Title: U.N. Squadron (NA)/ Area 88 (JP)
Release Date: 07/26/91
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Twenty-eight games into this blog and we are on our fourth schmup, and this one is a particular favorite from my childhood. I rented this game once as a kid and immediately forgot its title, but its unique art design and tight gameplay stuck with me to the point where I would rent and buy other shoot-em-ups in order to hopefully stumble upon this one again. Finally, I happened to buy U.N. Squadron by accident at a bundle buy at a flea market, and this wonderful game is now a part of my collection.
Background
U.N. Squadron is actually based upon a Japanese Manga entitled Area 88, and it is well known as one of the first mangas to be translated and published in North America. The story of the Manga, and furthermore the game, follows the fighter pilot Shin Kazama, a Vietnam veteran and crack pilot, who is duped into joining the mercenary unit known as Area 88. Area 88 has been hired to fight in the fictional country of Arslan, a Middle Eastern nation that is fighting a mysterious shadow group known as "Project 4." Project 4 is a cult like organization that maintains technological and numerical superiority with legions of fighter planes, tanks, and other pieces of heavy ordinance at their disposal. The Arslanians, though, due to their knowledge of their home country and the use of their wealth to hire top-knotch mercenaries, have forced the war into a perpetual and prolonged stalemate. Joining Area 88 in this war, due to such a strong and imposing enemy, is basically a death sentence, hence why many of the pilots who fly for Area 88 have to be duped into signing their contracts with the mercenary company.
Once a member of Area 88, there are only three ways to escape the company (well, aside from death or capture by the enemy): you fulfill your full three years of service with the company, you buy out your contract with $1.5 million in enemy bounties, or you desert the company, which can result in execution if caught. The ability to buy your way out of your contract becomes quite the impossible "carrot" for the fighters, as it forces them to take increasingly more dangerous missions in order to wrack up more dollars, yet the pilots must purchase their own weapons, fuel, and planes from the Area 88 company store, which only only increases their debt to the mercenary company.
Thus one of the major themes of the show becomes the psychological damage caused by this ongoing combat and continuous threat of death, and the manga, apparently, became quite well known for its "Catch 22" like blending of gallows humor, drama, war-time macabre, romance, and levity. The manga, as well, became well known for its accurate and loving depiction of the fighter planes and vehicles of the time, showcasing many different makes of models of the planes to great effect. This manga was popular enough that it spawned a three part OVA mini-series, a remake anime series in the early 2000s, and of course our video game that we will be talking about.
Gameplay
The game is a pretty straightforward horizontal schmup. You pick one of three pilots, each characters from the manga/anime, who each have their own strengths and weaknesses. You then are able to customize which plane you wish to use, which sub weapons, etc, and cost in game currency for each mission you journey out into. You then journey out into missions with said pilots, kill enemies to get more currency, and can level up your pilots by killing more and more. Add in the traditional three lives/three continues system and you have a bread and butter schmup.
The game utilizes a level select style that is rather inspired and I have only seen used again in the prototype build for Star Fox 2. Basically the game utilizes an active battlefield map where the enemy forces continually move across it towards the Area 88 base. Your squadron can choose where to attack, as well, and moves from enemy installment to enemy installment. Aside from the main enemy installments, other missions will involve elite enemy forces that try to attack and invade your territory. If these forces make it to your main base, you are forced to engage and play these levels over and over again until you are able to conquer them. It is nice as it adds a fair bit of player choice to the proceedings and stops the game from being stale. If you are banging your head against one level, you can always try another level until you either conquer that one or level up a bit to try the original stage. It is a fun conceit, as it truly makes the player feel as if they are enmeshed in the story of the manga and locked into the ongoing war.
The game is challenging but is rewarding in its challenges. Unlike Darius Twin which just feels unfair due to its checkpoint system, one hit kills, and rote memorization, this game gives you multiple hits, short/quick levels, and choice in paths towards the end of the game. Plus you can level up your planes which might help struggling players.
