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[Retro_]

Cool thread. Always had an interest in the franchise

with a translation patch for 2 in the works and 5's being done I think I'm gonna give this series a shot. Got 1 on my DS already

 

[mjemirzian]

How does 2089 stack up against the rest of the series?

It runs on the FM DS engine so it's more of the same. If you liked the original FM you'll like it, but it doesn't do much to improve on the formula.

 

[MiniBossBattle]

I never got to play FM5. Was it JPN only?

 

[Reknoc]

I've got the DS version of 1 and been meaning to get 3 on PSN. Its a great series but I am atrocious at SRPGs. So I just have to stick with the action games like Gun Hazard and Evolved.

 

[Mlatador]

Wow, awesome thread!! too bad there won't probably ever be another SRPG in that series...

 

[Famassu]

Gah, this made me want to replay Front Mission 3. God damn it, Sony, hurry up and add that PS1 compatibility to Vita!

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Awesome, awesome series. Would love to play Alternative and 2(only ones i have not played... unless you include the USN story in FM1st), but I'd prefer to do so in english... exactly how far along is the FM2 translation anyways?

 

[Alex Connolly]

If anything, FM5 would make for a mad re-release on Vita.

But that sounds hideously logical.

 

[Ledsen]

I really loved FM3, and now I'm getting the urge to play 5. Maybe you should put what platforms the games are on though, it's not obvious to everyone

 

[ctrayne]

.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I'm not going to say much about the other FM games (they get plenty of love and text), but I will throw in this thread my continued wish to see FMA looked into and followed on sometime in the future. In a time when games are so pared-back to appeal to a broader audience, I would have thought that FMA's branching real-time tactic/action approach would have been tapped into. Still a fun experience despite barely understanding the game's plot due to such heavy Japanese text and voice. FM1 & 2 should have been brought to DD services instead of that newer Vandal Hearts, but these are two different publisher/developers and properties, of course. Still, there needs to be more tactically-minded game options on console DD.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I think I am gonna dig out my FM2 copy tonight and play the game finally.
I recently replayed both FM3 and FM5 so I might as well play one of the games I have never really touched.

Is Alternative available on the PSN store by any chance? Sounds like it could be something cool to try out as well.

 

[glaurung]

Awesome thread, so much love for the series. FM3 remains my most played title of all time

A friend gave me the US NTSC copy of Front Mission 4 as a present, but I no longer have any means of playing it aside from emulation. FM4 was never released in Europe. Though I did not play a whole lot of it, I fondly remember its ruthless difficulty spike once you were confronted with Wagner and his epic white wanzer.

Front Mission 5 was a game that eagerly waited for. What a massive disappointment it was for me when they said that the game would never be released in English. I hunted for a Japanese copy for a long time, but every time I had the money, it was not available. When it was available, I was poor as fuck. I know the translation patch exists, but I also know that the fifth game was already so difficult, I would have never been able to enjoy it.

However the track Defenders is still present in much of my gaming playlists, awesome music: http://youtu.be/hlx5Xk-KdN4?hd=1

I refuse to mention Front Mission Evolved in this context, because it is not a proper FM game. I completed it once on PS3 and I have never gone back. It was horrid.

 

[Kikujiro]

Great thread.
I love this series so much and especially the world built around it. The futuristic yet believable world, it reminds me a lot of Patlabor, and like Patlabor the games are not really about giant robots fighting each other, they are just part of a bigger and more complex story/world.

Last year I bought FM5 after the realease of the fan translation, but I still have to play it. Hope it's as good as it sounds.

 

[Fongul]

Thanks for posting this OP. All the love stated for Front Mission 5 made me spring for a used copy of the game. I'm just hoping that my PS2 can read the game properly (as the laser on the CD drive has been a little wonky after all these years....)

Can't complain as the used copy of FMV was only 860 yen, but the EMS shipping will probably bring the cost of the game to $20+

Anyone looking for affordable copies for any games in the series should check here.

Gun Hazard for $8? Yes, please....

 

[7threst]

This thread, I love it! I always wanted to get into the series but really didn't understand it, as in: where to start, which games to get etc., but this thread helps!
I guess I 'll start where I'm supposed to, with the first one

 

[Atolm]

I've been waiting a long time for a FM2 translation patch, to play the whole series, but I'm getting tired, I think I'll re-play soon FM1 and 3 (which I already finished years ago) and 4&5 for the first time.

 

[Dascu]

There's an English patch for FM5? Wow, great news. Busy schedule right now, but I'd like to try it out sometime.

 

[RS4-]

Been meaning to finish FM5 when the patch came out, didn't play much of it.

I don't remember if I finished FM4; might've quit when I got to some part of the game where it was a struggle to win.

FME was just a trainwreck. Can't believe I even bothered to finish it

 

[Zwei]

Awesome , awesome thread!

I've been waiting a long time for a FM2 translation patch, to play the whole series, but I'm getting tired, I think I'll re-play soon FM1 and 3 (which I already finished years ago) and 4&5 for the first time.

