Chromehounds
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| Chromehounds | |
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| Developer(s) | From Software |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Artist(s) | Isao Saito Hisao Yamada |
| Composer(s) | Kota Hoshino |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360 |
| Release date(s) | JP June 29, 2006 PAL July 7, 2006 NA July 11, 2006 AUS July 18, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Mech simulator |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | CERO: B (ages 12 and up) ESRB: T (Teen) OFLC: PG PEGI: 12+ PEGI (FI): 11+ USK: 12+ |
| Media | DVD |
| Input methods | Gamepad |
Chromehounds (クロムハウンズ Kuromuhaunzu) is a video game for the Xbox 360. The game is set in an alternate universe where mechanised HOUNDs (a kind of mech) battle for control of Neroimus, a fictional region somewhere near Black Sea (according to the Japanese website). The game features a system for personalized customization of the player's mech and an online campaign mode where players wage war in a persistent world over Xbox Live. The game is similar to the MechWarrior and Armored Core series, the latter of which was also developed by From Software.
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[edit] Nations in Chromehounds
The playable world of Chromehounds is divided into three fictional nations that make up the Neroimus region that the game takes place in. They are as follows:
[edit] Democratic Republic of Tarakia
Area: 68,540km²
Population: 4,520,000
Capital: Xeres
Ethnicity: Mixed
Language: English
Religion: Multi-religion/Denominational
Head of State: President (4yr term)
Gov. Type: Republic
Industries: Farming, Iron & Steel, Machinery
Currency: Tarakian Dollar
A multi-ethnic nation located in the Western region of Neroimus. Although the nation declared independence after the Eastern European War (1981-92), the connections with its Western European allies to counter the Ex-Soviet/Afghan power within Neroimus is hard to deny. Since the War of Black Sea (1998-2000), the nation has been heavily supported by the U.S.A. which was interested in expanding into their Eurasian diplomacy. Tarakia is more modern and democratic compared to its neighbors in Neroimus, but it struggles to find a common consensus within the country.
Type of Weaponry: Tarakia has a high variety of weaponry, but the parts are average in terms of durability, weight and performance.
Note: This republic is modeled after real-world countries which are former Soviet states.
[edit] Rafzkael
Operated by a Spanish commander, this is the main weapons depot of Neroimus. It is the training area you start in the game.
Type of Weaponry: Rafzkael has weapons from all the nations of Neroimus.
[edit] Republic of Morskoj
Area: 62,380km²
Population: 3,580,000
Capital: Ostrov
Ethnicity: Native of Morskoj, others
Language: Morskovian, Russian
Religion: Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, others
Head of State: President (4yr term)
Gov. Type: Republic
Industries: Mining, Timber, Farming, Metallurgy
Currency: Isra
The former Soviet state is located in the Northeastern region of Neroimus. The people of Morskoj are now independent, but suffered many hardships as a minority when the U.S.S.R. had control. Geographically, the country is covered with rigid mountainous areas which were once rich with mining resources. Morskoj currently faces a state of tension against the Great Soviet Socialist Republic who is scheming for a reunion. However, the nations are on much friendlier terms with the Republic of Russia who is also in opposition of the G.S.S.R.
Type of Weaponry: Morskoj supplies HOUND pilots with high performance weaponry. These weapons are very powerful and have high durability, but are also quite heavy.
Notes:
1. The name of the country, "Morskoj", is a Slavic word meaning "marine, from the sea"
2. The country's capital, "Ostrov", is also Slavic word meaning "island"
3. The name and position of this country suggests that it is based on the Republic of the Ukraine
[edit] Kingdom of Sal Kar
Area: 20,800km²
Population: 2,300,000
Capital: Qara
Ethnicity: Sal Karian
Language: Karic
Religion: Sal Kari State Religion
Head of State: Supreme Consul
Gov. Type: Limited Monarchy
Industries: Oil, Gas
Currency: Ziyad
The extended history of the Sal Kari Dynasty is rooted to the ancestors of the great Ottoman Empire. Historically, the nation experienced a prolonged period of hardship since their kingdom's fall, but recovered greatly during the period when the Middle East was reorganized. Despite the fact that this nation was forced to depend on imported foods and consumer goods due to the nation's size and desert land, the world quickly turned its attention to Sal Kar since their abundant underground resources were discovered. Religiously, the nation pledges not to fight a war, but its military arrangements are aggressively updated.
Type of Weaponry: High performance weapons that reload quickly, are relatively lightweight, and technologically superior, but have less durability than other nations' weapons.
Notes: Sal Kar shares some similarities (leader names, terrain, natural resources) with Arab countries.
[edit] Role types
There are six different mech classes known Role Types (RT for short) to choose from in Chromehounds. Each class of mech has seven different missions in the single-player campaign mode.
