Shogo: Mobile Armor Division

November 1998 (WinC), 2000 (Mac OS), February 2001 (Amiga, Linux)

platform

Windows , Mac OS , Amiga , Linux

genre

First person shooter

Game mode

Single player , multiplayer

control

Keyboard , mouse (PC)

system advantages
preconditions

Pentium 200 MHz, 32 MB RAM, 4 × CD-ROM , 100 MB hard disk space

medium

1 CD (PC)

language

German , English , French

Age rating

USK

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division is an action game from Monolith Productions . In Germany it was brought out by the company cdv Software Entertainment from Karlsruhe . The game was released in 1998. It is the first game to use the LithTech engine from Monolith. As can be seen from the game's credits, the game was originally supposed to be called "Heavy Metal". Probably to avoid legal disputes with other manufacturers, Monolith Productions first renamed it "Riot: Mobile Armor" and then "Shogo: Mobile Armor Division". The game is influenced by typical style elements from Manga and Anime . You embark on various missions either as a robot or as a human . The story of the game can be summarized as follows: A war is raging. People fight each other with a wide variety of robots. One is chosen to save the world from ruin.

action

Beginning

During the cruel war for the planet Cronus and its valuable resource Kato, the player slips into the role of Sanjuro, a UCA commander. Even before the first level , the player learns that Sanjuro lost his brother Toshiro, his friend Baku and his girlfriend Kura during the war. Feelings of revenge now urge him to act. That and Kathryn, his girlfriend's sister, with whom he has been dating since she died. In Sanjuro's words, “It's pretty complicated.” The story of the game was a major motivation for players to play the game through to the end. It contains a healthy dose of humor without becoming silly.

At two key points in the game, the player has the opportunity to make a choice that affects the end of the game. If the first decision is purely narrative (Sanjuro has to give an account of his love life), the second decision determines who the opponent is during the rest of the game and how the game ends. This encourages you to play the game again with a different decision and thus increases its replay value .

The game begins with the evacuation of Sanjuro from a reconnaissance mission two years after the mission against Ivan Isarevich that resulted in the alleged deaths of Kura, Toshiro and Baku. He's taken to the Leviathan , a UCA cruiser. There he receives his first assignment from Admiral Akkaraju, Kura and Kathryn's father. Sanjuro is sent to the planet to kill the leader of the "traps", Gabriel, in the city of Avernus. The "traps" are a separatist group of fanatics waging war against the UCA. When Sanjuro reaches Avernus, he is warned by a mysterious man named Hank Johnson, "a friend of a friend," of approaching "trap" reinforcements. Sanjuro tries to reach Gabriel's base anyway. But it's a trap: The communication link with the Leviathan is blocked by a jammer and Uziel, Gabriel's right-hand man, blocks Sanjuro's retreat. He claims to know Sanjuro. With Hank Johnson's help, Sanjuro manages to reach the base with the jammer. With the support of the UCA unit “Strike Force Carnivore”, they are taken. He deactivates the transmitter and re-establishes contact with the Leviathan . Surprisingly, however, Kura answers instead of Kathryn. It is revealed that Kura is not dead, but has been alive and well all along. She asks him to meet her in Maritropa, a town close to Cronus, to clear up the background. When confronted with this, however, Admiral Akkaraju evades Sanjuro's question as to why he has not told him about it. Instead, he orders Sanjuro's withdrawal, as the tide has now turned: Enemy reinforcement troops have managed to recapture the base, overrun "Strike Force Carnivore" and capture Sanjuro's MCA. Due to the enemy's superiority, Sanjuro has to leave the base through the sewers. In an underground car park, he manages to fend off a tank. Hank then allows him to escape in the back of his truck.

