Geekatana Game Review: Omega Boost

If your a kid during the 90's you'd probably up to your neck deep with shows about giant robot and mech games which was sort of the trends due to popular shows like Macross or the Gundam series. The game developers have came out with games that involve this giant robots from every gaming platform available back in the 90's but we're not going to review each and every one of them...just one. The one that came out for the PS1 console back in 1999, Omega Boost.

Why Omega Boost? Cause I feel this game is one of the best if not the best mecha game that came out during the 1999's. Sure its probably had its flaws and suffered from a bad review but its an awesome game. It's both ahead of its time and criminally underrated.

In the far future some super computer called Alphacore has rebelled against humanity and resulted in a war between man and machine and its up to Lt. Lester to pilot a giant mech called Omega Boost and travel back into the past to alter ENIAC the first super computer and stop from Alphacore from gaining intelligence and rebelling against humanity fighting wave after wave of enemies.

I agree the plot is pretty much a rip off of the movie Terminator just with giant freaking robots. Plot aside though the gameplay is pretty solid and fast paced with precise controls. The game runs at 60 fps which is a feat considering this is a game on the PS1. There's also a fact that this is the first shooter game made by Polyphony Digital, a company more famous for the Gran Tourismo racing game.

Certain folks can argue that this also rips off Macross and a Panzer Dragoon Zwei game but when you consider the fact that the mecha designers of Macross (Robotech) and the developers of Panzer Dragoon pretty much made this game in collaboration with Polyphony Digital it doesn't sound like a rip off.

The player can switch between third person behind the mech view and a first person view. Weapons are limited however with a gun and a missile lock on system ala Robotech. There's also the Viper Boost where Omega Boost glows and rams into enemies destroying them. Managing these is key to finishing the game.

The game also has an awesome soundtrack and music that really fits the game. There are three game opening theme to Omega Boost but my personal favorite is the US version that has the song Fly by Loudmouth which fits the game so perfectly. A rarity in games even to this day.

Omega Boost was way ahead of its time and uses as off the rails mechanics that lets you more freedom in terms on gameplay. Most of the fights Omega Boost is in a wide open space where you have enough space to dodge around although there will be missions that require precise control with quick hand and eye coordination that takes a lot of memorization and some luck. Specially near the end of the game.

If you're a fan of giant mecha robots, Macross (Robotech),  Starwars or any 80's cartoon with robots then you should at least give this game a try. A lot of what is introduced in this game is still being used to this day with games like Dynasty Warriors Gundam and Zone of the Enders and the likes. Easily a gem of an underrated game.