Front Mission 3: Remake Review

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Introduced in Japan in 1999 and North America in 2000, Front Mission 3 was the initial venture of the series beyond Japanese borders. A role-playing game combining strategy with turn-based combat, it unfolded a world marred by geopolitical conflicts and mechanized warfare. The game offered a blend of political intrigue, multiple storylines, and extensive customization options. I eagerly awaited the series’ return on contemporary gaming platforms for a fresh generation to explore. However, despite keeping the core mechanics of Front Mission 3 largely unchanged in this remake, the remake’s aesthetic overhaul leaves me perplexed. Although Front Mission 3 is an outstanding game, I find Front Mission 3: Remake disappointing.

In Southeast Asia, FM3 unfolds during a chilly conflict between the Oceania Cooperative Union (OCU) and the People’s Republic of Da Han Zhong (DHZ), reminiscent of the Cold War era. Over time, global power shifts have intensified watchfulness against the OCU, leading to rising tensions that eventually draw in the United States of the New Continent (USN) as a key mediator for peace efforts.

In the game, players meet Kazuki Takemura, a bold Wanzer pilot, during trials of a brand-new prototype. Following a training mission, Kazuki’s friend Ryogo Kusama informs him that certain Wanzers are to be shipped to a Japanese Defense Force (JDF) base. The game offers two distinct storylines based on your choice to join Kusama in delivering these units or not. Accompanying Kusama initiates the USN scenario, while refusing triggers the DHZ plotline, both leading to an explosion at the JDF base that sets off events. As Kazuki navigates these diverging paths, he fights to contain MIDAS, advanced biological weapons, in a story that still resonates with its themes of biological warfare and national loyalty.

As a devoted gamer, diving into Front Mission 3, the narrative flow is predictably sequential: cutscenes, missions, intermissions, with the majority of non-combative interactions confined to navigating menus to gear up my units for the upcoming battle, where Wanzers steal the limelight. However, this installment introduces some tweaks to the series’ turn-based combat system. For instance, pilots can now sustain injuries or even be forced out of their Wanzer during combat. In such situations, I can engage in hand-to-hand combat or hack another unit on the battlefield. The Action Points system, a carryover from Front Mission 2 that regulates a unit’s turn, makes a comeback here, adding an extra layer of strategy – particularly when I successfully employ Action Links to boost the efficiency of multiple units during combat.

Each Wanzer consists of four selectable components: the main body, two arms, and legs. Destroying the body eliminates the entire unit, while disabling an arm takes away its weapon. Similarly, damaging the legs limits mobility. An assortment of weapon types cater to both long-distance and close combat, enabling players to tailor Wanzers according to their playstyle. Choosing a weapon also involves strategy – close-range weapons avoid counterattacks but necessitate getting close, whereas long-range weapons allow for retaliation. The customization aspect is a significant appeal, as it lets players interchange parts, weapons, armor, and even CPUs to create unique roles that resemble playing with Mecha Legos in the best way imaginable. However, despite these mechanics being well-thought-out initially, they are hindered within this remake by its slow performance and user interface, and unfortunately, the team responsible for this remake does not merit recognition simply for preserving what made the original great.

Visually, this remake appears to be trapped between the realm of a PlayStation 2 remaster and a mobile game version. Although they’ve improved the graphics, it often feels lacking compared to the original game’s visuals on the PlayStation. Yes, those graphics from the early 2000s were blocky and pixelated, but they had an intriguing quality. In contrast, this remake’s backgrounds and environments appear dull, uninspired, and cheaply made.

The design of the Wanzers in this game appears to be large metallic blocks haphazardly taped together, lacking any distinct texture or detail. They seem less appealing now compared to how they looked in 2000. Similarly, the character portraits appear to have been processed through an AI art filter that resembles early Dreamcast box art. These designs, both for the characters and the original assets, are not what players were hoping for. Although it’s unconfirmed, Cullen’s article presents strong evidence suggesting the use of AI in this game. The Nintendo Switch version doesn’t enhance the visuals, instead showing frequent pixelated edges (jaggies), inconsistent lighting, and a general lack of refinement as the game struggles to run smoothly.

As a gamer, I can tell you that when it comes to the music in this game, I’ve got two awesome options: the classic and the contemporary mixes by Koji Hayama and Hayato Matsuo, both of which are killer tunes with their ominous techno-military synths. However, when it comes to the rest of the sound design, it feels a bit lacking. The sound effects are scarce and feel unrealistic. There’s no voice acting, which I can live with, but the overall soundscape is so empty that sometimes it makes me long for those classic PlayStation disc loading sounds.

It’s great to find some positives! There are numerous choices, such as fast maneuvers and combats for those seeking a faster pace. Additionally, there are visual customization options for Wanzers which is quite appealing. Notably, the game offers an extensive in-game internet feature, filled with fake forums, fictional news stations, and even a hacking mini-game. This enriches the storyline and gives the world a lived-in feel, though navigating this information-rich digital environment through the in-game menus can sometimes be a bit awkward.

This remake isn’t the worst out there, but it could have been so much more. If playing the core game is your only option, then it still holds up. However, this version required more than just a facelift and an indifferent response. Instead, imagine if the entire series, or at least the exceptional third entry, had received the Star Ocean 2 Remaster level of quality and detail. Such a remake would have me raving about a nostalgic PlayStation game that could attract a new wave of fans to this captivating mecha series.

Instead, we got a half-baked museum exhibit. 

5

Versions tested: Nintendo Switch

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2025-06-26 14:57