Locke and loaded!
- September 15, 2038
The Earth has fallen under the rule of a hostile alien race.
The returning Expeditionary Force launches an attack to reclaim the planet.
...and knowing how the source material plays out - specifically, the Genesis Climber MOSPEADA arc - one can only imagine how it's going to end.
Robotech: Invasion is a Third-Person Shooter developed by Vicious Cycle Software in 2004, a decade before it's merger with D3 Publisher.
Like the title states, the game is based on the anime series, Robotech, this time based on the last story arc of the series adapted from Genesis Climber MOSPEADA.
Four years into the human-Invid war, a human soldier is knocked out during an Invid ambush. Losing his memory, the soldier and Player Character recovers a set of transforming armor called a Cyclone from a fallen soldier bearing the dogtags, "Locke" and decide to name himself as such (the name can be changed via Hello, [Insert Name Here]), before resuming the war.
After the Invasion, comes the Retaliation.
- After the End: Like the anime it's based on, the game is set in the aftermath of the Invid invasion, with cities in ruins a recurring sight.
- Airborne Mooks: The scout-class Invids can hover and take potshots at the player and fellow human defenders from an elevated position.
- Assist Character: More than one mission sees the player fighting alongside fellow human soldiers wearing Cyclones of their own, where they'll help in battling against hordes of Invids.
- Battle in the Rain: The battle in Bygone Marshes takes place in the middle of heavy downpour. Visibility can get really poor throughout the stage.
- Car Fu: The player in motorcycle mode can perform some extreme Motorcycle-Fu, using their ride to run over and crash through Invid enemies while firing away with built-in guns. Including ramping and transforming when in mid-air, and landing on both feet in armor form.
- Cool Bike: The motorcycle you transform into in bike mode. Kickass vehicular stunts aside, it can also fire homing missiles.
- Do Not Go Gentle: The human commander in the opening stage, who doesn't live too long afterwards as the player's soldier is the Sole Survivor."They may have us outgunned, but if we have to give in our lives, we will make the Invid pay dearly for them!"
- Easter Egg: Some spray paint can be found that says "Jack Lives" which seems to hint that the protagonist from the previous game managed to survive the story after all.
- Giant Mook: Invid Shocktroopers are the largest and most durable Invid enemies out there, requiring plenty of hits to destroy.
- Jump Jet Pack: One of the functions of the Cyclone, where they can jump while in mid-air with built-in booster packs.
- Line-of-Sight Name: In the backstroy, the amnesiac protagonist decides to name himself "Locke" after seeing the name on a set of dogtags. The player doesn't need to follow suit though.
- Mooks, but no Bosses: Plenty of Invid soldiers and grunts are killed throughout gameplay, but no bosses in sight.
- Night-Vision Goggles: The Cyclone has a night-vision mode allowing the wearer to see in the dark. The screen is layered with a green filter when it's activated.
- Powered Armor: The human defenses wears mechanical armors in order to do battle with the Invid invaders. The player protagonist notably dons the Cyclone, a mech suit that used to belong to another soldier named Locke which can transform into a motorcycle at will.
- Shield-Bearing Mook: The lanky blue Invids carries a shield alongside light machine-guns, and will keep using their shields to block your shots. Try shooting them from their sides or time your shots to damage them when their shields are momentarily lowered in hover mode.
- Shoulder Cannon: The larger Invid grunts uses twin laser cannons mounted on their shoulders, just like in the show. Their blasts can get really thick at times.
- You Can't Thwart Stage One: The very first mission ends with a cutscene of the player and his fellow marines being Lured into a Trap by the Invids. Cornered by enemies, the player gets shot and left for dead before he's recovered by a second team of human soldiers.
