Front Mission 4

Fritzkrieg was kind enough to lend me his demo sampler disc for the new Square-Enix strategy wargame "Front Mission 4" for PS2. Fritzkrieg mentioned being disappointed by several artistic aspects of the game, and while I certainly understand his complaints, those same issues barely registered with me. I guess that between titles like Warlords IV and Korsun Pocket, I'm accustomed to dealing with far, far worse in terms of the "look and feel" of strategy wargames. By comparison, FM4 has a lot going for it.

Overall, I was impressed by the game design of FM4. The combat system is relatively simple and emphasizes variety, which I enjoy. One possible gripe--hard to tell from the demo--is that the game may lack the kind of hardcore challenge factor that grognards crave. Korsun Pocket has definitely raised the bar for me in this regard; in terms of "strategic challenge," even strong console titles like Disgaea and Advance Wars hardly even compare. But enough of that, since FM4 is a console wargame after all. The important thing is that it is addictive (check), visually appealing (check), and has enough of a storyline to motivate the audience (check).

It's a little hard to guage the storyline from the demo, but there was a significant amount there. The story arc involving the army regulars who stumble upon the secret money cache of a corrupt Venezualian dictator and decide to make a break for it was particularly appealing--I was amused, and I genuniely want to see more of it. That's much more than I can say for Advance Wars, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or Fire Emblem. Even La Pucelle Tactics is a little light on the storyline (better than the aforementioned GBA games, though): it progresses like a happy-go-lucky manga, which is cool, but also lacking in dramatic punch. (As for Korsun Pocket, well, fuck--how can you top a historical re-enactment of a major World War II battle?)

Overall, I've pretty much made up my mind to get Front Mission 4. I've also decided to wait at least a month, maybe two, which has more to do with the volume of new games that I already have than with the strength of FM4 itself. Last I checked, FM4 is going for $70, and while I don't expect it to drop suddenly in price, waiting for a couple of months won't make it any more expensive. So far as I'm able to tell, FM4 is worth the $70 price tag anyway--it would be a steal at $40. My opinion might change, though, once I've got the full version in my hands and have logged some serious time with it.

To summarize, I'm recommending the following turn-based strategy wargames lately:

1. Korsun Pocket - PC, $40
2. Disgaea - PS2, $60
3. Front Mission 4 - PS2, $70
4. Advance Wars 2 - GBA, $45
5. La Pucelle Tactics - PS2, $60
6. Final Fantasy Tactics - PSX, $25
7. Warlords III - PC, $10
8. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - GBA, $45
9. Fire Emblem - GBA, $45
10. Warlords IV - PC, $10