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A Super Robot Wars Primer - English Release Next Week, Oh Me, Oh My

Teknoman

Member
Vaisaga looks pretty cool, Undecided about Garmraid though. Gotta find a pilot either way...

Did I get these extra from earning SR?
 
No, those are just extra mechs earned from past games to give you choices for some of the more useful pilots. SR Points are rarely linked to unlockables. Kill counts are the common requirements before branching off to things like average levels, number of Ace pilots, certain characters killing certain enemies / bosses,

Vaisaga was a hidden mech for Lamia from OG 2 while Hugo / Aqua's choice between Garmraid and Cerberus was a main gameplay point from SRW MX. Here you can choose either mech while in MX you could only pick one to use for the entire game. The Vaisaga can also be used by Axel and Haken but I can't imagine benching the Soulgain or the Phantom.
 
No, those are just extra mechs earned from past games to give you choices for some of the more useful pilots. SR Points are rarely linked to unlockables. Kill counts are the common requirements before branching off to things like average levels, number of Ace pilots, certain characters killing certain enemies / bosses,

Vaisaga was a hidden mech for Lamia from OG 2 while Hugo / Aqua's choice between Garmraid and Cerberus was a main gameplay point from SRW MX. Here you can choose either mech while in MX you could only pick one to use for the entire game. The Vaisaga can also be used by Axel and Haken but I can't imagine benching the Soulgain or the Phantom.

Letting Haken use Vaisaga is more of a situation where you want to let another deployment member use the Phantom. Like letting Kai pilot the Phantom.
 
So, where do I go to buy this?

It's been a good minute since I've jumped in an OG game.

When I buy it, it will work without any issues on my stock ps4?

Just curious because I've never imported a game, but for super robot wars?

I'll make an exception.

Can't wait to rock Gilliam and Kyo again.
 

Teknoman

Member
So, where do I go to buy this?

It's been a good minute since I've jumped in an OG game.

When I buy it, it will work without any issues on my stock ps4?

Just curious because I've never imported a game, but for super robot wars?

I'll make an exception.

Can't wait to rock Gilliam and Kyo again.

Playasia is probably the best place unless you've got some local import shop. Just make sure you get the Asia version for English. It'll work right off the bat (PS4 is region free).



I gotta get a grip on when the best times to use grouping/set up maximum breaks.

Also what does "All Attack" mean?
 

Fencedude

Member
Playasia is probably the best place unless you've got some local import shop. Just make sure you get the Asia version for English. It'll work right off the bat (PS4 is region free).



I gotta get a grip on when the best times to use grouping/set up maximum breaks.

Also what does "All Attack" mean?

It means the attack hits both members of a Twin
 
For the record, Katina's Ace bonus is "Movement +1 and final damage dealt +5% when her unit or the one twinned with her is red"

The qualifying units are:

R-3 Powered
Alteisen Riese
Persoen Licheit
Exbein Boxer/Gunner L
Grungust Type-2 (Red)
Grungust Type-3
Gespenst Mk-II Kai (Katina)
Gesterben Kai (lol)
Giganscudo Duro
Vegalion
Fairlion Type G (Shine's)
Garmraid Blaze
G Compatible Kaizer
Angelg
Razangrif Raven
Excellence Gunstriker (Raul)
Soul Saber FF/GG
Super Soul Saber FF/GG

For Ratsel, his ace bonus is "Cast "Focus" at the start of player phase if adjacent to a black unit." (this works for enemy units as well...)

The qualifying units are:

Grungust Type-0
Gespenst Type RV
Gespenst Haken
Kurogane
Galinagan
Leonisis Virga
Leonisis
Valk Ben (Calico)
Black Raftclans
Black Big Shoulder
Black Thick Cylinder

Oh wow, thanks for the list! Gotta admit, I'm surprised Angelg counts.

Speaking of Angelg, I really wish we had more long range Super robots. Soulsaber GG is easily my favourite unit in this game, and I loved Big O in the Z series.
 

