Steel Battalion Review Author: Talon Date Posted: July 4th, 2004 SLRating: Bottom Line: Steel Battalion comes with some awesome hardware, for Mech enthusiasts looking for the perfect addition to their gaming library, or gamers who are looking for the ultimate simulator experience, then this title is for you. Is it a must have for the the casual gamer? Read on to find out in our official review.... Article Navigation Introduction The Hardware Gameplay Graphics Sound Conclusions Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> Discuss This Article

Size Matters (The Hardware)

Priced at a hefty $200.00, this game weighs in at over twenty pounds, most of which is devoted to the massive table-top setup and foot pedals that make up the game’s controller. The weight is especially obvious when you are lugging the twenty pound Steel Battalion Box to a neighbour’s house down the street.

Clamped down inside the box between two cardboard plates is the crown jewel; a beautifully crafted 40-button, 3 pedal setup that will serve as your virtual cockpit throughout your gun wielding, tank stomping career as a Vertical Tank pilot. You better do some serious bedroom reorganization, because this baby is going to need it.

The controller is made up of three unique panels, two independent joysticks, and one six gear throttle. Sound like a lot? Well, throw in 40 unique light-up buttons, a circular radio dial, and a red eject button that you had better learn how to operate (more on this later), and you have the massive piece of hardware that Capcom casually calls a controller.

One thing we should mention about the buttons though is that many of them are useless. Granted, a virtual cockpit should have a few specific functions, but a button that sprays liquid on your windshield, or the fact that eight buttons are devoted entirely to the VT start up sequence and have no other practical function? That is overkill. I would much rather these buttons be replaced with something useful, such as team mate commands, which are sorely needed.

Thankfully, Capcom did not follow up on the superfluity binge with a foot operated keyboard attached to the controller’s pedal set up. In fact, the three pedals used to control the acceleration of your VT are simple and easy to use. The pedal on the right controls acceleration, the one in the middle activates the braking mechanism, and the pedal on the far left is used in conjunction with the left stick to execute a very helpful sidestep move.

Gameplay

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Article Navigation Introduction The Hardware Gameplay Graphics Sound Conclusions

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