Articles
By Nonny
Published: Mar. 11, 2007 11:33 AM
Though the Xbox 360 has already received a glut of titles since launch the variety outside of mainstay genres has been sorely lacking. One such example is the Mech genre which has historically seen very little success on the original Xbox except for Microsoft’s own MechAssault series. Thankfully, early on in its life the Xbox 360 now has Chromehounds by FROM Software as a choice and what a choice it is. Usually associated with the hugely popular Armored Core series FROM Software have taken their vast knowledge of the genre and released what is a completely new franchise specifically aimed at creating a persistent online gaming community for Xbox LIVE. Practically every aspect of Chromehounds is designed to take advantage of the Xbox LIVE platform and as such the game appears to have been misinterpreted by many larger gaming sites which have not invested enough time into the core of the game play, the Neroimus War.
The main criticisms appear to be that it is too slow, has a boring single player campaign and lacks enough action. This is actually true, but is missing the point entirely. To explain further, Chromehounds is essentially not just a “Mech” game in a true sense; underneath it is a strategic war game. Though it sports such genre features as a somber post apocalyptic story, single player campaign, standard online modes and mech-building all this is secondary garnish to competing in the war for the faction of your choosing. Because of this it is fair to say Chromehounds is not a game for all tastes and destined to become a cult classic. If you do not have Xbox LIVE for instance then really you can forget buying this game right now because this war is totally online and you would be missing out. If you like your first person shooters fast and twitchy then likewise you may find the pace of Chromehounds too pedestrian. If however you like your games to be team-based, co-operative, tactical, hugely involving and filled to the brim with destructive power… welcome to gaming nirvana.
The back story to Chromehounds is generic but strangely enticing as it reflects some modern day facts in a slightly frightening yet alluring way. Set in the near future Mechs (or Hounds) are used in open warfare as three main factions attempt to claim control of a fictional area of land called Neroimus. Each side has different strengths and weaknesses based on their allies and resources. Tarakia is a Democratic Republic who resides on the western fringe of Neroimus that have America as an ally in the struggle, Morskoj control the northern and eastern regions with connections to the former Soviet Union, and finally the kingdom of Sal-Kar is a much smaller Middle Eastern nation that controls the oil-fields with plentiful resources. The single player itself does much to immerse the player into this war storyline with a nice preface video which is a beautiful introduction and ongoing cut-scenes between missions. Really though all of the single player campaign is just a training mode in which to understand the six basic categories of hound you will be using when you finally hop online and into the “real” war. As a result the entire single player campaign is split into six sections, one for each of the hound classes, which are: Soldier, Sniper, Defender, Heavy Gunner, Scout and last but most importantly Commander. Missions of gradual difficulty are available for each of the classes so completing them, and more importantly fully understanding each classes role is vital to your success; working alone or as a team. As the names suggest, Soldiers are the durable front line, Scouts are the fast moving reconnaissance units, Snipers provide long range coverage, Defenders protect the base, Heavy Gunners are for large artillery barrage on opposing bases and Commanders… well they command!
Once the single player is over and you’re primed to go online there is literally nothing left to do offline. As mentioned this is an online game specifically geared to persistent online play. You can go back to each of the aforementioned single player missions and attempt to get an S rating on each (which unlocks hound parts for building your own hound) but really that is all the single player has to offer. Jumping into Xbox LIVE however is deeper than the simple menus convey. Initially you will have to choose a faction to play for out of the three available, though you will be able to change should you wish to at a later date. Aside from the Neroimus War online you can also partake in a selection of preset missions against the other factions which lets you play against the AI, similar to the single player, but earn money which contribute to your hound building ability for online. You can also take part in the standard online modes which have nothing to do with the war. These modes include deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag etc… and are all great fun to play though unfortunately the map selection is limited and ultimately the modes pale in comparison to the actual war itself where far more locales are on offer.
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