Fencedude

Member
Oh wow, thanks for the list! Gotta admit, I'm surprised Angelg counts.

Speaking of Angelg, I really wish we had more long range Super robots. Soulsaber GG is easily my favourite unit in this game, and I loved Big O in the Z series.

I've had the Soul Saber GG and Garmraid Blaze S as a permanent twin all game and they just wreck things.
 

Loona

Member
It's pretty handy that the units you start with have Counter - it has, however, along with the cost of buying skills, got me used to ignoring the buyable skill list, which I've only remembered to check again by the time I got Gilliam.
Pretty odd the the skill level notation chances if for the bought version of the skill ("+#" instead of "Lv#").
Now I'm wondering if any pilor naturlly learns counter, and that if I risk having wasted currency buying the skill...
 

Fencedude

Member
It's pretty handy that the units you start with have Counter - it has, however, along with the cost of buying skills, got me used to ignoring the buyable skill list, which I've only remembered to check again by the time I got Gilliam.
Pretty odd the the skill level notation chances if for the bought version of the skill ("+#" instead of "Lv#").
Now I'm wondering if any pilor naturlly learns counter, and that if I risk having wasted currency buying the skill...

AFAIK no pilot gains additional skills from natural leveling. They might get levels in ones they have, but not brand new ones.
 

karnage10

Banned
I really enjoyed SD g generation gundam world for the PSP. Would like this game too? (i don't know Japanese but i really like gundam/mecha games)
 

Teknoman

Member
I really enjoyed SD g generation gundam world for the PSP. Would like this game too? (i don't know Japanese but i really like gundam/mecha games)

If you like Final Fantasy Tactics / SRPGs in general, overly elaborate amazing attack animations, you should be at home here. Also its in english this time around, so Japanese not necessary.

EDIT: Surprised they translated Hagane like that...

Thanks for the akurasu link.
 

Loona

Member
It's pretty odd how the game keeps implying that Festenia is supposed to go on the Bellzelute, but doesn't actually put her there even when you get access to all the powerpuff sub-pilots.
Still, when I had the chance, I assigned Tenia in that manner, and the game provided dialog for the occasion, in that base invasion level - kinda neat I guess.
It also "helps" that Tenia was underlevelled compared to the others by then, so assigning her boosted her a bit in the process - now I just hope her abilities actually fit the mech well, since I admit I haven't paid that much attention to them...
 
Oh wow, do they change story dialogue depending on which girl is assigned to Touya and Calvina's mechs?

I kept the black haired and blonde girls in their respective bots because I thought that was just the story 'canon'
 

Intel_89

Member
So is the game worth the asking price for someone who's never looked into the series? I've seen some videos and it looks pretty cool but at the same time kind of something I'd rather play on a portable system rather than on my TV.
 

squall23

Member
Oh wow, do they change story dialogue depending on which girl is assigned to Touya and Calvina's mechs?

I kept the black haired and blonde girls in their respective bots because I thought that was just the story 'canon'
Mainly battle dialogue but you'll get to choose Touya's waifu down the line that changes a few parts of the plot.
 

Loona

Member
Cause you started on earth router. *cough*

Beginner mode, to be more specific - it was recommended here earlier, so I figured why not.

Been nailing all SR points so far, but I'm barely 10 stages in.

Funny how one of the chapters leading up to that had no actual fights, it was all dialogue with a bunch of new character - I guess that's where routes would be unified in Normal mode.


Does New Game+ let us keep stat and skill bumps to make new playthroughs on harder modes easier, or does it mostly help to grant access to secret mechs we've unlocked in past playthroughs?
 

Fencedude

Member
Does New Game+ let us keep stat and skill bumps to make new playthroughs on harder modes easier, or does it mostly help to grant access to secret mechs we've unlocked in past playthroughs?

First NG+: You get 50% of earned Credits and Kills, 50% of earned PP distributed evenly across all pilots. Access to EXHard mode enabled (no mech or pilot upgrades allowed, locked to hard mode)

2nd NG+: 75% of earned credits, killls and PP (cumulative across playthroughs), if you completed EXHard, Special mode opens (given 1 of each weapon and part, mech upgrades increased to 15 bars)

3rd NG+ and onwards: 100% of earned credits, kills and PP
 
Beginner mode, to be more specific - it was recommended here earlier, so I figured why not.

