Spartan 117:
Can you use USB drives and alternate hard drives as memory units? The Xbox ones are pricey... ...
OXM SAYS:
An Xbox 360 won't recognize a USB flash drive or another external hard drive as a memory unit, so you can't save...MORE
Posted on: Jun 29, 2009
Front Mission Evolved
WORDS BY: Francesca Reyes
When you think of Square Enix games, what comes to mind? Fluffy, yellow chicken-like Chocobos running across vast world maps? Or maybe pretty girls and boys fighting giant flaming monsters while flinging healing items at each other? Well, you wouldn’t be wrong. After all, Square’s mega-popular Final Fantasy series always has been the sprawling JRPG capital of videogame-land and has a permanent place in gamers’ hearts everywhere.
But even with FFXIII towering in the 360’s headlights, Square apparently isn’t content to rest on its turn-based laurels. Enter one of the company’s longest-running non-Final Fantasy-related series: Front Mission. Doesn’t ring a bell? Don’t worry — you’re not alone. The series hasn’t seen a North American release on console since 2004’s Front Mission 4 for PS2 (two titles did make it to the Nintendo DS more recently, however), and its futuristic military universe paired with a heavy tactical bent limited its strong but niche appeal to only the truly hardcore genre enthusiasts and Square fans.
We could launch into a long, storied history about the depth and strategies involved with the franchise’s twisting storylines and politics, but the most important thing to know about this Front Mission? It’s in the title — “Evolved.” Square has no plans on returning to the series’ tactical roots as Evolved is entirely set on tackling the neo-future with giant Wanzers — the name of the mechs in the game — that you can now directly control.
Front Mission Evolved is, in fact, entirely an action-shooter being shaped by California-based Double Helix (Silent Hill: Homecoming) under the watchful eye of Square Enix. But this isn’t actually entirely new for the series in some ways. The Japan-only PS2/PC release of the online action-RPG Front Mission Online in 2005 prepped the publisher for what life might be like if the series ditched the more methodical, top-down tactical strategy and headed into more 3D weapons-based, third-persons shooter action. Evolved follows in Online’s footsteps by offering up pilot-able Wanzers, but there will also be scripted moments (“Players won’t usually have a choice in the matter,” notes the dev team) when you’ll be able to run around on foot outside of the mech to chat with different characters.
