[h1]Read This If You're Unsure Whether the Game Is Worth Buying and Draw Your Own Conclusions[/h1]
I decided to organize some key points to consider before buying the game so that you don’t get frustrated and are aware of what to expect if you're really interested in a new mecha game.
[h3]Low Budget[/h3]
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[*] The game seems to have had a very modest budget, as they appear to have cut costs by making simple animations for character dialogues, using only text boxes without anything on the screen for you to read through. There are so few cutscenes that you only remember the ones where the Immortals appear and the ones near the end of the game, which are pretty cool but scarce...
[*] Besides the cutscenes, there’s barely any variety in maps. I understand that the maps look similar because of the setting, but seriously? All bases are practically identical, with just one or two different enemies. You mostly fight enemy mechas from other factions, and the few maps that do look different and interesting, you only play on them twice (such as a map with white sand and red vegetation and another set in a city during a blizzard storm). There are more points to mention, but just by playing, you can feel that the budget wasn’t generous or, if it was, the devs were just lazy when designing the level maps.
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[h3]Protagonist[/h3]
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[*] The main character barely appears in scenes (or inside the mecha) during cutscenes. I find this weird because they try to make it seem like your character is important to the story, yet you don’t say a single line of dialogue, and none of your companions interact with you (beyond generic lines). This bothers me a lot because it makes it hard to get attached to any characters, which discourages me from trying to create a cool character myself.
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[h3]Gameplay[/h3]
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[*] The gameplay is very solid you really feel the satisfaction of destroying enemies with assault weapons. The weapon-switching system is great, and you can even eject from your Arsenal and play as your pilot (although the gameplay for the pilot is really bad). At least you have a chance to defeat a boss if you were close to winning but got taken down. However, I believe that, like me, you won’t have the patience to keep playing as the pilot against enemy Arsenals since it’s slower and much harder. It’s better to just restart the mission and try again.
Other than that, my only real complaint is that the Y-axis mobility for the mecha is pretty bad. You don’t have the same fluidity you do when moving horizontally, and if you’re flying and need to fight enemies on the ground, you end up dropping in an awkward and clunky way.
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[h3]Content[/h3]
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[*] There’s a decent amount of content in the game you have plenty of weapons to try out, swords to craft, shields, and modifications for your mecha. I really liked the variety of different parts you can equip to make your mecha unique (to some extent). However, acquiring certain parts requires a tedious grind, and regardless of the armor you have, you’ll always get melted by a boss laser lol.
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[h3]Repetition[/h3]
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[*] The game tends to be VERY repetitive. You play simple missions where you just defeat enemies over and over about 300 times without much variation. Since these missions exist mainly for farming mecha parts and money, grinding them gets really boring. There are too many missions without much variety. At least there are some boss fights, which are fun because you can test different weapons.
But when you combine the lack of map variation, repetitive and uninspiring missions, and an uninteresting grind, you can quickly get bored and might not even finish the game. This is the biggest reason why I’m giving this warning.
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[h3]Story (No Spoilers)[/h3]
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[*] The story is very weak. You don’t feel any attachment to the characters, and most of the time, you’ll just think, “okay, whatever.” Even in tense moments, you don’t feel invested enough in the scene for it to have an impact. The characters have their own personalities, but because your protagonist is practically invisible and the story isn’t that engaging (though it gets more fun in the final missions), it makes me not care about them at all.
You don’t get to know anyone properly, so all the characters feel extremely shallow. Adding that to the issues I mentioned earlier, the whole experience can feel pretty dull. However, the story is still fun to rush through when it gets to the interesting moments (cutscenes), since the game is sorely lacking in those.
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[h3]Conclusion[/h3]
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[*] I pointed out several issues that bothered me, but is the game worth it? The answer is: it depends. Since I’m a fan of musou-style games, I have a higher tolerance for repetition, so I did enjoy farming some parts and progressing through the stages while listening to a podcast. However, I won’t lie this game is not for everyone.
You have to be REALLY craving a mecha game, because there are better alternatives like Armored Core 6 or Project Nimbus: Complete Edition, both of which have great stories and more engaging gameplay.
Now, you might ask, “Why did I give it a positive review despite my criticisms?” Simple just because I still managed to have fun to some extent. The boss fights are cool, especially the final one, and the combat system itself is enjoyable.
So, I’d say buy this game only if you find it on a good sale and if you’re really in the mood for a mecha game. I can’t guarantee you won’t regret it, but at the very least, it could be a new experience.
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