Gaming Target - Xbox: Steel Battalion

Written by Gavin Wright on July 22, 2002

First Impressions: Yeah, it's cool. But you'll have to make an addition to your house for storing that controller, unless you plan on using it as a dinner table.

Capcom announced a while back the development of a secret Xbox game known as Brainbox. The game was later unveiled in Japan as Tekki, which was later changed for the U.S. release to Steel Battalion. SB is a mech game unlike anything we've ever seen. Utilizing a gigantic arcade-style controller that's set to carry a price tag of at least $100, this looks to be one of the most ambitious games we've seen in quite a while.

Above all, the number one reason we're so excited about Steel Battalion is the huge, 40-button, two-joystick controller that comes packed in with the game. The controller, which is bigger than anything you'd find in an arcade, is meant to give the player the feeling that they are actually in the cockpit of a huge robot, with buttons to activate the radio tuner, fire extinguisher, windshield wipers, and even an eject button. There are also three foot pedals to brake, accelerate, and boost. Both joysticks have triggers on them to fire weapons along with a button on the right joystick to lock on to objects. The whole setup is amazingly complex.

It's the controller's complexity that actually makes it neat. It's very difficult to simulate a mech experience using a standard controller because it just feels too fake to be cool. Sure, it'll take some time to get used to, and even when you've mastered the controller it may still slightly cripple you, but that's its intention. You'll still have to take your hands and eyes away from the game to search for the buttons, but that's just as you'd expect to do if you we're piloting a two-story tall robot. Because of the controller, Steel Battalion is considered more of a mech simulator than an action game.

Vertical Tanks travel slowly across land, so there's a much stronger focus on precision shooting than quick evasive movements. The upper torso of the VT (which holds all of its weaponry) moves much faster than its legs, so the tank can shoot in all directions quickly and easily although it is relatively immobile. The onboard computer allows one to zoom in and lock onto an object from hundreds of yards away. Missions almost always involve blowing things up, and from what we've seen, planes, radio towers, and even skyscrapers we're all completely and delightfully destructible.

The HUD that the game is played through is every bit as intricate as the controller. There are at least a dozen gauges and meters on the screen, displaying information for just about everything imaginable. Only a small portion of the screen allows you to see the action, which severely restricts your viewing angle (something that was probably intentioned).

There are nearly 20 models of the VT to choose from before each mission. Different models offer varying speed, ammo, armor, and weapon capacity, among other things. It's possible to unlock new tanks to use as you advance through the levels. As for the weapons, the VT's are armored with rocket launchers, plasma torches, anti-aircraft rifles, and much more.

Steel Battalion is Xbox-exclusive, and the game just wouldn't be possible on any other system. The tanks themselves look and move beautifully, displaying a true sense of weight and physics in their movements. The water effects, particularly when rain lands on the camera or the mech walks through water, are amazing to see. Explosions also look great, and it's neat to see the rubble from buildings and enemy robots that are left after a battle. Weapons on the VT are all animated uniquely, and can be seen moving from inside the cockpit. While we haven't seen much of the game so far, it certainly is looking impressive.