DS User Reviews

Very ho-hum. The story is decent, but really doesn't go anywhere for the first half of the game (7-8 hours). Too much time is spent in menus between missions buying incrementally better parts, which if you don't do, leaves you at a fairly substantial disadvantage against better equipped enemy troops. The skills system feels very slow and unbalanced between characters. In the SFC version, it seems like characters get abilities sooner and more quickly. The resupply truck mechanics are also not explained well, coupled with the default 'semi-automatic' turn menus. I think starting out as manually and graduating to the semi-auto configuration would have been better - or else having a dedicated training segment for how to resupply, repair limbs, etc. By the time I got to the final boss, it was pathetically easy. My weakest troops finished off the boss in three rounds. I know there are harder missions and the U.S.N. campaign, but the game is simply not good enough to spend additional time on.

Among the best Tactics JRPG's out there along with Fire Emblem Awakening, Shining Force 3 and Tactics Ogre Let us Cling Together. The story is a bit dark compared to other games in the JRPG genre, very comparable to an actual war. Without making any spoilers past the into cutscene, the purpose of the game is to find your fiance who went missing and while looking for her you build up an army and get deeper and deeper into enemy occupied territory. Gameplay, there is a lot of micromanaging. This is a game for experienced tactics gamers, but not quite as hard as FE Geneology of the Holy War or Thracia 776. Expect to spend up to an hour between levels to optimize your equipment. The actual combat is fantastic, you really need to be careful. Push too hard and your repair bill next level will be over the top. Too conservative and you become overwhelmed and lose anyway. This game is also much better than the other Front Mission games. I never understood why people liked Front Mission 3 so much when you only had 4 playable characters in that game. If you enjoy tactics JRPG's like Fire Emblem, Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy then give this game a go. Front Mission DS is easily among the best Squaresoft games of the 90's. Honestly a 10/10, but for a niche genre.

great pixel art + mechs + customization + tactics = a great game for its time