Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy

While it’s definitely a dated game that really wants you to jump into Bandai Namco’s equally dated gacha multiplayer game, Code Fairy contains enough worthwhile content to stand on its own if you are looking for a new single player Gundam experience.

Code Fairy feels like an unfinished product struggling with tons of big and small issues, and fails to fully satisfy even the die hard fans of the Gundam series.

The game features the actions and activities of the all-female squad under the Principality of Zeon. The progression of the game feels as if you’re watching the original anime, which has quite the bright personality and elements to it. Since the game is technically based from the Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2, the variety of the Mobile Suits and the roots are still the same as the original. It also supports the cross over elements from the original game’s save file which allows extra contents to both sides of the game so this game was definitely planned since the development of Battle Operation 2. You’ll be getting the most excitement out of the game when the control scheme becomes a bit more getting used to, so it’s also a good idea to have a go at Battle Operation 2 beforehand, which is available to play for free.

If you want to play more Mobile Suit Gundam, the slow pace of the story makes this a difficult recommendation, but there is a lot of underlying charm in the Noisy Fairy Squad that indicates it could be worth it in the long run.

Each of the missions ends with a ranking system and various unlocks. Some of these things will only be usable in Code Fairy, while some suits will be unlocked for players in it’s older brother Battle Operation 2. I enjoyed the single player and slower pace of Code Fairy. I was finally able to get a handle on the combat and movement system that Battle Operation uses. But really the true cherry here was the fantastic story of the Noisy Fairy Squadron, watching this team start off on shaky ground but ultimately coming together and meshing as all good teams do was just the feel-good story that I needed to see. Its one that really resonates with people, and the fact that its so well done and is an all-female team is a nice chef’s kiss.

Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy expands on the lore by allowing players to experience the One Year War from the perspective of Zeon. Gundam fans will not be disappointed by an experience that uses Battle Operation 2 as the foundation for the gameplay and with an original story.

Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation: Code Fairy is strictly for the fans. That isn't to say people who are unfamiliar with the series won't enjoy it. Indeed, with as few walking tank games out there as it is, anyone into this type of gameplay will probably enjoy things here. It's just that being invested in the story of Gundam helps a lot, because much of the game is about taking in the story. Combat is clunky, but gets the job done, and the episodic format makes that fact easier to forgive.

Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy is simply not worth the time, even for Gundam fans. Clunky combat, aimless story, lackluster graphics – the budget just isn’t there.

Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy Vol. 1 is a good introduction to the Battle Operation universe, but in its first volume it does little more than serve as a great tutorial on the combat system. There is potential to be explored, but little to make it a notorious game.

It's difficult to recommend Gundam Battle Operation: Code Fairy - Vol. 1 on its own merits. It's effectively one-third of a storyline that is a tutorial and stand-alone story for GBO2's gameplay without its "gotcha" elements, but at this moment, the game is effectively incomplete. Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 will be released within the next month. When it has the full storyline and set of units, it'll be a lot easier to make a determination about the entire package, but until that happens, you're better off waiting unless you're a huge Gundam fan who has to play this right away.