Custom Robo Arena 2

If you can ignore the terrible RPG trappings, there's a lot to be said for the real meat of the game, the customization and battling of Custom Robos. Though it requires slogging though the main game for a lot longer than I'd prefer, once you've unlocked enough shops so that there's a real variety of parts on offer, customising your Robo is a pleasurably personal diversion, one that can lead to truly unique robots and battle styles.

There's a weird meta-irony at work in Custom Robo Arena: a young boy wanders his town, goes to school and eats with his family, spending. The bulk of Custom Robo Arena takes place in holographic battle arenas called “holosseums.” Players pit their Custom Robos against one another in fast-paced, melee-style combat. Each Robo can be outfitted with different parts, from arm-mounted guns and bomb launchers to specialized pod weapons that have their own unique behaviors.

The battles themselves are surprisingly fun, too. Though fetishistic big robot enthusiasts (the kind who were excited earlier with all that talk of robo-crotch rubbing) will probably kill me for saying this, Custom Robo Arena's battle engine is roughly similar to Virtua On, though far less precise. Unlike the strictly timed, angular battles of Virtua On, most fights in Custom Robo Arena are about as graceful as a fight between two drunks - one on roller skates with a super soaker full of wee, the other one throwing rotten fruit from a wonky trolley stolen from Asda.

Not to say that the battles can't be deeply tactical. It's entirely possible to modify your Custom Robo's parts directly before battle to better combat your opponent, with certain weapons better suited against others. If you know your opponent is packing some high jump legs and a close range drill gun, then you can increase your odds against him by using a gun with a long range that homes in on airborne targets, to keep him out of range and ensure he can't gain air superiority.

It's another sad failure of Custom Robo Arena's single player mode that all of these tactical nuances matter little as long as you're sure to purchase the latest, most powerful equipment as you go, turning even some of the hardest opponents into mere trivialities. Of course, the designers have chosen to put in unfair roadblocks to progress rather than challenge, so you can spend hours leveling up needlessly to suit character's whims just to progress through the plot. It's never particularly clear what 'leveling up' really does for you, anyway.

Custom Robo's online capabilities make it somewhat worthwhile, however. Using a similar system to Metroid Prime: Hunters, you can quickly (and easily) battle random opponents, and also add them to your 'rivals' list, a separate list from your closed friends list, which still requires a friend code. I've managed to play quite a few games against random opponents, and with the option to search for opponents who are roughly the same level as you, with luck you'll rarely face off against an opponent way out of your league. It remains to be seen how long the online world of Custom Robo will stay busy, though.

So, a horribly clichéd plot and a fairly tedious single player mode, but it does have a nice online mode and asks you to rub your robot's crotch to make sure it's working properly (if you're into that sort of thing.) Now, the most cliché score I could hand out is a seven, obviously, but unfortunately, that's one video game cliché that Custom Robo Arena doesn't get to have.

5 /10

Custom Robo Arena - WalkthroughCustom Robo ArenaEh, let's just get down to thebasics./Walkthrough's log/February 24, 2010- Made the guide until Day 2.February 25, 2010- Made the guide to Day 3.Rest of days coming soon.Grudge matches coming soon.Ranks coming soon./Controls/Control Pad- Moves your robo and the hero.B- Makes your robo jump.A (In battle)- Makes your robo shoot its gun.X (In battle)- Stealth. Your robo turns red AND attacks at the same time.Y- Nothing.L- Your robo does their 'Pod attack'.R- Make your robo fire his bomb.Start (In battle)- Pauses game, and gives you options, 'Continue', or 'Quit'.X (Overworld)- Opens start menu.A (Overworld)- Allows you to talk to people./Start Menu (Overworld)/Garage- Allows you to customize and poze your robo.Notes- Let's you look at 'Strategy advice', 'Lexicon', 'Movies (When you findyou first video chip, this pops up.)', 'Mission Battles',and 'Characters (beat game.)'.Items- lets you look at unusable items. (Touch them in the touch screen forsome of them to move.)Battle Data- Shows you how many times you've won or lost a battle, or see howmany times a certain part has been used.System- Lets you change your battle controls, tell if you use your right handor left hand, and camera settings.Exit to title- Save and quit, or just all out quit?Save- YOU figure out what THIS does. Alright, I'll tell.

