Note: This review will cover the Switch and PC versions of Super Robot Wars 30, with the score defaulting to the PC version. This will generally cover base game content only unless otherwise noted. I would also like to thank Fei from the Akurasu Wiki Discord for some clarification as to some of the content from the Majestic Prince anime regarding translation differences.

When a game series hits its 30th anniversary, they usually need to do something special to ensure they have many more years to keep going. While Super Robot Wars 30 may not satisfy everyone, it does a lot that is both traditional to the franchise and a lot that is new to provide series veterans and new players a lot to enjoy. The fact it is available on Steam in Western countries with no foreign language hoops to jump (and the Switch version can be easily imported) is just icing on the cake that, on the whole, deserves some rave reviews.

It is the year NSE 100. Ever since NSE 90, the Earth Sphere has been scourged with constant threats from outer space and its own lands. Aside from one miraculous year of peace, the people have known constant upheaval and it has caused the power of the Earth Federation to become brittle. The space colonies have either risen up in revolt or are as toothless to resist the same threats that besiege the Earth. Hope almost seems lost, but not all have given up. The greatest minds of Earth have placed their hopes in one last project to secure peace for Earth and the solar system once and for all, and the students of Military Academy 30 wind up its inheritors. The fruits of that project are given them so that humanity will not be destroyed, and they vow to unite everyone who wants more than just one year of peace to combine with the finest mechanical minds to bring all that threatens the solar system to heel in a decisive Super Robot War.

The following series are represented, in whole or in part:

The gameplay is typical of most Super Robot Wars games. It takes place on top-down battle maps with an isometric view. Players move units like chess pieces to face enemy units in animated combat sequences to clear maps. In-between are visual novel-style story scenes with an intermission to upgrade pilots and machines. Unlike most games in the series (save the Wonderswan Compact games), instead of a branching route with a static plot fixed to visual novel style determined choices, the game has a freeform plot where the player can select missions on a battle map spanning the solar system. This key change means the game is far less linear than previous titles, with character recruitment and many plot levels (marked by a star) mostly completable in any order, leading to a lot of replay value.

Graphically, the game uses a hand-drawn anime aesthetic on the visual novel scenes with characters and settings rendered as accurately as possible to their source settings. The isometric map scenes retain the pseudo-3D look that they have retained since Super Robot Wars V. The visual novel scenes contain accurate anime-style art of the licensed and original characters, all well animated and expressive. Battle scenes consist of frame-accurate renditions of attacks from the source canons the mecha originated. The user interface has a few tweaks from the SRW V/T/X games but should be familiar to players of the preceding titles. While reusing the engine from those games, they now have indicators of when attacks are likely to be fatal and force indicators giving players handy information on the state of the battle map. All platforms lock the interface to 60 FPS and all battle scenes are at 30 FPS, for reasons of smoothness and engine stability.

Sounds and music are excellent, per Super Robot Wars tradition. Music defaults to mostly instrumental music, with a few vocals, all either well-done synth-rock style tunes for the original music or quite faithful to their vocal counterparts for the licensed series. If the player has the Premium Sound Pack DLC, they have the option of full game-sized vocals in place of most instrumentals, as well as some additional vocals that can be assigned to units and maps at player preference. The sound effects are all pitch-perfect from the series they hail from and are very pleasant on the ear. PC gamers also have the option of uploading custom music as MP3s for use in-game.

This game controls well on both the Switch and PC platforms. I played on a handheld Switch and found the game maps well to the directional sticks and buttons of the Switch. On PC, both the keyboard and any Steam compatible controller will work fine. There are options to rebind keys as needed, but I found stock settings work well on all systems.

Super Robot Wars 30 is generally a stable game on both Switch and PC. For users of Linux, this will run very well via the Steam Proton service. DLC content has an interesting relationship with stability in this game because it was designed to "slot in" at any point of the game. While this generally works fine (and leads to different dialogue and altered reactions to certain content), be advised due to the freeform nature of level progression, there may be unforeseen textual oddities, like certain characters referring to events or characters not present. Free updates also count as pseudo-DLC since they too can add new content and characters, and may introduce unforeseen bugs, though the developers are generally prompt at addressing them.

Morally, this game has some issues.

