Introduction to Mecha Break
Mecha fans have been spoiled recently with the release of games such as Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon; I haven’t seen so many people hungry for mech games since the popularity of Titan Fall. However, this genre isn’t exclusively for large studios, with developer Amazing Seasun Games putting their best foot forward with their newest game, Mecha Break. Surprisingly, the studio’s only other listed game is a 3D shooter with waifus called Snowbreak: Containment Zone, which almost makes them overqualified to take on the mecha genre. I’m mostly joking, but I think we can all agree that the mecha genre means the potential for Exosuits, which means overly defined characters, which, yes, Mecha Break has. However, what else does it have under the hood? After playing through the early Playtest, I feel like games such as SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada and Gundam Breaker 4 better have a hold over their community, or else Mecha Break will surely take the player base.
Core Gameplay and Mission Structure
At its core, Mecha Break is a mission-based mecha action game. Most of the games take place online, where players build an objective list from a list of available missions, which defines what modes they will need to participate in. The online modes resemble other releases in this genre, such as Exoprimal, but its reliance on player versus player match-ups removes the environmental aspect. This leaves players to work together to accomplish objectives that include defending points, retrieving keys, delivering them, and leading a cart to a point. I know this doesn’t really make the game stand out, but it’s the gameplay that really steals the show and heightens the fun factor of each mission.
Striker Customization and Combat Mechanics
Mechs are called Strikers. At first, you have access to a handful of builds, but you easily unlock more after a few matches. Further, you can purchase other Striker designs that each have unique abilities. I’ll spend more time understanding the nuances of how different each Striker is, but for most of my time, I switched Strikers often and found that I enjoyed playing the heavy attacker classes the most. There are some defensive Strikers, but they require you to be on a capable team to utilize the various shields and abilities. I’m sure once communities are created, we’ll see some pretty cool strategies come out of these classes.
Mecha Break’s gameplay and customization options truly steal the show.
Each Striker can be customized extensively, with various parts and weapons to choose from. The game features an in-depth customization system that allows players to fine-tune their Strikers’ performance to suit their playstyle. Weapons range from high-powered laser rifles and rocket launchers to close-combat swords and energy shields. The variety in loadouts means you can tailor your Striker to be a high-speed scout, a durable tank, or a versatile all-rounder, ensuring that no two matches play out the same way.
Strategic and Cooperative Play
During a match, control is everything, and Amazing Seasun has really honed in on responsiveness without overshadowing that you are in a machine. You see, there’s a bit of a charge when it comes to some laser attacks, along with a pause when switching primary weapons, but it all feels natural. The HUD has all the information you need for cooldowns and your loadouts, which was nice for me since I kept switching so many times, but I was very surprised by how many different weapon types and builds I was able to experiment with in this early playtest. Switching from melee to range to executing a special strike while charging a burst attack looked brilliant in execution, and the more I played, the better I got at crafting these combos.
The variety in loadouts ensures no two matches play out the same way.
Another aspect that stands out in Mecha Break is the dynamic mission structure. Missions are not just straightforward battles; they often include complex objectives that require strategic planning and cooperation among team members. Some missions might require you to hack enemy systems, defend a convoy, or even engage in multi-stage boss battles against massive enemy mechs. These missions keep the gameplay fresh and challenging, ensuring that players need to adapt their strategies on the fly.
Areas for Improvement
I was very surprised with how much fun I was having with Mecha Break, but there’s definitely room to improve. The objective to capture areas happens much too quickly, which favors those capturing the points and makes defending a little too hard. Further, I do feel like the Sortie area for organizing your missions and customization could be cleaned up a bit to make adding parts to your mechs a little easier to navigate, but those areas usually get cleared up after more time playing.
Final Thoughts on Mecha Break
I couldn’t get enough of Mecha Break, and that’s all I could ask for with a game like this. The game loop relies heavily on players playing match after match to unlock the better elements of the overall experience. There’s just so much to fine-tune and discover here that has me looking forward to the official release. Now, maybe we’ll even get a summer event with some beach wear for our characters, but until then, there’s so much to be excited about in Mecha Break.
