HARDCORE MECHA

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 547 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
HARDCORE MECHA Game Cover
Hardcore Mecha doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it is extremely enjoyable. While having Japanese-only VO could cause you to miss dialogue in heavy action sequences, you might be having too much fun flying around shooting things to even notice.
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"Hardcore Mecha" is a 2D side-scrolling action game with mech combat. Players can customize their mechas with various weapons and abilities, and engage in intense battles in single-player campaign or multiplayer modes. The game features a thrilling story of war, camaraderie, and betrayal in a world on the brink of collapse. However, the game has been criticized for its steep learning curve and lack of tutorials.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 547 reviews
story97 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and animations, capturing the essence of mecha anime beautifully.
  • Gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, with a good balance of challenge and fun, especially in the single-player campaign.
  • The game offers a variety of mechs and customization options, allowing players to tailor their experience.
  • The English translation is poor, leading to awkward dialogue and confusion in the story.
  • Players are limited to using only one mech in the single-player campaign, which feels restrictive given the variety available in multiplayer.
  • Multiplayer matchmaking can be laggy and lacks diverse game modes, making it less appealing for those looking for a robust online experience.
  • story312 mentions

    The game's story is a blend of familiar mecha anime tropes, delivering a straightforward yet engaging narrative that resonates with fans of the genre. While it may not break new ground in terms of originality, the execution is solid, featuring memorable characters and well-designed missions that enhance the overall experience. However, some players express disappointment over the limited mech variety in the story mode and the brevity of the campaign, wishing for more depth and content.

    • “The story is very engaging and plays out like a traditional anime, with a ton of references both to the anime world and to normal memes and culture as well.”
    • “The single player campaign has a fantastic story plot that is better than most Japanese robot animes and games in recent years.”
    • “The story is somewhat interesting, not the most innovative story, but still good enough to keep everything interesting, and most importantly to excuse lots of interesting combat and various moments in gameplay.”
    • “The story is generic and cliché, and I love it.”
    • “The plot is a pretty basic mecha plot by the numbers.”
    • “The story itself is pretty forgettable; the animated cutscenes are pretty good, but the story is just... barebones.”
  • gameplay128 mentions

    The gameplay is widely praised for its fast-paced, responsive mechanics and engaging mecha designs, offering a mix of action and strategic elements that keep players entertained. While some find the gameplay repetitive over time, many appreciate the variety in mission types and the challenge presented by boss fights. Overall, the game successfully combines solid controls, enjoyable combat, and appealing visuals, making it a standout experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay is a classic case of 'easy to learn, hard to master'; it's fast-paced, has good control mapping, and encourages the player to practice and get more used to it.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely responsive, although over time it becomes a bit one-note, as the majority of it is boosting around shooting enemy mechs.”
    • “The gameplay is stylish, smooth, and fun.”
    • “Most of the existing titles are money milkers who just bank on the IP with terrible gameplay.”
    • “I can't hit anything without taking a hit first, and the whole one-hour gameplay was like banging my head against a wall.”
    • “A shame as it looks great, but the gameplay is just a bit too clunky and basic for my tastes.”
  • graphics80 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant and detailed 2D art style, reminiscent of anime and classic arcade aesthetics. Many reviewers highlighted the impressive mecha designs and smooth animations, contributing to a visually striking experience that enhances gameplay. While some noted a mix of art styles and a lack of graphical settings, the overall presentation is considered top-notch, with a strong aesthetic appeal that resonates well with fans of the genre.

    • “Coupled with a fantastic aesthetic style and solid artwork all around on top of some excellent animation, the presentation here is very solid and fun.”
    • “The game starts out with a tutorial sequence of a super cool heroic robot fighting a kaiju with thrilling heroic music and stunning, colorful visuals right out of a Saturday morning cartoon.”
    • “The graphics and the music are absolutely stunning, it's fun to play, gundam-esque, and I loved the script and the characters.”
    • “Granted, each graphic is very high quality, but it all just looks like paper cut-outs.”
    • “However, there are no graphical settings and the game’s max resolution is 1920x1080.”
    • “If you answered yes to any of those questions, you are this game's target demographic.”
  • music57 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its vibrant and engaging soundtrack that complements the gameplay and anime theme. Highlights include an original opening song by renowned artist Hironobu Kageyama, as well as dynamic orchestral and rock elements that enhance combat encounters. Overall, the sound design, including voice acting and sound effects, is noted for its quality, contributing to an immersive experience that resonates well with fans of the mecha genre.

    • “Behind all of this is an excellent soundtrack of beats that fit incredibly well across the various missions and fall in line perfectly with the anime theme of the game.”
    • “To top it all off, the game features an original and fantastic opening song by none other than the lead singer of Jam Project, Hironobu Kageyama.”
    • “The soundtrack and main theme of the game are really good and excite-inducing during combat.”
    • “Lastly, visuals & animations are probably the best I've ever seen for something I assume is an extremely modified version of Flash, and the music's mostly alright - does its job without too much flair, I guess.”
    • “Soundtracks are what you would find in most mecha anime.”
    • “Overall good game, single player campaign feels a bit too short but the gameplay, multiplayer is dead, visual and music make up for it.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game offers a solid level of replayability through various modes, including a rank-based single-player campaign, a simulation mode unlocked after completing the campaign, and engaging multiplayer options. Players appreciate the ability to revisit levels with different mechs and face bosses from the story, enhancing the overall experience. However, some feel that additional content, such as more mechs or playable bosses, could further improve replay value.

