Gundam Rogue Orbit Hands-On: Fast Combat, Stylish Action, & Apocalyptic Foes - Preview
by Evan Norris , posted 3 days ago / 1,380 Views
The show floor at New York Comic Con has a different energy at 6pm. Many attendees have already left, either for the evening panel in the Empire Stage on the fifth floor or to explore midtown Manhattan. The vendors remain, but they are in the process of winding down after a long, exhausting day on their feet. It was at this time, the twilight of Comic Con, that I entered the Bandai Namco booth to test out Gundam Rogue Orbit, the brand new mech action game in the long-running Gundam series. In the absence of long lines and time limits, I was able to fully immerse myself in the game's 20-minute demo.
The Rogue Orbit demo takes place during an emergency at Tresor Spaceport. The Apocalypse has invaded the port, prompting the Tresor Knights to scramble. As RE-X, the hero of the game, you have been summoned to take the fight to the invaders in your Gundam Helix.
If all of this sounds unfamiliar, you're not alone. Rogue Orbit tells an entirely original story set beyond the events of the anime. It focuses on the existential threat of the Apocalypse, an aggressive, self-proliferating ecosystem of bio-mechanical enemies. This is good news for Gundam neophytes, since they can jump right into the game without poring over the franchise's rich mythology.
The demo allows players to try three different assemblies. The first, Assault Sword, is fairly conventional. You can perform light attacks with the square button and charged strong attacks with the triangle button. Charging uses a lot of Boost but allows for powerful, damaging blows. You can also use the "Anchor" skill to close the gap on enemies without depleting your Boost Meter. It's basically a grappling hook; and it's awesome. The second assembly, Whip Sword, is a little more complex. By pressing the R1 button, you can swap between close-range Sword Mode and mid-range Whip Mode. Imagine Ivy's Valentine sword from SoulCalibur but with even more reach and you get the idea. The third assembly, Sword Lance, is my favorite. It's built for a hit-and-run approach. You build up a gauge steadily by performing sidestep attacks. Then, once fully charged, you unleash a Beam Phalanx by pressing R1.
No matter which Assembly you choose, Rogue Orbit is fast. Faster than you might expect, especially if you're used to the Gundam games on PS2 and PS3. Playing through the demo, I was reminded a bit of the speed and agility of mech battles in Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, or the breakneck stylish action in something like Devil May Cry. The game is focused heavily on close-quarters combat, chaining together combos, and constantly boosting and repositioning to avoid contact with dangerous enemies. In other words, the Gundam Helix isn't a mobile tank; it's a nimble suit of armor. That said, it still has weight and heft. You won't feel like a ballerina in Rogue Orbit.
You will feel like a badass, though. It's incredibly satisfying to hack and slash at Apocalyptic underlings, and dash and fly around each combat arena. However, you can't just button mash your way to victory. I tried and was immediately punished for it. In order to survive, players must constantly keep tabs on the Boost meter, which is depleted by dodging and unleashing certain abilities, e.g. Whip Mode. If you completely deplete the meter, your mech will overheat, making you far less mobile and far more vulnerable, particularly to boss attacks.
Speaking of bosses, they reveal something important about Rogue Orbit: it borrows some DNA from Monster Hunter. In the climactic ending of the NYCC demo, I faced off against a Giant, an Admiral-class Apocalypse. As I approached it, I noticed red markings on its right shoulder and left wrist along with the word "BREAKABLE". By hammering on those areas, I was able to sever its limbs and send it staggering to the ground. From what I can tell, disabling a limb or body part can profoundly alter the course of a boss battle.
As I walked off the Comic Con show floor at 7pm, along with the other stragglers, I found myself cautiously optimistic for Rogue Orbit. Based on my time with the demo, the game appears to occupy a fertile middle ground between the visceral and the tactical, at least when it comes to combat. Whether the narrative, level design, mission parameters, and replay value will stack up against that strong moment-to-moment gameplay is still anyone's guess. We will learn more on March 5, 2027, when the game comes to PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.
