AirMech Wastelands
- July 6, 2018
- Carbon Games
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"AirMech Wastelands is an action-RPG set in a post-apocalyptic America, where you operate powerful mechs and build armies to fight off enemies. Customize your pilot and AirMechs, and uncover new technology as you explore a vast world and complete stealth missions. Level up, improve stats, and battle to become a leader in the resistance.". Less than 300 characters.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of RTS and RPG mechanics, providing engaging gameplay with a variety of mechs and units.
- The campaign mode is enjoyable and can be played cooperatively, allowing for a fun experience with friends.
- Graphics and art style are appealing, and the game runs smoothly on most systems.
- The game suffers from a grindy progression system that forces players to replay missions excessively to level up and acquire resources.
- There are concerns about the game's future, as it appears to be abandoned by developers with no new content or updates.
- The user interface is clunky and lacks clear instructions, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics.
- story125 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in "Airmech Wastelands" is generally considered lackluster, with many players describing it as flat and uninspired, primarily serving as a framework for a series of repetitive missions. While there are some interesting ideas and mechanics, such as on-foot segments and co-op play, the overall narrative fails to engage, often feeling like a mere mission selector rather than a cohesive storyline. Players express disappointment over the missed potential for a richer narrative experience, with many missions described as simple and routine.
“The gameplay is the same and the story is good, though I wish the voice acting was a bit better.”
“I like what they did with the story mode and I hope they keep up the good work.”
“From what I've seen so far, it's all I had hoped for when they first announced a story-driven campaign.”
“The 'story' is just awful.”
“Absolutely cookie-cutter storyline.”
“The missions are so simple and routine that it feels job-like, and the forced 'stealth' missions are just awful, completely no fun to play.”
- gameplay62 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is described as confusing and inconsistent, with mechanics that feel disjointed and overly grindy. Players express frustration with the lack of clarity regarding unit strengths and the punishing leveling system, which requires starting over when switching classes. While some find the core gameplay loop enjoyable and creative, many criticize it for being repetitive, tedious, and lacking depth, particularly at higher difficulties.
“At least at the start there is a lot of different gameplay like picking things up and putting them down somewhere else, and the transformations are really cool.”
“Gameplay is good, controls are freely bindable.”
“Unique and fun gameplay--ARPG/RTS/MOBA hybrid.”
“The game's gameplay features and mechanics are all over the place; it's just too confusing.”
“The game gives little information about the strengths and weaknesses of units. The leveling system is per-mech, meaning if you switch classes, you have to play the entire game from the start again. Additionally, cosmetics give you a gameplay advantage on top of having to pay real money for them.”
“Gameplay is repetitive and grind-packed at higher difficulties. The enemy AI doesn't get smarter; it just gets more HP and does a little more damage, which effectively forces you to cheese it by turtling until it kills itself enough times so you can progress.”
- grinding24 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
Grinding in the game is widely criticized for being tedious and excessive, particularly after the halfway point, where players feel compelled to repeat missions to keep up with escalating upgrade costs. Many reviewers express frustration with the lack of engaging content and the necessity to grind for in-game currency, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and makes the game feel more like a freemium title despite its price tag. While some new players appreciate the grind for unique items, the general consensus is that the repetitive nature of grinding significantly hampers the gameplay experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding feels awful: after the level snow fall roughly halfway through the game, it quickly becomes about grinding as Airmech upgrades get more expensive. While Airmech part drops do get better as you play on, scrap output does not increase enough to keep up with the shop.”
“Gameplay loop is tedious and grindy, even for a player like me who bought the prime package in the first game that carried over to this one.”
“Lack of updates and grindy mechanics make this once fun game into a real slog.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the impeccable art style and cartoonish aesthetic that fits the game's theme, while others note that the visuals feel dated and occasionally stutter. Overall, the graphics are described as visually appealing, though they may not be the main draw for all players.
“Graphics are impeccable and controls on the controller are pretty good.”
“Graphics are cool, Borderlands-like, slightly cartoonish but in a good way.”
“Very nice art style and overall graphical fidelity.”
“And a stuttering like I have not heard since way back when I had a Pentium 133 with Windows 95 and tried to run brand new games. The graphics played normally, but the sound stuttering made it repeat over and over, and it was annoying.”
