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Full Metal Panic! SRPG Receives Combat Details

by Alex Fuller · Published January 30, 2018 · Updated January 31, 2018

Bandai Namco has provided new details and images for its upcoming tactical RPG Full Metal Panic! Fight: Who Dares Wins, which is set for release in Japan and in Southeast Asia (with English subtitles) on May 31, 2018. The details and screenshots focus primarily on the mecha-based combat in the game, though some event scenes and artwork and renders of characters and units are also present.

The battles between the mechs known as Arm Slaves take place on various tactical maps, which include the surroundings of a high school, a specially-built arena, and some wastelands. Rather than two sides taking it in turns, the game features an order system. The order is based on a mixture of Arm Slave and pilot attributes, as well as actions taken on the previous turn.

Arm Salves consist of four main parts — head, body, arms, legs — each with its own HP gauge. Damaging the head reduces hit and evasion chances, damaging the arms reduces attack power, destryoing the legs significantly reduces movement, and finally destroying the body causes the Arm Slave itself to be eliminated from combat. A part can be repaired, provided it has not dropped to zero HP.

There are various different weapons available to equip on Arm Salves, some of which will allow players to target specific parts. Options include machine guns, armor-piercing shotguns, handguns, and missiles. Weapons will have different weights, with heavier weapons potentially slowing down the Arm Slave in the turn-order, especially if it puts the Arm Salve above its maximum capacity.

In addition to strengthening their Arm Salves, players can also upgrade their pilots by spending Operator Points. Each character has his or her own skill tree, with the points used to unlock new skills for that character.

Finally, players can also be assisted from afar in certain missions by the Tuatha de Danaan Assault Landing Submarine. A skill is needed to request assistnace, which can come in the form of a missile attack on a group of enemies or a supply drop of ammunition or healing items.

Full Metal Panic! Fight: Who Dares Wins is being developed for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita by Super Robot Wars developer B.B. Studio. The game is based on the light novel/anime series and set in an alternative version of Earth where the knowledge of mysterious technology enables the creation of mecha known as Arm Slaves. The series stars Sousuke Sagara — a member of the private military organisation MITHRIL — who is tasked with guarding high school student Kaname Chidori.