Vanguard Bandits
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Vanguard Bandits |
Vanguard Bandits, originally titled in Japan, is a tactical role-playing game developed by Human Entertainment for the PlayStation platform. It debuted in Japan on July 30, 1998, with Working Designs handling its North American release.
The gameplay centers on a support-driven strategic RPG experience set within a medieval fantasy realm where knights and soldiers operate mecha. The narrative unfolds on the Continent of Eptina, where the Pharastia Kingdom uncovered colossal armored machines known as ATACs (All Terrain Armored Combatants), which pilots control mentally. Pharastia utilized these ATACs to dominate and unify the continent, but internal strife from coups and civil wars eventually caused the kingdom to lose its grip, leaving only its standing military intact.
Gameplay
In Vanguard Bandits, players navigate an isometric grid featuring both player-controlled and AI-driven ATAC units, reminiscent of titles like Final Fantasy Tactics and Square's Front Mission series. Characters expend Action Points (AP) to move, attack, or activate support skills, while offensive actions accumulate Fatigue Points (FP). When FP reaches its limit, the pilot becomes incapacitated until they recover, rendering them vulnerable to enemy strikes. Battles showcase detailed 3D animations accompanied by music overlaid on the grid. Story sequences between missions also utilize a similar grid system where characters engage to progress the storyline.
The campaign spans 20 missions distributed among three distinct story paths influenced by character development, player decisions, and team morale. For instance, if Bastion attains a sufficient level by mission three, players decide whether he remains with his allies in the Kingdom storyline or pursues the antagonist within the Empire path. Each narrative branch culminates in two possible endings determined by morale or Bastion's interpersonal connections. Upon completing the game once, players unlock the Ruin branch—a lighthearted alternative plotline.
Combat
Each ATAC comes equipped with attacks linked to its weaponry and embedded gemstones; key characters frequently have exclusive special moves. Damage output and hit accuracy depend on individual stats. While most attacks target adjacent tiles, some abilities like Turbulence can reach up to four squares away. Flanking opponents—attacking from side or rear positions—increases hit probability and restricts defenders’ counter options, making it a crucial tactical consideration.
Attacks are divided into three types:
- Normal: Basic offensive maneuvers.
- Knockdown: Hits that topple defenders, preventing counterattacks unless the defender opts to Defend.
- Collision: Powerful strikes that knock down defenders unless avoided or parried.
Certain attacks may also inflict temporary debuffs such as lowered speed or diminished attack strength.
When defending, ATACs have several options:
- Attack: Launch a counterattack after being struck at the cost of significant FP; this is negated if the attacker uses Knockdown or Collision moves and is unavailable against rear assaults.
- Defend: Brace to lessen incoming damage at a cost of 30 FP; cannot be employed against attacks from behind.
- Avoid: Attempt to dodge damage for 20 FP; this is the sole defensive choice against rear strikes.
- Counter: Strike preemptively to negate damage but carries risk of increased harm if unsuccessful; costs 20 FP and is limited to frontal engagements. Some skills enable full parrying of enemy attacks.
Players may also activate special support abilities that enhance ally stats, restore health points (HP), or decrease FP. Offensive skills like Turn Quake disrupt foes by unpredictably rotating their positions.
Terrain plays a vital role in movement and combat tactics. Challenging environments such as forests and deserts consume more AP during movement, although certain ATACs are immune to these effects. Impassable zones further influence unit placement and strategic decisions.
The ATACs
All-Terrain Armored Combatants, commonly referred to as ATACs, form the primary combat units within the game and are integral to its battle mechanics. These sizable bipedal, humanoid mechs—along with one quadruped model—derive their power from gemstones. Although equipped with cutting-edge technology, ATACs utilize conventional weaponry such as swords and spears, complemented by unique gemstone-fueled abilities including fireballs, earthquakes, ice shards, and tornadoes.
The original ATACs, called "Excavated ATACs," were engineered by Eptina’s ancient civilization and later rediscovered by present-day settlers. These units serve as the blueprint for current ATAC models, with no new constructions surpassing their combat capabilities. Every ruler of Eptina commands one of these Excavated ATACs.
Development
Prior to its launch in North America, Vanguard Bandits was initially named Detonator Gauntlet by Working Designs. However, Midway mandated a title change due to its resemblance to the Gauntlet franchise. The North American edition also featured a bonus demo disc for the PlayStation game Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete.
Reception
On Metacritic, the title garnered mixed feedback with an aggregate score of 62/100. Reviewers commended its narrative, character development, and gameplay mechanics but remarked on its limited innovation within the tactical RPG genre. Eric Bratcher from Next Generation emphasized these positive aspects while noting the absence of groundbreaking features. Prior to the U.S. release, Game Informer published a positive evaluation. Other outlets such as IGN, GameSpot, and RPGamer provided ratings ranging from average to favorable.