Macross Shooting Insight (PS5)

Now that the legal issues between Harmony Gold (who used the original Macross as part of their Robotech series) and IP owners Big West have been somewhat resolved, we're not only able to see all the subsequent Macross anime legally outside of Japan, we can also enjoy the games too. Macross Shooting Insight is a multi-perspective arcade shooter that moves away from the popular PSP/PS Vita Ardink formula and forges its own path. That, unfortunately, hasn't worked out terribly well.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. There are things the game does well, so let's start there. Firstly, the ability to pull mecha and characters from all generations of Macross isn't new, but it is very welcome. Catering to fans of each series is a smart idea, and so we have Macross Zero, Plus, 7, Frontier and Delta to delve into and each of them has their charms. Unlike earlier games where you play a part in the battles of each series, there's more of a cohesive original story at play here with timey-wimey shenanigans that bring everyone together. 

Once you select a Valkyrie, you'll play the game from the point of view of the associated characters, so for example picking the YF-19 from Macross Plus will see you take on the part of Isamu Dyson who arrives with Guld and Lucy. The levels remain the same, the only difference being your chosen mecha and its weapons. 

Speaking of, you're armed with standard fire (which ranges from concentrated to spread depending on the machine), missiles which lock on using the right analogue stick, allowing you to "paint" enemies and then release a huge volley of missiles as per the "Macross Missile Massacre" style the series is famous for. You have screen clearing bomb, and should you pick up enough momentum your own songstress will belt out a ballad to give you a buff. 

The game certainly utilises the Macross musical catalogue well with some excellent track choices

The shooting action shifts between third person, vertical and horizontal planes, but this is a function of the game and not something you have control over. Likewise, the famously transforming Valkyrie fighters only change their form at the dictat of the game, which is actually pretty shocking. The Artdink games, such as the PSP's Macross Ultimate Frontier, gave you free reign over your form and allows you to at least feel like you're in control. I used to greatly enjoy zooming in to an enemy area, chasing down some enemy fighters and then switching to Gerwalk for greater maneuverability. Switching to Battroid (robot) mode gave you the ability to pivot and change and direction super fast, adding a dynamism to the game. And that was in 2009. None of this applies to shooting insight, and that's a terrible shame.

There are two other major niggles that detract from the enjoyment too - the first of these is the cluttered nature of the graphics. It's not always obvious what needs to be avoided and what will fly under/over you. I was dodging asteroids on my first level before I realised they wouldn't actually damage me, but they're so numerous and large that they hide the enemies that actually can hurt me. It's just not a very clear game, graphically, which makes it a nightmare for accurately dodging incoming threats.

Menus and overall presentation is strong, though it would have been nice to have the original series cast too.

Lastly, the game's difficulty is brutal - you get one life, and if that goes, it's game over. No continue, no save states, just go right back to the beginning and start over. Even on the easiest difficulty, your only advantage is a slowly recovering health bar, but this isn't much use when enemy missiles, many of which you won't see coming, decimate your health.

Ultimately Macross Shooting Insight is a game that seemingly takes none of the successful elements of previous games - and goodness knows there's been enough of them - and treads a path that fails to make use of the unique qualities offered by the franchise and fails even as a standard shooter. It just isn't very good.

All that said, I've still thrown in on the physical special edition. Partly because I hadn't played it when placing my order, but mostly because I love a steelbook, like some of the goodies and I'm a Macross fan. It's a game I'll enjoy for what it represents, the emancipation of a series unfairly locked away by a predatory US company exploiting its position. But if Macross wants to appeal to a new generation of fans, it'll need to make its games better than this.  

Trailer: