Another Century’s Episode – PS2 Mech Shooter Worth Revisiting | Retro Review

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• DEVELOPER: FromSoftware
• PUBLISHER: Banpresto
• PLATFORMS: PlayStation 2
• GENRE: Mech Shooter
• RELEASE DATE: January 27, 2005

Another Century’s Episode is a third-person mech shooter that brings together units from nine different anime series, each with its own weapons, abilities, and playstyles. Among the featured series are Aura Battler Dunbine, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Brain Powered, and Blue Comet SPT Layzner. The gameplay is often compared to Zone of the Enders, as it places you in large, open arenas where you freely fly around while completing mission-based objectives.

These objectives vary from mission to mission and gradually increase in difficulty. At times, you will be tasked with destroying waves of enemy units, while in other scenarios you may need to defend key targets or clear obstacles such as minefields. Movement plays a crucial role in combat, as your mech can boost or dash to avoid incoming attacks. However, this ability is tied to a gauge that must recharge, which means you need to manage it carefully during intense encounters.

Each mech is equipped with up to five weapons or abilities, ranging from firearms to melee options like swords. Most weapons operate on cooldowns, while others rely on limited ammunition. Interestingly, when you attack enemies at close range, your ranged weapons can transition into melee strikes, allowing for combo-based attacks and launch mechanics. As a result, combat feels dynamic, even if it takes some time to fully understand its systems.

Surprisingly Deep Mech Shooter with Lasting Appeal

One important thing to note is that the game was never released outside of Japan for the PlayStation 2. Because of this, navigating menus and understanding certain mechanics can be challenging without knowledge of Japanese. Fortunately, the game is still largely playable thanks to its action-focused design. That said, the story is much harder to follow, as all dialogue is in Japanese, which can make narrative context easy to lose.

The plot itself revolves around a future where humanity has expanded into space, building colonies around Earth and Mars. However, political and economic tensions lead to conflict between various factions, prompting the formation of a special task force to maintain order. While this setup provides a foundation, the story quickly fades into the background, and the game becomes more about completing missions than following a cohesive narrative.

Because of the language barrier, using a guide is highly recommended. Some missions include hidden conditions or secondary objectives that are not clearly explained, especially if you cannot read Japanese. For example, certain missions may require you to complete an additional task after defeating a boss, such as protecting a vulnerable ally. Without guidance, these objectives can feel confusing, but with a guide, they become much more manageable.

Progression is structured around missions and upgrade phases. Every few stages, you reach a rendezvous point where you can repair your units and invest in upgrades for both your mechs and your carrier. Carrier upgrades increase your capacity to deploy more units, while mech upgrades improve stats such as armor, speed, weapon power, and energy output. These upgrades come with trade-offs, so balancing them is essential for long-term success.

Classic Mech Action That Demands Patience

The game also features three difficulty levels: Rookie, Pilot, and Ace which roughly correspond to easy, normal, and hard. As you advance, the difficulty spikes can become quite noticeable, with some missions requiring multiple attempts to complete. With over 50 missions in total, the game offers a substantial amount of content, easily exceeding 25 hours of playtime.

Replayability is further improved through unlockable units and secret objectives. Completing hidden conditions, achieving high ranks, or finishing specific challenges can grant access to additional mechs. However, as mentioned, discovering these requirements without a guide can be difficult due to the language limitations.

Despite these challenges, the controls themselves are intuitive and easy to grasp. Lock-on targeting, movement, and combat inputs feel responsive, allowing you to focus on the action. Each weapon also has a specific range and function, encouraging you to experiment with different loadouts and playstyles.

Given the wide selection of mechs, you will likely find a few favorites; however, not every unit is suited for every mission. Some excel in long-range combat, while others are better in close quarters or defensive roles. As a result, adapting your loadout and upgrading wisely becomes an important part of the experience.

The Final Verdict

Still, despite everything, I have to admit that Another Century’s Episode does have its share of issues. First and foremost, the combat feels somewhat clunky, with movement lacking smoothness and the lock-on system occasionally struggling, especially when enemies are positioned above or below you.

Additionally, certain enemy behaviors can be frustrating, as they tend to retreat constantly without engaging, which slows the pace and disrupts the flow of battles. The game is also quite time-consuming; if you’re planning to fully complete it, be prepared to invest a significant number of hours. You’ll get the best experience for this game on the PCSX2 emulator.

In the end, Another Century’s Episode is a surprisingly deep and engaging mech shooter. While the lack of an English release and the need for a guide can be frustrating, the variety of missions, extensive customization, and fast-paced gameplay make it a rewarding experience for fans of the genre. It’s a shame it never received an official localization, as it offers far more depth than one might initially expect.