The different RTs are:
Soldiers The frontline offensive unit, generally medium speed with high powered close range weaponry. (Designated with the color blue in game)
Snipers Long range units. Generally bipedal, medium charge timed weaponry, lower armored. (Designated with the color yellow in game)
Defenders Bodyguard units, generally for snipers, heavy gunners, and commanders. Slow, but are well armored and can deal out massive close range damage. (Designated with the color orange in game)
Scouts Lightly armored, lightly armed recon units. Attempts to gather intelligence and capture COMBAS towers for the Commander. (Designated with the color green in game)
Heavy Gunners Long range artillery. Generally lightly armored with the most powerful weapons in the game. Requires keen trajectory-aim ability. (Designated with the color purple in game)
Tactics Commanders Generally lightly armored and armed hound that will keep track battlefield information and disperse it to the team. (Designated with the color red in game)
[edit] Patches
In early February 2007, From Software released a patch for the game in an attempt to correct game imbalances.
In early April another patch was released which returned the "splash damage" effect of howitzers and double cannons. This patch also lowered the speed at which wheeled mechs operated. Curbed the ability of shot guns to be effective against destroying bases as well as lowered their overall effectiveness by adding recoil that stops wheeled mechs in their tracks.
[edit] Gameplay Overview
Gameplay in Chromehounds is similar to that of the Battletech video games (examples are the MechAssault and MechWarrior series). Although it's considered slower, it offers opportunities for strategic thinking, as there are sometime multiple objectives for each mission. Both the single player and online game modes occupy a specific point in the game's timeline: the Single Player "Offline" story mode chronicles events just prior to the outbreak of the Neroimus War, while the Xbox Live "Online" mode takes place during the actual war.
[edit] Single Player - "Offline Gameplay"
Basic story mode that will help build base abilities in each class.
[edit] Neroimus War - "Online Gameplay"
In this mode, the player is able to participate in the persistent Neroimus War. The player can choose to battle against other players or to do low-paying missions in certain areas of the Neroimus region, much like the single player campaign. In order to play a part in the Neroimus war, a country of allegiance must be chosen and the player must join a squad - either by applying for admission into an already established squad, or by forming a new one. Once a player is a member of a squad, then the player can run missions in the war, whether alone, or with up to five other squad members. There are three main types of game missions within the Online mode.
[edit] "Neroimus War"
Opponents can be either computer AI or another squad / players - each mission is announced on the game servers and can be joined by human opponents. Once all members are ready and the option to "Deploy" is taken by the player who is hosting the mission (ie, set it up), no opponents can join. If no human opponents join, then the enemies in the game are computer AI, which is generally easier to fight against and win.
In a normal match, squads of up to 6 will set out to either destroy the opposing squads' HOUNDS or base, or be in control of the majority of COMBAS's (COMmunication BASe towers, visually similar to microwave towers, which extend radio communications and radar range) until the mission time of 15 minutes expires. The winning squad obtains additional points to various role type levels based on what roles each player fulfilled while in battle, along with conquest points awarded to the country of the squad's allegiance and a monetary award based on the offered award amount (per member) for each map, minus the repair and ammunition replacement costs.
Standard - The same squad versus squad type as if undertaking a Neroimus War battle, with the same victory parameters
Capture the Flag - Players try to capture and bring a flag back to their home base without dying or losing their own flag
Combas Keeper - A "King of the Hill" style of gameplay where points are awarded for occupying a majority of COMBAS's until the mission ends
Deathmatch - Player versus player, either single or in a team, to see who can get the most kills within the allotted time and ammunition restraints
Unlimited - Deathmatch with infinite ammunition
Survival - A "Last Man Standing" style of game where each player has one life in order to see if their skills and luck outlast everyone else
Keep The Flag - Much like Capture the Flag, except instead of times brought back to base, points are awarded based on time spent holding onto the flag by a player
Break All - A demolition derby of sorts where the teams must destroy as many objects on the battlefield as possible, including enemy team members
[edit] Garage mode
Chromehounds features a fully-functional garage mode where the player can customize HOUNDS from the ground up. While the garages in each mode are functionally identical, HOUNDS constructed in single player are limited to the parts won in single player missions.
HOUNDS are based on a modular design with several categories of parts:
- The chassis is the base of the HOUND and provides mobility. There are many types of chassis, such as wheels, legs, quads, treads, and hovercraft. When their durability is depleted they slow to approximately half their maximum speed, but they can never be completely destroyed.
- The cockpit is where the pilot is located. Your HOUND is only destroyed when the cockpit is destroyed. Parts which remain visible when "destroyed" such as the legs will redirect any further damage taken to the cockpit. The cockpit is generally equipped with 7-9 system sockets. These are where the system parts are placed, and the more heavily defended cockpits have less system sockets.
