Robot Alchemic Drive

by Enix

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000071OWY
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 6.4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: November 5, 2002
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,754 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Yes, Robot Alchemic Drive is yet another giant robot game, but this one is different, I swear. The main difference is in the way you control your robot--not from a cockpit inside the robot's skull, or from a dynamic third-person perspective, but by remote control from the point of view of a human character on the ground.

This means you have to position your human character someplace where you can see the action (rooftops are good), but not so close that you get killed. This makes for some interesting strategic issues: when a battle rages from one end of the city to the other, you must decide if you should continue trying to control your robot, who has now become a distant figure on the horizon, or move your human character in for a closer look, temporarily leaving your robot helpless to defend itself. But the best part of the game’s human element is that, while in other giant robot games you eventually feel like the buildings are stage props and you are just some normal-sized guy in a metal suit, R.A.D. never loses its dramatic sense of scale. The heavy, lumbering movement of the robots also adds to the sense of realism. Each limb of your robot is controlled individually (R1 and L2 for the legs, left and right analog sticks for the arms), so every step you take is an earth-shaking, control-rumbling event.

The game's story and characters (designed by Toshihiro Kawamoto, creator of Cowboy Bebop) are very much in the style of Japanese anime, which is good or bad depending on how you feel about science fiction melodramas with soft-voiced, big-eyed teenage orphans.

Here are the only really annoying features of the game: 1) though you can fast-forward through each individual line of dialogue, it's impossible to skip it altogether, even if you've heard it 10 times, and 2) the action is often interrupted with pointless communications from "headquarters." Despite a few design flaws, though, this is a fun game that finally puts the "giant" back into giant robots. --David Stoesz

Pros:

• Interesting strategic elements introduced by the remote-control system
• Dramatic sense of scale
• Fun, lumbering combat
• Sweet, charming characters

Cons:

• Impossible to skip cutscenes and dialogue
• Too many interruptions
• Excessive load times

Product Description

Yes, Robot Alchemic Drive is yet another giant robot game, but this one is different, I swear. The main difference is in the way you control your robot--not from a cockpit inside the robot's skull, or from a dynamic third-person perspective, but by remote control from the point of view of a human character on the ground.

This means you have to position your human character someplace where you can see the action (rooftops are good), but not so close that you get killed. This makes for some interesting strategic issues: when a battle rages from one end of the city to the other, you must decide if you should continue trying to control your robot, who has now become a distant figure on the horizon, or move your human character in for a closer look, temporarily leaving your robot helpless to defend itself. But the best part of the game's human element is that, while in other giant robot games you eventually feel like the buildings are stage props and you are just some normal-sized guy in a metal suit, R.A.D. never loses its dramatic sense of scale. The heavy, lumbering movement of the robots also adds to the sense of realism. Each limb of your robot is controlled individually (R1 and L2 for the legs, left and right analog sticks for the arms), so every step you take is an earth-shaking, control-rumbling event.

The game's story and characters (designed by Toshihiro Kawamoto, creator of Cowboy Bebop) are very much in the style of Japanese anime, which is good or bad depending on how you feel about science fiction melodramas with soft-voiced, big-eyed teenage orphans.

Here are the only really annoying features of the game: 1) though you can fast-forward through each individual line of dialogue, it's impossible to skip it altogether, even if you've heard it 10 times, and 2) the action is often interrupted with pointless communications from "headquarters." Despite a few design flaws, though, this is a fun game that finally puts the "giant" bac

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate MECH-ROMP!!, March 19, 2003

By 

J W (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robot Alchemic Drive (Video Game)

Don't listen to the other review whatever you do, becuase if you do you would have missed out on the greatest mech game yet. The game as you probably know is just plain revolutionary. It uses the analog sticks to control the arms, and the L and R Buttons to control the legs, while giving you the perspective of the young man or woman that you play. There are three Mecha Robots, each with alternate modes, and as a bonus you can also play Almost every other monster etc. after you have beaten it. The game did have some uneven diffuculty, but if you are of the elite mecha robot fans, you will take to the controls after a few missions. Being able to skip the cinemas and transmissions would have been nice, but you may fast-forward. The voice-acting and dialogue is mostly horrible, but it was done to capture the Japanese dubbing of The older Japanese Giant-Robot films. The graphics for people and mechs are great, the mechs are the best I have seen in a game, EAT THAT X BOX j/k however the surroundings could have used some work as they look sort of plain sometimes and the tries are a little pop-uppy, but it's all good. I love this game, I did from the first play of the demo at Sam Goody, buy this game, love the game, love it for it's flaws and pros. Do it for yourself or one you love!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fun versus mode, slow story mode, December 9, 2002