Allows you to saveyour game./Characters/You (My characters name)- The hero of the story.Liv- The backbone of the story. Second most important character. Though shecan't control a robo herself, she is a good friend.Eddy- Liv's brother.

He was the only one to get a special licence in a while.Billy- A woman who collects money for the needy. If she see's an item made forthe greedy, she says, 'Why not give it all to the needy? It's only fair'.Dennis- Pretty much a wimpy kid, once you first meet him. As you progressthrough the days, he gets more strong.Dad- A scientist who was transfered to the Neobrain in Bayside.Tamara (Tama)- Same as Dad, she was transferred. She is also your sister.Little young to build robos, huh?Mom- An all out worrywort.

You're just lucky she let You get a robo at all.Bull- Liv's Rival, on the first few days.Serene- Bull's met his match. She has learned the soulboost, so watch out.Polly- Like my sister, she's a bossy girl. She cries if she loses. Be lucky youcant hear the characters talking.Duncan- A police officer.

He went to High school with Tamara.Mr. Stubbs- A commander, also a teacher.

In school, when he teaches a class, hemakes you take a test. Watch out for that.

He also has a wife who HATESCustom robos.Dickie- Robocenter Staff. Pretty good commander.Tanya- Robocenter Staff.

Best commander in the staff.Marv- Your Rival. Nothing more than that.Cheepers- Marv's feathered friend.Stark- a pretty old commander. He teaches you the soulboost, though.Winchell- LOVES diorama's. Stark's Trainee.Shipley- LOVES water. Stark's Trainee.Kris- head of the Poloice squad and IPC. Used to be Stark's Trainee.Mr. Jacobs- President of Neobrain.Dr.

Mars- Telling about this character would give alot away.Proffesor Kindjal- Telling about this character would give alot away.Sling- Telling about this character would give alot away.Cleaver- Telling about this character would give alot away.Coyote- A criminal who only comes out at night./Walkthrough (Finnaly!!)/-THE NIGHTMARE-Well, you know a good game HAS to let you pick out your name, right? We'll justuse my characters name, 'You' for the walkthrough.Ah, what ELSE is better than to start out inside a battle? This battle can't bewon, all it does it tell you the controls.

But pay attention.This robo is gonna appear again. Buuuuuuuuut i'm not gonna tell you when.After about 40 seconds into the battle, you get sent to the overworld.-DAY 1-You wake up, and now all that's left is to go downstairs. When you leave yourroom, you'll run into Tamara. She'll Tell you to go downstairs.(Like you weren't already doing that.)Down in the Dining/living room, talk to dad. He'll give you the Ray MK II, thestandard pod, bomb, legs,and the basic gun, as well as a cell phone, garage, and cleaning cloth. Well,now sit down in your seat (Bottom left chair). A small conversation will occur,then you're off to midheart high.You can't go to any other districts.

Bayside's excuse- 'There's a dangerouscriminal commander here. Just stay out'. Top district's excuse- To kids arebattling. Forester's excuse- You need a pass or to live there, 'cuz its underconstruction. They'll all unblock soon enough.Head to class, for now. Go get your ID badge and Map of the school.

Your classis Class B. Head there to meet 'Stubby'. You'll run into Liv, and you willlalso find out Mr. Stubbs HATES Liv. He'll give you a quick intro, and off yougo into class. You sit next to Dennis, but talk to everyone in class. They allsay something interesting.

In your seat you go.(Ring ring ring) Dennis will ask if you like robo's. Well, head to thecourtyard.

Bull and Liv are rivals, and are in an argument. This is how itseems- Dennis, Warren, and Liv, VS.

Bull, Terry, and some other guy. Warrenruns off like a little wuss, so talk to liv. Say 'Yes' and go into a quick eyescan registration.