Hank takes Sanjuro to a pumping station, with his help kills the guards and helps him get to another MCA. Despite Kathryn's insistence that Toshiro and Baku are dead, Sanjuro suspects that both are still alive and decides to meet Kura at The Mecca nightclub . Two friends of Hanks accompany him through town. When he reaches the station, however, it is too late to catch the train. Sanjuro therefore has to work his way through the slums of Maritropa, but an electric fence blocks his way and only a woman whose cat has run away can deactivate him. The player can either kill the woman and her husband and open the gate himself or he can complete an optional level in which Sanjuro tries to save the cat from "vagabonds" who have suffered serious damage to health by working with Kato. In the course of this rescue mission there is a humorous dialogue between Sanjuro and Kura and Sanjuro receives a health bonus for his act, "the most embarrassing moment in his life". Sanjuro arrives at the nightclub "The Mecca" too late again. Kura was captured by the CMC. Shortly before her capture, she is able to reveal that Toshiro is Gabriel and vaguely suggest "Cothineal". Ryo Ishikawa, a businessman with Shogo Inc, agreed to help him save Kura. In return, he wants Sanjuro to do him a favor. Sanjuro reluctantly accepts and heads across town to the train station to catch a train to the prison where Kura is being held. At the train station, Hank explains to him that Cothineal is the reason why the "traps" existed, but refers to Kura for more detailed information.

In prison, Sanjuro has to disable a firewall for Ryo . The player is again left with a choice: If he helps Ryo, he will abandon him and deactivate an energy gangway that Sanjuro can only overcome with Hank's help. If he doesn't help Ryo, Ryo sets off the alarm. In any case, Sanjuro is forced to shoot his way through the CMC to save Kura. After being rescued, she reveals that she was working undercover, which is why she was recorded dead. Kathryn informs Sanjuro that Admiral Akkaraju wants to fire the Kato weapon at Avernus against the resistance of the "High Command". However, she doesn't know why. Sanjuro realizes that the detonation could hit the cities of Maritropa and Constantine, which would amount to genocide . He asks Kathryn to stop the admiral until he gets back. After defeating the killers of the "traps" who want to kill Kura, Kura tells him that Cothineal is the source for Kato and that Toshiro acted as Cothineal's deputy. Baku, however, has gone mad in the meantime. Kura remarks, "I don't know what he has become, but he is dangerous." Kura expresses concern that Admiral Akkaraju considers Toshiro to be a traitor. Kura then asks Sanjuro to come to the "Oshii Research Station" in Avernus, where there is alleged evidence of the existence and role of Cothineal. She then asks Sanjuro about his relationship with Kathryn, but the choice the player makes is, apart from the resulting dialogue, not decisive for the game.

On the train ride back, an angry Kathryn Sanjuro lies in her ears with her displeasure. However, he is then contacted by Ryo Ishikawa, who reveals some of his sinister plans to him: He played a role in Ivan Isarevich's rise to power. And he indicates that he is involved in the current crisis: “Two years ago, when you and your unit went to Avernus to kill Ivan Isarevich, you did a lot more than kill an aspiring tyrant - you did thwarted a plan I'd been pursuing for years. It took me a long time to recover from the mess you made. And now you're trying to ruin me again Who do you think gave the CMC the tip with your favorite chick? ”Ryo then derails the train and the“ Shogo Inc ”troops on board attack Sanjuro. Sanjuro can take control of the train, but when he returns to the pumping station, it is already overrun by "Shogo Inc" troops. He has to stand by and watch as Ryo executes Hank. He escapes before Sanjuro can reach him. Kathryn expresses her condolences to Sanjuro and convinces him to visit the airship dock in order to reach the "Oshii Research Station". There he meets Uziels MCA and, after a brief skirmish , forces him to retreat. Sanjuro manages to contact Toshiro and arrange a meeting at Avernus' "History of Warfare" museum. Sanjuro's efforts are almost in vain when Admiral Akkaraju announces that the Kato cannon is loading and will fire in two hours. He considers Ryo Ishikawa an ally and cites his evidence of Toshiro's betrayal. He also ignores Sanjuro's warning that if he fired the Kato cannon and defied the High Command, the “traps” would be cleared but the UCA would be thrown into chaos. Admiral Akkaraju: "The CMC is already in tatters - 'Shogo' will inherit Cronus." Sanjuro then presented the evidence that he was able to secure in the "Oshii Research Station". The admiral reluctantly accepts to give Sanjuro one last chance to save Toshiro. Sanjuro then visits the "History of Warfare" museum and meets with Gabriel. He confronts the player with the choice of either joining the "traps" or facing his armies.

