Mechabellum

About

Mechabellum is a single player and multiplayer tactical strategy game with warfare and science fiction themes. It was developed by Game River and was released on September 26, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

"Mechabellum" is a Sci-Fi strategy game that offers both single and multiplayer modes, with a focus on tactical combat and customizable mech units. The game boasts masterful gameplay, compelling visuals, and a good soundtrack, but its plot may not be for everyone and grinding is required. With plenty of humor and high replayability, it's a rewarding experience for those willing to learn and adapt in battle.

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,518 reviews

gameplay263 positive mentions

optimization17 negative mentions

Deep strategic gameplay with a variety of units and upgrades.
Engaging and fast-paced matches that allow for creative tactics.
Active community and regular updates from developers.

Recent updates have introduced unbalanced units and mechanics, particularly with buildings and spells.
Matchmaking can lead to frustrating experiences with mismatched MMRs.
Toxic community interactions and lack of effective moderation.

gameplay
730 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
4%
The gameplay of Mechabellum is characterized by its strategic depth and engaging mechanics, offering a blend of auto-battler and RTS elements that are easy to learn but challenging to master. Players appreciate the variety of units and tactical options available, although some express frustration with balance issues and the impact of RNG mechanics on gameplay outcomes. Overall, the game provides a satisfying experience with a high skill ceiling, making it appealing for both casual and competitive players, despite some criticisms regarding clarity in mechanics and the potential for repetitive gameplay.
- “Deep gameplay, countless strategies to learn and explore, and a game substance that shows the devs care for nuance and details.”
- “The gameplay requires thought, strategy, and sometimes a bit of cheese, but that’s part of the charm.”
- “Its deep strategic gameplay offers plenty of room for creativity, while the variety of mech units keeps each match fresh.”
- “The game is already quite difficult to learn, and many mechanics are hidden or not properly explained, and buildings add even more confusion.”
- “The gameplay is slow and boring auto-chess with mechs.”
- “There is a lack of comeback mechanics, as once you get into a losing situation, it can spiral very quickly.”
graphics
247 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
37%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their high quality, detailed unit designs, and immersive visual effects, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the sleek, sci-fi aesthetic and the ability to zoom in on battles, although some have noted performance issues on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the strategic depth and enjoyment of the game.
- “The graphics are slick, with good use of bloom and high quality rendering.”
- “The visuals are stunning, with detailed mechs and dynamic battlefields that make every skirmish a spectacle to behold.”
- “With its advanced mechanics, stunning visuals, and deep strategic gameplay, it outshines every other early access title in the genre.”
- “The graphics are far too cartoonish, with an over-saturation of colors; half the time you can't really see what's going on, and things are moving so fast that it makes the actual combat visuals a little pointless.”
- “The graphics are decent, but for a middle-class PC, the game gets slow and jerky in the later rounds.”
- “Game graphics are dated.”
replayability
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
36%
4%
The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with many users highlighting its strategic depth, variety of units, and competitive elements that keep matches feeling fresh. Players appreciate the balance between skill and luck, as well as the regular updates that enhance the experience, making it a highly addictive and engaging title. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers near-limitless replay value, especially for those who enjoy multiplayer competition.
- “Excellent strategy game that has excellent depth with crazy amounts of replay value.”
- “An ingenious game with hundreds of hours of replayability, freedom, and gratifying multiplayer.”
- “Every match feels fresh, with infinite replay value and endless room for strategy.”
- “The focus is squarely on multiplayer, which means replayability is limited without that human challenge.”
- “It's fun for a few hours, but considering its price, they're quite costly hours, very little replayability.”
- “Not much replayability long term though, haven't explored the community and was not drawn to it...”
optimization
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
58%
