Mecha Ace

About

Mecha Ace is a sci-fi simulation game where players take on the role of a rookie mech pilot. Complete missions, upgrade your mech, and navigate personal relationships as you rise through the ranks of the Sol Federation. With a variety of mechs, weapons, and customization options, every decision affects your pilot's journey in this immersive, story-driven experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 138 reviews

story26 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Engaging story with strong influences from Gundam and mecha anime, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
High replayability due to multiple endings and character choices that significantly impact the narrative.
Well-written with a good balance of tactical decisions and character development, making players feel invested in their choices.

The game is relatively short, leading to a feeling of abruptness in the conclusion and limited exploration of character arcs.
Many choices can feel predetermined, with significant decisions leading to dead ends or outcomes that strip away player agency.
Technical issues, such as a buggy checkpoint system and occasional grammatical errors, detract from the overall experience.

story
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
67%
4%
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its serious tone and engaging themes of war and personal growth, while others criticize its linearity and lack of impactful choices. Many reviews highlight the presence of familiar mecha tropes, drawing comparisons to Gundam, but express disappointment in the limited narrative depth and abrupt endings. Overall, while some find the writing enjoyable and the characters compelling, others feel the story lacks originality and fails to reward replayability.
- “A very nicely written story; if the summary sounds interesting you should give this a go.”
- “The story was gripping and it felt like every choice seriously mattered.”
- “An enjoyable and uniquely written story that conveys the tense decisions of war.”
- “So overall the game is a piece of garbage, because at the beginning all the way up to a point in the story your choices do matter and it can be engrossing to see your avatar develop, but soon it is all stripped away because 'plot.' On my first playthrough, I made sure to upgrade my pilot skill for melee combat since it sounded like it would serve a big role in the story, only for my avatar to have it all stripped away for no reason.”
- “The plot itself is nothing special, with just a bunch of tropes lifted from mecha shows and little to no actual creativity or freedom of action.”
- “While playing this game, it felt as if I wasn't really in control or influencing the story aside from small details.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth of character dynamics and multiple paths that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find it limited due to a more linear narrative structure. Many users note that achievements can incentivize additional runs, but the overall story strength and variety in choices do not match that of similar titles. Despite these criticisms, several players still enjoy revisiting the game for its engaging experience at a reasonable price.
- “But the depth of replayability for paths and character dynamics means that this game had me hooked for 12 hours across two days; I wasn't sure what people meant when the reviews said, 'you'll feel like you're an ace pilot even though it's an interactive novel,' but... it was true.”
- “Also, there's plenty of replayability to these stories due to achievements; you'll have to play through at least three times based on the achievement requirements, perhaps more.”
- “There is a lot of replayability here for a low price.”
- “Unlike 'Choice of Robots', this story does not seem to reward replayability as much - there are no branching subplots here, just variants of one narrative.”
- “As for replayability, I can only see myself playing this twice.”
- “Unlike the hero trilogy by the same publisher, this game has a much weaker story and low replayability.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The gameplay is primarily text-based and follows a "choose your own adventure" format, which some players find engaging and emotionally impactful, while others criticize the lack of traditional gameplay elements. The narrative features familiar character archetypes and introduces unique mechanics, such as gender selection for side characters, catering to various player fantasies. However, issues like a broken checkpoint system detract from the overall experience.
- “You're a mecha pilot in a war against a tyrannical empire, meeting along the way some stock characters: the hothead wingman, the starry-eyed bridge controller, the earthy chief mechanic... even the masked rival!”
- “Fluid gameplay without skipping a beat (checkpoint system is broken though)”
- “I mean it's a 'choose your own adventure' with no pictures, no gameplay, and it's pure text.”
- “Fluid gameplay without skipping a beat (the checkpoint system is broken though).”
- “I will be fair and say that the one thing it does well is introduce some mechanics that I had not seen in the choice of games before.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The graphics of "Mecha Ace" are minimal, relying heavily on text and imagination rather than visual effects, which some players find deeply immersive and emotionally engaging. While the lack of artwork and a more appealing interface is noted as a downside, many agree that the game's narrative depth compensates for its visual shortcomings, making it a worthwhile experience for those who prioritize storytelling over graphics.
- “Take a break from impressive visual effects and realistic graphics of modern games and let your imagination take you to fantastic places!”
- “After all, a staple of the old fighting fantasy adventure books was fun artwork where possible.”
- “It's definitely a niche game if ever there was one, with its text-intensive (if rewardingly deep) world instead of graphics.”
- “For those who care not for graphics, this is a must-buy, especially as soon as it has even a slight discount.”
- “No, because there are no visuals and still... it feels like you can see it all just before you.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Mecha Ace" is highlighted by its ability to forge deep connections with characters, evoking strong feelings and even tears from players. While some users appreciate the emotional depth, they also note that the game's narrative can feel restrictive, limiting player freedom in favor of a predetermined story. For those seeking a more character-driven experience, other interactive fiction titles from the same company may be more fulfilling.
- “Despite a total lack of visuals, Mecha Ace has successfully brought me to an emotional connection unlike any other game has before.”
- “I cried, and I'm not afraid to admit it.”
- “Secondly, it will give you real emotional attachments to some of the characters!”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The lack of in-game music and art is seen as a double-edged sword; while it allows players to personalize their experience with their own music choices, some feel that the story would benefit from a musical backdrop to enhance the atmosphere.
- “I had to put on some space ambient music from YouTube in the background, but the rest was great.”
- “I do think that the story could benefit from some music, but that's just my opinion.”
- “I had to put on some 'space ambient music' from YouTube in the background, but the rest was cake.”
- “I do think that the story could do with some music, but that's just me.”
- “Not a real con; the lack of art and music allowed me to pull up my own references, imagination, and playlists.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game continues to suffer from significant bugs years after its release, particularly with its checkpoint system, which is described as extremely unreliable. Players are advised to avoid relying on this feature due to its instability.
- “The game is still quite buggy even after all these years since its release.”
- “On a technical note, there is a checkpoint system every couple of chapters, but it is extremely buggy, and I would strongly advise giving it a wide berth.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Character development in the game features decent arcs, though some decisions, such as the abrupt deaths of two characters, lack significant emotional impact. Players can influence their character's growth through RPG elements like piloting, tactics, willpower, and leadership, despite minor flaws in character design.
- “Your choices offer you some semblance of RPG character development—developing your piloting, tactics, willpower, or leadership.”
- “The character arcs are decent, with some debatable decisions, but overall, the development is engaging and adds depth to the story.”
- “The character design has a few minor flaws, but these can be overlooked in light of the strong character development throughout the game.”
- “The character arcs are decent, but there are some questionable decisions, like killing off two characters without any deep impact on the story, along with a few minor flaws in character design that are hard to overlook.”
- “While your choices provide some semblance of RPG character development, such as improving your piloting, tactics, willpower, or leadership, it still feels lacking overall.”
- “The character development feels superficial, with limited growth and depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on a meaningful level.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is viewed positively, as it is not perceived as a cash grab and offers players meaningful choices throughout the experience.