I like Role-Playing Games. I like Strategy Games. Ring of Red claims to be both. A sure winner, right? Well…

What if they didn’t surrender?

Ring of Red is set in an alternate past. After the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were dropped, Japan did not surrender. So an invasion takes place, both by the Allied Forces as the Allied Soviet Troops. This results in Japan being split in two (just like Germany was divided once). Because of economic differences, civil war breaks out. Pressured by the International Community, a cease-fire treaty is signed, without solving the underlying problems. This shaky peace holds until 1964, when the game starts…

A Walker doesn’t just walk

Since traditional warfare is difficult in mountainous Japan, German engineers have developed a new weapon: the Armour Fighter Walker (AFW for short).
You play the part of Masama Von Weizegger, a German-Japanese test pilot. Together with another test pilot called Ryoko, you have to put your skills to the test against a new revolutionary model. However, the new model is stolen by the Northern Army’s top pilot Kaiho. Together with some other AFW pilots, Masami and Ryoko give chase.

An intriguing story perhaps, and definitely an interesting setting, so it got me ready to jump straight into the action! No chance… Some games have some “warm-up” problems, but Ring of Red’s first campaign on the practice field is simply too boring for words. If you manage to struggle through this first level of non-entertainment, the game (and relative fun) really starts.

Different Squads for different tastes

You control a maximum of 8 AFWs – there are different models, but sadly you can’t customize them. These are accompanied by 5-person squads. There are six types of squads:
- Infantry squads are the standard troops. They’re particularly effective against other ground troops, can snipe, and cooperate with other troops to create a crossfire. They don’t have any effect on Walkers though.
- Shooters, who can use rocket launchers and grenades to damage enemy AFWs. They’re weak when fighting infantry.
- Mechanics improve your Walker’s speed and efficiency, and shoot rocket-propelled grenades at AFWs, or wires at their legs (Empire Strikes Back, anyone?)
-Recon Squads have sniper rifles to take out ground troops, plus they improve your Walker’s accuracy.
-Supply Squads shoot grenades and shorten your AFW’s loading time.
-Medic Squads aren’t as “medic” as you’d think. They might look like members of the Red Cross, but they shoot at enemy infantry (and very often at that), while using attacks like smoke bombs and flash grenades.

Every Walker has three squads accompanying him. Squads can cooperate to make a combo; for example the Infantry and Medics can perform the “co-operation” combo, creating a ten-weapon crossfire.

Where’s the aim of the game?

Sounds cool, doesn’t it? Unfortunately Ring of Red is ruined by poor gameplay. I know it’s normal that you have to wait until your troops are ready for a new action, but this game takes it to extremes. As a player, you just have too little influence on the aspects you do have to wait for. It takes a while for your cannon to be ready to fire; when the appropriate meter is full, you can start aiming. Problem is, you have no influence whatsoever on the actual aim! It’s just a percentage meter where you push the button when you see your enemy getting ready to fire (I suppose the pilots are a little psychic, since you see your enemy’s meter as well).

Ssssslllllloooooowwww

Also, your AFW is tremendously slow, and you can only walk forward and backward in a leisurely pace. No wait, it is possible to take steps to the side, but this option is hidden in a sub-menu that most players will only discover in mid-game.
The fights in Ring of Red are sometimes genuine battles of exhaustion – a campaign will take at least an hour and a half. One of the reasons is that when an enemy is on city grounds, his recovery rate is pretty high, and it takes a cartload of walkers shooting at the enemy simultaneously for several turns, to do a little more damage. And that takes a lot of patience.

Graphically sound

The graphics on the main map are shoddy at best – it reminds me of my Stratego board! Luckily the in-battle graphics are pretty decent, with plenty of flying bullets, running troops being hit, explosions, burning wrecks,… The backgrounds are quite varied as well, with burnt-out cities, open fields, bridges, but also woodlands and tundra. The lighting effects are excellent, and I really liked the original Masami art.
The graphics are supported by good sound effects and fitting music. I liked the fact that different weapons have different (and good) sound effects. The sound of flying and hitting bullets are very convincing.

“I won’t let you get until that cannon let’s go!”

Did that make sense to you? I was stumped too when I read it. The translation is really below par. At one time they even said Kaiho was Southern Japan’s star pilot, while he’s actually the North’s best pilot! This only adds to the confusion in an already complex story.

In conclusion

Ring of Red has a very original story, good graphics and fitting sound, but bad playability drags it down. Considering this is Konami’s first attempt in this area, it’s not all that bad, but I believe the game is a missed opportunity.


Recommended: No