It's rare that you diocese an experiment as wholeheartedly embraced as Capcom's over-the-top mech-combat simulator series.

It's rare that you diocese an experiment as wholeheartedly embraced as Capcom's over-the-top mech-combat simulator series, blade Battalion. What other game shafts you into a gigantic game-specific controller with each of the thing's 40 buttons having its have a title to function? None. With Line of Contact, the weighty, monstrous mech go on stampeding online, with up to 10 players competing in teams, or in an all-out mellay in tremendous, futuristic warlike simulations.

The appeal for those with an Xbox Live account is tremendous. pleasing without being striking much everything here is the same as in the original hanger Battalion—which is required, as LOC is not sold with a controller—except now the war is real and in your face with unpredictable online opposers It's intense, noisy gaming that simulates struggling with a mechanical beast's ascendencys in ways MechAssault never could unless getting up to speed with the rules in an online setting is brutal. If you're a newbie, it's important to oilstone your skills in the first game offline before braving LOC Veterans will eat you alive.

Be warned, although various game-balance issues and exploitable features that can be compensated for in an offline setting are nearly impossible to overpower when abused by competition with no qualms regarding unfair play.

If you can handle LOC's drench learning curve, you'll enjoy an experience unobtainable onward any other platform—the game is that compelling. further the lack of offline missions is regrettable, as is the inability to play using a standard Xbox controller Here's hoping Capcom plans a third installment that includes the best of the pair worlds.

Copyright ?© 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserv Originally appearing in GMR Magazine.