Objectively speaking, not a good game. But, very fun if you enjoyed old japanese mecha games that haven't been made in ages.

Your enjoyment is entirely based on if you can make it far enough to complete a Gen-2 TSF. However, once you get that first F-15 or whatever, the game instantly becomes fun as hell. The issue is that Gen-1s all have horribly mobility, and the combat feels clunky and awful while piloting one. By the time you make it to a Gen-3, the game is up there with some of the most fun PS2 era hack n slash robot games, which I think is great for the price. Problem is this is all predicated on loot, and you grinding out the Mikhail Link missions which become available as you advance the story. Once you've made it far enough to get a Fubuki, you will have enough loot at that rate to craft even the Takemikazuchi series (white/red/and purple!!!!) when they become available. Never felt like I was truly grinding in the sense, just felt like natural progression.

Story mode is just Alternative again but with some minor (possible) changes depending on your choices. Realistically these don't affect much, but it's a neat way to go through for those who have played the VN. I would not, however, recommend this to anyone who hasn't played the original trilogy of games. The story here is cliff-notes at best, and the gameplay is not captivating enough to justify it by itself. It does a more than decent job at simulating a BETA warzone, but isn't as dense as I'd like. Would be nice if there was a true swarm mode, but the game simulates BETA combat well due to how you can be slaughtering mountains of Grappler and Tank, but a single Heavy Laser spawning while you're reloading means instant death. More would probably make this impossible without coop.

Basically, if you got 20 bucks and don't mind a somewhat shallow game, this is as good as it'll probably ever get for pilotable TSFs. See alot of people compare this to TSF Forefront, but Forefront didn't have Takeru-style flippy melee combo chaining and parries and perfect dodges, so imo this one is far more enjoyable even if it's less accurate compared to a hard sim.

This game runs incredibly well, plays well and looks cool.

I have no idea whatever the F. the other uses are smoking.