Sanjuro decides to join Gabriel and the "traps"

Sanjuro accepts Gabriel's offer and fights UCA troops who storm the museum. He takes an airship to reach the Leviathan. There he meets with Kathryn and shoots his way through to the controls of the Kato cannon. He barely manages to switch off the Kato cannon. He defeats Ryo, who wants to reactivate the cannon. The game's epilogue suggests that the admiral will have to answer for his actions in court. The CMC gives up and the "traps" call for a truce with the UCA. Toshiro remains on Cronus as " ambassador " Cothineal.

Sanjuro decides not to join Gabriel and the "traps"

Sanjuro rejects Gabriel's offer and fights "trap" troops who storm the museum. After he has defeated the "Fallen" troops in the city as well, he reaches the "Fallen" headquarters . Over the rooftops of the city he reaches the outskirts and learns that "Shogo Inc" fighters are attacking the Leviathans. Sanjuro enters the elevator that leads to Gabriel. He ignores Kathryn's concerns and defeats Baku after a fight. Sanjuro then reaches Gabriel, who is protected by an energy field from Cothineal. He can find out that "Shogo Inc" reinforcement troops will stab him in the back. Sanjuro shoots Cothineal's eye, disabling Gabriel's defensive measure and incapacitating his MCA. He then defeats Ryo's "Shogo-Inc" reinforcements and Ryo himself. The epilogue suggests that Toshiro is being treated because of the influence Cothineal had over him and that Admiral Akkaraju's case of insubordination to the High Command is being investigated, but he is does not have to fear any serious consequences. Mankind will also work to make peace with Cothineal.

Credits

Sanjuro wants to enjoy his evening after work. He orders the UCA standard drink, a “Red Claw” (“How about that 'Red Claw', Carla?”) From the bartender Carla at the Leviathan bar. When Carla refuses him the drink for the third time in the game ("Nothing for you, commander, you're on duty"), Sanjuro uses extreme means: he blows up the whole bar with a rocket.

Gameplay

Shogo offers a mix of standard first-person shooter missions performed on foot and anime- style bipedal mech combat . In contrast to mech simulations like the Mech Warrior series, in which mechs are controlled in a similar way to tanks , the mechs in Shogo are controlled in the same way as a human first-person shooter alterego.

The Mech missions are of medium difficulty: they offer a wide variety of energy, explosive and projectile weapons. Much of the game action takes place within cities.

The standard first-person shooter missions on foot also provide a variety weapons, such as two-handed gun, a MAC-10 -like submachine gun and an assault rifle . However, the weapons are insufficiently simulated. Your projectiles hit the targeted target immediately and without delay. Furthermore, aspects such as recoil, caliber of the weapons, etc. a. not considered. In addition, the player has a grenade launcher and a BGM-71 TOW bazooka . On foot missions are more difficult: the protagonist Sanjuro doesn't withstand much damage. To make matters worse, enemies are well equipped with automatic weapons and hit perfectly. Furthermore, health packs and armor upgrades are very rarely found in the game.

The "critical hits system " is a remarkable gameplay feature of Shogos . With the "critical attack" attacking an enemy is rewarded with a health bonus for the player if the enemy loses more health points than usual for this weapon as a result of the attack from the player's weapon. However, enemies in the game are also capable of a "critical attack" on the player. Each of the weapons in the game has a certain probability of success in a "critical attack".

Organizations

United Corporate Authority (UCA) : The UCA was founded by the three market leaders "Andra Biomechanics", "Armacham Technology" and "Shogo Inc". Your original goal: to secure the earnings of the three companies. However, now the UCA is independent and has become the predominant military power. In the early stages of the game, the protagonist himself belongs to the UCA.
Shogo Inc : A powerful Japanese industrial conglomerate whose chairman is Ryo Ishikawa, a key antagonist in the game. It can be found practically everywhere on the market. With the rise of the MEVs and MCAs, Shogo Inc decides to create its own range.
Andra Biomechanics : The company mainly specializes in bio-engineering, cybernetics and mechanics . His goal: the construction of new MCAs and armor. A large number of the MCAs that the protagonist has to fight in the game belong to the "Andra-5" and "Andra-10" MCA series.
Armacham Technology : Armacham is the leading company in the design of terrestrial communication devices. During the game, the protagonist may have to a. turn off an Armacham jammer that is blocking its communication . It is also involved in the profitable production of MCAs and MEVs.
Cronian Mining Consortium (CMC) : The CMC is the administrative government of Cronus and is subordinate to the UCA. It is responsible for mining the valuable energy mineral Kato. Due to the increasing profits that it generates from the Kato mining, it is striving for independence from the UCA. The ruthless exploitation of Kato plays a key role in the game and is the cause of numerous conflicts in which the protagonist is involved. Furthermore, the CMC is responsible for the capture and imprisonment of Kura, whose liberation by the protagonist takes up an essential part of the game.
"The Fallen" : A fanatical group of terrorists whose mysterious leader calls himself Gabriel. She wants to bring all Kato deposits on Cronus under her control and is a threat to both the UCA and the CMC. Depending on how the protagonist decides in the course of the game, the organization is either one of its main opponents or its main allies.

