MECHBLAZE

[b]Mechblaze[/b] feels like a return to Astro Port's origins, while also fully embracing the convoluted continuity set game after game. It's a clear spiritual successor to one of their earliest games, [b]Gigantic Army[/b], forsaking the more modern elements of [b]Steel Strider[/b] to return to a [b]Valken/Cybernator[/b] mech. It's however set before either of those, taking place parallel to [b]Armed Seven[/b], and even directly involves Vulkaiser - it's like a Gundam series where suddenly Mazinger is involved, but Japan has had [b]Super Robot Wars[/b] for decades so… Hiroko Nakaya, an important character in a few other games, here assists the player, and is established (or rather retconned) to be a background character in [b]Vulkaiser[/b] and [b]Meglilo[/b]; a cutscene in the latter game is also reframed in a more serious way, in light of the development of Nakaya throughout the timeline. The mech feels heavy yet maneuverable as it should, and it now comes with unlimited dashing for no more frustration when traversing long stretches of terrain. The shield, while essential to survive some tricky situations, can't be used indefinitely and eventually breaks, with no chances of recovering it until the end of the level. A few weapons aren't available from the beginning and require certain conditions to be unlocked; fortunately it doesn't take much to get the flamethrower, one of the best weapons to use despite its short range. There is a button to hold the aim while moving but it's also possible to have it done by just keeping the fire button pressed, a choice that, along with having the dash performed with either a dedicated button or with a double tap forward or backwards, I greatly appreciated because it allows to concentrate on maneuvering and defending. In some sections the mech takes flight and it's much more maneuverable than in [b]Steel Strider[/b], in a clear callback to [b]Armed Seven[/b]. Shame that once again, weapons can be set up only at the beginning, with no chances to change the loadout between missions. The Astro Port visual style keeps being refined, nothing new in their expertise at making great mecha designs and huge bosses that are the more satisfying to see when reduced to smoking piles of metal, but I've been surprised by the level of detail of the backgrounds too. Explosions look good, as does the flamethrower. It even manages to have the first boss of [b]Vulkaiser[/b] redone in this style (with an in-universe justification to boot), and Vulkaiser itself looks distinct yet not out of place when it appears. While not especially elaborate, the levels offer a tightly paced combination of pure action, bosses, and some platforming; even health and ammunition pickups feel perfectly placed. The lack of any timer during levels made me hope this could be longer but while lasting more than [b]Gigantic Army[/b], it's also shorter than [b]Steel Strider[/b]. Maybe it's an observation due to the price, higher than previous Astro Saga releases, or maybe just because I wanted more from the game as I enjoyed it so much. Once again the story could use better exposition, given the lore built by jumping back and forth in the timeline, but I've gotten used to that and it should always be considered accessory. I may have been hasty to judge [b]Zangeki Warp[/b] as the best Astro Port game, because [b]Mechblaze[/b] comes closely tied.