HARDCORE MECHA

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.

Starting at $8.18Buy now

Get on Steam

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 484 reviews

story85 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and animations, reminiscent of classic mecha anime.
Gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, with a variety of mechs and customization options.
The story mode, while somewhat cliché, is entertaining and filled with nostalgic references for mecha fans.

Controls can feel clunky and awkward, especially with aiming and movement tied to the same stick on controllers.
The single-player campaign is limited to one mech, which can be disappointing for players expecting more variety.
Multiplayer mode suffers from a lack of players and can experience lag, making it difficult to find matches.

story
278 mentions
31 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as a nostalgic homage to classic mecha anime, featuring familiar tropes and a straightforward plot that, while not particularly innovative, is engaging and entertaining. Players appreciate the blend of action and narrative, with well-animated cutscenes and a variety of mission types that enhance the experience, though many express a desire for more depth and character development. Overall, the story is seen as a fun, albeit short, journey that complements the gameplay, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- “The story is cliché but gets the job done.”
- “The single-player campaign has a fantastic story plot that is better than most Japanese robot animes and games in recent years.”
- “The plot also isn't going to be winning any awards.”
- “The story is generic and cliché, and I love it.”
- “The story of the game is pretty forgettable; the animated cutscenes are pretty good, but the story is just... barebones.”
gameplay
121 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay is widely praised for its fast-paced, responsive mechanics and engaging combat, reminiscent of classic mecha titles. Players appreciate the variety of mission types, mecha designs, and the balance between accessibility for newcomers and depth for seasoned players, although some note a repetitiveness in gameplay loops. Overall, the combination of solid controls, enjoyable boss fights, and visually appealing animations contributes to a fun and immersive experience, despite some criticisms regarding clunky controls and a lack of multiplayer content.
- “It's wild how well the devs have translated AC's formula into 2D, and I'd love a longer single-player title with the same mechanics.”
- “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.”
- “Most of the existing titles are money milkers who just bank on the IP with terrible gameplay.”
- “A shame as it looks great, but the gameplay is just a bit too clunky and basic for my tastes.”
- “Played a Gundam game for 10 years, this game is good in everything but the gameplay is very clunky.”
graphics
73 mentions
63 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their vibrant and detailed 2D art style, reminiscent of anime and classic arcade aesthetics. While some players noted a mix of art styles and a lack of graphical settings, the overall presentation, including mecha designs and animations, is considered solid and visually striking. Many reviewers highlighted the game's ability to deliver a nostalgic yet fresh visual experience, complemented by smooth animations and engaging cutscenes.
- “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.”
- “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.”
music
54 mentions
69 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its excellent soundtrack that complements the anime theme and enhances the gameplay experience. The original opening song by Hironobu Kageyama is highlighted as a standout feature, while the orchestral and rock elements during combat add intensity and excitement. Overall, the music is described as vibrant, engaging, and well-produced, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “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.”
- “While the music is typically orchestral and grand, there are moments where things get more intense and rock guitars start shredding.”
- “Soundtracks are what you would find in most mecha anime.”
replayability
13 mentions
31 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game offers a solid replayability factor through various modes, including a rank-based single-player campaign, unlockable simulation and survival modes, and engaging multiplayer options. Players appreciate the ability to revisit missions for better ranks and the chance to use different mechs, although some express a desire for more content and character development. Overall, the combination of unique gameplay, cool mech designs, and multiplayer fun enhances the game's replay value.
- “The mecha designs are cool and the multiplayer and replay value makes the game even better.”
- “A wonderfully crafted run n' gun fast-paced 2D mecha fighting game with a lot of replayability even after finishing the story.”
- “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?”
- “An unlockable survival mode, online PvP, local multiplayer, and mission rankings also add plenty of replayability to the proceedings.”
optimization
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization shows improvement with fast loading times and solid performance, particularly in voice acting. However, some players experience significant issues such as screen tearing, frame drops, and stuttering, especially during intense gameplay, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Its performance did get improved from what I played initially; the game loads fast and performs exceedingly well.”
- “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.”
- “I'm getting major screen tearing, frame drops, frame skipping, and general stuttering all within the first level of play.”
- “[unfortunate stuttering issues detract from the fun during some intense battles]”
- “I have fun all the way until the end of the level, then it reveals my terrible performance rating and I’m sad.”
character development
7 mentions
71 % positive mentions
-14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative 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 less appealing. 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.”
grinding
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be initially engaging but ultimately tedious, as it requires extensive farming for points and lootboxes to unlock content. The multiplayer mode is particularly criticized for its grindy nature, with a lack of sufficient content leading to repetitive gameplay. While the single-player mode offers fun mechanics, it can become monotonous due to the reliance on AFK farming and filler content.
- “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 gained 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.”
- “As the game requires no intelligent inputs to queue between rounds, people are afk farming for the points to unlock mechs up to level 20, and then paintjob variants forever onwards from there.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative 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 unique level design, fast-paced combat, and cinematic storytelling effectively draws players in, creating a memorable experience that feels surprisingly high-quality 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.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring campy writing and translation errors that can make serious moments unintentionally funny, such as a school bus explosion. While the gameplay loop is enjoyable and can lead to over-the-top comedic scenarios, the reliance on standard anime tropes and direct references to series like Gundam may leave players unsure whether to laugh or cringe. Overall, the humor attempts to be entertaining but often straddles the line between amusing and awkward.
- “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.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is criticized for having clunky and buggy mechanics, particularly with certain boss encounters that can lead to unexpected attacks. Additionally, players have reported difficulties in resolving issues despite extensive troubleshooting efforts.
- “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.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative 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!”