people

Sanjuro Makabe : the protagonist of the game. Sanjuro is a sarcastic, somewhat fearful UCA soldier who disregards authority. As a result, he often incurs the wrath of his superior officer, Admiral Akkaraju. He is still processing the death of his lover Kura, but this does not prevent him from having a relationship with her sister Kathryn.
Kathryn Akkaraju : As the communications officer on the UCA cruiser Leviathan, she is in permanent radio contact with Sanjuro. At the same time she is his girlfriend. It is her responsibility to radio most of his mission information and objectives to Sanjuro. She seems to be more emotional and kind than her boyish sister, who is tougher.
Kura Akkaraju : Sanjuro's ex-girlfriend. It is believed that she was killed in a terrorist attack by the "Traps" several months before the events of the game. As it turns out, however, she is alive and well and has investigated the "traps" as an undercover agent. Kura appears in the middle of the game and reveals key information about the true nature of the "traps", as well as helping Sanjuro with his missions.
Admiral Akkaraju : The leader of the UCA forces on Cronus and at the same time Kura's and Kathryn's father. The admiral has a burning hatred of the "traps", allegedly because of Kura's death at the hands of the "traps". As it turns out, however, he knew very well that Kura was alive and unharmed the entire time. Therefore, his reckless behavior and ultimate decision to commit genocide on the residents of Cronus remains unexplained by the plot of the game.
Hank Johnson : Kura's friend is Hank, a citizen of Cronus who supports Sanjuro for most of the game. Ultimately, however, he is executed by Ryo Ishikawa.
Toshiro Makabe : Sanjuro's brother who disappeared in a terrorist attack by the "Traps" a few months before the events of the game. It is revealed that Toshiro is actually Gabriel, the leader of the "traps". After the attack of the "traps" he was captured and taken over by Cothineal. In this way he became Cothineal's human avatar .
Cothineal : Cothineal is the source of the energy-rich mineral raw material Kato, which is exploited on Cronus. The Cronus conflict is therefore essentially a raw material conflict. In the course of the game, however, it is revealed that Cothineal is a living being, a kind of natural soul. In order to put a stop to the ongoing overexploitation of Kato, she gathers the "traps" around her, which from then on use terrorist methods in the game against the powers that are trying to rule Cronus.
Baku : Sanjuro's childhood friend. He disappeared with Kura and Toshiro during a terrorist attack by the "Traps". Baku becomes Uziel, Gabriel's right hand. He has a mad hatred for Sanjuro.
Ryo Ishikawa : The chairman of "Shogo Inc" and arguably the main antagonist in the game. He manipulates all sides in the conflict to destroy the "traps" so that he can exploit the Kato mineral on his own. He is the last opponent to be fought in the game.
Samantha Sternberg (aka "The Anger" aka "The Hurtfulness" ): A young, blue-haired soldier who attacks Sanjuro at several points in the game without actually being able to pose a threat to him. Although she seems to be destroyed every time, she always manages to come back and challenge Sanjuro.

Ivan Isarevich : The original founder and leader of the "Fallen". He died ten years before the events of the game while on a Sanjuro-led mission against him. Toshiro, Baku and Kura were also killed in the course of this mission. Only Sanjuro survived.