What he means, I'm assuming, is that the Space route explains a bit more why Tenia is with Calvina at the start.

All three girls were at the moon to help test the Bell; Tenia just happened to be the one chosen for the day when the Fury attacked the facility. But any of the girls can go in either mech, there is no canon assignment.
 
Beginner mode, to be more specific - it was recommended here earlier, so I figured why not.


What he means, I'm assuming, is that the Space route explains a bit more why Tenia is with Calvina at the start.

All three girls were at the moon to help test the Bell; Tenia just happened to be the one chosen for the day when the Fury attacked the facility. But any of the girls can go in either mech, there is no canon assignment.

Beginner = forced earth route at the start.

What I mean is that if you actually start with the space route, then Festenia would be the sub-pilot to Calvina by default. Which makes sense, since Melua/Katia went with Touya on earth route.

Melua is just the default sub-pilot for the protagonist mech you didn't choose.
So when you start out with space route, you'll find that Melua (as opposed to Katia) become Granteed's subpilot when everyone is united.

First NG+: You get 50% of earned Credits and Kills, 50% of earned PP distributed evenly across all pilots. Access to EXHard mode enabled (no mech or pilot upgrades allowed, locked to hard mode)

2nd NG+: 75% of earned credits, killls and PP (cumulative across playthroughs), if you completed EXHard, Special mode opens (given 1 of each weapon and part, mech upgrades increased to 15 bars)

3rd NG+ and onwards: 100% of earned credits, kills and PP

A thing to note is that since EXHard mode has no mech, pilot or abilities upgrade - the money and PP carried over is therefore completely useless. Your only option of prepping for EXHard is to get as much kill on your main units so that they would have a good stacked kill count to earn their Ace Bonus sooner/immediately.

(Don't grind/spread kills on your first run, since the 50% reduction makes it pointlessly inefficient anyway.)
 

Fencedude

Member
Tenia's by far the best of the three, and is really, really amazing in Bellzelute.

Melua's very good in Granteed, +300 armor is no joke, and +1 movement is nice becaues Granteed's movement BLOOOOOWS

Sadly Katia's just not very good. +10 mobility is literally useless on Granteed and meh at best on Bellzelute, and +1 range is ok but not spectacular.

Best suggestion I've ever seen for what to do with Katia is train her to run a TE Absorber and have her pilot Cerberus with Katina. (if only...)
 

Loona

Member
Reached the level with the originals from SRW D, IIRC - that game had some time travel shennanigansthat played with different time period of both Gundam and Nadesico, and that time tech looks like it's becoming relevant in OG...
I get the impression I know what will trigger some counterparts to events in SRW W, when its characters join OG...

The game keeps throwing more characters at me than i know what to do with - almost tempted to go with some of those involved in unlocking trophies, but I can't bring myself to care about the likes of Irum...

Do enemies at some point that using twin units of their own? Before they do, it feel a bit inefficient to twin my own, unless the spirit commands specific to that are really really good...
 

Fencedude

Member
Reached the level with the originals from SRW D, IIRC - that game had some time travel shennanigansthat played with different time period of both Gundam and Nadesico, and that time tech looks like it's becoming relevant in OG...
I get the impression I know what will trigger some counterparts to events in SRW W, when its characters join OG...

No, thats R. R had time Travel, and featured Raul and Fiona (currently piloting the Excellence Rescue with Despinis). Their story was in OGGaiden and yes is becoming relevant again.

D is Josh, Rim and Glacies, and was featured in 2ndOG, and are still somewhat relevant.

Do enemies at some point that using twin units of their own? Before they do, it feel a bit inefficient to twin my own, unless the spirit commands specific to that are really really good...

Yes, enemies will start using twins. Twin units are more effective on enemy phase, single units are (somewhat) more effective on player phase.
 

