From Software has made some pretty good stuff in recent years, countered with a bit of dross. Otogi remains an enjoyable hack and slash adventure, but the latest Tenchu games are quite shallow in comparison. Hearing From was to make a war game based on mechs, SPOnG was quite intrigued. A more advanced (and dare we say it, playable) version of Armored Core would really make our day.
Chromehounds is a very different kind of game though, not quite so much suited to the ‘action shoot-em-up’ genre, yet retaining some great pick-up-and-play moments. You play as a mercenary, assigned to one of several different nations in a large country, and you get to control some nice machinery - with each nation's 'bots having various pros and cons (more on this later). This game is more about strategy and teamwork rather than being a metallic maverick. You are usually placed in a group with at least five other types of mechs of differing attributes, all working together to conquer and suppress enemy militia.
The graphics are nothing short of stunning – playing this on an HD telly really shows off every detail in the HOUND mechs, and blowing up tanks and other machinery has never looked so satisfying. Anything is fair game for destruction, from oil cans to buildings to people. Yes, crush the infidels…wait, what?
The sound is pretty nice too. The music matches the various gameplay scenarious perfectly with, for example, a quiet soundtrack playing in the background for the night stage where visibility is low. The noise of your mechs can, it has to be said, get a bit annoying, particularly if you’ve taken an extreme hit and start expelling smoke like you’re sending some sort of SOS signal. But overall, shooting massive Metal Mickeys with hilariously over-the-top weapons is an aural as well as a visual delight.
Depending on which mech you choose, your guns are different. As mentioned before, you get a choice of six HOUNDs to play as, from a Soldier troop to go up front and kick some titanium, to a Sniper to take out enemies from afar, and Heavy Gunners as backup support. The most interesting of these is the Commander, which is saddled with the responsibility of giving orders to fellow troops and strategising the situation at hand.
This gives the game a very tactical edge that is more useful in the ‘Commander’ stages in Story mode and the online games. In choosing each type, there are advantages and disadvantages: Defenders, who have great firepower and heavy defence, are as sluggish as hell and will only be able to beat a one-legged turtle to a recon point. Scouts have no real firepower to speak of, but are nippy buggers and can take over Communication Towers for other troops to receive messages.
