One of the games I was most excited about after E3 was this beauty, Robotech Battlecry for Gamecube. Seeing this puppy in action convinced us we had something to look forward to, and boy did we ever. Not that this is a perfect game, but fans of Robotech will no doubt find Nirvana on this mini-DVD.

Nothing could fit the series' translation to gaming better than the cel-shading that maybe a year from now we'll all be sick of, but rocks out today. Not only do the cut scenes look fantastic using the game's engine, but the game visuals are stunning. Cel-shaded explosions and smoke are just an effect too cool to describe. The vapor trails of missles going up around you, the billowing smoke and glowing jets of enemy fighters in deep space... it all just contributes to some great atmosphere and the feeling that you are playing the anime. I wish I could tell you how it looks on an EDTV or HDTV in progressive scan mode. But I can't. Man, I bet it looks amazing... At least I have my Gamecube running through my stereo system though, because the music and chatter is great. The music is 'inspired by' the original as opposed to being OST, but it does a great job of conveying the mood and hearkening back to the series. The chatter ties in nicely to your progress in the level. Fool around or mess up and you'll hear it from your team members in a cooperative mission or the people you're trying to help in a mission where you're on your own.

Following the story behind the series, you pilot a Veritech in defense of Earth against the enemy forces. Just as Earth forces begin to celebrate their success in absorbing an alien threat, having reconstructed a fallen spaceship and used Robotechnology to create defensive Veritech weapons against the possible threat, the threat becomes all too real. When the aliens attack, you must pilot your Veritech to save the plant. This game is roughly a mission-based action/sim game, if you believe in a virtual sim. Fans will be pleased to see the Veritech capable of transforming at almost any time between the Fighter, Guardian and Battloid form. Each form has some distinct advantages, different weapons configuration, and the transformation is relatively simple. In most cases, the more difficult missions are designed to be won by using the correct combination of form changes, so there's a strategic aspect to Robotech Battlecry. But, in large part you simple follow the storyline as it plays out, listen to the mission briefings and try to stay on task.

Rather than forcing you to jump into play, there is Training that can be replayed to let you hone your skills in a relatively risk free setting. Once Story Mode is underway, you'll have to go mission by mission until the enemy has been driven back. From time to time, completing a mission earns a secondary mission, completely voluntary but usually something that might earn you extra points. The points you earn during missions can be reflected as a simple score, but you can also earn special Veritech models, paint designs and medals by performing well during battles. Initially, you'll only be able to choose between a standard Veritech and a training model, but many more can be unlocked. The missions are balanced between close quarters city fighting where the Battloid is useful and interstellar combat that is strictly for the Fighter and Guardian mode. Learning little tricks, like using the Guardian form to quickly out-maneuver faster flying enemies, helps you come out victorious during Story Mode, but Versus Mode is really a nice place to play with a partner and test out some of your battle strategies.

Robotech Battlecry is, like most mission-based games, a bit of a mixed bag where difficulty is concerned. Some missions seem to end before they really heat up, and others seem to last forever. The balance is a bit off, but luckily the super hard levels seem to be secondary objectives you can opt not to complete. The controls or game mechanics don't get in the way or preclude you from playing well, but the objectives sometimes seem way too constrained on time or sensitive to a little fumble. At times, it seems impossible to finish a mission, but patient players will find the game manageable through replay after replay. The difficulty level prevents Robotech Battlecry from being an all-around excellent game. Gamers who might like the idea will find some challenge and complexity they weren't bargaining for, and even seasoned fans who have been looking forward to the game may feel a bit cheated when things get really difficult.

There are some places I found Robotech Battlecry fell a bit short from a control standpoint. The movement of each Veritech is solid and responsive, but the ability to get stranded against an object or 'stuck' in the landscape hints at some holes in the game world. Learning all the different controls for each change is part of the fun of the game, and controls are fairly consistent. The Battloid doesn't have the same arsenal that the other forms do, but it has a value on the ground that can't be matched by the Fighter or Guardian. Special attacks help in those moments when the enemy is loading up on you. Dealing with enemies on the ground and moving the Guardian around is very cumbersome. In tight places, only the Battloid has any real ease of use, and unfortunately this form doesn't do much in a fight against larger enemies. Sure, the sniper mode is cute, but it's only good for stationary targets. Some of the control gripes are directly connected to the narrow margin for success you have in a few missions. With a bit more leniency in the controls, suffering through an imbalanced mission might not be so bad, but attempting to decipher the mission objectives and also learning the controls may prove too much for some.

As much as we'd like to give Robotech Battlecry the highest recommendation, we have some reservations. The game isn't bringing enough to the table to be a real classic, and seems too inconsistent to be a widely accessible title, but it will obviously please its target audience. It's too bad the kinks in control and the unbalanced difficulty levels couldn't be ironed before this hit the stores, but it's more than enough of a game to keep Robotech and action gamers happy this Fall.