I know that feeling, dude. Hang in there; the people working on the FM2 patch aren't professionals doing it for the money, so they kind of work on their own timetable.

It would be nice if Square translated and released Front Mission 2 for the PSN, but that's highly unlikely. One can dream, though. :/

 

[Ra1den]

Nice thread!

 

[PrinceOfApathy]

I have never had the opportunity to play the latter Front Missions, but I immensely enjoyed Front Misson 3 on the Ps1, although the story was a tad bit disappointing. I hear 5 had an excellent mature tale.

Does anyone remember the massive glossary in Front Mission 3? That talked about the (fictional) Wolrds events, governments and just the general overall lore. It was highly impressive. I always wished more games had such a deep engaging underlying lore tied to it, but instead of reading it, we got to play it.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I've played FM (DS), FM3 and FM4. Really enjoyable games. I'm interested in giving Gun Hazard a chance.

 

[mjemirzian]

I'll take on anyone who thinks FM4 was a crap game. The only thing I'll concede is that it should have had an easy mode.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I'll take on anyone who thinks FM4 was a crap game. The only thing I'll concede is that it should have had an easy mode.

I liked 4. The story was definitely a disappointment compared to the mammoth adventure that is FM3, but it had the right spirit and if you spent enough time optimizing you could really cruise through the game.

FM3 is still by far my favorite of the series but I haven't had time to complete FM5 yet. I'd pay a lot of money for an FM3 HD release...(dat framerate, dat resolution, dat..."where are some of my basic 3D display features")

TBH I think FMDS is also enjoyable, but moreso because it's exploitable. Kinda the same as ZOE: Fist of Mars, really.

All I will say about FM Evolved is "Ridge Racer Unbounded". Draw your own conclusions.

 

[jorgeton]

Nice thread!

Front Mission 3 consumed many months of my youth.

I enjoyed FM4.. until I screwed up my file. Spent money on stuff I shouldn't have and my squad was seriously underleveled for a mission. Tried and tried but couldn't win, so I just gave up

Now, the question becomes how do we get FM5 over here? If only SE didn't completely screw over the brand with Evolved...

 

[MechaX]

I didn't really like FM4 all that much. Gameplay was pretty boring simply because it rewarded a very limited amount of tactics. The enemies were usually quite exploitable because they were often linked with other enemies across the field (and bosses were often linked with enemy units you probably would have killed getting to it in the first place). This even happened in some of the simulator missions as well. Story was also pretty boring, as there was no real sense of urgency to any of the conspiracies going on (which was definitely not the case for something like FM5). I probably would rank it at the bottom of the main games, even though FM1 really did have its share of janky mechanics.

 

[ctrayne]

.

 

[jimmypython]

Really loved FM4 and FM5.

It is a shame that I never finished them.....

 

[Mikey Jr.]

Is it possible to jump into FM5 and no absolutely JACK SHIT about the series and still enjoy it?

Or is it recommended to play the previous game first?

 

[RickA238]

I love this series.

FM1 is absolutely amazing. FM3 is really good too.

I'm still waiting on that translation for FM2 and Alternate to be finished—can't remember who is doing it.

Can FM5 work without any slowdown/jutters in PCSX2 yet? Last I checked (I think with 0.97) it was still running pretty slow, and I have a fast computer.

I'd love to see them localize those cellphone–turned–DS games (I think they were called FM 2089) but I don't think that will ever happen.

Is it possible to jump into FM5 and no absolutely JACK SHIT about the series and still enjoy it?

Or is it recommended to play the previous game first?

The stories in the games are usually self-contained fairly well. Just jump into FM5 and play it.

 

[aggro crag]

Holy cow, I was unaware of a translation project for Front Mission 5. I'm definitely going to track down a copy of this game. Hitting up Jap-Sai right now.

 

[bigace33]

I loved Front Mission 3. It is the only FM I have ever played. If it is a "step back" for the series, I really need to play the other games because I really enjoyed FM3.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Surprisingly down on 3, which means 2 & 5 must be GET HYPE levels of god tier.

FM4 was a disappointment for me, cardboard cutout antagonists, repeatative mission set up (4 dodgy little shit mechs with dual machine guns set to link and waste time, some brawler/shotties, some long rangers and artillery, then a (sub)boss if applicable), then you have the wierd almost FFT-esque behaviour of character building and restorative systems; how do I put this, it felt "un-mechy". You could have named a mech "Cleric" or "White Mage" and it would have fit like a glove. Much less emphasis on mech-derived combat aspects like different legs affecting terrain obscruction, blown off parts (spread out damage and rote spam "healing" made this rare), etc.

Awesome thread, so much love for the series. FM3 remains my most played title of all time

A friend gave me the US NTSC copy of Front Mission 4 as a present, but I no longer have any means of playing it aside from emulation. FM4 was never released in Europe. Though I did not play a whole lot of it, I fondly remember its ruthless difficulty spike once you were confronted with Wagner and his epic white wanzer.

That was actually when the game got easier for me, as I had finally broke down and played it like a FFT-esque SRPG from then on out and ground him down to victory.

