Review
Fans of giant robot simulations who purchased a PlayStation 2 upon its release were treated to two robot games, and both were sequels to already tried-and-true series: Armored Core 2 and GunGriffon Blaze. Armored Core 2 was a decent game in its own right, offering some worthy competition to the other title released with Sony's new system.
Working Designs has something of a reputation for importing and translating games they think are entertaining themselves, making it almost as much of a decision of the heart as a decision of the pocketbook. With GunGriffon Blaze, they've proved this quality again, for while it may not be the best giant robot game ever released, it is certainly an entertaining experience that will greatly please fans of this genre.
Those who like an engaging storyline along with their game probably know they won't go wrong with a Working Designs title, and GunGriffon Blaze is proof of this as well, offering a deep plot that involves global intrigue and the threat of world destruction along with a fantastic realization of a robot-inhabited world. Working Designs' excellent translation team has made certain that everything is clear and interesting.
The real focus of the game, of course, is combat, and while GunGriffon Blaze seems to be limited in its mission parameters (only offering you six different operations), all of the missions are quite lengthy and detailed. The game itself takes place from a first-person perspective, dropping you into various environments that range from open plains to crowded cityscapes, with each level giving you an unique example of terrain. Most of the structures in the game take collateral damage as well, giving more realism to the fury of combat.
And the combat itself is quite intense. The controls are intuitive, taking only a short amount of time to get used to before you're acting like a veteran in combat. With all of the different enemy weapons thrown at you, it's nice to know there are different ways of engaging different enemies, and you'll definitely want to use cover and protection from your crafty opponents. Thankfully, the computer-controlled robots making up your squadron are no slouches either, and will protect you far into the mission instead of being destroyed simply because they refuse to move out of enemy fire.
The ability to customize and upgrade robots has become an essential part of the genre, and although the customization available in GunGriffon Blaze doesn't come close to the depth of Armored Core 2's extensive options in this area, the choices you have at the end of a level are still adequate, even if they could have been a bit more robust.
Yet this game has the superior fighting engine, leaving both titles with decidedly different focuses and experiences, which just might be fortunate for fans who might have a preference for customization over combat, or vice versa. If you're into speed and tight combat control rather than detailed customization, GunGriffon Blaze is the game for you.
Graphics 
While the graphics are a step up from previous incarnations of the series, the muddled textures and boxy models don't look as nice as they should on the powerful PlayStation 2.
Sound
The sound in the game, from the catchy music to the explosions and noises of battle, are all very competent and really add to the action-packed atmosphere.
Enjoyment
The game moves at a fast pace, and while there are only a small number of missions, the variety of each level will keep you entertained.
Replay Value
Once the game is over, it's pretty much done, but it is entertaining enough to play the individual missions over to try and best your previous score.
Documentation 
The instruction manual does a fine job of explaining the more basic points of the game, but it is somewhat lacking in detail. It has excellent coverage of the storyline, however.
