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AirMech Wastelands Game Cover

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AirMech Wastelands is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Carbon Games and was released on July 6, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

AirMech Wastelands is an Action-RPG set in an alternate future America following a global collapse of modern civilization. You are an AirMech Pilot, with the skills to fly and upgrade these ultimate pre-war machines. You and others like you are needed to help protect the remaining survivors from machines still programmed to eliminate and exterminate. Unravel the mystery of why these machines keep …

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68%Audience ScoreBased on 262 reviews
story18 positive mentions
grinding24 negative mentions

  • Unique blend of RTS and action RPG elements offers satisfying tactical gameplay and mech customization.
  • Co-op mode and PvE campaign provide a fun alternative to the PvP focused AirMech Strike, with shared inventory and rewards.
  • Variety of mechs, units, and missions with a decent story and good soundtrack add to the overall experience, especially for fans of the series.
  • Game suffers from grind-heavy progression and resource management, often requiring extensive replay to advance.
  • Inconsistent difficulty spikes and balance issues, including overpowered AI and mandatory challenging survival missions.
  • Lack of updates, small player base, limited online matchmaking, and abandoned or incomplete features reduce longevity and multiplayer appeal.
  • story

    134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally regarded as thin, repetitive, and underdeveloped, with many reviewers finding it bland, cookie-cutter, or a missed opportunity given the interesting setting. While the mission structure adds some variety and unlocks new mechs, plot delivery is minimal and often overshadowed by frustrating mission difficulty spikes and forced survival segments. Some players appreciate the concept and progression, but overall, the narrative lacks depth and fails to engage meaningfully beyond serving as a backdrop for gameplay.

    • “The core game is split into multiple discrete, but interrelated parts: first, there are single player or co-op missions. These missions are represented as pins or locations on a massive overworld, where your 'mech flies around from place to place, directed by the progression of the plot but allowing you to replay old levels, side-track into optional content, or even visit shops where you can purchase gear, unit types, and upgrades.”
    • “The story's delivered primarily through Samson, the resident good guy general, who interacts with his evil counterpart, Iron 1, while other characters chime in occasionally. Overall, the voice actors are solid, but the story itself is thin, and they rarely explore the setting's background, which is a shame, as it's a rather colorful one that begs to be explored.”
    • “The selection of mechs provides a lot of options and the way you unlock them is well done: you gradually unlock missions as you progress through the world map that act as introductions to new mechs which unlock the basic versions of mechs when you successfully complete them.”
    • “The missions are so simple and routine that it feels job-like, and the forced "stealth" missions (and I use the term "stealth" in the absolute most loose meaning of the term) are just awful, completely no fun to play and somewhere between so easy they shouldn't be in the game or so hard they require cheesing the really bad AI; it's really a shame.”
    • “It can be easily completed in 8 hours, and the story is an absolute snoozefest.”
    • “Normally I ignored the survival missions, but the developers forced one of these crap missions mandatory to progress the story; which is needed to unlock more maps.”
  • gameplay

    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay combines RTS, MOBA, and ARPG elements, offering a unique and fun core experience but often feels confusing, grindy, and repetitive—especially at higher difficulties or due to the integration of survival and free-to-play mechanics. While some appreciate the short mission structure and strategic depth, others criticize clunky controls, balance issues, and a frustrating gameplay loop that hampers enjoyment. Overall, it has potential but is hindered by inconsistent mechanics and grind-heavy progression.

    • “The core RTS and combat mechanics of the game are fun, although there is a limit on how many units you can build in a mission.”
    • “The gameplay is excellent; it gets a little laggy on older machines with tons of active units, but the same can be said of any good RTS.”
    • “Gameplay is good, controls are freely bindable.”
    • “The game's gameplay features and mechanics are all over the place; it's just too confusing.”
    • “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, effectively forcing you to cheese it by turtling until it kills itself enough times so you can progress.”
    • “This game has forced me into this disgusting gameplay loop: lose match -> lose almost all units -> gain a small amount of currency -> use all of it to get units back (minus a few) -> repeat.”
  • grinding

    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is widely criticized for being excessive, tedious, and often necessary to progress or acquire better gear, with in-game currency and upgrades becoming increasingly expensive. While some late-game farming methods ease grinding, many players find the repetitive missions dull and the overall grind feels more like a paywall, detracting from enjoyment. However, a few new players appreciate the grind for its rewards and unique items, though the general consensus points to grinding as a major drawback.

    • “Grinding feels awful: after the level Snow Fall, roughly halfway through the game, it quickly becomes about grinding as AirMech upgrades get more expensive. Also, while AirMech part drops do get better as you play on, scrap output does not increase enough to keep up with the shop.”
    • “The game comes down to how much grinding you will do to level up your AirMech, and I just can't find it fun to do the same missions over and over again, especially when there is minimal strategy.”
    • “Only pet peeves are the partial controller support, and I can't seem to just do survival and vs. AI missions to level up; grinding the same mission over and over is dull.”
  • graphics

    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics feature a distinct, slightly cartoonish art style reminiscent of Borderlands, which some find appealing while others see it as a way to mask dated visuals. Overall, the art style and graphical fidelity are praised for fitting the game's aesthetic, though occasional stuttering issues have been reported. Visuals complement the gameplay but are not the main focus.

