Heavy Metal Thunder (video game)
Futuristic robots wrestle in a rock-paper-scissors battle system.
Heavy Metal Thunder is an action game developed by Media.Vision and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. Exclusively released in Japan, the game features production involvement from Satelight and How Full's. It is notable for its rock-paper-scissors combat system and heavy metal soundtrack.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Media.Vision
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Artist
- Harold Sakuishi
- Released
- September 1, 2005 (JP)
- Genre
- Action game
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- PlayStation 2
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Players control futuristic robots in wrestling matches using a four-icon menu. Three actions—strike, guard, and grapple—are always available and fill a beat meter. Once the meter is full, a beat attack can be performed, with damage varying by button pressure. Icons sometimes shake to suggest a recommended move, but each turn is timed. A rock-paper-scissors rule set determines the outcome of paired actions. Anime cutscenes and fictional sponsor information appear before each match, and robots can be customized visually.
Plot
In the year 2980, a fictional Japan has turned radio-controlled robot battles into a sport called Robot-ress. The player controls Denki Akihabara, a high schooler from a butcher shop family. Inspired by tales of the ultimate robot, Heavy Metal Thunder, he aims to become a Robot-ress master. His father, secretly the world champion and owner of that robot, gives Denki a robot and an entry to the Titan Fight tournament. In this competition, losers see their robots destroyed and are buried on Death Island. The story covers about thirty years, ending with Denki over forty years old.
Development
Heavy Metal Thunder was announced at a Square Enix event in Shibuya, Tokyo on March 2, 2005, with Japanese band Sex Machineguns present. It is loosely adapted from Heavy Meta-san, a metal/hard rock TV Tokyo show hosted by gravure idol Yoko Kumada and sponsored by Square Enix. Character designer Harold Sakuishi, creator of the Beck manga, worked on the game. A playable version appeared at Square Enix Party 2005 in Japan. The music was composed by various heavy metal musicians, including Michael Schenker and ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman. The theme song "Heavy Metal Thunder" by Sex Machineguns was used for both the game and the TV show. Toshiba EMI published the soundtrack in Japan on September 7, 2005.
Reception
Heavy Metal Thunder sold 3,367 copies in Japan during its release week, with regional sales reaching 18,443 units by the end of 2005 according to Media Create. Producer Takehiro Ando attributed the commercial failure to his own inexperience. Famitsu gave it a score of 30 out of 40. IGN found the gameplay simple but praised the animation and called the theme song "catchy". GameSpot noted the game relied more on atmosphere and cut scenes than gameplay. IGN also stated it would appeal to fans of Heavy Meta-san and hard rock.
More in Square Enix Games of the 2000s
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