Megazone 23: Aoi Garland - Japanese Video Game Review (PS3)

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The story of Megazone 23 portrays the relatively "normal" life of rebel-without-a-cause youth Shogo Yahagi. This normal life is turned suddenly upside-down by a startling realization with a sci-fi twist. Keep reading to find out how this classic 80's anime franchise gets an HD facelift on the PS3 and why you may enjoy importing this niche title.

Back when I was first getting into anime circa 1995-96 I was told that I would like Megazone 23. I never got a chance to watch it then, which is a shame because for a new anime fan it had a lot of elements that made anime edgy and appealing to me at the time. In comparison to the family-friendly Disney movies and sanitized Saturday morning cartoons I was used to Megazone 23 was violent and sexually explicit (think Ninja Scroll) with main characters that appealed directly to rebellious youth (think Akira) but at the same time contained actual science fiction elements that were genuinely interesting.

Released as a OAV in 1986, Megazone 23 itself inspired by Robert A. Heinlein's "Orphans of the Sky" (a.k.a. "Universe", and "Common Sense") [The Anime Movie Guide], was likely a source of inspiration for the Wachowski brothers Matrix franchise (http://www.peterpayne.net/2008/05/matrix-vs-megazone-23.html) where computer hacker "Neo" discovers that his "normal" life is really a computer generated simulation.

Fast-forward to 2007. Megazone 23 was such a hit when it came out on video in 1986 that it's now a nostalgia piece ripe for remaking and capitalizing on its fan's fond memories right along there with the Hollywood re-imaginings of other 80s cartoons like Transformers and GI Joe (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/return-80s-cartoons-nostalgic-blitzkreig-...). Is this a good thing? Setting aside my opinion of the Transformers movies, in this case it is. I'd like to think of Megazone 23: Aoi Garland as a chance for fans of the original to relive some of those memories, and a chance for the creators to revisit a concept they enjoyed themselves.

In Megazone 23: Aoi Garland you play as Hiroto Takanaka, son of lounge singer Yui Takanaka the heroine of the original OAV. Your mom is gunned down on your 20th birthday and your birthday present winds up being the key to a motorcycle that makes you the most wanted fugitive in Tokyo. Growing up isn't easy. The game takes place as a text-oriented adventure with fully voice acted text, and battles that combine some 3D modeled mecha with a simple but fun strategy system where you queue up attacks and execute them. The combat starts off simply but if you give it a chance, develops some depth as the game progresses. The strength of the game however is not in the combat system but in it's reimagining of the Megazone 23 universe.

The original OAV had two honest sequels which this game throws out the window in favor of reinterpreting an entirely new follow-up to the original. There are enough references to the first OAV that Megazone 23: Aoi Garland feels like an extension not just an add on, but with an up-to -date art style and more contemporary trappings. Familiar characters are revisited in this 20-year forward timeline and like the original there are some good songs featured in the game. If you are reading all the dialog you'll spend a good 10-20hrs on your first play through, and multiple play-throughs can allow you to unlock additional scenes via interaction with different characters though there is only one ending.

Some gamers may not go in for the interactive novel style game-play or the somewhat bare-bones combat simulation, but those who are able to embrace those elements can have a really good time with this game. It looks really gorgeous in HD on an HD TV with your PS3 plugged in with HDMI or component. If you like anime, or saw the original OAV back in the day, you will likely get a big kick out of this game. It's relatively easy to play with no Japanese language experience. Important portions of the menus are in English and the ones that aren't are not that hard to figure out. With no Japanese skills at all you'll be missing one of the most enjoyable parts of the game which is experiencing the story, but if you know some Japanese the full voice-acting with text is a great way to practice your listening and reading comprehension.

I had a lot of fun with this game. I really enjoyed how accessible it is, the crisp, colorful artwork, and the way it took a classic franchise and added value to it. I'd like to see more high-def 2D games like this on current gen systems. I hope you consider importing Megazone 23: Aoi Garland and enjoying what it has to offer. It's another interesting take on what current-gen gaming can be.

Import your copy today and play it on your non-Japanese PS3!