Mechs in the game

The game allows the control of four "Mobile Combat Armors" (MCAs). Anyone can transform into an airborne vehicle mode for high-speed transit. No weapons can be fired in this "transport mode". The main difference between these four types is the bladed weapon they are equipped with, their speed, and the amount of damage they can tolerate.

Armacham Ordog Advanced Series 7 : Equipped with a common blade, 1,000 points of damage, armor of 2,000 points of damage. It is the second fastest MCA behind the "Shogo Akuma Series 12", but maneuvered the worst in "transport mode" compared to the other MCAs.
Shogo Akuma Series 12 : Equipped with a katana , 800 points of damage, armor of 1,600 points of damage. He is the fastest MCA in the game and is preferred by professional players in multiplayer duels.
Andra 35 Predator : Equipped with an energy cutting weapon, 1,200 points of damage, 2,400 points of armor damage. He is the heaviest and slowest MCA in the game.
UCA Mark VII Enforcer : Equipped with an energy blade like the "Armacham Ordog Advanced Series 7", 1,000 points of damage, armor of 2,000 points of damage. It is slower, but makes up for it with its better maneuverability in "transport mode".

Before almost every mission, the player can choose a model. Since there are no major differences between the models between movement performance and weapon loading, the choice has only a minor influence on the success of the mission. There are numerous enemy 'Mechs in the game. However, all of them react to damage by the player with a long loop animation that exceeds the reload time of the player's weapons. This makes it possible for the player to constantly inflict damage to the enemy. The enemies then react again with a damage animation that prevents them from firing back until they die. By doing this, the player suffers little damage even when attacked by multiple enemies at the same time.

reception

The public reception of the game in Germany is comparable to that on the US market: despite excellent ratings in specialist magazines, sales of the game were sluggish. Shogo appeared at a time of relative stagnation in the first person shooter realm. Together with Half-Life , Shogo pointed the way for this genre . His narrative structure and style broke with the rigid, linear narrative structures in the first-person shooter area that were prevalent at the time. It involved the player in the further course of the game plot by giving him a choice in key situations for the further course of the game plot. The PC games magazine PC Games rated the beta version with 70% and the final version with 72%. On the other hand, in contrast to Half-Life , for example, Shogo ties in with the humorous narrative style of earlier first-person shooters such as Duke Nukem . Despite the innovative gameplay and mostly excellent reviews in the trade magazines, the sales figures fell short of expectations and the game went under. The main reason for this is unanimously seen to be the almost simultaneous publication with Half-Life :

The massive marketing campaign that accompanied the publication of Half-Lifes led to the overshadowing of other first-person shooters that appeared at the same time.
From the beginning, Half-Life has been with graphics cards, sound cards, joysticks, etc. a. bundled and was able to reach a larger target group .

As a result, the announced expansion pack "Shogo: Legacy of the Fallen" was deleted after a long delay and the source code for "Planet Shogo" was released. The developer "Anarchy Arts" named as reasons on its website for this. a. Inadequate distribution contracts, mismanagement of development resources and burnout among developers.

Although Monolith repeatedly stated that it did not want to bring out a sequel to Shogo , later Monolith games contain numerous Easter eggs that are reminiscent of Shogo:

No One Lives Forever : Hank Johnson's grave appears in the final level.
Blood (computer game) : Shogo posters can be found in numerous rooms. Conversely, Shogo also includes posters from Blood II: The Chosen .
FEAR : "Armacham Technology" appears as a company name. The following weapons from Shogo also appear : The "Bullgut" (called: "Mod-3 Rocket Launcher") and the "Shredder". In addition, there in the game a secret room with a radio that the Shogo - theme music plays and a texture from Shogo on the wall that a man on a horse riding maps. There are also textures that depict the “Enforcer” -Mech as belonging to “Shogo Inc” and a texture that shows the Shogo cover art as a poster. Some players also claim that the flying drone from FEAR is reminiscent of the "Spider Mine" in Shogo .

Porting to other systems

Shogo was ported to the Amiga PowerPC by Hyperion Entertainment in 2001 . Hyperion is also responsible for Shogo's Macintosh and Linux - porting responsible.

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ PC Games 11/98, p. 136
↑ PC Games 12/98, p. 188

[1] PC Games 11/98, p. 136

[2] PC Games 12/98, p. 188