    • “A wonderfully crafted run n' gun fast-paced 2D mecha fighting game with a lot of replayability even after finishing the story.”
    • “In between waves, you have a chance of encountering and fighting against bosses from the story. I really like this feature; fighting against these bosses while using a different unit than the one you have in the story adds a fair share of replayability value to the game and makes it fun to revisit.”
    • “Even simple things like playing the campaign as a different mech would open it up for a lot of replayability, which this game sorely needs.”
    • “The only replay value is simulation mode, and I hope the developers make more mechs available, maybe add some playable boss machines like Osiris?”
    • “There is plenty of replay value as you can revisit levels to get better ranks.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in the game is marked by a mix of cliche and unique designs, with standout mecha aesthetics and over-the-top character visuals that resonate well with fans of the genre. While the animations and cut scenes are praised for their quality, some players find the graphics style polarizing. Overall, the character designs and their integration into the gameplay contribute positively to the player's investment in the story.

    • “The cut scenes and character designs are straight out of the manga playbook and the mechs carry an SD look.”
    • “All of the character designs are super over the top in the best way, and the bespoke animations are excellent.”
    • “I actually hate the Macromedia Flash style graphics, but thankfully the story, gameplay, and character design are all top notch and kept me invested all the way through.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “The cut scenes and character designs are straight out of the manga playbook, but they don't add much to the overall character development.”
    • “While the mecha and character designs are visually appealing, the actual growth and evolution of the characters are disappointingly minimal.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in multiplayer where content feels limited and requires extensive farming for lootboxes and points. While the combat and visuals are praised, the necessity to engage in filler story modes and the lack of clear leveling guidance contribute to a frustrating experience for many. Overall, the grind can overshadow the enjoyment, leading to a mixed reception.

    • “Cool at the beginning but it gets pretty tedious at the end.”
    • “It is quite fun but very grindy since you need millions of points to get everything and gear/mods are all gained from single-item lootboxes obtained by killing bosses.”
    • “Forces you to play the 90% filler story mode to get access to the sim mode that most of the content is in, so your refund gets denied when you discover the sim mode is just farming lootboxes from doing 1 on 1 single room fights that are wildly stacked against you.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements, with fast loading times and excellent performance. Players appreciate the strong delivery of the Japanese voice cast, enhancing the experience, while customization options for weapons and mechs add depth to gameplay. However, some players express disappointment with their performance ratings at the end of levels.

    • “Its performance did get improved from what I played initially; the game loads fast and performs exceedingly well.”
    • “I have fun all the way until the end of the level, then it reveals my terrible performance rating and I’m sad.”
    • “In the story mode, you can also customize the weapons, consumable items, and the performance of the main character's mech to your liking, but you cannot use any other mech.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game delivers impactful emotional moments, enhanced by a strong narrative and engaging character development, reminiscent of classic mecha anime. While it may not be groundbreaking, the combination of fast-paced combat, unique level design, and cinematic storytelling effectively draws players in, creating a surprisingly immersive experience for its price.

    • “It's not going to blow you away or anything, but there are some serious emotional beats, and the developers clearly have a deep love of mecha anime.”
    • “The campaign kind of feels like you're watching a movie, and it actually draws you in a bit, which made me feel weird because of the low price they are asking for something of such quality.”
    • “So hardcore mecha is very much a game that likes to hit you with surprises. The story takes just the right amount of everything to hit you emotionally with enough build-up and shock factor.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with campy writing and translation errors that sometimes undermine its comedic intent, such as making a school bus explosion amusing. While the gameplay loop is enjoyable and can lead to over-the-top moments, the reliance on standard anime tropes and direct references to series like Gundam may leave players questioning whether the humor is intentional or awkward. Overall, it attempts to be funny but may not always hit the mark.

    • “It's a fun gameplay loop, and the fact that you also get looter/shooter drops for both guns and mods can lead to some hilariously overpowered results.”
    • “The story is nothing original and draws on all the standard anime tropes, so be prepared for the funny and reliable sidekick, the recurring nemesis, the tearful sacrifice, and the capital battleship firing its powerful main cannon.”
    • “There are some moments where characters make blatant references to lines from Gundam series to the point where I'm not sure if it's funny or awkward.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The stability of the game is criticized for its clunky and buggy mechanics, particularly during boss encounters, where unexpected attacks can occur off-screen. Additionally, players have reported persistent issues despite attempting various troubleshooting solutions, indicating a lack of reliable performance.

    • “He can also attack you from there, and his laser attack, if you can't see it, can hit you with no warning off-screen, since he's got that part hidden up there. If he rams across the screen, he can turn around and fire faster than you might catch up to seeing him again. Overall, just a number of oddities that feel clunky or buggy like that on this boss that stood out much more than most.”
    • “Searched and applied every troubleshooting solution I could find via Steam, forums, and controller support to no avail.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is a vibrant blend of Gundam, super robot themes, and Metal Slug aesthetics, creating a visually stunning and artistic experience.

    • “The overall atmosphere of the game is a beautiful blend of Gundam, super robots, and Metal Slug, creating a stunning piece of art!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy HARDCORE MECHA

Play time

4hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
1-17hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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