Should I Play the Front Mission Games in Order?

As an avid Front Mission fan and tactical RPG expert, I highly recommend playing the core games in release order to appreciate the deep lore and unfolding storyline across the series. But don‘t worry – the games still hold up great as standalones too!

An Interconnected War Saga Spanning Decades

While each Front Mission title features a mostly self-contained plot, an overarching narrative connects them across several decades from the 2080s to 2110s. The games present a rich sci-fi world with complex geopolitics between rival superpowers.

Technological progression also ties the series together. We witness the origins of combat mecha technology called Wanzers in the earlier games and see them evolve from crude prototypes to highly advanced machines over time.

[INSERT TIMELINE CHART TRACING MAJOR EVENTS & RELEASE DATES]

Key factions like the USN, OCU, and Zaftra carry over between titles too. Their shifting alliances and military operations unfold across the storyline. We revisit locations like Huffman Island across multiple games as well.

So in short, playing the games in order connects all these dots perfectly!

Original Classics vs. Modern Remakes

For many fans, myself included, the original PS1-era FM games are cherished classics that still hold up today. Their sprites, gameplay systems, and stories take me back.

However, I still highly recommend new players try the recent remakes of FM 1-3 too! These enhanced versions smooth out rough edges in the retro originals with:

• Gorgeous 3D visuals and UI
• Refined combat and controls
• Additional side content
• Adjustable difficulty settings
• And more QOL improvements!

So they serve as excellent entry points while honouring core mechanics and narratives.

Ideally play both versions to get the full experience! But focus on the remakes if the classics feel too archaic.

Ever-Evolving Gameplay Across the Series

A key reason to play Front Mission titles in order is seeing how their turn-based tactical gameplay expands across the series.

The first FM game on SFC established core mechanics like wanzers, pilots, weapons, stats, and battlefield positioning. FM2 built on these foundations by introducing branching story paths and greater wanzer customization.

By FM3-4 on PS1-2, battles grew larger in scale with new unit types, formations, team attacks, and terrain effects. The combat facets grew deeper but more complex too.

Then FM Evolved on PS3-360 overhauled the system into a action-oriented third-person shooter – a controversial change that alienated some fans. Thankfully the remasters return to turn-based roots!

So playing in release order shows how the gameplay philosophy shifts between strategic and action focus. Both styles have merits!

Critics Love the Series too!

While not quite triple-A mainstream, Front Mission enjoys acclaim as a long-running mech combat franchise among fans and reviewers alike.

Let‘s look at some of the critical reception highlights across the years:

Game	Release	Metacritic	IGN
Front Mission	1995	N/A	N/A
Front Mission 2	1997	N/A	8.4/10
Front Mission 3	1999	82%	8.6/10
Front Mission 4	2003	74%	8.5/10
Front Mission Evolved	2010	71%	6.5/10

Pretty solid scores, especially for early experimental entries! FM3 stands out as a series high point for innovation and polish at the time.

The latest remakes are also gettinguniversal acclaim for revitalizing the classics. So there‘s never been a better time to jump in.

In Conclusion…

Playing Front Mission games in chronological order connects their overlapping lore, technologies, and unfolding wartorn timeline across over three decades. Later entries build on foundations set by early ones.

However each core game still shines brightly alone too thanks to self-contained stories and casts. So don‘t be afraid to jump around based on setting/characters that intrigue you most!

I recommend starting with either the original PS1 trilogy or their fantastic remakes in the Front Mission Saga Project. Then if you love the tactical RPG goodness, go back to play earlier titles to see where it all began!

Let me know if you have any other Front Mission questions! Now if you‘ll excuse me, I need to install missile launchers on my wanzer…