At around £130, Steel Battalion was the most expensive game on the market when it was released in 2002 and therefore appealed only to the more hardcore players. The game involves piloting a VT(Vertical Tank) and you are tasked with hunting and destroying hostile enemy forces consisting of similar vehicles, tanks, warships and helicopters. Once in the game the levels of concentration required to successfully drive a VT are high but with that comes an incredible sense of immersion. When the destruction begins it feels very real and empowers the player with a sense of invincibility as your VT commands the battlefield.
There were two games released for the controller, the second being Steel Battalion; Line of Contact which was an online only version of the first game. Graphically this second game is superior as many complained of the relatively short draw distance in the first game and the inability to play ones own music during the game. Unfortunately due to lag many in the west could only enjoy 3vs3 matches where-as the Japanese were enjoying full games of 5vs5. Games consisted of capture the flag or battle royale, and battles won or lost contributed to a larger campaign for control of territory, dependant on the side you chose when creating your pilot.
The campaign mode server has since been closed on 30th September 2005 but there is still a strong community of players keeping the game alive. It really is a crime that the game was not given more support by Capcom but the online community still play regularly and there is talk of an unofficial server being commissioned to bring back the campaign mode but this is yet to be confirmed.
I still play this game at least once a month and enjoy some of the most immersive and incredible gaming experiences money can buy. A good copy with the controller can be snapped up on E-Bay for as little £115.
Related Links
Buy Steel Battalion
Buy Steel Battalion; Line of Contact
www.steelbattalion.org
www.lineofcontact.net