Fencedude

Member
Does the mid to late game start letting you field more than 8 - 9 squads? I've just got way too many units that I want to use

Yes, you will. I'm about to sortie to Scenario 39 and will be able to deploy 16 twins. Generally by the last couple stages you have 20 deployment slots
 
Yes, you will. I'm about to sortie to Scenario 39 and will be able to deploy 16 twins. Generally by the last couple stages you have 20 deployment slots

That's great to know.

Shame that Moon Dwellers doesn't have the same system as Z3 where you could get PP, exp and kills for pilots you didn't field in the last mission. I just got up to that stage where half your team is forced on you, and I've used almost none of them so far
 

Fencedude

Member
That's great to know.

Shame that Moon Dwellers doesn't have the same system as Z3 where you could get PP, exp and kills for pilots you didn't field in the last mission. I just got up to that stage where half your team is forced on you, and I've used almost none of them so far

Z3 had too many series, too many units, and needed a real squad system.

Anyway, its trivial to catch a character up. I didn't use any of the SRX team for the entire middle of the game, and got them all caught up with a few well timed Cheer's. Getting 3600 EXP for killing two units is pretty nice.
 

Bebpo

Banned
Z3 had too many series, too many units, and needed a real squad system.

Anyway, its trivial to catch a character up. I didn't use any of the SRX team for the entire middle of the game, and got them all caught up with a few well timed Cheer's. Getting 3600 EXP for killing two units is pretty nice.

XP/Money isn't a problem, but PP is and they'll always be weaker than the characters you regularly used because they didn't gain PP.

I definitely thought the same thing, that MD is sorely lacking the intermission level up of characters you didn't use last mission. That was a smart system in Z3 and it should be a smart system in every SRW from now on that has way too many units to really use. MD has way too many units to really use. I never used Kyosuke/Excellen in MD because I couldn't fit them in. Same with blue/white Kyosuke variant girl.
 
Hmm, I can't decide on what robot to put Katina in.

On one hand, the Huckebein Boxer looks cool, has great damage and solid attacks, decent armor and mobility and even mirage, to make up for Katina's poor defence.

On the other hand, the Grungust units have Katina yelling at Russel to fetch her a giant robot sized grinding stone everytime after she uses her sword, and that's pretty fucking great
 
Hmm, I can't decide on what robot to put Katina in.

On one hand, the Huckebein Boxer looks cool, has great damage and solid attacks, decent armor and mobility and even mirage, to make up for Katina's poor defence.

On the other hand, the Grungust units have Katina yelling at Russel to fetch her a giant robot sized grinding stone everytime after she uses her sword, and that's pretty fucking great

Katina + Russel in Grungust is the way to roll.

The game keeps throwing more characters at me than i know what to do with - almost tempted to go with some of those involved in unlocking trophies, but I can't bring myself to care about the likes of Irum...

You don't like Irum's free MB skill?
 

Loona

Member
You don't like Irum's free MB skill?

I wasn't aware of it - huge cast, just checking everyone's stats screen can take quite a while, they amount to dozens before you're even 10 levels in.

Took Katina out for a spin yesterday with her default mech - I didn't know she had a mech-judo throw move, and apparently that isn't new, but it's still pretty neat how the animation sneaks in that little trip moment. Is her default mech supposed to be that bad an option for her compared to others, beyond the red mech Ace bonus?...


One thing that's mildly annoying so far is how that ability system requires you to get 3 abilities of the same type assigned to a pilot or mech to even be active - I guess the game expects you to pillage the abilities from unused pilots and mech to apply them to the fielded ones?
Buying 2 of each of complete a set just feels weird, and if I were to pillage from other characters and their mechs, I'd just tend up forgetting what they had by default...
 

Fencedude

Member
XP/Money isn't a problem, but PP is and they'll always be weaker than the characters you regularly used because they didn't gain PP.

But upgrades are 100% unnecessary, so it doesn't matter.

Yeah they'll be a bit weaker, but not by enough that it actually matters.

