Hello all the internet people out there!
I want to talk about how the PS2 game RAD Robot Alchemic Drive, and how they did their controls right, while their controls are also fairly clunky and blatantly bad.
The game is a mech - or mecha - fighting game, that lets you run around as a human, and partake in mech to mech combat in real time.
They do this by having you look through the human characters eyes at the mech, which are called Meganite, of which is controlled by your human character like a remote control car. You can switch back and forth freely between mech and human whenever you want by pressing "select" on your controller. By pressing "select" you switch from a third person camera on the human to a second person camera on the Meganite with a full control switch between the two. I like this design decision because it makes you feel small as human, but powerful as the Meganite. It also means you have to decide where you are going to go as the human. Maybe you want to stand on the Meganite's shoulder to fight, but if you do this, you can get knocked off and take damage as the human. Instead of this do you go stand on the building beside the fight, but risk the chance of having the building crumble under you from combat? Keep in mind both you and the Meganite have a life bar, if either one drops you lose the match/level. So you need to position your human character in a good vantage spot but also out of harm's way, the same goes for the Meganite when you're running around as a human. It helps that you have an anti gravity device that lets you hover up to the top of buildings, so there is no climbing or just viewing the battle from street level.
Now to talk about the controls. Assuming that the last part put it into perspective about how the game makes you feel like you are remote controlling a Meganite, instead of just being the Meganite. You use the R1 and L1 button to move forward by alternating them, L2 and R2 to move back by alternating, Holding both R1 and R2 makes your Meganite turn right and L1 and L2 turn to the left. You can jump by pressing both L2 and R2 to crouch and then L1 and R1 to launch into the air. You use the analogue sticks to throw punches, in a way that is similar to the Fight Night series games. If you click them in you can change you hands to a different kinds of weapons. the face buttons are used for different types of projectile attacks, except for the square button. the square button is used to transform the Meganites from Fortress mode (Vehicle mode) and Tower mode (Combat mode).
The Meganites are also fairly powerful strength wise, because one punch can send you flying through a building destroying it completely.
These controls are slow and clunky. The controls are not the best by the status quo of today's games but, why does that have to be bad? These clunky and slow controls actually help make you feel that you are controlling a Meganite with a remote control, and not just playing a game as one. These controls can become something incredibly stressful to the player,"OH GAWD I GOTTA HIT HIM BEFORE HE HITS ME." You don't want to go flying and have to change position for the view. But that adds a whole level of immersion and depth to the game. The second person view by looking through the human's eyes at the Meganite adds an immersive feel to it. Mixed with the controls gives it the feel that you are controlling it like an RC car. So now this sounds punishing, but it's actually pretty well balanced. There is a good chunk of attacks you can use to help put you on even ground, the enemy Meganites also move the same as you so that also puts you on equal ground with them. With these clunky controls and slow movements it means you have to plot out what your going do and not just go in mashing the analogue sticks to deal damage. You have to actually strategize. You have the ability to aim your attacks to send them flying in the direction you want to send them. Although this game sounds like it's fairly difficult and you have to plan your attacks, movement, and so forth, it is actually a pretty fair game. In most ways it may be difficult but you do have the freedom to play as you want.
The Meganite controls are actually more fun and there is more to it but I don't need to get into those to express how immersive they are. The Meganite controls are a ton of fun especially when playing with friends. It is a definite must try.
Now I am not, going to talk about the human controls because they are pretty bad. Let's just say that they are manageable and simple. The real meat is the Meganite controls in this game
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day/ evening.
Good bye for now! :)