Casca_O: Shogo: Mobile Armour Division is arguably an anime made into a video game (or perhaps vice versa) and it's fairly obvious from the very beginning. Protagonist Sanjuro Makabe is much like many anime or even non-anime pilots: a wise-cracking ace who tends to obey the rules so long as they don't get in the way of his good intentions. The characterizations are very plain and the writing is average at best but it holds the game together well enough that you feel as though you are progressing for a reason and it's fully voice acted though that may or may not be a huge selling point. From time to time people and events which seem to have no prior connection to the story appear and are expected to be taken at face value in true anime form like a gruff, red-bearded man who's introduced as "a friend of Jack's" and without explaining Jack's relevance or this man's (unfortunately I've forgotten the name) credentials he proceeds to handle your mission command for several missions then on despite being non-military personnel.

Gameplay however is much more solid, using essentially every other shooter as a guideline for the encounters, enemy behaviour and weapon and armour acquisition. Additionally the game has two modes: one in your MCA and the other on foot. Where the former is more like most games of its time where simply charging in, guns blazing, is often as safe a choice as any the latter is mildly more nuanced and requires a bit more tactical thinking without a disparate change in pace or feeling like you've entered an extraneous stealth game like the switch from Vincent to Cait Sith in SquareEnix's Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus (Forgive my fanboyism just the most egregious offender I could think of). Level design is nice compared to even some modern games but the weapon choice is unimaginative and somewhat broken. Seven out of 10 weapons are available by the 3rd mission, including a sniper rifle that kills instantly when used while zoomed and the ballistic version of a rocket launcher which kills nearly anything in a single round and anything around it including "mini-bosses", and there is never a lack of stock for any of the ammo types. On top of the lack-luster AI, Shogo's weapons limit the challenge it would otherwise present. The foot soldier mode is significantly better in that regard though. The weapons are a bit too powerful but you are also considerably easier to kill and a little less capable of dodging and the nicer the weapon you're using the less ammo you run across.

Graphically it's unremarkable; similar to an early N64 title but the blood effects are amusing for a short while and are definitely in line with the anime style of the game. The explosions are good considering and ultimately its better than you might expect when you look at the copyright date but not by much

In the end, for six dollars, its a good way to spend a few hours and a fun catharsis if you like giant fighting robots but don't expect to ask why you never saw this game before