Took Katina out for a spin yesterday with her default mech - I didn't know she had a mech-judo throw move, and apparently that isn't new, but it's still pretty neat how the animation sneaks in that little trip moment. Is her default mech supposed to be that bad an option for her compared to others, beyond the red mech Ace bonus?...

If you upgrade it, the Gespenst Mk.II Kai is perfectly viable. Otherwise you can stick her in the Grungust Type-3 or the Red Type-2 if you have it. Or you can not use her, which is kinda where I've been in basically every game since OG1.

One thing that's mildly annoying so far is how that ability system requires you to get 3 abilities of the same type assigned to a pilot or mech to even be active - I guess the game expects you to pillage the abilities from unused pilots and mech to apply them to the fielded ones?
Buying 2 of each of complete a set just feels weird, and if I were to pillage from other characters and their mechs, I'd just tend up forgetting what they had by default...

It doesn't matter what they have by default, what matters is that you give them abilities that work well with their strengths. Also remember that the units in a twin share active abilities, so you can have four active at once. One example of good synergy is that you can give Ibis the Ranged Damage Up and Ammo Damage Up abilities, and thats a flat 10% boost to her damage, since all her attacks (that matter) are ranged and use ammo.
 
I wasn't aware of it - huge cast, just checking everyone's stats screen can take quite a while, they amount to dozens before you're even 10 levels in.

Took Katina out for a spin yesterday with her default mech - I didn't know she had a mech-judo throw move, and apparently that isn't new, but it's still pretty neat how the animation sneaks in that little trip moment. Is her default mech supposed to be that bad an option for her compared to others, beyond the red mech Ace bonus?...

Her Gespenst is perfectly viable. It's by no means an amazing unit, but there's nothing bad about it either. A lot of the desire to move her out of the Gespenst comes from the fact that Katina, in both stats and characterisation, fits the super robot mold a lot better. Someone who yells as much as she does should probably be rocket punching foos, though I do admit that jet magnums are still pretty cool.
 
Christ on a cracker, that Helluga stage can go eat all of the dicks.

Stage
42
, perhaps? They gave you
Neo Granzon
for a reason. I use fully upgraded of that mech and Ex Exbein to wipe the whole map. All the bosses in that stage don't run away so you can take time chipping off their HP.
 
Helluga stage's 3 bosses and that crazy Precision Cannon bullshit.

Gu-Landon's critical attacks.

XN-L's multi actions and MAP attack.

Luckily Granzon, Granteed, Brigandy, Exbein, Compat Kaiser, Soulgain and Tatsumaki Zankantou are there to carry the team.
 

Loona

Member
What ominous prospects...

For now, at around stage 10, Calvina is turning into my MVP with Tenia riding shotgun - between Tenia's Quicken and Bellzelute's range, plus some attacks that let you move afterwards, Calvina's practically crossing through most of the map killing everything in her way (but mostly the furthest opponents, so whomever's left behind can kill the enemy advance forces with counters) and enabling me to get all the SR points so far - I really wanted to focus on Guiliam "Mr Multiverse" Jeager, but Ms Coulange is certainly paying off.


Also, neat how Axel and Kouta being in Endless Frontier EXCEED for a while is indirectly acknowledged.

Odd that the game makes you use Alfimi instead of Axel when they first appear, I though they tended to share a unit or something, but so far so fine.

Stage 11 seems like a direct continuation of 10 in a way that seems atypical to usual stage progress, since it seems like it's taking place in the same area with the same enemy type, just with more of them - nice that the game lets you apply some upgrades in between, I guess - maybe it'll let me deploy more units...
 
Guilliam, as one of the few characters in the game with SP Regen is absolutely worth keeping and maintaining to good levels. He's got decent stats and he's effectively an eternal Focus character since he regenerates 10SP every turn.
 

Boss Doggie

all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Ahahahaha who would have thought crabsticks would be in an SRW game.

Anyway I skimmed through the primer, but did you include the Ace bonus and full upgrade bonus? Or are they gone?
 
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