Here’s the manual if you’re interested: https://archive.org/details/ps2_R.A.D.-_Robot_Alchemic_Drive_USA/mode/2up
What makes a good parody can be tricky. You need to have a care and affection for the thing you’re parodying. If you’re just taking shots at something you don’t like then you’re time would be better spent on something you do actually enjoy. It’s clear that Sandlot absolutely enjoyed these kind of stories, but if parodies are hard on their own, even harder is trying to make a parody that tells a story. It’s tricky to strike a balance between laughing at the absurd elements that make up any given genre and still having them be effective enough to create a gripping narrative.
I don’t think RAD quite sticks the landing, but the later EDF games mostly just lean into full on parody. Things are taken to such extremes that it’s already hard to take seriously. Lines like “evolve faster than science” makes it that much harder. It’s a good parody, don’t get me wrong. But it’s also different from what this game was going for. I think that abridged series can walk this line really well when their good. I think it boils down to given some serious moments room to breathe when they’re the focus. Even more important is that you can have jokes that surround them but you don’t want those jokes to undercut the moment.