre(s) | FPS |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | PS2, Xbox |
| Media | CD (1) |
Robotech: Invasion is a Robotech Video game set in the Invid Invasion era and was developed by Vicious Cycle, and was published by Global Star.
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[edit] Overview
The game starts out with the Robotech Expeditionary Force returning to Earth and fighting the Invid Forces. One of the ships crashes on Earth and the crew begins fighting the Invid close to one of their hives. One member of the crew (the main character) makes a mad dash on foot to assault the hive but is knocked out by an Invid Scout.
Four years pass and humanity is still fighting the Invid. The member that was knocked out wakes up with no memory in the bed of a truck being driven by soldiers, he then dons the name Locke by taking the armor of a fallen soldier that went by that name.
[edit] Real World Background
The second Robotech game produced by Vicious Cycle, VC chose to focus on the next most popular section of Robotech, The New Generation, in part due to the choice of mecha available, the famous Cyclone. Instead of the distinctive, but by then overused, cell-shaded style of Battlecry, Invasion has a more normal 3D textured graphic look. As with Robotech: Battlecry, Invasion used a number of the original Robotech voice cast to reprise both their old roles for cameos as well voice many of the new characters introduced in the game.
Due to lower than expected sales of Robotech: Battlecry on the Nintendo GameCube, due in part to the delayed release of the GameCube version, VC chose to only develop the game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was also decided release a single version, instead of normal and bonus packed Collectors Edition sets like those seen with Robotech: Battlecry. Treated as a budget game, Invasion was deemed a fan-only title by many reviewers who favored other games in the same style released around the same time such as the extremely popular Halo 2. Ultimately sales of Invasion were much lower than Robotech: Battlecry.
The musical score of Invasion was composed by Jesper Kyd, a famed video-game music composer. While this was hyped up by Vicious Cycle and mentioned on the back cover of the game, Kyd's lack of exposure to Robotech meant his score had little links to the original TV score. For this reason many fans of the series consider it to inferior to Robotech: Battlecry's more mundane modern remixes of the TV series score. Like Battlecry, Invasion's soundtrack was released on audio CD, though available separately and not as part of a Collectors Edition.
Much like Robotech: Battlecry made an official design out of a slight variation in the VF-1R Veritech, Invasion made use of two formerly unofficial designs, the unrealized Devastator and the fan-created Shadow Dancer. Unlike the heavy licensor support the VF-1R received, these designs got little fanfare and slipped back into obscurity again.
[edit] Criticism
As with many licensed games, Robotech fans had a number of problems with the game:
- The beginning of the game leaves one feeling lost, nothing is clearly stated. Basically the player starts off with unlimited health and ammunition and runs around shooting various invade; destroying them rather easily. (which is in itself akward being that you do not even have the cyclone armor yet, and when you do acquire it the enemies are harder to kill ~~takes away from the realisms). What happens next is the player reaches the hive, gets knocked unconscious, wakes up 4 years later with no memory (apparently falling from the sky) and is automatically thrusted into a revolutionary type war. No real conversations take place that create character for the NPC's, no pauses to ponder "who am I", or "where am I"; The player basically wakes up and starts fighting as if nothing ever happened. There are occasional semi-flashbacks but nothing really indepth. Thus leaving the game with a cold feeling and lack of an interesting story/plot. (Please note however, the game play itself is done fairly well.)
- It is easier to get killed by human bandits then by enemy Mecha.
- The inability to pilot the Alpha Veritech or Beta Veritech Fighters.
- The fact Vicious Cycle chose to follow the next most popular section of Robotech instead of the next chronological segment.
- A supposed safety feature that automatically transformed and locked you into Cyclone armor mode in buildings, even very long tunnels.
- Inability to fire missiles in Armored Cyclone Mode.
- A plot twist which was telegraphed a mile away for any fan of the Robotech series.
[edit] The Fate of Jack Archer
Thanks to the open ended nature of the end of the Robotech: Battlecry game, the fate and future of main character Jack Archer was unclear. Many fans automatically assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that any future game sequel would feature an appearance by him or at least a clue to his fate, despite the large gap of time between the events of Battlecry and the Invid Invasion. Not wanting to disappoint, a VC inserted a hidden easter egg which added fuel to the fire of fan debate. However all the Easter egg shows is a message spraypainted as if it were graffiti, saying "JACK ARCHER LIVES!!", you do not discover what exactly happens to him.
[edit] External links
| Robotech | |
|---|---|
| Animation | Robotech (TV series) • Robotech: The Movie • The Sentinels • Robotech 3000 • The Shadow Chronicles |
| Video games | Robotech: Crystal Dreams • Robotech: Battlecry • The Macross Saga • Invasion • The New Generation |
| Franchise | Art books • Collectible card games • Comics • Novels • Music and Soundtracks • Role-playing games |
| Robotech Wars | First Robotech War • Malcontent Uprisings • Second Robotech War • Third Robotech War |
