WarTech: Senko No Ronde
Encyclopedia
is an Xbox 360
video game, a port of the arcade fighter/shooter hybrid developed by G.rev
for the Sega Naomi board.
Two revisions have been released in the arcades. A home port was released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the Xbox 360
with enhanced graphics, a more concise story for each character, and network play. The American localization was released on May 24, 2007 for the Xbox 360
from Ubisoft
. On May 20, 2010, a sequel entitled Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order was released for the Xbox 360
, which has many new features, a larger cast and more extensive story mode. As of right now G.rev
has announced no plans for localizing the sequel outside of Japan.
The actual game begins six years after this event, with the player assuming the role of one of eight characters who will become involved in a mastermind's scheme to take control of the Aria Federation's superweapon
and use it for his own purposes.
Toward the Terra
, a science fiction series created by Keiko Takemiya
, has played a major influence for both Senko no Ronde's story and art style.
, a unique, heavily projectile-based fighting game developed at Taito
while G.rev's founders worked there. Unlike Psychic Force, however, it offers even more elaborate firing patterns that conjure a danmaku shooter aesthetic. This is further reinforced by "B.O.S.S. Mode," a super attack that allows players to transform into screen-filling boss ships that can fill the screen with bullets. It may also be likened to "a 2D version of Virtual On
" mixed with shmup
boss encounters and modern danmaku patterns. Due to its close ties with Virtual Ons mechanics, several of its strategies can also be applied to this game as well.
Each character in Senko no Ronde boasts unique weapons, bullet patterns, and game play styles, each have two variations called Cartridge A and Cartridge B which have slightly modified stats and weapon properties. All characters have a main weapon and sub weapon, as well as 3-4 special attacks called "Barrages", which are activated via command inputs similar to 2D fighters. When matches start players are given two "B.O.S.S. Stock" which lets a player switch to a larger robot called "B.O.S.S. Mode", which is comparable to a boss ship in standard shmups. In Boss Mode a player has increased firepower and will regain a portion of health, but movement is more restricted, only one boss form can be activated at a time. Upon losing a match you will regain one Boss Stock. If your character's health bar is depleted they will enter a special state called "Vanish Mode" which reduces the size of the characters hitbox, but if one more shot connects you will lose the round. Using a Boss Stock well in Vanish Mode will result in using a more powerful Boss Mode, called "Final Boss" Mode, which has benefits such as additional firepower or more mobility. Final Boss mode also has access to an extra powerful super attack.
s Maurice Branscombe commends the game for being a "successful melding of shooter and fighter and its great weapon effects". However, he criticises it for its "limited single player, melee needed work and its price tag".
Xbox 360 reviews:
Senko no Ronde Rev. X has fared much better in Japan, where it has received a gold rating of 32/40 from Famitsu
and is now part of the Microsoft Platinum Collection.
each. B Cartridge costumes previously seen from the drama CD in the limited edition of the game is also available. The Japanese Xbox live content is compatible with Wartech, but you will need to create a Japanese Live account and purchase Japanese region Xbox Live points.
2nd patch: Improved network support. In player select screen, opponent is no longer shown. Added random select option in character select screen. New songs can be heard when selecting a stage.
Ver 2.01: Rebalanced characters, and improved network support.
released Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order (Senko no Ronde: DUO for short) in Japan for the Xbox 360, it features many new characters, assist attacks, updated mechanics and a larger more fleshed out story mode, and the ability to save replays. Senko no Ronde: DUO was released in both a standard edition, as well as a Limited Edition version which featured special box art and contained a bonus Drama CD. The game features 14 characters, each with two cartridge variations, and 12 assist characters which can be called on briefly during battles. Shortly after launch G.Rev released ver.2.00EX update which brought back two characters from the previous game, Ernula and Sakurako. The ver.2.00EX update also allowed characters and assist to be mixed and matched, as well fixed several glitches. Game play in Senko no Ronde: DUO is known for being noticeably faster than WarTech: Senko no Ronde, but retains most of the same strategies and mechanics from previous games. The game also has a new control option called Commander Style, which lets you indirectly control the Rounder through selectable commands. Currently G.rev
has yet to announce any plans for release outside of Japan.
June 18th, 2010, G.rev
released its first DLC which includes a free story scenario as well as extra story scenarios retailing between 60MSP and 180MSP. July 29, 2010, saw release of another free story scenario, as well a collection which contains 32 songs from Senko no Ronde Rev.X which retails for 400MSP. At the end of August, G.rev
halted its future DLC plans sighting that the episodic content has proved unprofitable with respect to its creation cost. G.rev
apologized saying to fans saying they hope to distribute episodic content in another manner.
April 26th, 2011, G.Rev
updated Senko no Ronde: DUO to Version 2.2, adjusting Ursure, Cuilan, Jasper, Fabian, Mika, and Ernula. The game was also added to Japan's Games on Demand service for 2,940yen.