Violence is of the RPG fashion, where orders are given and you watch the blood and goreless result. Violence takes place in the context of lawful military orders and self-defense only against machines and monsters. Multiple attempts are even made to seek peaceful resolutions, with combat only done when that is impossible. There are two brief scenes where someone has mild blood on their clothing, to imply they were tortured, but these brief scenes aside the game has no blood displayed.

Language is somewhat earthy. Most PG-13 swears will be heard at some point, given this is set in a military-style setting. Stuff like a**, s**t, and d**n are fairly common. There is some recurrent sexual humor, due to the inclusion of the series Majestic Prince, like a running gag about watching implied pornography (nothing shown, this joke was adapted from the source), but not much worse aside from some mild flirting references otherwise.

There are some form-fitting female pilot suits and some displays of cleavage on occasion, generally restricted to certain pilot cut-in animations. Otherwise, the game generally stays out of the gutter. There is one character from the Majestic Prince series who is androgynous. Whether they are male, female, or genetically intersex is never cleared up. The script refers to them as they/them much like the source anime English version, where the other characters settled on this to refer to the character in question, who did not object. This in turn was adapted from the Japanese dub, which used a similar language.

There are some mentions of souls remaining after death and events in-game explicitly depicted as supernatural. The titular Geass of Code Geass has a basis in an Irish/Gaelic folklore term, though it's shown these can be used for good or evil. It's worth noting several series with explicit or implicit Christian themes exist alongside the former, and the abuse of the supernatural or attempts to manipulate it is discouraged by humans.

There is also some fantasy magic content courtesy of the Magic Knight Rayearth and "Knights & Magic" series, but this has no real-world counterpart. The localization of the Code Geass Movie refers to a supernatural being as "God" (noted as not being the actual God, rather a different being entirely from Jungian psychological theory), while Magic Knight Rayearth uses the inaccurate stylized name "Rune God" for the titular Rayearth and other MKR mechs, while the proper term "Mashin" is still used in voiceovers. In both cases, no actual blasphemy against the actual God is intended.

Morally, you play as a legitimately empowered autonomous military corps deputized with a wide latitude of responsibility for defending Earth and the solar system in general. The laws and customs of war and military regulation, as they are possible to enforce, are strongly encouraged, and all legitimate authority is given due respect and support. Due to the presence of the Brave Police J-Decker series, respect for police and the justice system is a prominent element. There are mentions of discrimination thanks to the inclusion of the UC Gundam franchise, but this is not a prominent theme and is mostly a backstory element.

Getting the endings requires answering certain ethical questions, and depending on the answers it will unlock certain endings. While there are no true "correct answers", this aspect of the game may have some ethical concerns for some, please see the below spoiler for more details:

Super Robot Wars 30 does have some noteworthy moral lessons of note. Due to the presence of the Gun X Sword series especially, the virtues of marriage between man and wife and the attendant joy they can bring each other within in the bonds of matrimony is strongly encouraged. Celibacy until that union is also mentioned as a moral positive and such a relationship deserves equal respect and care from both sides.

Another good moral lesson that is repeatedly emphasized is that Man may have the ability to gain power, both via science and via supernatural means, but that both come with the danger that if we allow ourselves to go mad with the lust and desire to acquire either, we will only bring about destruction, both on ourselves and others.

The Grecian myth of the flame of Prometheus is alluded to in support of this. Implicit references to the Christian concept that such lust for power and abuse of the same is destructive to the body and soul are also referred to, with it clear that no matter what power Man may attain, it is the summit of arrogance to assume this makes Man as one like God. Examples of those who destroy themselves in their lust for power beyond their control or understanding is another repeated theme, and it's a cornerstone of the plot that any power Man has should be relinquished before it becomes a snare to do evil. Conversely, if Man can use that power to do good, it falls upon them to ensure its use remains so.

Overall, despite a few minor issues, Super Robot Wars 30 is generally a successful experiment in taking a long-running franchise in a new direction and is very fun to play. Morally, it has some issues, tempered by a lot of morally commendable themes. Overall, it's an amazing game, especially being the very first Super Robot Wars with a native English release, and I consider it a very worthy purchase for any fan of the series or turn-based strategy.