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Bandai Namco has proven with Armored Core 6 that big robots still rock. The only problem with Armored Core 6 is that it’s a Soulslike game, and not everyone wants that. Sadly, for mech gamer fans, mainstream or accessible alternatives that truly captured the visuals and speed of big robot carnage are in short supply. So, when Mecha Break presented itself in Steam Next Fest, it was practically an oasis in the desert, especially for Gundam fans.
It’s not a pretty oasis, though. Mecha Break is apparently being bombarded with negative reviews in general due to PC gamers’ extreme distaste for kernel-level anti-cheat and connectivity issues. Surprisingly enough, despite Mecha Break‘s “Mostly Negative” reception, it still passed 317,000 concurrent players and even managed to dethrone Marvel Rivals for a bit. The player surge also probably caused some of the connectivity issues.
So, without a doubt, Mecha Break is a popular game that satisfied the cravings of multiple fanbases, be it mech fans, hero shooter fans, and more importantly, Gundam fans. If there ever was a fandom that needed an anime mech video game, then it would be Gundam fans.
Bandai Fumbled Gundam Games & Mecha Break Took Notice
Gundam fans were never exactly deprived of official Gundam games. There have been many, but most of them are either too cartoonish or lack the same depth, style, and substance of the Gundam anime. The grandest one would be Gundam Evolution— an Overwatch-esque online shooter, which sadly fell prey to poor monetization schemes.
Eventually, it became clear to Bandai that Gundam Evolution couldn’t compete with Overwatch 2— which is saying something, and had to be shut down. It simply wasn’t as successful as Bandai Namco’s other mech game, Armored Core.
Bandai’s failure with a mainstream Gundam video game was something Mecha Break decided to take advantage of. Poetically enough, Mecha Break is reaching the same level of player surge that Marvel Rivals did– a successful Overwatch 2 competitor. At least that’s the case on Steam.
On the surface, Mecha Break has fun core gameplay, in the several hours I spent in it, and even in its demo phase. It ticked the right boxes for Gundam fans, most notably, the colorful and easy-to-like mech designs– something that Armored Core 6 didn’t have because it relied more on realism and grimdark themes. The same goes for MechWarrior, which is too serious.
More importantly, Mecha Break has fast-paced action and the frenetic omni-directional combat that was reminiscent of the mecha fights in Gundam anime all in a PvPvE package. In a nutshell, Mecha Break is a hero shooter, a mech game, and a pseudo-Gundam game combined. So, what’s not to like for mech game fans?
Live Service Mech Games Have a Tendency to Self-Destruct
We did mention why Gundam Evolution failed. Mech games are already somewhat of a niche gaming genre, so a few big mistakes won’t be easily forgiven and will cost the game dearly. It just so happens that live-service games are a hotbed for mistakes.
It’s not just Gundam Evolution that made such mistakes, whether from a monetization scheme, tough competition, or a franchise-genre mismatch. A long history of live-service mech games has a tattered tapestry of collapse from Hawken to MechWarrior Online, and even Titanfall 2. Gundam Evolution is just one piece of scrap among the rusted pile.
Some of their reasons for failure were even common among them: bad monetization, pay-to-win elements, unimaginative gameplay loops, or publisher mismanagement.
Will Mecha Break Emerge Victorious?
So, it’s likely an uphill battle for Mecha Break as early as now, and the Mostly Negative review score could serve as a prelude to its failure. Because beneath the reflexive and likely unwarranted reaction to kernel-level anti-cheat, there are actually some sensibly critical Steam reviews for Mecha Break that discuss the game’s potentially predatory monetization and pay-to-win elements.
Some of the Strikers (mechs) are locked behind a battle pass, mods (mech upgrades) can practically be bought with real money, and general nickel-and-diming techniques exist for stuff like paint/colors. The game also has loot boxes and a FOMO (fear of missing out) market strategy.
Outside of monetization, the confusing UI, both in battles and lobbies, is something that needs to be addressed, and the mobile-game-like menu can cheapen the general feel of the game. At the moment PvPvE mode also leaves a lot to be desired, and the game can feel unrewarding unless you’re dabbling in pure PvP.
With that said, though, Mecha Break is no doubt a fun mech game that will likely be our best option for a live-service and mainstream “Gundam“ game for now. It’s also worth noting that Mecha Break can still improve depending on player feedback as it’s still in beta.
We can only hope that the “Mostly Negative” review score on Steam and player feedback give enough of a message to the studio so that Mecha Break isn’t fated for the junkyard like the other live-service mech games.
