Tackle the big boss
B.O.S.S mode is really where the tactical side of the game-play comes in, allowing you to transform your mech for a short period into a super mech, which range from a giant robot to a hovering futuristic skateboard-shaped machine which shoots out plasma grenades at a furious rate. These super mechs move more slowly, but are able to unleash devastating attacks, such as energy balls which practically fill up the screen and are nigh impossible to dodge and spin attacks enabling them to tear into their opponent with sharp blades. The tactical side of things comes into it because the B.O.S.S mode can only be activated twice in a battle, so it needs to be activated only when you really need it, such as when you're on the verge of death and you need to give yourself a few minutes breathing space. Unleash it too early and you may leave yourself vulnerable to attack later on when you're low on health, or release it too late and the game can be over before you know it. It's this mixture of tactical play, diverse range of weaponry and fast paced game-play that will appeal to old school gamers as well as those looking for an entertaining pick up and play game.
The boss battles themselves take a familiar route, where you need to use all of your defensive and attacking weaponry as well as utilising the environment in order to find room and time to fire a storm of bullets at its weak spot. Disappointingly, the bosses in the story mode are the same for each character so after you've become accustomed to each character’s weapons in the stages leading up to the battle, it becomes pretty obvious what you need to do to defeat him.
There's nothing truly remarkable about WarTech Senko No Ronde; it's basically a mix of different types of game-play that we've seen dozens of times in the past and if it had been developed on the Playstation 2 you'd probably see the same quality of graphics and sound that you will on the Xbox 360. The story mode can be played 8 different times with each character, but they all consist of battling the same enemies over and over again, albeit with a different arsenal of weapons at your fingertips. The other options in the game are also limited, with a Score mode, in which you battle through stages for the highest score and the token training arena. The main appeal of WarTech lies in the Xbox live functionality where you can compete head to head for bragging rights in the world-wide leader-board. There are only two player games available, but they're stable online, it's easy to jump into a game quickly and there's no doubting that they are great fun to play.
I have had fun playing WarTech Senko No Ronde, but I'm sure it could have been watered down slightly and released as a £5-£6 Xbox live arcade version. As it happens, I don't think it’s great value for money (RRP £49.99), but it is an intense shoot 'em up with responsive controls, tactical game-play, some superb features, such as B.O.S.S mode, and all in all a fine game if you're looking to rekindle that 'old school' feeling.
Pros
Decent mix of genres
Thought provoking gameplay
Great special moves
Cons
Lack of game modes Bosses are fairly lame
Only two player online
A bit pricey for what it is, but still a solid arcade title port that will appeal to fans of shoot 'em ups.
HEXUS Awards
WarTech: Senko No Ronde
