Soukou Kihei Votoms

Soukou Kihei Votoms for PlayStation 2 is a Japanese 3D action game based on the military science-fiction anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS. Developed by Yuke's and published in Japan by Bandai Namco Games on November 15, 2007, it puts players in control of Chirico Cuvie, the series' guarded former soldier. The game is rooted in the original television story rather than being an unrelated crossover: its campaign follows the troubled world of VOTOMS, where Armored Troopers, or ATs, are practical combat machines instead of invincible super robots. It was released for PS2 only in Japan under the title Soukou Kihei Votoms.

The central play is mission-based third-person action with an optional first-person view. Players guide an AT through combat scenarios, firing mounted and handheld weapons while using the series' characteristic movement systems. A normal walk can give way to the fast Roller Dash, in which the machine rides on its built-in gliding wheels; the Turn Pick supports sharp directional changes, and the explosive Arm Punch provides a close-range strike. The result is a game built around controlling the position, speed, and armament of a relatively grounded combat vehicle. Missions also include target lock-on for appropriate enemy vehicles, while other threats require more deliberate aim.

Chirico is not permanently sealed inside an AT. He can dismount, use firearms on foot, collect weapons, and enter or leave machines when a situation calls for it. That feature changes the scale of encounters and reflects the setting's emphasis on vulnerable pilots and utilitarian hardware. On-foot routes can pass through spaces too narrow for an AT, while the larger machines are suited to breaking through combat zones with guns, missiles, collision attacks, and melee blows. Damage matters to the battle presentation as well: encounters can leave machines visibly battered, reinforcing the sense that these are machines of war rather than spotless display pieces.

The campaign revisits material from the anime across the Uoodo, Kummen, Sunsa, and Quent arcs, with missions designed around familiar story situations. Early events take place in Uoodo, a devastated, acid-rain-soaked city on Melkia that has become a refuge for former soldiers, scavengers, criminals, and people searching for the valuable fuel substance Jijirium. Chirico's search and the characters around him, including Fyana, provide the narrative thread, while the game presents set pieces involving the Scopedog and other Armored Troopers. It also offers a Battling mode centered on AT-versus-AT combat, echoing the arena fights associated with the VOTOMS world.

Mission Discs give the PS2 game an additional layer of customization and spectacle. Equipping a disc changes the special actions and abilities available to an AT, and prompts during battle create opportunities to trigger powerful Combat Programs. These moves can range from forceful attack sequences to coordinated use of equipped weapons, with short dramatic cut-ins when they activate. Progress through missions expands the selection of usable ATs, including variants such as the Blue Tish Dog, Berserga WP, and Standing Tortoise. The game can also reflect a chosen machine during real-time story scenes, letting players take a preferred AT into situations where the anime may have used another unit.

As a licensed adaptation, Soukou Kihei Votoms is notable for translating the series' machinery and physical mannerisms into interactive form. The cockpit-scale first-person option, landing posture, rotating turret lens, roller movement, and arm-powered punch all draw on recognizable details of the animation. Its 2007 release arrived alongside renewed VOTOMS activity, including the then-new Pailsen Files OVA project, and gave PS2 owners a full-length action interpretation of the original TV narrative. For players interested in Armored Trooper VOTOMS on PS2, it remains a mission-driven mecha game focused on Chirico, the ATs he pilots, and the harsh settings that define the series.