Front Mission Evolved

But your Wanzer is your lifeline and Square is ensuring that you’ll be able to customize it to your heart’s content.  Depending on different game conditions, you’ll be able to tweak everything on your mech, from its body to its arms and legs to something the Evolved team refers to as “backpack parts. Their hands and the weapons equipped to their shoulders can also be customized,” claims the team.

And your choices in customization are important — this is, after all, the far future of 2171 where nations are locked in cold war states and “technological advancements have revolved around space exploration,” Square tells us. And fighting against computer-controlled enemies will only last so long. Evolved will feature a full lineup of online modes for you to shoot friends and strangers in.

But will longtime Front Mission fans be able to recognize any characters, locations, or other bits and bobs from past games in the series? Don’t count on it. While the team is set on intentionally using names from previous Wanzer models and weapons, the time frame for Evolved is “furthest ahead in the future in the series. Characters from previous titles will not make an appearance.”  But real otaku may want to note that the game will feature a cameo of sorts of Huffman Island, the same location as the very first Front Mission. Talk about a shout out.

We’re very interested to find out more about what’s in store for 360 owners with Evolved. Square doesn’t have the most robust (read: little to none) resume when it comes to third-person action shooters, but if they and Double Helix can craft a solid shooter within Front Mission’s rich universe, consider us ready for duty.

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