Mecha Knights: Nightmare

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 954 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Mecha Knights: Nightmare Game Cover
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In Mecha Knights: Nightmare, play as a pilot in the year 2049 amidst a cold war and apocalyptic chaos caused by otherworldly creatures. Battle these monsters in customizable Mechs across 20 campaign missions, upgrading and equipping your Mobile Armor with new weapons and resources. Experience a single-player story of survival and large-scale operations during humanity's fight for survival.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 954 reviews
story99 positive mentions
grinding37 negative mentions
  • Fun gameplay that combines elements of classic mech games and horde shooters.
  • Impressive customization options for mechs, allowing for varied playstyles.
  • Engaging story with a nostalgic feel reminiscent of old-school arcade shooters.
  • Voice acting and writing can be cheesy and cringeworthy at times.
  • Limited enemy AI and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • Short campaign length with low replay value after completion.
  • story743 mentions

    The story in this game is generally described as simple and somewhat cliché, often drawing comparisons to B-movie narratives and classic mech anime like *Muv-Luv* and *Armored Core*. While some players found the voice acting and dialogue to be cheesy or cringeworthy, many appreciated the engaging journal entries that provide context and depth to the missions. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the gameplay, with a mix of predictable plot points and enjoyable character interactions, leaving players eager for potential expansions or sequels to further develop the narrative.

    • “The story is simple but effortlessly charming and really quite gripping, and the cast of characters you meet along the way are fun and surprisingly deep.”
    • “I became really invested in the story and wanted to know the mystery behind the reds and whether the conflict would end up being resolved but before I knew it the 20 campaign missions were already over!”
    • “The story, while simple, keeps you following along mission to mission, with your character Ethan's diary entries before each mission adding more context and detail to the situation.”
    • “The story is pretty typical.”
    • “The story is simple and serves the gameplay by bridging the missions.”
    • “The story is bland and nearly impossible to follow because it's split between a short blurb mission report, in-mission material, and a diary you won't necessarily follow.”
  • gameplay189 mentions

    The gameplay of this indie mech game has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the fast-paced, horde-based combat reminiscent of Earth Defense Force, while others find it repetitive and lacking in depth. Customization options for mechs are praised, adding a layer of strategy, but some mechanics, like overheating and ammo management, can be frustrating. Overall, while the game has its flaws, the core gameplay loop is engaging and fun, particularly for fans of mecha action.

    • “Armored core-style mech building with piece by piece construction meets MechWarrior movement and EDF-style horde gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fast and hectic, with deep hordes of various horrific monsters standing between you and victory.”
    • “The gameplay is straightforward and fun - you have 4 weapon slots to manage with additional equipment to shape how you want your mech to feel.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive, but I wouldn't say it's the bad kind of repetition.”
    • “The gameplay is very repetitive, health does not scale with difficulty, the game just throws more and more enemies at you.”
    • “The gameplay is primitive; it's an alien shooter from first person all over again, with waves of dumb monsters coming directly at you.”
  • graphics94 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and reminiscent of early 2000s titles, often describing them as "serviceable" but lacking polish. While some appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and find the visuals functional for gameplay, others criticize the animations and graphical glitches, suggesting that significant improvements are needed. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be impressive, the engaging gameplay compensates for these shortcomings.

    • “The graphics, lighting, and textures remind me a lot of the PS2 era Armored Core titles, notably Last Raven and Silent Line, which is far from a bad thing.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, the graphics are dated but look good, the swarms of monsters are reminiscent of EDF as others have said and hugely fun to fight against.”
    • “The mechs themselves look awesome, a sort of mix of the more slim designs of Armored Core, combined with the more blocky, stout aesthetic of something like Front Mission.”
    • “Visuals are relatively dated.”
    • “The graphics are not wonderful.”
    • “The graphics are barebones, the UI is horrible but functional.”
  • grinding37 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while many players find it enjoyable and rewarding, allowing for experimentation with mech loadouts and weapon farming, others feel it can become tedious and repetitive, especially in the context of certain missions that require extensive grinding to progress. The game features a relatively short campaign, but players often find themselves returning to grind for better gear and upgrades, which can feel necessary yet overwhelming at times. Overall, the grinding is seen as integral to the experience, appealing to fans of mech combat, but may not suit everyone due to its repetitive nature.

    • “So.. fun, but way too grindy and repetitive, which is made worse by the drab and also very repetitive scenarios that offer no interaction at all.”
    • “The main issue is the unlocks and upgrades as you will have a lot of grinding to do in order to unlock everything, which I didn't.”
    • “While great for grinding money and parts, this mode underlines a problem with progression: there is no way to get most good parts or enough money from the campaign alone.”
  • music32 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it generic and repetitive, often leading them to turn it off in favor of their own playlists. While some appreciate the orchestral style that fits the game's theme, others feel it lacks variety and memorability, with sound effects sometimes detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as solid but not particularly standout, leaving players wanting more unique and stylized compositions.

    • “In the defiant final stand, I had music blasting and even found myself battle crying a little bit.”
    • “As for the soundtrack, I'd say it fits the genre if you can manage to hear it over all the gunfire.”
    • “Get your favorite mecha OST playing in the background and have yourself a good binge.”
    • “As for music, unfortunately each stage has the same battle theme.”
    • “The music is the definition of generic.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, music is repetitive, and voice acting is laughably bad, but has a charm to it.”
  • replayability25 mentions

    Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while features like horde mode and the ability to create personal objectives provide some replay value, many players find the campaign short and lacking in content to encourage multiple playthroughs. Some enjoy the challenge of endless raids and experimenting with different mech builds, but others feel the game falls short in offering substantial replay options, leading to a generally low replayability rating. Overall, the game offers enjoyable mechanics but may not satisfy those seeking extensive replay value.

