Forever Entertainment will publish the mecha tactical RPG — FRONT MISSION 2: Remake — for the Nintendo Switch in 2023. An exact release date remains unconfirmed, but the game’s Nintendo eShop page does reveal some details.
This title’s storyline follows events from the first entry of Front Mission (initially released in 1995 for the Super Famicom) and the upcoming Front Mission 1st: Remake for Switch.
Players will assume the role of Ash and his cohorts, Lisa and Thomas, as they come to grips with the aftermath of a coup in the People’s Republic of Alordesh. Furthermore, they will witness political machinations and uncover a conspiracy that may explain the reason for the coup.
As expected from a Front Mission game, this remake features a highly mature story, nail-biting turn-based battles, and plenty of customization options. And given that the key characters pilot Wanzers — military-grade mecha combat units — customization plays a crucial role between battles and skirmishes.
The original Front Mission 2 title hit Japanese PlayStations on September 25, 1997. And it was generally well-received, with Famitsu magazine awarding it a review score of 32 out of 40. It also managed to sell over 500,000 copies by May 1998, making it a financial success.
But will this remake repeat the successes of the early Front Mission entries? It’s possible, given the recent resurgence of tactical RPGs and that Front Mission 2 never received an official release outside Japan.
Who created Front Mission 2?
The creator of the Front Mission series is Toshiro Tsuchida, who founded G-Craft. Apart from Front Mission, he also created the Arc the Lad franchise. Square (before it became Square Enix) purchased G-Craft during the development of Front Mission 2. Thus, it’s the last title in the series that credits G-Craft as its developer.
However, Front Mission was not only a tactical RPG series but a vast mixed-media franchise. One of the most notable offshoots of the franchise includes the Front Mission: Dog Life & Dog Style manga, which was serialized in Square Enix’s Young Gangan magazine from March 2007 to October 2012.
Will this remake be worth the wait?
FRONT MISSION 2: Remake seems compelling enough to put on a wish list. Visually, it looks good and improves significantly on the original title’s rather jaggy presentation. The Wanzers also display a reasonable amount of detail during close-ups, which should please mecha fans.
Also, it’s a more grounded title in terms of its plot and character development, making it more appealing to an older audience or those that seek that extra layer of depth in their games.