22%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting performance issues, particularly during late-game scenarios where frame rates can drop dramatically. While some users note that the game runs well on lower settings or in 1v1 matches, overall, there are persistent concerns about memory leaks, lag, and the need for better balancing and polish. Despite its engaging gameplay, many feel that optimization remains a critical area for improvement.
- “Optimization is the only thing I feel the game is missing.”
- “The game feels great right now; I hope in the future they continue to support with new maps, optimizations & fixes.”
- “You need not fear, this game is optimized well enough to play in 1v1s and 2v2s, even on a crappy laptop.”
- “The game is also very badly optimized, has memory leaks and runs poorly on any system.”
- “The game still has optimization issues for late game rounds which makes the FPS dip to sub 10 for some reason.”
- “Optimization is really bad; when there is a lot going on, you experience crazy FPS drops.”
story
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
72%
19%
The game lacks a traditional story or campaign mode, focusing primarily on multiplayer and bot battles instead. Players express a desire for a narrative-driven experience, with many feeling that the absence of a storyline diminishes the overall engagement and potential of the game. While some enjoy the gameplay mechanics, the consensus is that the lack of a story is a significant drawback.
- “It would be fun to see the devs implement a short story/campaign and something like limited game modes that rotate weekly or daily that really change up gameplay!”
- “I am a story lover; I'm not interested in long-term multiplayer; otherwise, it will become an e-sport.”
- “The one thing that's missing is the story.”
- “This is a multiplayer-focused game; there are bots, but no campaign or story mode.”
- “This game severely lacks a storyline campaign.”
- “Overall, I can see this suiting some people well, but for me the lack of story, and RNG unit selection, bias towards survivable units and almost exclusive focus on PvP makes this a no.”
monetization
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
59%
30%
The monetization strategy of the game is generally viewed as player-friendly, with a low purchase price and cosmetic microtransactions that do not impact gameplay. While some players appreciate the absence of pay-to-win mechanics and intrusive ads, others express concerns about the presence of microtransactions in a paid game, labeling it as a potential cash grab. Overall, the game is praised for its fair monetization approach, though opinions vary on the necessity and execution of its cosmetic purchases.
- “The monetization of this game is fantastic; cheap to buy and fully enjoy, with gameplay-influencing unit modifications unlockable only by playing and skins/skin packs available for purchase.”
- “Microtransactions are minimal and have no impact on gameplay.”
- “In-game purchases are purely cosmetic, which I like; this game wouldn't be too great if it was pay-to-win, feels perfect as is.”
- “Only complaint is the presence of microtransactions in a paid game, although cosmetic.”
- “Overall the devs call this a release version and it's 1.2 but it still feels like utter beta and a cash grab.”
- “In-app purchases ... huge prices for in-game currency and skins ... this 'game' is nothing more than a cash grab.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
41%
23%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players noting its high quality but limited variety, leading to repetitiveness. While some appreciate the soundtrack's epic feel and catchy tunes, others find it forgettable and prefer to mute it in favor of their own music. Recent updates have introduced new tracks, but the overall consensus is that the music could benefit from more diversity and depth to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The music is, without a doubt, a highlight of the game.”
- “The music is catchy and memorable; I'll often find myself humming certain tunes from it. The world feels lived-in and natural, and the gameplay is incredibly laid back and enjoyable.”
- “From its stunning futuristic visuals and captivating soundtrack to its strategic gameplay and diverse roster of mechs, this game delivers an adrenaline-pumping and immersive adventure.”
- “I miss the old music.”
- “The music is boring.”
- “The music tracks get repetitive very quickly.”
grinding
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
10%
84%
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" highlight a mixed experience among players. Many find the grinding aspect tedious and frustrating, often feeling that it detracts from the enjoyment of the game, especially in competitive settings where the grind seems endless and unrewarding. However, some players appreciate the minimal progression systems and shorter match lengths, which help alleviate the grind, allowing for more dynamic gameplay without the burden of extensive grinding typically found in similar genres.
