Summary

Front Mission 2 (1997) is a tactical role-playing game that features strategic mecha combat and a deep storyline, set in a futuristic world. Despite its challenges, it is celebrated for its depth and complexity.

Release Year: 1997
Genres: Role-playing game (RPG), Strategy, Tactical
Platforms: PlayStation, PlayStation 3
Developers: Square
Publishers: Square

Introduction

Front Mission 2 is a tactical role-playing game that combines strategic mecha combat with a deep and immersive storyline, set in a futuristic world where wanzers, powerful combat mechs, dominate the battlefield.

Synopsis

“Front Mission 2”, also known in Japan as “Front Mission Second”, is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation developed by G-Craft and published by Square, and was released in Japan on September 25, 1997. It is the second main entry and the third entry overall in the Front Mission series.

The game is set in the 22nd century in the nation of Aroldesh. The player assumes the role of an OCU Wanzer squad. One night while on routine patrol, the OCU base is infiltrated and attacked. This event triggers a civil war, loosing chaos upon the nation of Aroldesh as a coup d’etat is staged.

The plot of Front Mission 2 revolves around three individuals from the OCU – Corporal Ash Faruk, Captain Thomas Norland, and intelligence officer Lisa Stanley. On June 12, 2102, the Alordeshi Armed Forces overthrows the pro-OCU government and subsequently declares independence from the OCU.

The gameplay of Front Mission 2 expands on the mechanics found in Front Mission. The video game progresses in a linear manner: watch cut-scene events, complete missions, set up their wanzers during intermissions, and sortie for the next mission. The player travels to locations on a point-and-click world map. As the player progresses through the plot, new locations are revealed on the world map.

Towns and cities act as intermission points where the player can organize and set up their units for the upcoming mission. Battle zones are where the missions take place, though they become inaccessible upon the completion of a mission. A new element of progression in Front Mission 2 involves alternating scenarios between the game’s three main characters.

After reaching a certain point of the game, control switches over to a different group of characters for the next few missions. Towards the climax, all three scenarios merge for the remainder of Front Mission 2.

Front Mission 2 missions are traditional tactical RPG fare, ranging from destroying all enemy targets to protecting a certain allied target. There are a number of new main features that are used for mission play in Front Mission 2.

Action Points (AP) is a feature that dictates how much actions can be done with each unit. Actions such as moving and attacking require a certain amount of AP to use. At the end of a full turn, which is one Player Phase and Enemy Phase, a set amount of AP is replenished. A unit’s AP amount and recharge value increases as their pilots gain proficiency levels through destroying enemy targets.

The Action Points feature ties into a second feature known as Honor. Moving around while allied units are nearby can result in statistical advantages such as increased AP charge or accuracy.

The game was well received by critics and fans, and was part of Square Enix’s “Ultimate Hits” collection in 2005. A remake for the Nintendo Switch, titled Front Mission 2: Remake, was announced in 2022 and was originally set to release on June 12, 2023, but was delayed to October 5.

Characters

Players encounter a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and backgrounds. These characters pilot customizable wanzers, which are central to the gameplay and story.

Gameplay

Gameplay involves turn-based tactical battles where players command a squad of wanzers, utilizing terrain, positioning, and strategy to defeat their enemies. The game also features a deep customization system for the wanzers, allowing for a variety of combat styles and approaches.

Conclusion

With its combination of tactical gameplay and a rich narrative, Front Mission 2 stands as a classic in the tactical RPG genre, offering a rewarding experience for fans of mecha and strategy games.