Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn Preview: Destroy hundreds of robots at once

The crazy action of Dynasty Warriors makes it one of those series that you play when you just want to let loose and have some nonsensical fun. It has its slight intricacies, but a lot of the time, you can get really button mashy and just revel in the game's nonstop action. Gundam fans also get some solid fan service as the series offers up its Dynasty Warriors: Gundam spin-offs. The next installment, titled Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn, is being prepped for launch next month, and though it doesn't offer anything especially deep, it should entice fans of the anime.

I spent a small chunk of time playing the game at Bandai Namco's meeting room at E3, and I can safely say I had a pretty good time with it, even if it wasn't exactly the type of game I'd play for long stretches of time. Gundam Reborn has a lot in common with previous Dynasty Warriors titles. The screen is constantly filled with enemies — this time big, bulky, robotic enemies — and you have to battle your way through to get to certain points on the map, as well as defeat specific primary enemies.

Combat in Gundam Reborn is somewhat mindless, though that shouldn't surprise fans of these games. This title is fast-paced and action-packed, but I noticed that the sequence I played through wasn't exactly as filled with crazy action as some of the proper Dynasty Warriors games. Still, there were gangs of enemies frequently spawning just waiting to get sliced up with my huge blade.

In addition to the heavy hack-and-slash action, Gundam Reborn focuses on long-range offense. Sure, the regular Dynasty Warriors games give you bows and arrows, but this title is all about big guns and powerful lasers. That's one of its more unique features as it relies heavily on providing you with tools to blast away at enemies. It's a  nice touch, and it does a good job of differentiating this spin-off from the main line of games.

As someone who appreciates the Dynasty Warriors games, I have to admit that Gundam Reborn felt a bit cold and sterile compared to past offerings. The futuristic, mechanical look of the environments was somewhat drab and uninteresting, and it lacked personality. That's really a shame, because you'd think a game based on an anime series would do a better job of giving you that spectacular over-the-top vibe. Instead, the game's subdued hues and simple level designs were rather drab and unexciting.

Of course, if you love Dynasty Warriors and Gundam, the lack of personality here probably won't matter to you. Gundam Reborn is still heavy on the action and riddled with enemies for you to slash and blast. It's ridiculous, it's exaggerated, but it's a lot of fun. How long this type of game will keep you entertained really depends on how much you dig doing the same things repeatedly and how much you love Gundam. But if you're fine with a bit of repetitive action (and there's definitely plenty of action), you should have no problem with this game.

If you're a big Gundam fan and have been following the Dynasty Warriors series of anime-based spin-offs, watch out for Gundam Reborn. The game is due out on July 1 and will arrive on the PlayStation 3 in both physical and digital formats.

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