Summary
Whether it be a mobile high-speed mech or a more tank-like and bulky one, almost everybody has had the fantasy of piloting one of these giant machines.Various anime and films in popular culture have no doubt powered this fantasy, captivating their audiences' imaginations. While society is still a little ways off from inventing mechs, video games help fill that void.
There are a great number of video games that allow players to live out the mecha fantasy through excellent gameplay mechanics, strategy, and just plain good ol' customization. While plenty of video games have mechs in them,the truly great games of the mecha genreput a huge focus on the mechs themselves.
For those who want some form of adaptation of their favorite mech anime,Super Robot Wars 30is the way to go. Featuring multiple mechs from different anime — including but not limited to,multiple Gundam series,Code Geass,andGetter Robo—Super Robot Warslets players assemble a team comprised of their favorite mechs. Gameplay is akin to a grid-based strategy RPG, where, as expected, the mechs are each controlled on their respective turns.
One thing that makesSuper Robot Warsso fun is the unique attacks each unit has, which play out as a special animation each time they are used. They feel satisfying to execute while simultaneously giving fan service in a genuine and fun way. It is an excellent celebration of the mecha genre.
Considering how close theMetal Gearfranchise is to mecha in some of its story beats, it only makes sense that Hideo Kojima would produce the second game in theZone Of The Endersfranchise.Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runnerhas players flying around in an orbital frame (this game’s version of a mech) called Jehuty.
It plays like afast-paced 3rd person action gameand progression involves defeating multiple robots and other orbital frames using a variety of weapons and sub-weapons, including missiles and a laser blade. More interesting abilities, like a short-range teleport, are also available.Zone Of The Enders 2presents its story with the occasional anime cutscene and, while the voice acting can be questionable at times, it only adds to the game’s overall charm. The latest version of2nd Runnerintroduces the ability to play in VR.
PlayStation 2
Genre
Action-Adventure
Robot Alchemic Drive, orRADby its very appropriate shorthand, has a unique take on the mecha genre. Rather than putting the player directly in the pilot’s seat of a mech, the game opts for the rather underutilized approach of a 2nd person camera. This works by having the player move a human character around in 3rd person until they can get a good view of their giant robot, before switching to robot controls, viewing the robot through the protagonist’s eyes. Repositioning the camera is key to winning the game’s various missions.
Besides allowing the fights to be much more cinematic than its contemporaries, this perspective also allows a unique control scheme where each analog stick controls one of the robot’s arms, and the shoulder buttons control the legs. It’s a strange system to get used to at first, but one that feels incredibly satisfying to learn. Meanwhile, fights in this game take place across a city, so there’s sure to be destruction when an enemy or player robot goes flying backwards after a heavy punch.
Going for the unique approach of a birds-eye view strategy game,Into The Breachis about time-traveling mech pilots trying and stop the invasion of an alien species called the Vek. As expected, there’s a variety of different mechs and weapons to choose from and pilots come with their own special skills if they can be obtained.
Into The Breachintroduces a twist on the strategy game formula, allowing players to see every move performed by their enemies and how much damage they will do, allowing players to react accordingly. It isn’t as easy as it sounds though; thinking several turns ahead is still a must for a successful run and the game can get pretty challenging at points, sometimes forcing a sacrifice of one of the units to be made to succeed.Thanks to its Roguelike natureand generation of levels,Into The Breach’s replayability is nigh infinite.
PlayStation 4
Fighting
Most 3D anime arena fighting games can feel incredibly shallow and succeed more on fan service than with decent gameplay.Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS Maxiboost On(referred to asMBONfor short) is no such game. Originally a Japanese arcade exclusive before being ported to console,MBONlets players choose their favorite mobile suit from a roster of 183 options, and each one feels fleshed out and fun to play.
The gameprimarily focuses on 2v2 gameswhere teams share a health bar. The stronger the mobile suit suit, the more team health is lost on death. Teams will have to communicate and work out what mobile suits synergize with each other to come out on top.MBONis also a great celebration of theGundamfranchise, with how many suits and stages it offers. Now if Bandai Namco could just get around to porting the more recent games that are currently exclusive to Japanese arcades.
Perhaps one of the greatest multiplayer shooters of all time,Ttanfall 2has a nice selection of specialized mechs for any player’s preference, from the melee-focused Ronin to fire-based Scorcher. These titans will have to be earned first though, which is achieved by getting kills or scoring in multiplayer matches, which typically involves theplayer zipping between multiple buildingstrying to outmaneuver the enemy team. The end of most matches involves chaotic bouts by both teams and their titans. It’s also possible, if challenging, to kill a titan on foot, creating an immense feeling of satisfaction when achieved.
Titanfall 2also has an amazing single-player campaign which should not be missed. Standout missions involve the now famous time travel level (which allows players to jump between two points in time) and a mission that consists of the player fighting on an automated assembly line as it builds suburban housing.
The gold standard for mech games,Armoured Core 6: Fires Of Rubiconis the culmination of everything FromSoftwarehas learned from its previous games. Missions are fast, frantic, and fun, often putting players up against multiple other mechs (called Cores in the universe) and gigantic bosses, and rewarding players who master the game’s systems. It’s also incredibly replayable, offering multiple different endings and new missions upon starting New Game +.
Where the game really shines is in its customization options. Players have the option of the standard bipedal, tank, hover, and reverse joint Cores, all of which have their own benefits and drawbacks. Players also have access to a truly massive selection of parts and weapons, all of which can change how they play dramatically and require careful consideration to make the best builds. If that wasn’t enough, colors (as well as a player emblem) can be customized, meaning that no two Cores will ever be the same.
