Front Mission 1st: Remake Release Date, Trailer, And Gameplay

The first "Front Mission" released in 1995 and spawned a long-running franchise that came to include several sequels, spinoffs, and other media, including manga and novels. Sadly, the series hasn't been quite as successful in some time. After "Front Mission Evolved" released in 2010 to mixed reviews, the franchise didn't see another entry until 2019 with the spinoff "Left Alive." This title would prove to be a serious disappointment for fans, ranking as one of the most overhyped games of the year and joining the list of Square Enix games that totally flopped hard. 

Now, however, Square Enix is looking to revive the IP with a remake of the original game. Dubbed "Front Mission 1st: Remake," this title is being developed by Forever Entertainment and aims to recapture the magic of the series. Set to release in the near future, a good deal of information has already been made available about the title.

While a release date was kept under wraps for some time, it was finally announced through Twitter on November 2. "Front Mission 1st: Remake" will launch on November 30 with pre-orders available on November 16. This launch will be somewhat limited, however, as the game is set to be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch with no public plans to extend it to other platforms in the future. This breaks with past titles in the series which have generally released on the latest PlayStation console and often on other systems and PC. 

In addition to this game, fans also have more to look forward to with a remake of the second entry in the series planned for sometime in 2023 and a remake of the third slated for some undetermined point after that. All three titles were previewed in September 2022 during a Nintendo Direct Showcase.

In addition to a brief look at "Front Mission 1st: Remake" in the September Nintendo Direct Showcase, the game also got a full gameplay trailer in early November. After some brief cinematics showing off mechs (known as wanzers in the series) battling in the rubble of a city, it gets right into the action players are in for. In terms of aesthetics and style, this looks to be staying true to the original while updating the graphics and sound quality.

The trailer highlights how aspiring commanders will be able to maneuver teams of wanzers on the tactical map, dealing with different types and levels of terrain. It also shows off how the camera will zoom in when wanzers attack one another and provides hints at how players will be able to customize wanzers to change their stats. Finally, a variety of battle locations are showcased. It looks like wanzers will clash in forests, deserts, and cities of different sizes and shapes.

Based on the trailer and information on the game's website, "Front Mission 1st: Remake" looks to refine the tactical JRPG gameplay of the original. Players will still optimize wanzers between battles, choose how to deploy them, and then move them around the map, seeking to outmaneuver and destroy the enemy. Forever Entertainment is also highlighting the complex narrative that will play out between battles and the large cast of characters that will interact with one another.

In addition to the campaign, the game is also bringing back the Arena, now dubbed the colosseum, where players can test out different strategies and builds against opposing wanzers. Fans of "Front Mission" may be excited to see the series returning to its roots with a reboot of the stories and gameplay that made it great to begin with. Now they just have to wait until the end of November to see if it lives up to its promises.