Another Century's Episode
Encyclopedia
, abbreviated as A.C.E., is a mecha
action
video game produced by Banpresto
and developed by From Software
. It was released for the PlayStation 2
on January 27, 2005.
Another Century's Episode is the collaboration of Banpresto, best known for their Super Robot Wars
franchise, and From Software, the makers behind the Armored Core
series. The game is a fast-paced action title featuring characters, mecha and story elements from nine famous Japanese anime
. However, while Super Robot Wars is known for combining super robot
s, like Mazinger Z
, and real robot
s, like Mobile Suit Gundam
, A.C.E. exclusively focuses on real robots (later games, however, have include 1-2 Super Robot
series in their casts).
In order to deal with the energy crisis affecting the Earth Sphere, the UCE develops a new energy source called E2. Though powerful, E2 is also highly volatile, and many groups seek to steal it for their own purposes. Though most of the anime series' plots are followed faithfully, the most notable change is to Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
. When Quattro Bajeena
realizes how corrupt and self-serving the UCE government is, he leaves the taskforce. Later on, he resurfaces in his Char's Counterattack form, piloting the MSN-04 Sazabi
, and leading an attack on Jaburo. Later, he attempts to ram the giant asteroid Axis through A Baoa Qu (as was done in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
), but the attempt fails, and the two asteroids become stuck together. Unfazed, Char steals a large supply of E2 and sends it to Earth in a civilian shuttle. If the shuttle reaches Earth, it will cause an even greater cataclysm than Axis' impact would have intended. Char had the shuttle sent to Earth, along with a fleet of refugee ships sent under the auspices of Relena Peacecraft. Running low on time and realizing that their situation was grim either way, the heroes attacked the shuttles in an attempt to stop Char's E2 bomb. Though they succeeded in stopping the bomb, the incident caused the heroes to be labelled as traitors, and they were forced to go into hiding.
game, Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit
.
Original Machines
Non-Playable
Aura Battler Dunbine
Non-Playable
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
action
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
video game produced by Banpresto
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
and developed by From Software
From Software
is a Japanese video game company founded in November 1986 known primarily for being the developers of the Armored Core, Demon's Souls, King's Field, Otogi and Tenchu series.-Games:...
. It was released for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
on January 27, 2005.
Another Century's Episode is the collaboration of Banpresto, best known for their Super Robot Wars
Super Robot Wars
is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
franchise, and From Software, the makers behind the Armored Core
Armored Core
Armored Core is a mecha-based video game series developed by From Software for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone platforms. Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation/third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an...
series. The game is a fast-paced action title featuring characters, mecha and story elements from nine famous Japanese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
. However, while Super Robot Wars is known for combining super robot
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
s, like Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
, and real robot
Real Robot
is a genre of Japanese animation. The genre contains mecha robots that are powered by conventional power sources and weapons explainable by real world science, and that use ranged weapons and speed to survive battle situations....
s, like Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
, A.C.E. exclusively focuses on real robots (later games, however, have include 1-2 Super Robot
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
series in their casts).
Plot
In the future, mankind has reached the stars, with colonies orbiting Earth and even Mars. However, political and economical strife have led to a recession that has affected the colonies the hardest. In order to deal with these issues, the multitude of Earth governments have united under the banner of the United Community of Earth (UCE). The UCE's existence has done nothing to prevent the organization of such rebel groups as White Fang and the Lunar Empire of Giganos. To that end, the UCE creates a special taskforce to quell such rebellions.In order to deal with the energy crisis affecting the Earth Sphere, the UCE develops a new energy source called E2. Though powerful, E2 is also highly volatile, and many groups seek to steal it for their own purposes. Though most of the anime series' plots are followed faithfully, the most notable change is to Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
is a 1988 anime film set in Gundam's Universal Century timeline of Gundam, specifically U.C. 0093.Making its theatrical debut on March 12, 1988, Char's Counterattack is the culmination of the original saga begun in Mobile Suit Gundam and continued through Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit...
. When Quattro Bajeena
Char Aznable
, born is a fictional character from the Gundam franchise. He is originally one of the main antagonists in Mobile Suit Gundam and later becomes one of the protagonists of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. In his final appearance in Char's Counterattack, he assumes leadership of the Neo Zeon movement,...
realizes how corrupt and self-serving the UCE government is, he leaves the taskforce. Later on, he resurfaces in his Char's Counterattack form, piloting the MSN-04 Sazabi
MSN-04 Sazabi
The MSN-04 Sazabi is a fictional mobile suit designed by Yutaka Izubuchi for the anime movie Char's Counterattack; it has also appeared in titles including, but not limited to, the Super Robot Wars series of strategy games, the Gundam: Battle Assault series of fighting games, the PlayStation 2...
, and leading an attack on Jaburo. Later, he attempts to ram the giant asteroid Axis through A Baoa Qu (as was done in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita...
), but the attempt fails, and the two asteroids become stuck together. Unfazed, Char steals a large supply of E2 and sends it to Earth in a civilian shuttle. If the shuttle reaches Earth, it will cause an even greater cataclysm than Axis' impact would have intended. Char had the shuttle sent to Earth, along with a fleet of refugee ships sent under the auspices of Relena Peacecraft. Running low on time and realizing that their situation was grim either way, the heroes attacked the shuttles in an attempt to stop Char's E2 bomb. Though they succeeded in stopping the bomb, the incident caused the heroes to be labelled as traitors, and they were forced to go into hiding.
Playable Units
Though the game focuses on the nine featured anime, it also includes a number of original machines made exclusively for the game. Unlike Super Robot Wars, however, the original enemies are not the central villains. In addition, the first units that the player receives are original machines representing the two companies: Banpresto's machine is the Gespenst Mark II Mass Production Type from Super Robot Wars, while From Software's is a Mass Production Cloud Breaker, based on the machines from the XboxXbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
game, Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit
Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit
Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit is a Japanese-developed video game. Developed by From Software and published by Ubisoft, it is From Software's first game for the Xbox...
.
Original Machines
- RPT-007 Gespenst Mark II Mass Production Type (Pilot: Player)
- Cloud Breaker Mass Production Type (Pilot: Player)
Non-Playable
- WAT-62 Main Battle Tank
- H-41B Battle Helicopter
- Risnil
- Shutea
- Barlar
Aura Battler Dunbine
Aura Battler Dunbine
is an anime television series created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise Studios.Dunbine is set in Byston Well, a parallel world that resembles the countryside of medieval Europe with kingdoms ruled by monarchs in castles, armies of unicorn-riding cavalry armed with swords and crossbows,...
- Dunbine (Pilot: Sho Zama)
- Bilbine (Pilot: Sho Zama)
- Bilbine Camouflage Colors (Pilot: Sho Zama)
- Zwarth (Pilot: Black Knight)
Non-Playable
- Tungy
- Wryneck
- Galava (Pilot: Black Knight)
- Leprechaun