Double Helix Games doesn’t exactly have the most enviable position in the industry; Front Mission Evolved marks the second time the developer’s been tasked with updating a beloved Japanese franchise for an American audience with ever-changing tastes. Their previous endeavor, Silent Hill: Homecoming, was an admirable-but-flawed attempt to spice up a schizophrenic series while still retaining its je ne sais quoi. Needless to say, those upset with Double Helix’s tampering won’t be pleased to see what they’ve done to Front Mission; Square’s long-running mech-strategy-RPG series has been transformed into a third-person shooter, in a daring move that seemingly promises to leave no one satisfied. For those Front Mission fanatics incensed at the mere existence of Evolved, I have this to say: it’s entirely possible to wrap the mechanics of Front Mission around a great action game. Though, to be fair to the Front Mission fan base, you’re not going to see this happen in Evolved.
It’s difficult to use the phrase “dumbed down” without sounding like an elitist snob, but in the case of Front Mission Evolved, these two words seem more than appropriate. What was once a slow-paced, thinking man’s giant robot game has since been translated into a shallow shooter that really only pays lip service to its roots. It’s understandable why Square decided to go in this direction; the series has never been particularly popular in the States, to the point where the company declined to localize what most consider its greatest entry. But even ignoring the fact that Front Mission Evolved is the successor to an impressive legacy, it’s still not a very good game.
