If you love Mecha Robot anime as well as any retro anime in the vein of Voltron (GoLion), Battle of Planets (Gatchaman) or just a fan of retro Japanese anime, this game will be a treat. UFO Robot Grendizer is an action-adventure game that has you in the shoes of Duke Fleed and his allies fighting off the evil Vega who destroyed Duke's planet and now have their eyes set on Earth. You get to play as the giant robot Grendizer in third person, semi-open world areas destroying Saucer Beasts and other Vega vehicles while powering up your vessel. In other levels, top down and 3rd person shoot-em up sections have you taking down alien saucers and trying to survive to the end of the stage - think barebones versions of Star Fox or standard top-down shoot 'em ups. In between, there are cutscenes and still character dialogue that progress the story. I have never seen the anime, but the music, the graphical art style and even the dialogue make you feel like you are experiencing a retro Japanese anime in order of the events. Even the still characters shown for dialogue look like they were cut out of a 70's or 80's anime which is very welcomed. Unlike some anime games that will have a game mid-season where you will need previous knowledge, everything progresses in order so I was able to follow the events pretty well. As you progress through each level, you can upgrade Grendizer's weapons and abilities which really help in beast encounters. Sub missions are also scattered throughout the areas from helping civilians to just stopping by landmarks to appreciate the beauty of Earth. The combat and dodging are pretty smooth and encountering enemies that can only be beaten using certain weapons gives a good variety in combat. There is also enough variety as you upgrade - from the standard melee attacks, to your stronger Haken Blades and additional lasers and strengths of each. I love the rush in attacks you can execute while running, and you can even unlock attacks that automatically execute when you perfect dodge which can help in a boss battle. The biggest downside for me is the map is pretty much useless because there is no indication of where you are. You can use the map menu to travel to previous areas but there are no markers or indicators on the map itself for anything. In mission, you can view exclamation points in the distance to see available missions to tackle but trying to find landmarks and minor sub missions can be tedious. I will also add that for the open world areas, they can look rather bare but the combat, character interactions and music design made up for it. To complete the game, it will take a little under 10 hours if you try to find everything. For an indie type game that offers a lower-priced physical release, I see it as a no brainer. If you are want to experience a Lover Letter to Mecha Robot or Shonen Retro Anime, I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I’ve been a big Shogun Warriors fan since I was a child. The star of this game is one of those Warriors, Grendizer (also known as Goldorak, depending on where you live). This game doesn’t look like a modern game, graphically. But it is fun. The leveling process is enjoyable and easy to grasp. The gameplay can get repetitive, but that’s often the case with games of this genre. Simple, short-ish, but fun game. I recommend it.

I would’ve liked it to have a bit more added to the game in the form of story line and activities (seems repetitive) but overall great grafix and teminds me of the original TV series.

i remember watching this anime when i was a kid, now as i an adult i get to control this giant robot and it does not dissapoint! really cool graphics and action packed game, love it!

Just got it, been playing for a bit. They company did a nice job with it. My fav mecha and seeing a game is pretty wild. Its worth it, controls are good, sound and audio is good. Worth buying.