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
video game, a port of the arcade fighter/shooter hybrid developed by G.rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
for the Sega Naomi board.
Two revisions have been released in the arcades. A home port was released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
with enhanced graphics, a more concise story for each character, and network play. The American localization was released on May 24, 2007 for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
from Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
. On May 20, 2010, a sequel entitled Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order was released for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, which has many new features, a larger cast and more extensive story mode. As of right now G.rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
has announced no plans for localizing the sequel outside of Japan.
Story
Due to a past catastrophe on Earth, humanity was forced to live amongst the stars for several centuries, resulting in the creation of the S.D. calendar and the birth of the Aria Federation, an empire whose influence extends from Earth to Saturn. In S.D. 1478, an embassy located within the empire's capital on Earth's moon was seized by terrorists, and forces deployed by Aria's Special Space Service ended in disaster as the terrorists triggered a self-detonation device, killing themselves and several civilians in the process.The actual game begins six years after this event, with the player assuming the role of one of eight characters who will become involved in a mastermind's scheme to take control of the Aria Federation's superweapon
Superweapon
A superweapon is an extremely powerful weapon by the standards of its time and its scale. Examples include the Tsar Bomba , various superguns and other various weapons employed to give a decisive advantage over opposing countries or forces. The given advantage is usually based on intimidation and...
and use it for his own purposes.
Toward the Terra
Toward the Terra
is a Japanese science fiction manga series by Keiko Takemiya. It was originally serialized in Asahi Sonorama's Gekkan Manga Shōnen magazine, between January 1977 and May 1980...
, a science fiction series created by Keiko Takemiya
Keiko Takemiya
is a Japanese manga artist. She is included in the Year 24 Group. She resides in Kamukura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Takemiya was one of the female authors who in the early 1970s pioneered a genre of girls' comics about love between young men; in December 1970 she published a short story, "In the...
, has played a major influence for both Senko no Ronde's story and art style.
Gameplay
Two players fight each other from top-down and isometric perspectives using giant robots called Rounders. The game can be described as a fighter/shmup mashup, with elements of 2D fighters mixed with modern top-down shooters. It is very similar to Psychic ForcePsychic Force
is a 1995 fighting arcade game created by Taito which was later ported to the PlayStation in 1996. The PlayStation version was released by Acclaim in North America, and in PAL regions. The game was a 3D fighter which combined the normal features of an arcade fighting game with psychic powers. There...
, a unique, heavily projectile-based fighting game developed at Taito
Taito
Taito may mean:*Taito Corporation, a Japanese developer of video game software and arcade hardware*Taito, Tokyo, a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan*Taito, also known as matai, paramount chiefs according to Fa'a Samoa...
while G.rev's founders worked there. Unlike Psychic Force, however, it offers even more elaborate firing patterns that conjure a danmaku shooter aesthetic. This is further reinforced by "B.O.S.S. Mode," a super attack that allows players to transform into screen-filling boss ships that can fill the screen with bullets. It may also be likened to "a 2D version of Virtual On
Virtual On
is a series of video games created by Sega AM-3 . The original series was first published for arcades in February 1995. The game features fast, action-oriented gameplay requiring quick reflexes...
" mixed with shmup
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
boss encounters and modern danmaku patterns. Due to its close ties with Virtual Ons mechanics, several of its strategies can also be applied to this game as well.
Each character in Senko no Ronde boasts unique weapons, bullet patterns, and game play styles, each have two variations called Cartridge A and Cartridge B which have slightly modified stats and weapon properties. All characters have a main weapon and sub weapon, as well as 3-4 special attacks called "Barrages", which are activated via command inputs similar to 2D fighters. When matches start players are given two "B.O.S.S. Stock" which lets a player switch to a larger robot called "B.O.S.S. Mode", which is comparable to a boss ship in standard shmups. In Boss Mode a player has increased firepower and will regain a portion of health, but movement is more restricted, only one boss form can be activated at a time. Upon losing a match you will regain one Boss Stock. If your character's health bar is depleted they will enter a special state called "Vanish Mode" which reduces the size of the characters hitbox, but if one more shot connects you will lose the round. Using a Boss Stock well in Vanish Mode will result in using a more powerful Boss Mode, called "Final Boss" Mode, which has benefits such as additional firepower or more mobility. Final Boss mode also has access to an extra powerful super attack.
Reception
Reception of the game was generally mixed, with several sources complaining that its short length and relatively insubstantial content, coupled with its full price tag, made it not worth its full retail price. The title quickly dropped to a sixth of its original price after its release in the US. HyperHyper (magazine)
Hyper is a multi-platform Australian video game magazine. Australia's longest running gaming magazine, it has been in publication since 1993, and was released the same month as the better known UK magazine Edge...
s Maurice Branscombe commends the game for being a "successful melding of shooter and fighter and its great weapon effects". However, he criticises it for its "limited single player, melee needed work and its price tag".