- “There is almost no grinding, which is what usually keeps me playing a game, but in this one, I'm just in it for the gameplay.”
- “This game isn't grindy; there's very minimal progression systems.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “But in the end, I kept on grinding away and not having fun or feeling fulfillment.”
- “Given games can take 30+ minutes, it can be extremely tedious to both slowly whittle down an opponent or yourself without any hope of a comeback.”
humor
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
10%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the chaotic and absurd nature of tactical battles, especially when playing with friends. The interactions in chat and the unpredictable strategies of opponents add to the hilarity, making for a fun and engaging experience. However, some players note that recent updates have affected the humor, leading to mixed feelings about balance and randomness in gameplay.
- “It’s hilarious to see how differently everyone approaches the challenge—some players spam units on your flanks, others go all-in on one side, and before you know it, the battlefield is pure madness.”
- “If you’re ready to embrace the absurdity of tactical warfare with a side of ridiculousness, grab your friends, deploy those mechs, and prepare for a hilariously chaotic time!”
- “My favorite feature is the cinematic camera; watching the battle from one of your unit's perspectives is hilarious and awesome.”
- “The game isn't funny anymore with the random unit picks after the last update.”
- “The humor feels forced and falls flat, making the game less enjoyable.”
- “I expected more clever jokes, but most of the humor just misses the mark.”
stability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
73%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs, glitches, and connection issues, while others report a relatively smooth and enjoyable experience. Many users note that the game is still in early access, leading to varying levels of performance, but some commend the developers for addressing issues promptly. Overall, while there are reports of instability, there are also instances of players finding the game to be largely bug-free and well-optimized.
- “As I said before, the game is in early access still, but it is not buggy. Rather than feature-overwhelming loads of content, it features a modest amount of polished units that function in very important ways.”
- “All accompanied by nice graphics and virtually bug-free execution.”
- “Fun game, great balance at first glance, and most importantly, it's a bug-free game close to being extremely polished.”
- “No rhyme, no reason, and I see in the troubleshooting forums that this is a shared issue.”
- “I googled it and it seems this issue plagues some people and there is no clear solution (and no, it isn't my home network... troubleshooting shows no packets dropped, retransmitted, nor delayed).”
- “Constant bugs, glitches, and delayed game response.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of emotions while engaging with the game, describing it as both fun and heartbreaking, particularly when reflecting on its earlier iterations. The emotional experience is characterized by a rollercoaster of excitement and frustration, often stemming from gameplay mechanics and unit pathing issues. Despite these challenges, the community is generally seen as wholesome, contributing to an overall entertaining experience, though players sometimes feel a sense of emotional distress due to the game's unpredictability and competitive nature.
- “Sometimes I rewatch old YouTube videos, and it makes me want to cry seeing how nice the game looked at the start with no buildings.”
- “Been a while since a game made me feel like that.”
- “Instead of reaching a point where you can tell 'this is my skill cap,' you’re pushed into an emotional loop: excitement, frustration, and dependence.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The atmosphere of Mechabellum is widely praised for its engaging sci-fi aesthetic and tactical depth, reminiscent of classic strategy games like Starcraft. Despite a lack of narrative, the game's visual appeal and grimdark tone enhance the overall experience, contributing to a satisfying sense of victory and a relaxed yet strategic gameplay environment. Overall, players appreciate the game's atmosphere as a key element that elevates the experience, even if some aspects, like skins, are seen as less impactful.
- “In many ways, Mechabellum feels like a clever spin on a custom Starcraft mod, with that same sci-fi atmosphere and satisfying tactical flow.”
- “Good graphics and atmosphere, easy to learn and hard to play pro.”
- “Mechabellum looks great, and despite a total lack of narrative, its atmosphere goes a long way to sweetening the taste of victory and soothing the pain of defeat.”
- “The grimdark tone of 40k slots right into Mechabellum’s atmosphere like a bolt shell into a bolter.”
- “It can be used as a differentiator between good and bad players, but it ruins the atmosphere of the game.”