- The generator provides additional joints to attach parts, and is the HOUND's main power source. If destroyed in battle, movement will typically slow drastically and most support parts will cease functioning.
- Light arms are smaller weapons which typically have a hexagonal joint structure. Notable exceptions include Tarakian and Morskovian anti-HOUND rockets, chainguns, and most shotguns. The types that are available in this category are Chain-guns, anti-HOUND rockets, Machine guns, mobile assault rifles, anti-HOUND piles, shotguns, howitzers, cannons, sniper cannons, sniper rifles, bomb launchers, grenade launchers and mine layers.
- Heavy arms are very large and heavy weapons which have unique joint structures which can only generally be attached to the cockpit or legs. Three types currently exist: Large cannons or double cannons, Large rocket packs, and guided missiles.
- Assist parts are an oddball category which includes parts which add extra functions to a HOUND ranging from thermal vision to missile defenses to extra armor plating.
- NA makers function similarly to a portable COMBAS in that they allow any friendly within range to talk to teammates within the Network Area. Additionally, they display the locations of any enemy or friendly within the NA to the Commander HOUND (Friendly 'Hounds' are large green dots with their respective number, enemy 'Hounds' are large red dots. ACVs, enemy or ally, are small dots with their respectable color). They typically weigh as much as heavy arms and drain a massive amount of energy. A requirement for Commander HOUNDS.
- Spacers reposition other parts to prevent collisions and interference of movement. Can also create extra points to attach weapons. These come in many different forms, from T-shaped spacers creating many joints, to V-shaped spacers splitting a joint.
- System devices As seen in Cockpits, the system devices are located in that general part. there are three types:
- maneuver - This chip enhances the acceleration and overall speed of the hound.
- weapons - This chip controls the weapons and how well the aim and work with each other
- stability - This chip controls the both turning speed and overal stability Ex, kickback prevention. Note: The chip does NOT affect the chart in the garage, though some Chips are used to improve different parts or weapons on the hound.
New parts for HOUNDs can be unlocked by completing single-player missions, purchased in in-game shops and some parts are available for free/pay download on Xbox Live Marketplace. Special parts can also be bid on in the Lottery. These include experimental parts developed by your own country, but have been discontinued by all three nations, and captured parts won in battle. Every day at approximately 2:00 AM EST winners are chosen randomly and the bidding begins again. The selection of captured parts changes every day, and occasionally old experimental parts are moved to the normal shop and new ones are placed in the lottery to replace them. Bids are limited on a squad basis and higher ranked squads are allowed to place more bids (all experimental parts are now able to be purchased in the in-game shops, in their respective countries).
[edit] Neroimus War
The Neroimus War is an online campaign mode which involves the three countries fighting for the continent of Neroimus. Players can join or make a squad, the equivalent of a clan or guild in other online games, to participate in the War. The map of Neroimus is divided into several areas connected by paths. Each area is divided into several maps. Players may launch a mission within any enemy area adjacent to a friendly area, or in any friendly area which is under attack. Victory yields merit points, which raise your rank, captured parts for the lottery, and capture points. When a country has gained a certain amount capture points on a map, 25,000 to 32,000 for normal battlegrounds and 50,000 for capital cities, that map is turned over to the country. An area belongs to the country which has the most capture points in its maps. When a capital city falls, all areas under that country become part of the conquering country, and players may only fight to reclaim their capital, or seek asylum in another country. The War ends when one country controls the entire map or after two months have passed. After a war ends, squads may choose to change alliance to a different country, and then the next War begins. It should be noted that all of the experimental parts have become available, now only captured parts are available.
[edit] Critical response
Early critical response to Chromehounds has been varied. Most gaming critics have complimented the game's online play functionality and customization options, but have criticized it for having a poor story, average graphics, and slow-paced gameplay. The general consensus is that it is a game that one either loves or hates. These same complaints have been shared by Chromehounds' spiritual predecessor, From Software's Armored Core series.
- Famitsu rated the game 33/40
- 1UP.com rated the game B+ [1]
- Eurogamer: 4 out of 10 [2]
- Gamebrink rated the game 56/100 [3]
- Game Informer: rated the game 7/10
- Gamepro rated the game 3.00/5.00[4]
- Gamespot.com rated the game 7.9/10 [5]
- Team Xbox rated the game 8.7 out of 10 [6]
- Gametrailers.com rated the game 7.4 out of 10 [7]
- IGN rated the game 6.9 out of 10 [8]
- Official Xbox Magazine rated the game 6.5 out of 10 [9]
- X-Play rated the game 3 out of 5
[edit] Scheduled Server Closure
On August 7th, 2009, Sega has announced on the official Chromehounds forums that the online servers will be shut down as of January 6th, 2010. From that point on, players will only be able to access the offline mode.[1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website (English)
- Official website (Japanese)
