Games
Sony
Microsoft
Nintendo
Other Platforms
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Steel Battalion: Line of Contact

Mixed or average reviews
Based on 19 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 9 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Capcom Entertainment
Developer: Capcom Production Studio 4
Genre(s): Action, Simulation
Players: 4
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Release Date: February 26, 2004
Summary
The sound of thunder meets a hail of grit kicked up by an army of mechanical giants. Your mission command call goes out over the wire and you prepare to lead your Vertical Tank into the annals of online dominance. Steel Battalion Line of Contact for Xbox Live is a technological breakthrough in modern gaming. An evolved form of modern military weaponry, it is your mission to understand the inner workings of your VT in order to operate its dynamic controller interface and stay alive during this military coup. To succeed, you must master the exclusive 40+ button controller to successfully pilot your VT into online battle. This time, assemble your troop of five VTs and go head-to-head with other hostile VT troops. The military dynamic of the game constantly changes with Xbox Live making Steel Battalion Line of Contact the most intense futuristic combat game ever! [Capcom]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: Steel Battalion
Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview(s) GameSpy Interview GameSpy Preview IGN Preview Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Worth Playing
LoC puts each and every mech simulator ever made to shame. If you have ever fantasized what it really would be like to pilot a hulking mountain of metal and weaponry there is no doubt that Steel Battalion: Line of Contact is as close to that fantasy as anything can get.
Read Full Review >MS Xbox World
The movement feels realistic as you plod along in your heavy machine, building up speed and even fall over when you try to turn too quickly or encounter undulating ground. The physics are as realistic as you could possibly imagine and one wonders why no government has actually made one.
Read Full Review >TeamXbox
The gameplay is truly unique when coupled with the uber-peripheral and the unique community of dedicated players. The one nice thing about Line of Contact is that the price of entry almost guarantees that there will be a strong community of gamers years down the road.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
If you're blessed with a rip-roaring connection, Steel Battalion: Line of Contact is the most engaging experience you can have with Xbox Live.
Read Full Review >Official Xbox Magazine
Cost notwithstanding, Line of Contact further adds to the most unique gaming experience in the world today. It's beautiful, immersive, and just plain fun. [May 2004, p.74]
Edge Magazine
The franchise is now only a fraction away from realising its full potential. [June 2004, p.107]
NTSC-uk
Line of Contact does provide the online experience many players wanted. Even with the steep learning curve involved, the game is something everyone should experience.
Read Full Review >Stuff
The kids who take the short bus to school will learn to drive stick faster than you’ll learn to gain even a rudimentary level of control over the Vertical Tank.
Read Full Review >Yahoo! Games
If you have the means, a good Internet connection, and salivate at the thought of a massive controller with 40 blinking buttons, Line of Contact is a must buy.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
If you loved the original Steel Battalion, I can't recommend this purchase enough...But be forewarned that there aren't exactly a ton of people online and the quality of the experience suffers for it. [May 2004, p.103]
Read Full Review >GameSpot
Geared exclusively for fans of the original who want to take the experience online, and they'll likely have some fun playing the game with other players like them.
Read Full Review >GMR Magazine
If you can handle LOC's steep learning curve, you'll enjoy an experience unobtainable on any other platform - the game is that compelling. [June 2004, p.85]
Read Full Review >TotalGames.net
When Line of Contact works, it's superb, but there are way too many problems at the moment that need correcting in order to justify its huge price tag.
Read Full Review >Maxim Online
You’ll add valuable mech piloting skills to your résumé in punishing combat situations that are as close as you’ll ever get to the real thing...were these machines not totally fictional.
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
I don't care what your friend tells you, trust me, that awkward, cumbersome, electronic behemoth may look impressive but it will be collecting dust in a few short weeks. It's like having to pilot the space shuttle to make a cup of coffee.
Electronic Gaming Monthly
But it's all a big cockpit tease, because online play is busted. [June 2004, p.106]
Xbox Nation Magazine
Buggy and unfinished - a shameful, full-priced add-on pack tarnishing the original Battalion's golden legacy. [May 2004, p.87]
games(TM)
Capcom may well have delivered a game that can offer an online experience like nothing else currently available, but it's presented in such a haphazard fashion that many gamers will grow frustrated with the connection problems and simply go back to their other online titles. [May 2004, p.106]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Jesse C. gave it a10:
This game was the best game i have ever played it is the most realistic game out there and i bet if the price went down then more people would buy it.