Thus one of the major themes of the show becomes the psychological damage caused by this ongoing combat and continuous threat of death, and the manga, apparently, became quite well known for its "Catch 22" like blending of gallows humor, drama, war-time macabre, romance, and levity. The manga, as well, became well known for its accurate and loving depiction of the fighter planes and vehicles of the time, showcasing many different makes of models of the planes to great effect. This manga was popular enough that it spawned a three part OVA mini-series, a remake anime series in the early 2000s, and of course our video game that we will be talking about.
Gameplay
The game is a pretty straightforward horizontal schmup. You pick one of three pilots, each characters from the manga/anime, who each have their own strengths and weaknesses. You then are able to customize which plane you wish to use, which sub weapons, etc, and cost in game currency for each mission you journey out into. You then journey out into missions with said pilots, kill enemies to get more currency, and can level up your pilots by killing more and more. Add in the traditional three lives/three continues system and you have a bread and butter schmup.
The game utilizes a level select style that is rather inspired and I have only seen used again in the prototype build for Star Fox 2. Basically the game utilizes an active battlefield map where the enemy forces continually move across it towards the Area 88 base. Your squadron can choose where to attack, as well, and moves from enemy installment to enemy installment. Aside from the main enemy installments, other missions will involve elite enemy forces that try to attack and invade your territory. If these forces make it to your main base, you are forced to engage and play these levels over and over again until you are able to conquer them. It is nice as it adds a fair bit of player choice to the proceedings and stops the game from being stale. If you are banging your head against one level, you can always try another level until you either conquer that one or level up a bit to try the original stage. It is a fun conceit, as it truly makes the player feel as if they are enmeshed in the story of the manga and locked into the ongoing war.
The diversity of the stages and the enemy designs, while simply based around a basic geographic area or a different type of weaponized vehicle, end up feeling rather inspired. It definitely has that 80's war aesthetic of popular media such as films like Rambo, Commando, Top Gun, or Iron Eagle; it feels like a game truly set in a period. You will hunt down a fleet of stealth bombers, fight a nuclear submarine, attack a covert desert base, and battle against a weaponized rail car. Each one of these levels and their subsequent battles is challenging and feels different than the previous stages, which is key to break up monotony in schmups.
The game is challenging but is rewarding in its challenges. Unlike Darius Twin which just feels unfair due to its checkpoint system, one hit kills, and rote memorization, this game gives you multiple hits, short/quick levels, and choice in paths towards the end of the game. Plus you can level up your planes which might help struggling players.
It isn't all rainbows and sunshine, though. Some levels pretty much require grinding and expert use of the sub-weapons. There are so many enemies that pop onto the screen at once shooting off projectiles in every which direction; if you aren't strong enough to wipe enemies off the board quickly enough, then your plane is very quickly going to be shot down.
As much fun as this game is, it feels like there is a good bit of wasted potential. I feel that this game, due to the rich source material that this game is based off of, could have added some neat gameplay ideas. Why not play with the idea of trying to escape servitude to Area 88? Mayhaps add a "days served" counter to your player or have the option of buying out your contract if you can reach $1.5 million dollars. They do add the money mechanic so you can buy upgrades (which you totally need to do if you want to beat this game), but it could have gone so much further. It is not often you have alternate paths to victory in a game aside from "reach the final level," and this would be a neat conceit that actually honors the source material. Heck, perhaps even, after a certain point, give the player an option to desert Area 88 and do a few missions fighting against them as you try to escape. That alone would add some replayability to the title.
What about that tasty music?
Ads, Art, and Commercials
God I love Capcom art. Always is so polished and well designed.
Worth playing/revisiting?
Yes! The game is pretty fun. It is tough but worth playing for any fan of schmups from the SNES era. For collectors, the game is actually pretty cheap: it costs about $15 to $20 online or around $10 if you can find the game in person.
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