Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front
Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front is a game for the PlayStation 2, which revolves around a Zeon Special Commando Unit during the One Year War, called the Midnight Fenrir Corp. This MS team was created by Kycilia Zabi and participated in the capture of the California Base during the 2nd Earth Invasion Plan.
Lt. Garret Schmitzer was a mobile suit veteran during the first stage of the One Year War, the One Week Battle back in January. At the end of the One Week Battle, Lt. Schmitzer was badly wounded, and forced into retirement. This was due to Operation British, the operation that would force a space colony, into the Earth's orbit for a collision course to South America, where the Federation's top forces were, Jaburo base.
The injuries were extensive, but hope was on the horizon. Kycillia Zabi formed an elite mobile suit unit onto the front lines, the Fenrir Corps. Since Lt. Schmitzer was fluent in battle experience, he was the lead commander and mission director of the Fenrir Corps, better known as the Midnight Fenrir.
You take command of Midnight Fenrir Corps in the game. Eventually, by completing missions, more pilots will join in the Fenrir Corps' long and hard-fought struggle.
It is the first Gundam based PlayStation 2 game that lets the player operate solely as Zeon forces.
Campaign
The campaign starts with early raids on Federation territories in North America and covers many of the events occurred in the One Year War, such as the death of Garma Zabi. Eventually Federation manages to develop and field Mobile Suits in combat which tips the balance of power to their favor. The Midnight Fenrir team joins many historical battles such as the Battle of Seattle, where Garma Zabi died and the Invasion of Jaburo, with Agar stalking them in almost every step. Eventually, even Midnight Fenrir's skills are not enough to save the war effort: Zeon eventually evacuates their forces in Earth to fight in space. The Midnight Fenrir team decide to leave last and cover the retreating forces. However, when the last operational HLV is lost, they eventually join up with remnant Zeon forces in Australia. Their last battle was in Australian deserts trying to save a stranded allied unit from Federation assault. It is not confirmed whether or not they are survived the war. Some speculate that they either managed to return to Side 3, or stayed on Earth and eventually helped Anavel Gato and the Delaz Fleet in.Game characters
- LCDR. Garret Schmitzer — Head of the unit known as the Midnight Fenrir. Wounded during the war, he proposed a mobile suit task force that would become the Midnight Fenrir. Apparently the person who wounded him during the war is none other than Lt. Agar, pilot of the Gundam Mudrock, who also has an antagonist-like role in the game.
- Lt. Lou Roher — One of the playable characters in the game. Graduated top of his class from the Zeon Military Academy. Although he remains distant and aloof towards his teammates, his cool decision-making skills and his analytic prowess are unparalleled. Generally a stoic and silent soldier, he has voiced some complaints about his assignment to the Midnight Fenrir Corp. He has served with Matt Austin since his first mission out of the academy. He is the second in command of Midnight Fenrir.
- MCPO. Matt Austin — A veteran of war and former piloting instructor, he developed a close friendship with Lou Roher and transferred to the Midnight Fenrir to help support him. Like many old pilots, he dislikes newer mobile suits and refuses to pilot anything but a Zaku I.
- Lt. Renchef — Despite being a highly skilled and intelligent soldier, Renchef's brutal personality has alienated him from every unit on which he has served. As a result, he fought for a number of different units before being assigned to the Midnight Fenrir Corp. A talented pilot, Renchef favors direct hand-to-hand combat in his mobile suit. He is one of two surviving members of the Gobi campaign. Reappears in the third volume of the Gundam Legacy manga.
- Lt. Sandra — One of the three female main characters. She joins the team rather late. Sandra is hailed as a weapons expert and easily adapts to experimental and standard equipment alike.
- Lt. Sophie Fran — Another female character, Fran is an extremely talented MS Pilot who scored an amazing kill ratio before transferred to Midnight Fenrir. Despite her calm and friendly demeanor, it is reported that she fights like a "blood thirsty demon" when in battle, making most Zeon personnel think she is a psychopath. Reappears in the third volume of the Gundam Legacy manga.
- Ens. Charlotte Hepner — A beautiful red-haired young woman, Hepner works as both a communications operator and reserve mobile suit pilot. She is angry for the fact that women can't advance in the military career as fast as men. Hepner holds a grudge against Nikki who was assigned as a team leader without any combat experience unlike herself. Reappears in the third volume of the Gundam Legacy manga.
- Ens. Nikki Roberto — A young and inexperienced pilot, he was transferred to the Midnight Fenrir fresh out of training. He dislikes being treated like a kid by Austin and often lets his excitement get the best of him. Roberto waits for a chance to prove his worth. Reappears in the third volume of the Gundam Legacy manga.
- CPO. Manning — The other surviving member of the Gobi campaign, Manning is known as a master sniper. Manning holds a grudge against Renchef about some events in the Gobi. Manning is a very quiet but competent pilot and is somewhat of a foil to Renchef.
- PO. Lee Swaggard — A pilot from the North Africa campaign. He tends to be uninformed and chooses to instead rely on his own abilities in combat. Having survived hardships throughout his military career, he thrives on adversity.
- Migaki — Midnight Fenrir's technical supervisor.
- Lt. Agar - A short-fused Federation pilot who seems to have a bone to pick with Midnight Fenrir Team, particularly Schmitzer. He operates an RX-77-2 Guncannon and the RX-78-6 Gundam Mudrock in the game.
Mobile suits
MS LIST
- MS-05B Zaku I - An early mainstay mass-produced mobile suit. Varying on the pilot it is upgraded for better suiting the pilot.
- MS-06F Zaku II - A mainstay mass-produced mobile suit. Depending on the pilot, it is either replaced by J-types or upgraded or both.
- MS-07B Gouf - A unit that was originally developed for close combat but is later replaced by the MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom. The Gouf is originally used in a recon mission to find the Trojan Horse, one of the EFSF's V-Project ships.
- MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom - An improved version of the Gouf. Given a sort of mid to long range weapons in place of the 5x75mm machine gun fingers, such as the 120mm Assault rifle and leader for certain pilots the 90mm Assault rifle as well as the new Zaku machine guns and an arm attached 3x35mm gatling guns.
- MS-09 Dom - An agile heavy assault mobile suit that was mass-produced to replace the Gouf and its predecessor, the Zaku II. It is armed for frontal assault with an array of bazookas and missile launchers but it is also well suited for hand-to-hand combat due to its extreme agility and heat saber.
- MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen - Similar to the MS-09 Dom the Dom Tropen was developed for tropical and desert climates having additional filters and intakes to prevent corrosion in the internal parts. Its armor and shape has been altered to be more streamlined and to withstand more damage, as well as to hold more equipment. The unit given to the Midnight Fenrir Corp and is a Kinbareid force type Dom meant for the desert in the final mission in the sahara.
- MS-09 Dom Funf - A Dom MP similar to the Tropen but without the extra filters, it is painted green. Armed with the usual array of bazookas but top class rifles as well.
Reception