Average Customer Review: ( 19 customer reviews )
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The battle system is the most unique and interesting feature to the game. It would be unfair to compare it to the battle system of the first game. What you have to keep in mind is that these games are almost completely different from each other. The first was a third-person mecha-combat/shooter, this one is a turn-based mecha strategy. Fortunately, this in no way makes the experience any less enjoyable. What separates this strategy from most others is that you actually have some control in the actual battle system (instead of simply letting chance and statistics fight it out). When you engage an enemy, the game cuts to a first-person screen in which your enemy tries to lock onto you. To avoid being struck, simply keep your cursor out of his firing range (or the enemy frame itself out of your sight) before the time expires. This is surprisingly addictive and never really gets old or tiresome.

There is a moment in FOM, though very early on, that in itself makes the game worth owning. It is after the attack on the Bonaparte III and Midwel and Alderan have just had their first encounter with the mysterious "black frame." Myona has suddenly lost her memory, trading her initially creepy and pensive persona for one of almost child-like innocence. Cage, trying to collect himself on what exactly has happened, is suddenly hard-pressed to remember the very name for what has happened to Myona. I probably do not need to give you the full details of the ensuing exchange, but for those three or so who have not heard:
Cage, worried: I guess it's...?
Myona, dumbfounded: Amnesia?
Cage, realizing what has just happened: Yeah, that's it!
It is the only time in my life I have ever laughed at that stupid "amnesia" joke, and all because of a pair of postage-stamp-sized pictures of a dumbfounded Myona and Cage (with a little help from our dear comedic friend Timing). Moments like this are sadly rare in video games, especially in Game Boy Advance games. Between the amazingly addictive battle system and endearing storyline, Fist of Mars is a valuable addition to any GBA library.

I mean, you know a game is good when it can breathe new life into one of the oldest jokes in the book.

4 of 4 found the following review helpful:

Depends on the playerNov 19, 2003
By Nathan
After reading all the reviews, and playing the game five or six times, I have come to a conclusion.

You must enjoy anime and /or manga as well as plot to enjoy this game.

I read about ZOE in a magazine, and it stood out. I decided to pick it up a few weeks later, and I played through the entire game in a matter of weeks.
This videogame has extroadinarily long cut scenes, followed by midlength battle sequences. If you like story, great, if you like alot of shooting, not so great.

Don't pay attention to the E status on there, this has quite a few swears, and some adult situations, though you must understand that all of it is written.

I must urge those who say this game has no replay value to try it again. I have played three times so far, and I have gotten two different endings, though I am sure there are more.

If you want a videogame from Nintendo that encompasses all the aspects of life that people like to glaze over, death,..., and sorrow, then get it. I did, and found one of the only games by Nintendo of it's kind.

As I said, it's all about what you want. It all depends on you.

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

One of the Best GBA GamesJun 30, 2004
By Kelvin Liu
ZOE: The Fist of Mars is easily one of the best Game Boy games ever made. The story is intriguing as are the characters. The graphics are very good during Battle Sequences and cut scenes. For any fan of anime series with giant robots, some romantic elements and plot twists, this is one game you have to buy. Even if you're not a big fan of anime, this game is still worth your money. Outside of the battle sequences, primarily in the map, the graphics aren't very good. The landscapes are not well made. Most of the scenarios are also simple, destroy all enemies maps. There is also a hands-on element called the IAS which allows you to go inside the cockpit of your vehicle to either dodge or hit an enemy vehicle. While this can become tedious and prolongs the fight, you can turn this off along with battle animations, which brings me to the next point in this game. The battle sequences are amazing and are some of the best elements in this game. The scene shows a highly detailed animation of your vehicle performing its attack. The game runs HEAVILY on story and plot, and players who don't like to read and want to get right down onto the battlefield should NOT buy this game. To enjoy it the most, you must have PATIENCE and read through all the scenes.

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

For Anime/Mech fans.Dec 01, 2003
By Andrew Strozier "Spectre"
This game is classified as strategy, yet the game takes no strategy to win. The game is VERY easy even for people who have never played strategy games before. The enemies are very easy to beat and the missions usually consist of "Eliminate the Enemy" objectives. In addition, the IAS system (which is basically a targeting minigame) basically lets you choose whether or not you want to be hit or hit the enemy. If you use the IAS all the way through the game you can beat the game without ever getting hit once. The only problem is that the IAS becomes tedious and annoying, so you'll turn it off midway, and the game will still be a piece of cake.

So why did this game win a place in my hcollection? Because it's absolutley beautiful. The battle animations are wonderful and very pleasing to the eye. The mech designs are very cool, and you grow to care for each one, like a collector's item. The battlefields are well detailed as well. The CG pics are far and few inbetween, but put the cherry on the sundae. And to top it with sprinkles, Konami added an amazing musical score to the game, making you feel each part of the game through the music. When a hyper-insane mad-scientist is burning down a city, the music depicts the atrocity and horror through the music, making you all the more eager to stop him.

But the main draw is the story. The game is played through a mission-by-mission basis, but seems more like episodes to an amine series. The game starts out with lots of mysteries and finishes off with 2 different endings, making the game even more replayable. The dialouge inbetween missions help you relate to and get to know the characters and you actually care for what happens to them next. Not many plot-twists, but the story remains constant and well contructed till the end. Very little cheesiness here. My favorite part of the dialouge are the character portraits that come up when a each charater is talking. Each character has 3-8 pics for different emotions, and they are beautifully drawn. The story itself is very well translated and flows smoothly.

So click "Add to cart", and get yourself some headfones too, because this is a theatrical experience for any anime fan, but too easy for a strategy buff.

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