Strike Suit Zero

In space, no one can hear you scream. On Earth, though, the neighbours certainly can, so bear that in mind when you start Strike Suit Zero.

It’s the year 2299 and an intergalactic war rages on. As pilot Adams, you have one aim: to save Earth from destruction. The threat comes not from aliens, but from the planet’s own space colonies. At your disposal is a transforming ship, the titular Strike Suit, which moves between spacecraft and guns-blazing mech as and when you need it.

And you’ll definitely need it. Adams has a series of missions to complete, which gives the game a sense of pace. The missions vary, giving you a set of goals to protect things, destroy obstacles and so on. You have to make decisions quickly or suffer defeat. Successfully completing missions will also give you upgrades for the ship, making you stronger, faster and an all-round better bet

The story unfolds through cut scenes and transmissions, pushing you to keep going to find out what happens next. Will the colonists make it to Earth with their mysterious weapon? Can you stop them in time? And will you ever get the hang of controlling a ship in space? That’s the biggest challenge: learning to deal with zero gravity and was the cause much of the frustration early on.

In mech mode, you aren’t unstoppable, but you can make short work of your opponents – if you can hit them. It’s not an unlimited force, so use your firepower wisely.

This isn’t Strike Suit Zero’s first go round – it was available on PC last year – but the jump to the next generation consoles makes it more accessible. It also benefits from tweaks and a bit of refining that may see it avoid the criticism that accompanies the PC release . The addition of the Heroes of the Fleet expansion pack adds a bit more depth to the game too.