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Chromehounds

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Chromehounds
Developer(s)FromSoftware
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Takuji Yoshida
Producer(s)Toshifumi Nabeshima
Artist(s)Isao Saito
Hisao Yamada
Composer(s)Kota Hoshino
Platform(s)Xbox 360
Release
  • JP: June 29, 2006
  • EU: July 7, 2006
  • NA: July 11, 2006
  • AU: July 18, 2006
Genre(s)Mech simulator
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Chromehounds (クロムハウンズ, Kuromuhaunzu) is a video game for the Xbox 360 by FromSoftware. 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 the Black Sea. 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 online servers were shut down by Sega on January 6, 2010, disabling possible online play.

Plot

The single player story starts before the Neroimus war. The player takes the part of an unnamed mercenary from Rafzekael who, over the course of six missions, becomes familiar with the various HOUND archetypes. The main premise of the story is that the constant skirmishing between nations has caused the Kingdom of Sal Kar to feel threatened. Claiming its borders are at stake, the Kingdom builds a forward base in the Tajin region, on the shared border of all three nations. The neighbouring nations of Morskoj and Tarakia violently oppose this construction, and conflict ensues.

Gameplay

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.

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. Several types of other mechs and vehicles can be found including real world vehicles most notably; M1A1 Abrams, Leopard 1A5, T-72B1 and Merkava Mk.I main battle tanks.

Garage mode

Chromehounds features a garage mode where the player can customize HOUNDS. While the garages in each mode are functionally identical, HOUNDS constructed in single player are limited to the parts won in single player missions.

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 the player's own country, but have been discontinued by all three nations, and captured parts won in battle. Every day 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).

Neroimus War

The Neroimus War was an online campaign mode which involves the three countries fighting for the region of Neroimus. Players can join or make a squad, the equivalent of a clan or guild in other online games, to participate. 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.

On August 7, 2009, Sega announced that the online servers would be shut down on January 6, 2010. From that point on, players were only able to access the offline mode.[1]

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2] Most gaming critics complimented the game's online play and customization options, but criticized it for having a poor story, average graphics, and slow-paced gameplay.[citation needed] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40,[5] while Famitsu X360 gave it a score of one nine, two eights, and one seven for a total of 32 out of 40.[6]

Maxim gave it a score of four stars out of five, saying, "Not unlike when you used to select frilly ensembles for your little sister's Barbie collection (when no one was looking), Chromehounds lets you play big, bad burly man."[18] Detroit Free Press gave it three stars out of four and said that it "will suck you into its wartime world if you let it. And once you've adjusted to the game's quirks and interface, you'll find it very enjoyable."[16] However, USA Today gave it a score of six-and-a-half stars out of ten, calling it "a war worth avoiding. Online play is enjoyable, and the details on the mechs are superb. But much like these giant metal 'soldiers,' the game lacks life."[17] The Sydney Morning Herald gave it two-and-a-half stars out of five and said that it "offers a smattering of explosive action" as long as players "don't fall asleep at the wheel".[19]

The game was awarded Game of the Month in the August 2006 issue of Newtype USA.[20]

Spiritual Successor

Two years after the shutdown of the online servers for Chrome Hounds a spiritual successor to the game appeared. This spiritual successor was created by Bombdog Studios[21] and released on the PC, unlike the Chrome Hounds release on the Xbox 360. The new project is called M.A.V. (Modular Assault Vehicle) and has developed a core community of old Chrome Hounds players[22].

References

  1. ^ Julian (7 August 2009). "Chromehounds Online Service Closure - January 6, 2010". Sega Forums. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Chromehounds for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  3. ^ EGM staff (August 2006). "Chromehounds". Electronic Gaming Monthly (206): 88.
  4. ^ Bramwell, Tom (7 July 2006). "Chromehounds". Eurogamer. Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ a b Mitchell, Richard (5 July 2006). "Chromehounds review: it ain't pretty [update 1]". Engadget (Joystiq). Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ a b "Bullet Witch gets a review score of 27/40 from Famitsu!". Gamersyde. 19 July 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  7. ^ Reiner, Andrew (August 2006). "Chromehounds". Game Informer (160): 87. Archived from the original on 18 August 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Ouroboros (11 July 2006). "Review: Chromehounds". GamePro. Archived from the original on 14 July 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Hurh, JP (18 July 2006). "Chromehounds Review". Game Revolution. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  10. ^ Kasavin, Greg (13 July 2006). "Chromehounds Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  11. ^ Speer, Justin (13 July 2006). "GameSpy: Chromehounds". GameSpy. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Chromehounds Review". GameTrailers. 12 July 2006. Archived from the original on 26 May 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ David, Mike (27 July 2006). "CHROMEHOUNDS - 360 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 21 March 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Onyett, Charles (12 July 2006). "Chromehounds Review". IGN. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  15. ^ "Chromehounds". Official Xbox Magazine: 82. September 2006.
  16. ^ a b "ROBOT VS. ROBOT". Detroit Free Press. 23 July 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2017.(subscription required)
  17. ^ a b Molina, Brett (14 July 2006). "'Chromehounds' flaunts mechs, but neglects environments". USA Today. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  18. ^ Gibson, Jon M. (11 July 2006). "Chromehounds". Maxim. Archived from the original on 15 October 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Fish, Eliot (5 August 2006). "Chrome Hounds [sic]". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  20. ^ Sewart, Greg (August 2006). "Chromehounds". Newtype USA. 5 (8). ISSN 1541-4817. Archived from the original on 24 November 2006. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Bombdog Studios | Maker of awesome robot battle and PC mech games". bombdogstudios.com. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
  22. ^ "Remembering From Software's Forgotten Mech Classic, 'Chromehounds'". Waypoint. 2017-02-07. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
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