Platform	Xbox
Specifications	Dolby Digital 5.1
Available	Now
Price	6800 yen
Genre	High Speed Chase Action
Developer	From Software
Publisher	From Software

From Software is calling this a high speed chase action game, and it's an accurate description of what the game is. Imagine being able to play the crazy plane dogfight sequences from the Anime Macross Plus, Murakumo delivers such an experience. The introduction movie to game is a great indicator of what the game would be like.

Murakumo is not a complex mech simulator with complex controls and realistic physics. It's an all out action game with simple controls and gameplay that is simple to understand. The meat of the game is the story mode, with many missions that the player must complete with the Cloudbreaker (that's what the flying mechs are called) of his or her choice. Each Cloudbreaker has different weapon systems and physical characteristics which influences the player's technique greatly. For instance, the highly maneuverable red Cloudbreaker has a highly accurate rapid fire cannon and heat seeking missiles which allows the player to chase down prey easily and take them down. However, the purple Cloudbreaker has a bazooka and mega cannon which are very difficult to manipulate. The mega cannon is so powerful that the recoil from firing the gun pushes the mech backwards! It might be hard to hit moving targets with the mega cannon, but a single hit is sure to kill almost anything!

First and foremost, the game gives the player the freedom to fly almost anywhere on the playfield. However, if the player fails to keep in close vicinity of the target, the mission will end due to inability to meet the goals of the mission.

Controls are simple. X allows the player to switch between 3rd person and 1st person cockpit views. R trigger is boost, while L trigger is reverse boost. A fires the primary weapon, and B fires the "ex" weapon. The player can select between normal and inversed Y-axis directional control as well. The game also has nice HUD display customization features that allow the player to choose what information to display, in the colour of his or her choice.

The initial story involves the main characters of the game trying to fend off attacks from rogue units (AI driven mechs). The plot segments are conveyed to the player before every mission. Voice acting is expectedly terrible. Excuse me, why can't you guys ever hire decent voice actors? I know of a whole bunch of foreigners in Tokyo who are extremely talented voice actors who would do this for free....

The game delivers an incredible sense of speed. Try boosting in between rows of high speed buildings, or flying close to water surfaces under bridges, the feeling is simply unmatched! Despite a ton of action going on the screen at once, the game manages to maintain a pretty smooth 60 fps framerate most of the time. The game does slow down whenever there are too many particles, explosions, flying debris and smoke being displayed at a single time.

Murakumo is a very beautiful game, and quite likely one of the most visually stunning games released on Xbox to date. You have to see this on a progressive scan TV to appreciate the full beauty and visual experience of the game. The cityscapes are immensely detailed and the buildings are real obstacles in your chase, they aren't merely decorative objects. The game also has an incredible night CT sequence.

The 5.1 sound effects in the game are very well done, with great sound effects. This is what a mech action game should sound like! Too bad most of the in-game rock music soundtrack is not quite inspiring. I did kind of like the title track since though it somehow manages to get my adrenaline flowing whenever I watch the introduction movie.

I like this game thus far. More impressions as I spend more time with it.