Front Mission 2

Front Mission 2 was released in 1997 exclusively for the original PlayStation and is a direct sequel to Square's foundational tactical RPG. Players once again command units of wanzers – heavily armored combat mechs operated by pilots – in turn-based battles set within a fictional conflict on the Asian continent, this time with a significantly more branching story and political backdrop than in the first game.

Compared to its predecessor, the game brought a reworked wanzer customization system, letting players assemble weaponry, body-part armor, and pilots in much greater detail to match their own playstyle, along with a more expansive campaign featuring more factions, supporting characters, and decisions that affect the direction of the story. Battles also take place on larger and more varied maps than in the first game, placing greater emphasis on tactical unit positioning. Front Mission 2 was never officially localized outside Japan, so it remained unknown for a long time to audiences outside Japanese-speaking territory, even though it's often mentioned within the series as one of the most ambitious entries in terms of story and world scope. The story unfolds during a fictional conflict between Asian powers and follows several characters from different sides of the barricade, showing the war from more perspectives than the first game's linear campaign. It also includes a more elaborate pilot development system, where crew experience and specialization affect a wanzer's performance just as much as its technical equipment.

Why play it: Fans of tactical RPGs and the mech genre will appreciate it, wanting to see how Front Mission evolved right after the first game and just how elaborate a story about wanzer warfare could already be back in 1997.