Xbox 360 reviews:
- GameBrink - 88%
- Eurogamer - 80%
- 1UP - 50%
- Game Informer - 3.75/10
- GameSpot - 52%
- Official Xbox Magazine - 6.0/10
Senko no Ronde Rev. X has fared much better in Japan, where it has received a gold rating of 32/40 from Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
and is now part of the Microsoft Platinum Collection.
NEW Ver.
This version added following:- Ernula can be played without codes.
- Customizable dash controls.
- Extra 20 second is added in final round if the game is tied.
- Both player can use same cartridge type when choosing same character.
Rev. X
It is the Xbox 360 version of the game. This version added following:- Voices in attract mode.
- 6-button control scheme.
- New endings.
- Separate Score Attack mode.
- Selectable stage in VS mode.
SP
While released a few weeks after its home port, several features that were used in Rev. X were applied to this version first, as it underwent location testing two months before its Xbox 360 debut in Japan.- Two additional buttons have been added to the default arcade layout- one is for Overdrive, and the other is for Barrage attacks.
- Novice mode to help beginners.
- A new HUDHUD (video gaming)In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
. - New costumes for each character if the player selects their A Cartridge which were temporarily exclusive to this version.
- Like its Xbox 360 counterpart, players can choose the stage they wish to fight in and what stage-specific song they want to use after their characters have been selected.
Xbox Live Marketplace content
In the Japanese version, A Cartridge costumes from the SP arcade game are sold for 100 Microsoft PointsMicrosoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
each. B Cartridge costumes previously seen from the drama CD in the limited edition of the game is also available. The Japanese Xbox live content is compatible with Wartech, but you will need to create a Japanese Live account and purchase Japanese region Xbox Live points.
Rev. X updates
1st patch: Rebalanced the characters so they played like the arcade counterpart.2nd patch: Improved network support. In player select screen, opponent is no longer shown. Added random select option in character select screen. New songs can be heard when selecting a stage.
Ver 2.01: Rebalanced characters, and improved network support.
Sequel
On May 20th, 2010, G.revG.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
released Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order (Senko no Ronde: DUO for short) in Japan for the Xbox 360, it features many new characters, assist attacks, updated mechanics and a larger more fleshed out story mode, and the ability to save replays. Senko no Ronde: DUO was released in both a standard edition, as well as a Limited Edition version which featured special box art and contained a bonus Drama CD. The game features 14 characters, each with two cartridge variations, and 12 assist characters which can be called on briefly during battles. Shortly after launch G.Rev released ver.2.00EX update which brought back two characters from the previous game, Ernula and Sakurako. The ver.2.00EX update also allowed characters and assist to be mixed and matched, as well fixed several glitches. Game play in Senko no Ronde: DUO is known for being noticeably faster than WarTech: Senko no Ronde, but retains most of the same strategies and mechanics from previous games. The game also has a new control option called Commander Style, which lets you indirectly control the Rounder through selectable commands. Currently G.rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
has yet to announce any plans for release outside of Japan.
June 18th, 2010, G.rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
released its first DLC which includes a free story scenario as well as extra story scenarios retailing between 60MSP and 180MSP. July 29, 2010, saw release of another free story scenario, as well a collection which contains 32 songs from Senko no Ronde Rev.X which retails for 400MSP. At the end of August, G.rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
halted its future DLC plans sighting that the episodic content has proved unprofitable with respect to its creation cost. G.rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
apologized saying to fans saying they hope to distribute episodic content in another manner.
April 26th, 2011, G.Rev
G.rev
G.rev is a Japanese arcade video game developer. The company was founded by former employees of Taito's arcade division who had worked on G-Darius and RayStorm, and is known primarily for their acclaimed arcade shoot 'em up games.-History:G.rev was founded with the mission of developing arcade...
updated Senko no Ronde: DUO to Version 2.2, adjusting Ursure, Cuilan, Jasper, Fabian, Mika, and Ernula. The game was also added to Japan's Games on Demand service for 2,940yen.
External links
- G.Rev Official Senko no Ronde website (Japanese): Arcade Xbox 360
- G.Rev Official Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order website (Japanese): Xbox 360
- Sega Arcade page
- Shmup Forums: Senko no Ronde Rev.X/WarTech: Senko no Ronde Strategy Guide
- Hardcore Gaming 101: Senko no Ronde
- Livejournal News Blog/Fan Community
- Rounders, Senko No Ronde Strategy Blog
- WarTech: Senko no Ronde Strategy Guide by Camisuke
- Senko no Ronde review at EuroGamer
- Gamespot: Senko no Ronde invading US