Field Commander (PSP) Preview

[RainOfTerror]

You play as a Field Commander working for the Global Defense League, an independent organization established by the Allied Nations to defend the world against covert organizations whose goals include terrorism, genocide, and global domination. Your main enemy in these scenarios is Shadow Hold, an evil terrorist organization bent on inciting wars, illicit arms deals and global domination. WorthPlaying (http://www.worthplaying.com) had a chance to try out a preview build, here is a snip:

Graphically Field Commander does use full 3D graphics, but seems to be going for a functional look over any serious attempt to resemble a PS2 game. Normally you view the action from a top-down perspective, using the D-Pad or analog nub to explore the confines of your map. When units attack each other, you go seamlessly from a top-down view to a ground-level view, where you'll see animations of the two units exchanging attacks and a numerical tally for the damage. The ground-level view accurately reflects any details of the location during the exchange of fire, such as trees, buildings, or surrounding units in the background.
Check out the complete Field Commander preview (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=31116) over at WorthPlaying.

[jacktion]

Dude, why don't they just come out and say it. "Graphically, Field Commander is exactly like Nintendo's Advance Wars. And the same goes for gameplay."

What is next? A pet dog sim?
shameless.

[AntB]

A Adance Wars clone for PSP?

Excelent.

[Cool AN]

I have been looking foward to Field Commander since it was first announced, so I am really excited about the fact that it is coming out soon.

Also to you who are saying or are gonna say that it is a Advanced Wars clone for the PSP, shut up, because you obviously don't know what you are talking about. The game is differen't in pretty much every way except that it is a turn based startegy game. It may be made to be competition to Advanced Wars but it defiantly ain't a clone.

[baz]

The more turn-based strategy, the happier I am. Crazily enough, I just got a free PSP with my new phone contract, so I might give it a go. I'm happy enough with my DS so I was just going to use it to rip my DVDs and play some homebrew, but I'd pick up a game if it was excellent.

[VoodooKarma]

Clone or no clone, I am looking forward to playing this. Maybe it will finally give me a reason to dust off the PSP.

[Cool AN]

The more turn-based strategy, the happier I am. Crazily enough, I just got a free PSP with my new phone contract, so I might give it a go. I'm happy enough with my DS so I was just going to use it to rip my DVDs and play some homebrew, but I'd pick up a game if it was excellent.

You know I don't think you could have gotten a PSP at a better time, I mean Daxter, Monster Hunter: Freedom and, of course, Field Commander are coming out in just a month or so, so there will be plenty of good games coming out.

[Salesmunn]

If they work, (and considering the other online titles, they will) the online multiplayer options for this are awesome. Being able to play five games at once on the server by uploading your moves, then your opponent uploads his moves and so on, sounds great.

That's a great way to play an RTS when you and your friends have conflicting schedules. Very cool idea.

[Captain Awesome]

hahaha :D

[GrinR]

It looks like a shabby PSOne game. Not that that will stop me from buying it - turn based strategy FTW!!!

[nonchalance]

The game is differen't in pretty much every way except that it is a turn based startegy game. It may be made to be competition to Advanced Wars but it defiantly ain't a clone.

Uh, it really doesn't look that way.

There's many many more similarities than differences, at least from that preview.
It's not necessarily a bad thing, though - competition = quality, and more turn based strategy games mean better turn based strategy games.

At the least, it means the next Advance Wars will have a mission editor and a PBEM-type structure, so sweeeeet.

[Metal Jesus]

My biggest complaint about Advanced Wars are the stupid pokemon looking designs (dodges rock being thrown by Nintendo Fanboys).

Something a little more Command and Conqueror looking would be right up my alley. :P

[Adam Blue]

The DS could have an awesome RTS. Think of one screen building, buying, etc....and the other for troop movement. And with the tap of the shoulder button, you can switch the screens between displays.

Hire me bitches!

[51|RandoM]

Nothing wrong with an advance wars clone.

Anybody who has been around awhile knows that advance wars isn't exactly breaking new ground.

Turn-based strategy is actually a great genre to clone in. Why reinvent the wheel when all we really want are new campaigns with existing engines?

[Cool AN]

Uh, it really doesn't look that way.

There's many many more similarities than differences, at least from that preview.
It's not necessarily a bad thing, though - competition = quality, and more turn based strategy games mean better turn based strategy games.

At the least, it means the next Advance Wars will have a mission editor and a PBEM-type structure, so sweeeeet.

Actually in most, if not all previews I have read, it has said there are so many differences that it isn't a clone at all, even in the Worthplay preview:

In many ways, the game that kicked off the Nintendo DS's assault on the US scene was Advance Wars DS. So, it should come as no surprise that Sony Online Entertainment is readying an Advance Wars clone of their very own for their game-starved portable. It should also come as no surprise that Field Commander goes so far above and beyond the features contained in the Advance Wars games that it hardly seems fair to call it a clone at all. As always, SOE has strived to bring all the complexity and immersion of the console experience into portable form with Field Commander, and the early version we got to play around with is showing signs of great promise.

That as well as that they don't even look alike.

[Cool AN]

The DS could have an awesome RTS. Think of one screen building, buying, etc....and the other for troop movement. And with the tap of the shoulder button, you can switch the screens between displays.

Hire me bitches!

I actually think they could have made a great Age of Empires game for the DS, but of course they had to go and make it turn based.

[nonchalance]

Actually in most, if not all previews I have read, it has said there are so many differences that it isn't a clone at all, even in the Worthplay preview:

The one that calls it a clone in the first sentence, right before all the standard gaming preview hype?

That as well as that they don't even look alike.

Irrelevant.

[Cool AN]

The one that calls it a clone in the first sentence, right before all the standard gaming preview hype?




But they also say that there are so many new features that it isn't fair to call it a clone at all.

[nonchalance]

But they also say that there are so many new features that it isn't fair to call it a clone at all.

I disagree.

Mind you, I also consider Starcraft a Warcraft clone, so we may just be arguing semantics.