Jason F. gave it a 10:
The coolest game ever! Almost like your actually piloting a real mech. Great graphics, destructive environments, and a huge 40+ button controller. Pricey, but awesome!
Ryan M. gave it a 0:
Its gotta be the most overpriced p.o.s. i've ever played. Whats with the useless buttons? Flipping useless switches to start the freakin' engine. Whats up with that? and finally, after the 20 minutes of flipping retarted switches and buttons and ignition switches and pedals (you get my drift) you then are launched to an extremely low graffic game of dark squares blasting you with little yellow flairs!... Also, you can't play this game anywhere near a friend because they get so sick of waiting that before you even launch, they press the eject button and force you to go through another 20 mins of setup. Bottom line: If there was a convention of burning games (Much like the old fashoned burning books) this game would be on the top of the list along with it's $200 box of useless buttons and colorful stickers.
Jeff F. gave it a 9:
A must buy, order direct if you have to. The community and experience are like nothing else out there. This is quite possibly the future of online gaming.
Mike D. gave it an 8:
Luckly a local EB Games had 1 in stock so i was quick to go pick it up. wow thats really all i can say. I never played many mech games i think i played one back in the early 90's, but this game is so involved that it draws you in. i was able to get thru the first couple of missions w/o reading the manual. but man i think the game as a whole has a semi steep learning curve. you really have a lot to pay attention to on the screen and altho you have a 40 button remote you dont have to use alot of them in the early missions. you pretty much just have to pay attention to your weapons and associated buttons. when you start up your mech each time the remote goes thru a "power up phase" and it tests all the lights w/ a spectacular light sequence show. i found myself playing in the dark just to aww at the remote. so far i give the game a 7 or 8 on a 10 scale. simply for the fact of the following: huge remote (very cool but combersome) learning physical/mental curve (not for your seldom game player or physicaly handicaped player) i dont want to knock it befor i get crazy into it but as a new player i would have made the following adjustments. 1) ditch the pedles and use the left joystick to move forward and reverse OR forward and slowdown (by pulling back on the joystick) 2) you could intergrate a button on the left joy stick for the sidestep peedle. 3) loosen up the (aiming) right joystick a tad. this will prolly happen on its own w. use. altho i dont find the stiffness difficult and relativly smooth, i think if it was a bit looser and freeflowing it would be a bit easier to aim. deffinetly add a memory card slot and voice communicator slot in the controlor my controler had blue buttons vs green(i was happy cuz blue is one of my fav colors) i was worried about the $200 price tag i dont think i will be so into it that i will keep it more then a few months mabey a year (unless they come out with more games that can use the controller *crosses my fingers*) but all in all it is deffinetly a much higher gameing experiance then anything else i have played. I have on douby you would be able to use a regular remote to play the game (at the current time you can not) but you would deffinely miss out on the awsome experiance and sim feel of the game.
Adrian C. gave it a 10:
This is a truly great game. It takes brains and skill to play and I have been enjoying every minute online. Make no mistake, this is greatly different from the single player game, which i found borderline borring. This version fixes every problem I encountered in the first and, in my opinion, is completely worth the high price of the game controller.
sNaP sNaP gave it a 9:
First things first. LoC has some connectivity problems. Capcom seriously needs to address this ASAP. It doesn't ruin the game, but lost connections and some lag do really mar the overall experience. Now, on to the game itself. When you actually get into a good server, this game is absolutely incredible. The controls are tight, the graphics are excellent, and the sound is phenominal. The only thing I was really hoping for, as far as control wise, was a quicker way to turn your VT around during a fight. You have to swing a fairly wide angle at high speed to turn without falling over. Currently there are only 4 maps with 3 different modes of play. The maps are all fairly good sized and offer different strategies to accomplish your mission. The modes are Deathmatch, Container retrieval, and Conquer. Deathmatch is exactly like it sounds. Up to 10 VT's battle it out, in an every man for himself battle. Container retrieval has you cross into enemy lines and steal their containers and return them to your own bases for points. It sounds lame, I know, but it's hella fun. Conquer has you taking over the opponents bases and destroy their cities. Destroying cities is awesome! Watching buildings crumble before you is an awe inspiring site. I expect a lot of content updates out of Capcom over the coming months. New maps, VT's, and special VT parts are all on my wish list. I'm sure Capcom will keep up the support for years to come. If you already own Steel Battalion, then it's a no brainer that you should have SB: LoC as well. If you're on the fence about getting Steel Battalion due to it's high price tag, let me assure you, the original game is hands down worth it. Add LoC on top of that and SB has endless playablity.
