Biomotor Unitron review by Usagi3

Langage : English

Game type : tactic/RPG

Graphics : 9/10 (dungeons : 3/10)

Music/FX : 5/10

Maniability : NA

Replay value : 8/10

Number of saves allowed : three games

The story behind the game :

A comet crashed in the continent of Elscea. From the ore discovered, powerful mech units are built, called UNITRON. The pilots are named Unitron Masters, and a great tournament is held in the city of Rhafiace... As a youth with a poorly equipped Unitron inherited from your father, you came to the city to bring fame upon your name...

Games mechanics :

In fact, you are going to play a team : one Pilot, and one Engineer. The Pilot is the main character. Your will first have to select a pair (one male, one female) from 5; species available are Human, Lizardman, Silvan (wood elf), Birdian (elf with wings), mariner (sea-dwelling elves). Then you choose wich one is the Pilot, and you give both their names (default ones are available if you REALLY lack imagination ! !).

Depending upon the race you choose, you’ll get different Unitron. Unitron (and their Parts- Leg, Arm, Core, Body, BackPack, Accessories) are element-based (got it? Earth, Wind... Even Light and Darkness). For example, Silvan characters get a wood-based Unitron. Of course, each element has a nemesis-element (weaker against it) and a target one (stronger against it). BTW, monsters are also element-based.

You’ll start in the city of Rhafiace. There, you can visit the Unitron shop, the Arena (where the tornament is held), the inn, the downtown, the spring, the forest, and your base where your fellow engineer waits for you. Surrounding the city are four dungeons, each one being element-based. Whatever specie you choose, the setting is the same.

The goal of the game is to become the Master of Masters, the greatest Pokémon trainer... Errr, the greatest Unitron Master!! To achieve this envied title, you’ll have to defeat all your oponents in the Arena. Each time you go fighting in the Arena, if you succeed, you’ll avance in title. Titles are letter-based, like in US schools: E, D, C, B, A, and S. A mysterious grade after S is rumoured though… To give a strongest impact in this, each letter comes with a title- if you are "E", you are called "Rookie". Then Marquis, Viscount... You got it.

To become the Master of Masters, you’ll have to possess a great Unitron. And this is where we go deep in the game! A Unitron is composed of Parts- Body, Backpack, Core, two Arms (weapons), Legs, and two Accessories. You’ll be able to buy some in the Shop after your dungeon-crawls, but a lot of them WIL NOT be available. Remember that Engineer sleeping in your base? Time to wake him up, pal.

By combining an Arm (caution: whatever happens, it will be LOOSE), a Metal (lots available, ranging from Steel to Mithril; some only found in dungeons) and an optional Tool (ranked from 1 to Myster, increase success rate), your Engineer will eventually build an all-new Arm, a deadly one usually (your bet!!). Be careful, Metals are expansive, and your Engineer is a level-based character. Each time he succeeds, he’ll get experience. Train him a lot!! If you train him enough, he will eventually upgrade you Unitron Body all by himself, and it is the only way to get a better Body... Train him, I say! :)))

Your Pilot too has a level. He/she gains experience by slashing Monsters and bashing Unitron. The level will affect the effectiveness off your Unitron.

It is rumored that some characters in the game will teach you deadly combat techniques, that there is a hidden dungeon, and that the Master of Masters has a hidden task to perform involving a very tough creature.

Is this game a RPG? I don’t think so. When a dialog occurs, you can only watch- no choices at all. The game is linear (you can’t return to the Arena just after you earn a new Title, you have to talk to all the people out there in town!!). In the dungeons, you’ll run into monsters using the random encounters system. They aren’t maze BTW, it is hard to get lost in them (each Dungeon contain 7 levels, with a Guardian in the 7th zone).

BUT, it is very addictive and funny (some situations are really funny!). The graphics of the characters are GREAT, but when you are in a dungeon, it gets really ugly.

The game is carefully designed, you can jump in it without opening the booklet - all is explained ingame. You should read the booklet though, because it is well done J

So why did I write a replay value of 8/10? Because when you’re becoming better, you ‘ll have to go deeper in the dungeons to find worthy foes, and you’ll have to cross all the easy zones, being attacked by critters dying in a single blow and wasting your time (and theit life too!!!). It is rather boring... Luckily, each time you enter a dungeon, its content is randomly sorted (the stairs to the deeper zone, the chests, the walls).