Before sitting down to play Bandai Namco’s Gundam Rogue Orbit, I had no idea what it would be or what to expect. After sitting down last week to get a sense of what this game is, I’m still unsure what it wants to be. I do know that it plays well, though, and I had a lot of fun jumping into a Gundam suit.
I did learn a few things about Gundam Rogue Pilot: it’s set in an all-new universe, so anyone interested can dive in. This is also the first time we’re experiencing a new universe through a video game, and that idea translates to how you play Rogue Orbit.
For starters, while our demo had no customization, we were told that making your Gundam unique is part of the experience. In the brief time I spent with Gundam Rogue Orbit, I had access to three different builds that we could play with across two levels.
Gundam Rogue Orbit Plays Well But Has A Lot To Prove
And I’m happy to say that controlling your Gundam is snappy, fast, and punchy. When the game launches in March 2027, the core loop will be you, the player, completing missions, then customizing your suit before heading out to do it again.
So what is this game exactly? Well, my preview provided next to no context, and all I had was access to two short levels to give me a sense of what to expect. Gundam Rogue Orbit has players facing off against various enemies in customizable Gundam suits, each with its own playstyle and weapons, frames, thrusters, Apocalypse Units, and colour schemes.
In Gundam Rogue Orbit, players will suit up as ace pilot RE-X, the protagonist in this new chapter for Gundam. You’ll handle the Gundam Helix, RE-X’s high-mobility suit, so he, along with a ragtag crew of unsung soldiers, can fight to be humanity’s last hope for survival against this unknown enemy.
I had access to three builds and weapon types: assault sword, whip sword, and sword lance. Each has strengths, but I found it really came down to preference. Want something more traditional? The assault sword is fun and can handle anything you take on. If you wish to be more experimental, the whip sword is a great way to be stylish and brutal. The sword lance is iconic, I feel, and it allows your Gundam to deliver some rather brutal combos against monsters, other Gundams, and bosses.
The Assault Sword Assembly was a blast to use and feels like the most balanced of three builds available to media last week. It plays fast and can take on any enemy from what I played, and it’s got some very cool charge attacks you can use to fight threats.
The Whip Sword Assembly is a different beast, and it proved a challenge to wield this build. It isn’t bad by any means, but boy, I can see the whip sword being a challenge in an environment not built for pressing. It hits hard and covers a wide range with two abilities that can devastate invading forces. I did notice that if you use the whip a lot, it drains stamina and makes it hard to move around.
The Sword Lance Assembly was the final build, and it can deliver devastating combos against hordes of enemies. It doesn’t play like either of the two builds I experienced, and it can deliver a lot of devastation in the right hands. It has some impressive abilities to go alongside it and can cover all ranges effectively.
Each build also has access to Over Rise, a gauge at the bottom that fills as you battle and take damage. When full, you can press L3 + R3 to unleash a devastating move against enemies. It’s a powerful tool to help turn the tide when you’re facing a boss that comes in clutch.
Most of my time playing through the available levels was basically trying to keep track of how much stamina I had, which feeds into my thrusters. You also have med kits to heal if your Gundam takes a lot of damage and ranged weapons to help clear out any lingering enemies. Each level inevitably led to a boss fight, which felt like something you’d battle in a Soulslike with massive aliens trying to wipe your character out.
Yes, there are monsters involved, which is something you don’t normally see when Gundams are involved. It’s a weird shake-up for a series that generally focuses on human conflicts and political topics. By removing that inherent part of the series’ nature, it loses a bit of its soul in a bid to broaden its appeal. Not everyone will want politics in their games, but Gundam has had politics ingrained in its DNA.
So, with Gundam Rogue Orbit set in an entirely new universe with new rules, does that let the series do something new? I’m fine with that, but I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t get to experience even a sliver of what this story may potentially say. Gameplay isn’t something I’m worried about now that I’ve played it, but I do have some concerns about the story.
Gundam Rogue Orbit has a lot to prove as it intends to deliver a new experience in a new universe. There are still a lot of variables I don’t feel confident about, but I can say the gameplay itself is a lot of fun. This is Devil May Cry Gundam, and I know it’ll resonate with the right audience, but if it intends to bring in a broader audience, it needs a story you can sink your teeth into.