    • “Great replayability with horde mode.”
    • “There are many different types of enemies you face in combat in both missions and waves mode, giving replay value after completing the main game.”
    • “The raid missions give this game some replay value, and a challenging way to test out new builds.”
    • “This game has a rather abrupt ending with no real replayability, and no difficulty increase option (game doesn't really need it).”
    • “The price is reasonable considering the effort put in by one dev, but the game is pretty short with minimal replay value so waiting for a sale isn't outlandish.”
    • “There is no difficulty selection, content is linear and there's no reason to replay the campaign missions once completed - overall replay value is low.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its campy and often absurd elements, including hilariously bad voice acting and clichéd dialogue that some players find endearing while others see as grating. Many reviews highlight the game's janky animations and visual glitches as adding to its comedic charm, making it a source of unintentional laughter. Overall, the humor is polarizing; it appeals to those who appreciate its over-the-top style, but may frustrate players seeking a more polished experience.

    • “It does definitely have a bit of indie game jank with it in terms of the enemy animations as well as the main character's hilarious voice actor, but honestly, it sort of adds to the fun factor for me.”
    • “I loved it and was laughing my ass off through the whole thing, but you have to be able to tolerate that level of camp.”
    • “While I would love multiplayer and maybe some more dangerous enemies in later levels, the campaign is both fun and hilariously cliched in a good way.”
  • optimization17 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report solid performance and minimal issues during gameplay, others highlight significant graphical glitches and poor optimization that detracts from the experience. The presence of invisible walls and terrain collision bugs suggests that further polish is needed, particularly in handling large numbers of enemies on screen. Despite these concerns, many players appreciate the mech customization and gradual performance improvements throughout missions.

    • “Your legs determine your load, which is how much mass you can have on your mech before it starts to affect your performance.”
    • “Rather than money, you get 'merit points' based on performance in battle, which you can use to 'buy' better parts/weapons as well as upgrade your mecha.”
    • “The game is quite optimized; while having minor bugs on terrain collision, it doesn't pose any difficulties towards playing.”
    • “Story and voice acting are cheesy, just like they should be in this type of game. There is only one serious problem with this game - poor optimization.”
    • “Optimization really needs some buff and polish.”
    • “When this many enemies need to be rendered on screen, there usually has to be a happy medium for the sake of performance.”
  • stability13 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report minor graphical glitches and occasional performance issues, many have experienced no game-breaking bugs or crashes. The game is generally considered playable and enjoyable, with some praising its polish despite a few bugs, particularly on PC. However, there are calls for further refinement and improvements in certain areas, such as AI behavior and command rebinding.

    • “Almost bug free.”
    • “This is a true love letter to mech games of old, and I salute the creator of the game for such a fun experience. Thank you, Damian Kubiak, for pushing the release date back and giving us something polished and bug-free.”
    • “It's unbalanced, mildly buggy, and the graphics are on the low end, but if mindless mecha violence is what you're looking for, this is it.”
    • “There are some minor bugs here or there (one mission let me use more bombardment attacks than I had, minor graphical glitches, wonky hit boxes with a handful of weapons, etc.) but nothing game breaking or even that annoying.”
    • “Thanks for the great game, just still buggy for PC players; can't rebind commands after the last update.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its "grimdark" feel, effectively capturing a sense of impending doom reminiscent of titles like Muv-Luv. Players appreciate the well-built environments, engaging lore, and the emotional weight conveyed through journal entries, which enhance the overall experience. The combination of tense gameplay and a variety of tactical elements contributes to a compelling and immersive atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere is nice, feels like the end of the world.”
    • “Well-built environments, locations, and lore contribute to building a plausible atmosphere.”
    • “Basically, it's Earth Defense Force, but with zombie stuff, and a much darker atmosphere.”
    • “Story is not something to write home about, but the atmosphere from the game gives it a 'grimdark' feel.”
    • “Between each mission, you can read journal entries detailing how the war effort is going (or not), how your character feels after the last harrowing mission, and just get a general atmosphere of how badly things are turning for humanity.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game impactful, with well-voiced characters and heartfelt interactions that can evoke strong feelings, such as grief over character losses. The combination of customization options and engaging gameplay creates a sense of joy and satisfaction, while the community's support adds to the overall emotional experience. However, some players report feeling discomfort during gameplay, indicating a complex emotional response to the game's intensity.

    • “Everything is fully voiced and really well done for that matter, and some of the back and forth between people on the field can be genuinely heartfelt and interesting at times!”
    • “I cried when we lost Danforth.”
    • “The game handles amazing sliding around the battlefield while using rockets, mini-guns, and lasers while mowing down hundreds of tyranids. It feels therapeutic; this game made me feel like an Imperial Knight from Warhammer 40k fighting against the tyranids.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for being clichéd, with predictable arcs that lead to telegraphed events, such as a significant death that feels obvious due to the abrupt growth of the character involved.

    • “Some of the writing is a bit cliché, and there's a death that's massively telegraphed before it happens due to the sudden character development that character undergoes in the same mission.”
    • “The character arcs feel rushed and lack depth, making it hard to connect with their struggles and growth.”
    • “Many characters seem to change their motivations and personalities without any real explanation, leaving their development feeling forced and unconvincing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

9hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
5-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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