By 

chris romano "toonlets.com" (Topanga, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robot Alchemic Drive (Video Game)

Upon playing RAD for the first time, my brother and I immediately started "versus" mode and had an absolute blast...we each controlled huge, lumbering robots and tried our best to beat the pulp out of one another. We quickly learned, however, that our fighting skills were only half the battle. You see, your viewpoint of the fighting is from that of a little character running around the city...you're character is supposedly "controlling" the robot. Getting a good vantage point of the battle is key...with buildings in your way and debris falling all over the place, keeping your little character out of harm's way can be quite tricky. And while you move your character to the best place available, your robot is completely vulnerable...so you have to manage two characters at once...it's a lot of hectic fun.

The "story mode" for this game, however, can be tough to endure. Long sequences of tangential, repetitive dialog that can't be skipped are intermixed with some long cut scenes and bad voice acting.

Having said that, I just completed the story mode and found that it got less annoying the farther I progressed through the game. There are 50+ episodes of robot battles and story, and though the in-game story has a lot of holes and irrelevant plot threads, it does get exciting about 2/3 of the way through, when your robot takes on a life of his own. It reminded me very much of GIANT ROBO and THE BIG O. Unfortunately, the plodding, unavoidable narrative of the story is the biggest drawback of the game. Minus one star, at least.

If you have someone to play against, this game will provide hours of a unique, robot fighting gameplay with original controls (I recommend going through the tutorial) and enjoyable interactivity. But if you're only going to play this in single player mode, you might want to rent it first. The fighting is still great, but the story you have to endure can be bothersome.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Assault Knuckle fire!!, December 12, 2002

By 

Mark W. Bruce "'Ah! He's got me with his wir... (The Nightrealms) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robot Alchemic Drive (Video Game)

Robot Alchemic Drive (R.A.D.) is a fun, exciting, and revolutionary "Mecha" game. Why? Read on.

In R.A.D. you assume the role of a young "hero" who is called upon to pilot a "giant robot" to save the world from an invasion of alien "giant robots." You begin with simple training exercises, and proceed through missions that gradually increase in difficulty as you master the controls of your robot and use funds earned from defeating other robots to increase the abilities of your machine.

First, I will touch on what is bad about this game. The voice-overs are terrible. I am tempted to say they were done tongue-in-cheek to remind those of my generation of the terrible voice acting we saw in giant robot cartoons (Tranzor Z anyone?), but there is nothing to indicate that this is supposed to be funny. If the dialog were more over-the-top, as in Godzilla Destroy All Monsters Melee, that would be fine. As it is, it is just poorly done and very amateurish.

Another bad part is the constant interferance of plot elements into the game's action scenes. Nothing is more irritating when trying to move your hero or robot and you get stuck half-way through because an annoying pop-up box shows up to "keep you informed" on what is happening in the game. Bad idea. Keep the pop-up, but don't let it pause the action...

Finally, and most annoying, is that there is NO way to skip over plot scenes or FMV pieces. The best you can do is hold down START to speed them up, but even so, this is extremely irritating.

Having said that, once you get into the action, this game is incredible! The blurb on the box basically tells you that you will feel like you are in the game, and they are right. The sense of being in (partial) control of a gigantic, cumbersome, giant robot is very convincing. The control scheme, complicated as it is, is what drives this sense -- you basically use the L and R buttons to move your robot, the D-pad to move its torso, the analog sticks to move the respective arms, and the buttons for energy/projectile attacks and changing forms (which most giant robots do, of course...).

Another great innovation is that the robot is controlled from your hero's perspective, not from a first or third-person view. This adds the elements of manuevering your hero to a good position to control the robot, while having to worry about getting stomped on yourself!

The end result is a control scheme that is the best I have ever seen for any given game. It is a near-perfect match of simulation and arcade style play.

The actual action scenes are varied in scope, and provide numerous challenges other than beating your opponent. Choice of battleground and weaponry is important, because one wrong step and you have crushed civilians (or your hero), ruined buildings, and so on. Plot elements are affected as well -- destroy your friend Nanao's workplace, and her lifestyle deteriorates accordingly while she hunts for new work.

In conclusion, While the dialog and story elements can be irritating, I base my rating on the "Fun" factor of the game. I highly recommend this game for anyone who enjoys giant robots, mecha, or action games. Gameplay is fun and challenging, with high replay value. Two players can also go head-to-head to see who is the best robot driver.

Can't wait for a sequel!