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A promising Anime soccer gacha game | CBT Review - CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE

3K View2023-07-06

CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE

9.1

SportsStrategyFootballSingleplayer

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CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE is a mobile gacha soccer team based on the manga and anime series of the same name. It is currently conducting an Android Closed Beta Testing from July 3-17 in select regions.

🟩Pros

+Captures the spirit and intensity of the manga and anime series

+Variety of game modes: entire team control or individually controlled player ranked matches

+Engaging progression and team building

+Fun to use skills and abilities for each character

🟥Cons

-Needs work on its fluidity and mechanics

-Repetitive animations

Visually, CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE faithfully reproduces the iconic anime art style, showcasing detailed character designs and vivid environments. The cel-shaded graphics infuse a touch of 3D aesthetics, adding depth and dimension to the visuals. This artistic approach not only pays homage to the source material but also creates a visually appealing modern gameplay experience. However, it's worth noting that the repeated animations for the abilities and even the celebrations can become repetitive over time, diminishing the initial impact. Nonetheless, the overall presentation successfully captures the spirit and intensity of the CAPTAIN TSUBASA series.

The core gameplay in CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE revolves around controlling the entire team during matches. It successfully captures the essence of the series' intense soccer battles, providing an exciting experience that puts players in the shoes of the soccer players in the Anime. The arcade-style mechanics make it easy for players to jump into the action, while the simplicity allows for quick and intuitive gameplay. Executing precise passes, powerful shots, and skillful dribbles feels satisfying, giving players a sense of control over the outcome of the matches.

Scoring goals in CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE starts off as an easy and immensely satisfying feat. The special abilities possessed by characters make offense a thrilling and slightly overpowered aspect of the game. However, as the game progresses, enemy defenses become stronger and more challenging to overcome, in particular their tackling abilities and how strong the goalkeeper is. This progression effectively motivates players to upgrade their team's abilities and lineups, requiring some slight strategic decision-making to break through the resilient defenses. The gradual increase in difficulty adds depth and keeps players engaged, striking a balance between an accessible entry point and a rewarding challenge.

As far as the presentation goes, the game is amazingly action-packed, with highly detailed, over-the-top anime action for scoring goals, defending goals, and sometimes even showcasing tackles and dashes when abilities are used. The visual spectacle may become repetitive over time, but the premise of competing and the satisfaction from defeating the opposition or narrowly overcoming challenging teams is what will keep you engaged and playing.

While the gameplay and presentation is enjoyable overall, CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE falls short in terms of fluidity and player switching. Receiving passes lacks the necessary realism, as players often come to a complete standstill until the ball reaches them. This can lead to awkward and clunky moments, disrupting the flow of the game. Additionally, the player switching mechanism could be improved to prioritize the most appropriate defender, preventing frustrating situations where the game switches to a player positioned too far behind from the opponent. Refining these aspects would greatly enhance the overall gameplay experience.

CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE incorporates gacha mechanics as a core element of the progression, allowing players to collect powerful characters for their team. The characters can be obtained through various means, including gameplay rewards, gacha pulls, or real money purchases.

Leveling up characters, enhancing their skills, equipping attributes, and changing cosmetics provide avenues for strategic team building. However, as always, there is a bit of pressure for players to rely on its gacha mechanics, potentially creating a divide between players who invest more money

Aside from the traditional singleplayer campaign mode called "Field Trials," where players can participate in a variety of challenge and training matches, CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE offers an asynchronous PvP mode called "Dream League." In this mode, the player’s team is matched with other players' teams, which are controlled by AI. Engaging in these different modes will yield specific rewards that players can target to enhance specific aspects of their lineup or team.

Additionally, there is a separate game mode known as "Ace Showdown," which bears similarities to the game Freestyle Basketball. In this mode, players assume control of a single character only and engage in 4v4 matches with the assistance of AI goalies for both sides. This mode provides a distinct ranked individual gameplay experience that adds variety to the overall gameplay offering.

Conclusion:

CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE convincingly captures the essence of the manga and anime series, offering an action-packed soccer experience in a gacha package. Despite some gameplay areas that could benefit from improvement, the game's engaging soccer gameplay, variety of game modes, and intense presentation can make it a worthwhile choice for fans of the series and soccer enthusiasts when it finally releases.

Mentioned games

CAPTAIN TSUBASA: ACE

9.1

SportsStrategyFootballSingleplayer

Get

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