 

[The_Super_Inframan]

Front Mission is amazing...

the first one i played was FM 2 for the Playstation with a translated script from gamefaqs back in the day followed with FM Alternative.

i was so happy that FM 3 got a official release here in germany/europe but after that we didn't even got the 4th one and it's really a damn shame that the fifth never got a official release in the west. it was like the best day ever when the fan patch got released.

i sold almost all my video games a few years ago but i will never give away my small front mission shrine

(crappy phone pic)

and FM Evolved was one of the biggest disappointments ever for me. i liked the idea of a FM action game, but evolved ist just not a good game...

Holy cow, I was unaware of a translation project for Front Mission 5. I'm definitely going to track down a copy of this game. Hitting up Jap-Sai right now.

i think the patch doesn't work with the ultimate hits version of the game, keep that in mind when ordering a copy. at least that was the case when the patch got released, no clue if they made a ultimate hits version too in the meantime.

 

[ctrayne]

.

 

[Blue Submarine No. 6]

Great OP! The only Front Mission game I've played to date iss FM3; I played through the USN storyline on my PSP after succumbing to GAF hype in a previous Front Mission thread, and I have every intention of returning to the game to play through the other version of the story, though I'm trying to wait until PSX game support is implemented on the Vita for that... I really enjoyed FM3 though, so I'll have to track down FM1st for my DS... If they ever localize FM5, I'll be there (wouldn't a FM4/5 HD pack for the PS3/Vita go down well?)

 

[djtiesto]

Helluva thread. I've only played 1 (the DS version) and 3 but really enjoyed them, especially the near future setting and palettes the games use. Man, the Internet in #3 was such an awesome idea too, I spent so much time looking through that. Shame that Toshiro Tsuchida is off in the mobile ghetto now, since I was also a huge fan of the Arc the Lad series (well, 1 and 2).

 

[Rentahamster]

Frontal Emission is awesome. I bought the Super Famicom version for 80 bucks and modded my SNES just so I could play it back then.

It's a shame what Square has done to the series.

 

[Crazymoogle]

Frontal Emission is awesome. I bought the Super Famicom version for 80 bucks and modded my SNES just so I could play it back then.

It's a shame what Square has done to the series.

Also a shame what your phone did to an honest attempt at spelling.

 

[CorvoSol]

Front Mission has always been that one Square series that I don't know why I didn't play more of it. It's an SRPG about mecha, which I totally dig, but never got into for some reason.

I suppose I'll put this down with The World Ends With You as "Games I really should try."

But I won't go near Evolved. I'm not very interested in going near anything that Toriyama taints- er, "writes" anymore.

 

[kswiston]

I have only played Front Mission 3 and 4, but was sad when S-E neglected to bring 5 over. Glad to see it now has a translation.

 

[killbox]

I really dug FM4 (the character art was amazing) but I found the AI to be dumb as rocks at times. Took me out of the world (if that makes any sense) I also kind of felt it was odd that the "medic" could fix other mechs from range. as a game mechanic it works (and in fantasy games casting healing from range seems as logical as anything else) but fixing a robot from across the room always bugged me (well not a huge amount, just seemed odd)

Just started FM3 on PSPgo and really like it so far. I picked up FM1 for DS a long time ago and remember the interface was kind of difficult (like the port was not really made with the DS in mind at all) I can't remember specifics....

I've never player a ps2 game on pc. is it possible to burn an iso of FM5 and play it on a modded/test unit ps2?

 

[ctrayne]

.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

If you take your original PS2 copy, rip it to your PC, apply the patch, and burn it, sure. Just depending on what kind of PS2 setup you have going. I don't know what does and doesn't work on PS2s these days, haven't had one for ages.

I just run everything on the PC via emulation now. Works really well and I don't have to scuff up my discs any more.

Is there a good program to rip it as an iso file? I have some on my hard drive but I forget what I used to make them .isos... When you click on them on the computer it's just a regular file directory but I think the emulator needs iso files.

 

[ctrayne]

.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

I use ImgBurn and love it.

FUUUUUUUU, that does rips too? I have that installed and only remember burning to a disk with it. Thanks.

 

[ACESmkII]

I just want to play FM5 on my ps2 in English. Why must it be so hard? Maybe I'll just play it like I did 1 and 2 and just play it in Japanese. Is it user friendly like a lot of the earlier Front Mission titles?

 

[Dunan]

Awesome thread, OP!

Which was the FM game where Okinawa is some kind of futuristic digital-hub city and there's a heavy use of e-mail and a virtual internet in the game? I played that briefly a long time ago on one of those multi-game demo discs and was liking what I saw.

 

[ColonelSkills]

Man, I need a way to play this that isn't PCSX2. I dunno what it is about my setup, but I tried running this back when the patch first dropped and it remains to this day the only BSOD I ever got while running Windows 7.

Nothing I could do in terms of decent settings could make that agree with my graphics card. No idea why, I eventually gave up.

I need a PS2 capable of playing it with patch applied.

(crappy phone pic)

Sir, you have given me a steely erection. I jelly.