Originally released in 2021 for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5, Megaton Musashi is preparing to return to the scene with an expanded and renewed version, entitled Megaton Musashi W Wired. In this operation to relaunch its multimedia franchise based on robot battles, the Japanese publisher Level-5 has chosen to do things big: a few weeks ago, in Tokyo, the Megaton Musashi World Cup, an international competition that saw different teams compete against each other in intense PvP sessions. Invited by the publisher on an Italian exclusive, we at Everyeye also took part in the tournament, an opportunity that allowed me both to preview the game and to have fun together with many other colleagues from all over the world.
Between video game and anime
As mentioned at the beginning, Megaton Musashi is a franchise that has made multimedia one of its strong points: it is no coincidence that, between 2021 and 2023, coinciding with the release of the original version of the video game, Japanese television screens broadcast an anime adaptation divided into two seasons and created by the OLM studio, known for having created to various successful animated products such as Pokémon, Berserk, Beyblade Burst And Komi can’t communicate.
The synergy between the TV series and video games, moreover, is one of the prominent elements of the production, with an aesthetic framework that combines the graphics used in the gameplay phases with animated interludes that are extremely pleasant to look at. The story embodies various archetypes of genre fiction, including dystopian futures, alien invasions and groups of young heroes who stand as the last bastions in defense of the Earth.
In the year 2118, with the planet under assault by the powerful Draktors and 99.9% of humanity now exterminated by the fearsome invaders, it’s up to Yamato Ichidaji and his friends to board the immense Megaton-class Rogue robots: learning to master and perfect their respective mechas, the group will then have to engage in heated and violent battles against the Draktors to restore hope to mankind.
During his adventure, the protagonist is joined by various companions, for a total of 16 pilots which can be chosen in the customization screens of each mode. In this sense, Megaton Musashi Wired offers both a singleplayer experience and a multiplayer sector, with the latter giving us the greatest amount of fun during our test.
The solo adventure is divided into chapters, which in turn are made up of dozens and dozens of missions: the most interesting aspect of the Campaign, however, is the possibility of moving the main characters in a sort of macro-hub in which we are allowed to interact with other supporting characters from the world of Megaton Musashi, in a two-dimensional scrolling screen in which we can admire the same design as the anime series by Studio OLM. Furthermore, there are so many singleplayer missions and, despite already having several dozen of them in stock, I am not able to precisely quantify the longevity of this journey. What I can say with some certainty, however, is that Fans of the franchise will get their money’s worth even just with the story, which for the development team remains very important in the overall economy of the project. The production effort, taking into account the not exaggerated ambitions of the developers, is however commendable, at least in the attempt to create a product that is very consistent with its animated counterpart.
It is worth remembering that, thanks to the online features of the title, it will be possible to face battles even in groups of 3 users, with the two teammates being replaced by the AI in single player mode. The production also puts a lot of emphasis on collaboration, since facing the Draktors using the multiplayer features will guarantee greater rewards than solo raids.
Customize mechas
At this point, before telling you what it feels like to get on board with Megaton pads in hand, it is necessary to say a few words about mecha customizationwhich in the test actually represented an absolutely crucial preliminary “ritual” to maximize the performance of our large robot.
Customization is one of the most successful elements of the game: robots are fully customizable in almost every way, with an editing system for the various mechanical parts – both external and internal – which I found pleasantly rich and complex. On the other hand, you can select the type of weapons that the mech can wield, be it blades or guns.
It is also possible to choose between various presets, or create one suited to your own style, to enhance an approach totally dedicated to close-range attacks or focused on ranged combat, thanks to pistols, rifles and machine guns, for a total of five types of melee weapons and four long-range variants. Each instrument of death can be upgraded as you fight, including large increases in statistics and advantages during battles.
One of the key aspects of customization is the abilities you choose to assign to your Megaton: through the Motherboard it is in fact possible to equip the mecha with special attacks which differ from each other in terms of effects, execution and attack range.
The list is very varied and includes combos consisting of broad sword slashes, energy strikes and thunderous explosions. In practice, the preparation phase is a very delicate operation, which must be given the right attention before taking to the field: whether it is to counter a particular boss, or to study a strategy against a rival team, it is essential to choose the type of structure most congenial to you, with a view to constructing a real build that meets your needs.
Battles between mechas and aliens
From a gameplay point of view, Megaton Musashi Wired offers a rather simple and not particularly deep hack and slash recipe, but capable of providing an enjoyable and fun gaming experience. The battles on the screen are in fact sufficiently frenetic and satisfying, although the title has not proven to be particularly refined in its action frame: the animations appear a little wooden at times, the impacts not always fluid.
Yet the chaos generated during the battles between Rogue and Draktor stimulated us enough to enter a mission loop that manages to convey a sense of constant improvement of one’s arsenal. On the other hand, the main objective of the game is precisely to conquer the battle grounds by defeating alien creatures and obtaining from their remains useful materials to increasingly enhance the equipment. We thus enter into a tireless hunt for the best loot to obtain the definitive setup, in a progression system that I believe can largely satisfy all fans of robot fights. The gameplay scheme is extremely intuitive, with a combat system based on light and heavy blows to be spaced out and dodges and strategies to exploit the enemies’ weak points. Things get quite spectacular when basic attacks are supported by special moves: be it the aforementioned techniques or the Megaton Furywhich allows you to maximize your fighting skills by entering a state of temporary empowerment, the development team took care of the staging without skimping on fanservice, with animated interludes that recall the visual style of the TV series and which contribute to making the coup general eye more than pleasant.
The World Cup
Megaton Musashi Wired certainly doesn’t aim to revolutionize the genre it belongs to, and despite its great underlying simplicity it manages to guarantee several hours of genuine entertainment. Furthermore, although the singleplayer counterpart of the game offers a long-lasting experience on paper and overflowing with fanservice, the multiplayer mode has truly remarkable potential: this thanks above all to the battles in the Colosseum, which consist of 3 against 3 online battles whose outcome can be truly unpredictable.
During the 5-minute matches it is in fact necessary to maintain the conquest of the territory by inflicting as much damage as possible on the three opposing mechas, strengthening themselves with the support of special objects that appear randomly on the fighting ground. Whether it’s boosts for the most powerful attacks, health refills or enhancements to offensive or defense statistics, studying the field and winning the most advantageous items can literally turn the tide of the duel.
This is exactly what happened to my team at the Megaton Musashi World Cup, the competition that Level-5 organized in Tokyo to allow various media from all over the world to compete with robots. The undersigned was called to represent Italy, and in particular Everyeye, together with other colleagues from England, the United States, France, Spain, Germany, China and Japan. 8 teams who fought it out in a direct elimination tournament, divided into quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
Unfortunately my team, represented by the Rogue called “Legion Rose”, had to succumb in the first round. We faced the American team, which since the first tests (in the hours preceding the Cup) had demonstrated unparalleled harmony and skill.
I will reveal to you later how the final stages of the competition went, but I can assure you that the United States players put on a show during the World Cup. In short, with a hint of pride, I can say that we were beaten by one of the strongest teams of the entire event. With all due respect to the Chinese and Japanese teams, who were also formidable, while the European groups proved to be at a good level, albeit far below the Americans and Asians.
The semi-finals of the World Cup, in fact, they saw USA-England and China-Japan clash, in two rounds that proved to be no holds barred and kept the spectators in suspense. To find out who won, all you have to do is continue following us, but in the meantime let us know in the comments if you will play this new title: Megaton Musashi Wired releases on PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch on April 25th.