    • “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.”
    • “Graphics are undoubtedly dated, which they try to hide with cartoony art style.”
    • “And a stuttering like I have not heard since way back when I had a Pentium 133 Win 95 and tried to run brand new games. The graphics played normal but the sound stuttering made it repeat over and over and upon itself and it was annoying.”
    • “I don't care much about visuals, but its age shows.”
  • monetization

    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of the game is widely criticized for excessive microtransactions, especially frustrating in a paid title where many players feel it leans toward pay-to-win and free-to-play mechanics. While some purchases are cosmetic or linked to a separate free-to-play version, the aggressive in-game purchases detract from the experience and create imbalance between new and veteran players. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as a cash grab that undermines the quality and fairness of the game.

    • “There are microtransactions, but from what I understand they are purely cosmetic or only affect AirMech Strike, which is a separate game.”
    • “What people didn't know is that those microtransactions are tied to the free-to-play version, Strike.”
    • “Not sure where they got the idea that player market = microtransactions, but I'm here to tell you it's not true.”
    • “The previous game was by far a superior product, but the developers (Carbon Games) went for a quick cash grab.”
    • “People gave the game negative reviews due to 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, and it even contains free-to-play pay-to-win microtransactions.”
  • music

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music, composed by Front Line Assembly, receives high praise and is considered a major highlight of the game, with many players valuing the soundtrack enough to justify their purchase. The industrial-style soundtrack effectively complements the game’s atmosphere and earns commendations alongside the art team’s work.

    • “The fact it has Fla who did the soundtrack and the band members are in the game is enough to get me to buy it!”
    • “All this madness is set to a very industrial Front Line Assembly soundtrack, which on its own is probably worth the price of admission.”
    • “I have to give kudos to the art and music team for the game.”
  • optimization

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Optimization is generally solid, maintaining 60fps in most scenarios, though performance can dip to around 45fps during intense battles with many units and effects. Some users experience occasional audio stuttering and minor in-game glitches, which can be frustrating but are not widespread. Overall, the game runs well on mid to high-end systems but may encounter quirks in specific situations.

    • “Performance has held at 60fps in all but the most busy battles, dropping down to around 45fps with lots of units and gunfire on screen (GTX 980 4GB / 5820K @ stock / 8GB DDR4 / SSD).”
    • “Taking a sidekick that focuses on whatever you're wanting to do makes you more effective at it.”
    • “The actual performance in battle can be quirky and unpredictable.”
    • “And a stuttering like I have not heard since way back when I had a Pentium 133 Win 95 and tried to run brand new games. The graphics played normal but the sound stuttering made it repeat over and over and upon itself, and it was annoying.”
    • “Apparently, I am the only one with audio stuttering in this game.”
    • “Performance has held at 60fps in all but the most busy battles, dropping down to around 45fps with lots of units and gunfire on the screen (GTX980 4GB / 5820k@stock / 8GB DDR4 / SSD).”
  • stability

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Despite occasional glitches and a somewhat confusing UI, the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly even at max 4K settings. While updates are lacking, the overall performance remains reliable, contributing to a great gaming experience.

    • “Solo mode has many different glitches that can occur.”
    • “The UI is mildly buggy and sometimes confusing – for example, it's unclear where to select the currently active AirMech or where to design unit loadouts.”
    • “Though the game has glitches and lacks updates, it is still generally stable.”
  • replayability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers endless replayability through timed events and story-based variability, providing engaging goals that enhance long-term play rather than just casual sparring.

    • “Endless replayability: timed events and story-based variability.”
    • “And while I hold no ill will toward just-for-fun sparring, having a goal makes a game much more playable.”
  • humor

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor is centered around a quirky, funny robot protagonist contrasting with less amusing antagonists, providing a lighthearted and entertaining tone.

  • atmosphere

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere remains consistent with previous installments, maintaining the same graphics and immersive feel. Despite the game's evolution into two separate titles, the engaging ambiance is preserved, particularly enhanced by the abundance of PvE missions.

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10h Median play time
14h Average play time
8-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

AirMech Wastelands is a role playing game.

AirMech Wastelands is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 14 hours playing AirMech Wastelands.

AirMech Wastelands was released on July 6, 2018.

AirMech Wastelands was developed by Carbon Games.

AirMech Wastelands has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked AirMech Wastelands for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

AirMech Wastelands is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include AirMech, Dungeon Defenders II, Orcs Must Die! Unchained, Killsquad, Skyforge and others.