Click the head, slide the stylus along the body, and clickthe back. Long story short, you get into battle after a few hints from Liv.HINT: Use stealth. He can run away from you, but if you stealth him, he stays'DOWN'.

You have to win EVERY battle in this game, so just kill him. Bull willgt reeeal mad, and then you'll almost fight him. Stubbs comes out (Andyou know where i got the 'stubby' nickname from.)Well, just pass through the next conversation with liv and dennis, say 'yes'and you'll head into The team's club. Pretty small club, huh? Probably shouldajoin the grapple gang. Well, fight dennis. HINT: the mantis is actually prettyweak the way its used.

Beat dennis and get the flame gun, high jump legs, WallFlank pod F and the straight bomb. Pass through the next couple conversations.Liv'll come back with two people to fight.

HINTS: The weapons Liv gives you arethose robos's weakness's. You'll get several other parts to fight with that Livgives you.' Well time to call it a d- Mr. Yeah, just go through the conversationand fight the guy.Now then, just head out and show Liv and dennis you're house, and they'll showyou theirs. Go inside and sit in your seat. Tama and Dad will come home, and aconversation will pop up.

What a meal!' Head to bed.-DAY 2-Wow, this days shorter. Small conversation at the table. Head to school, gointo class. After class, Liv and Dennis wanna show you the Robocenter. The twodorks finnaly finished up their battle blocking off the path to the robocenter,so Liv just go's in.More conversation!!!!!

You meet Tanya, and she gives you a few things. You alsofind out who Tanya's 'Secret Admmirer' is. You'll meet Dickie, andyou'll have to fight a couple battles. No hints here, just fight.

Dickie's robois preeeeety cool, huh? No question, I used this robo the most. HINT: The flamegun pins him down pretty good. That about does it. Head home, and Liv andDennis come with you. Sit down, Dad and tama will come home, and they'll ask ifyou wanna stop by neobrain. Just say 'yes'.

Well, head to bed.-DAY 3-It's already two days into the game, and you're in a tournament. Remember thatbet Liv made? This is where it all comes down to.Meet downstairs at the table, and a small conversation will pop up. Head toschool.Go check the map in your items list. Go to where the robo cube is in the schoolon the map.

Stubbs will be blocking the door to there. He'll tell you to gomeet up with Liv and Dennis, but you see that stand?

It's a store in theschool. The gatling gun is the gun you use in the nightmare, if you werewondering. Go over to the computers, and dennis will be looking up CATS.Strange high school kid, huh? Liv pops up, and you lead 'em to Bull's teamroom. Talk to Stubbs, and the tournament begins.

The first three battles arebasiclly VERY easy. No hints, just use the gattling gun, or flame gun. Thoseare the guns i used to kill 'em.Here's where it ends. The battle ends with: Bull. HINT: Stay on the movingfloor, and use the afterburner gun or the gattling gun for some long-distancekilling.You win!!

And Bull is gonna be nice to you. Well, after you get the plaque, yougo into conversation with Liv and Dennis. Bull comes out and says a story aboutthe long tournament, and how Serene's robo glows gold, and gets real tough.Fishy, isn't it? You remember the neobrain thing? Now that it's after thetournament, head to where the police officer was, then keep heading west.

Thenyou'll find neobrain. Go in, liv'll tell where to go from there. Head to theelevator on the second floor.

You meet up with dad, and he tells you to lookaround.Go to where Dennis went. Talk to the purple-haired woman (you learn her namelater.), and Dennis will notice, 'Project Hadron'. DON'T ask if I know whatthis is, cuz i do. But NO, i'm not tellin'.Well, Dad's done. Go over and talk to him.

He'll engage you in a battle. HINT:Just use the gattling gun to kill the pike.Good battle. Well, let's call it a day. Small conversations. Head home, sitdown, you know the routine.

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzZZzzzZzzzzzz.-/DAY 4-Rest of days coming soon!//Grudge Matches coming soon!//Ranks coming soon!//Video chip locations coming soon!//Parts coming soon!/.