“Graphics are undoubtedly dated, which they try to hide with a cartoony art style.”
“I don't care much about visuals, but its age shows.”
- monetization13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that it leans heavily on microtransactions, making it feel more like a cash grab than a complete product. Despite being a paid game, it incorporates numerous in-game purchases and elements reminiscent of free-to-play models, leading to frustration among newcomers who struggle to compete with veteran players. Overall, the monetization approach has detracted from the game's enjoyment and has not lived up to the standards set by its predecessor.
“What people didn't know is that those microtransactions are tied to the free-to-play version, Strike.”
“There are microtransactions, but from what I understand, they are purely cosmetic or only affect AirMech Strike, which is a separate game.”
“Understanding that the game comes from a free-to-play background, I get that there is a market because of this, but in the world of microtransactions, crates, and DLC, I'm anxious to see how much impact this will have on Wastelands and wonder just how much the developers entrench free-to-play mechanics in the game.”
“People gave the game negative reviews due to it having a lot of microtransactions for a $10 game.”
“I won't sugarcoat it, it seems like a pay-to-get-early-access to a free-to-play game; it even contains free-to-play pay-to-win microtransactions.”
“Coupled with the fact that it still uses microtransactions despite being a paid game, newcomers can feel completely worthless when compared to veteran players.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game, primarily composed by Front Line Assembly, has received high praise for its industrial sound, enhancing the overall experience and making it a significant selling point. Reviewers commend the soundtrack as a standout feature, with some considering it worth the price of admission alone. The collaboration between the music team and the game's art direction has also been positively noted.
“The fact it has Front Line Assembly who did the soundtrack and the band members are in the game is enough to get me to buy it!”
“I have to give kudos to the art and music team for the game.”
“The soundtrack is by Front Line Assembly.”
“All this madness is set to a very industrial Front Line Assembly soundtrack, which on its own is probably worth the price of admission.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing significant audio stuttering reminiscent of older hardware, while others report stable performance at 60fps, only dropping to around 45fps during intense battles. Overall, the game's performance can be inconsistent, particularly in busy scenarios, leading to frustration for some players.
“Generally, taking a sidekick that focuses on your desired objectives makes you more effective at achieving them, although their actual performance in battle can be quirky and unpredictable.”
“[*] Performance has held at 60fps in all but the most intense battles, dropping down to around 45fps with many units and gunfire on the screen (gtx980 4gb/5820k@stock/8gb ddr4/ssd).”
“Apparently I am the only one with audio stuttering in this game.”
“The stuttering is reminiscent of the days when I had a Pentium 133 running Windows 95, trying to play new games. The graphics were fine, but the sound stuttering was repetitive and incredibly annoying.”
“The occasional mental stuttering that the game causes can be frustrating.”
- stability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with users noting that it runs well even at high settings despite some glitches and a lack of updates. While there are minor UI bugs and occasional confusion regarding navigation, these issues do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
“But other than the free-to-play feel on a pay-to-play game, it's a great game and it runs great. It looks fantastic at max settings with 4K (2160p).”
“It should say a lot, though, that it's great, even with its glitches and lack of updates.”
“Solo has many varieties of glitches that can occur.”
“I have no particular problem with the game, though I found the UI to be mildly buggy and sometimes obtuse – where do I go to pick my currently active AirMech, again? Where do I go to design unit loadouts?”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's "endless replayability" due to its timed events and variability in the story, which provide engaging goals that enhance the overall experience beyond casual play.
“Having a goal makes a game much more playable.”
“Endless replayability: timed events and story-based variability.”
“While I hold no ill will toward just-for-fun sparring, having a goal makes a game much more playable.”
- humor1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a quirky premise where a funny robot battles against humorless iron people attempting global domination, creating a comedic contrast that adds to the overall enjoyment.
“The funny robot stops global domination by unfunny iron people.”
“The humor falls flat, making the jokes feel forced and unoriginal.”
“I expected clever wit, but instead, I got a series of tired clichés.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive graphics and engaging gameplay, which remain intact despite the evolution into two separate titles. Players appreciate the addition of PvE-only missions, enhancing the overall experience without compromising the original feel.
“Evolved and split into two games; I had to buy Wastelands because of some issues, but I don't regret it. It works great, with the same graphics, atmosphere, and gameplay, but with a whole lot of PvE-only missions.”
