Mecha is a genre that has come a long way in terms of its audience in the West. Anime starring giant battle robots and the stories of the men and women who control them have become one of the most popular and prolific shows in the entire medium. As cool as it is to see these mechs on a TV screen, it was only a matter of time before someone asked, “How about piloting one yourself?”
Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and there may soon come a time when we can all have one for ourselves. Until then, however, we can satisfy our curiosity by playing the plethora of mech-focused video games at our disposal.
10. Vox Machinae
A testament to how far we’ve come since the advent of mecha is Vox Machinae, a VR video game focused on providing an authentic mech piloting experience. See the article : Prime Video shows the trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It puts you in the cockpit of your very own mech known as the “Grinder” and gives you a whole host of controls that come with it.
It’s a much slower-paced experience than other action games, but the sense of weight and size you get as your awesome machine stomps around is something you shouldn’t ignore. Of course, the creators haven’t skimped on the usual mech weaponry like lasers and missiles, nor have they forgotten to give you a plethora of eccentric characters to interact with. It all comes together in one complete package that is a must-try if you can get your hands on VR tech.
9. BattleTech
A titan franchise set in the western mecha world, BattleTech is the father of an entire universe of sci-fi content. It is primarily known for its tabletop presence as a board game, war game, and RPG, but the franchise also includes books and video games.
The Battletech (2018) video game in particular is a solid turn-based mecha game set in the world of the board game that started it all. Mechwarriors pilot Battlemechs and fight in a faction-divided universe where war and poverty are rife, causing mechs to become both the blessing and the bane of mass technological decline. To see also : Prime Video: The 49 Best TV Shows to Watch. Its dark story and great tactical gameplay deserve to bring the BattleTech legacy to a new audience.
8. MechWarrior
Many who may have been first familiar with the MechWarrior series may be surprised to know that it’s actually just a spin-off of the Battletech franchise. It exists as an expanded universe alongside MechAssault and MechCommander. On the same subject : Amazon Prime Video releases the long-awaited trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. However, MechWarrior is by far the most popular spin-off, having received many video game iterations over its lifetime.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is an action game in which you can see from the third (or first) person what it’s like to pilot a BattleTech mech. They’re big, they’re loud, and they can rotate their chassis 360 degrees to walk and shoot in different directions. What more do you want?
7. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Dynasty Warriors and Gundam: a game made in Japan. Many TV and movie hookup games tend to get a bad rap. Powered by Omega Force, developers of the Dynasty Warriors series, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam did just the right thing. So much so that several sequels were made.
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Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 is considered a very fun game with great couch co-op. It has Dynasty Warriors hack-and-slash gameplay that makes it replayable, as well as the kind of action, characters, and mechs you’d expect from Gundam.
6. Super Robot Wars
Super Robot Wars (aka Super Robot Taisen) is a series of games that basically exist as a love letter to the mecha anime in its entirety. It stands on a strong foundation of SRPG gameplay as one would expect from this genre. However, what really sets this game apart from the rest is the story, the characters, and the way they all interact.
Super Robot Wars features many different mecha characters – both original and existing favorites – coming together to fight on an epic scale. You will see Gundam fight with Getter Robo characters. You will witness Code Geass characters speaking to Gurren Lagann characters. And to top it off, both can happen in a single game.
5. Into The Breach
Into The Breach is a popular indie title that made waves after its release. Developed by the creators of the also popular FTL: Faster Than Light game, it doesn’t dare disappoint anyone who tries it.
It combines turn-based strategy with similarly frustrating replay value as FTL. Players use mechs to battle a race of monsters known as the Vek, using whatever is at their disposal. Each mech has different abilities, each island has different hazards to beware of, and each vek has a different type of attack, resulting in a deadly game of rock-paper-scissors filled with numerous unforeseen accidents . Too many accidents may force you to abandon this timeline altogether, leaving everyone left to their own devices while you try again to save humanity in a different timeline.
4. Titanfall
A nice mix of FPS and mecha, Titanfall is a fast-paced and action-packed game that offers a unique experience. You play as a fast, free-running pilot alongside an Ordinance Heavy Mech known as the Titan.
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Titanfall’s fun twist on the mecha formula is that Titans exist both as a mech suit that the pilot operates, and as a robot capable of operating alongside and independently of its pilot, leading to a special kind of cooperative Gameplay and story in which the player forms an inseparable bond with his robotic friend.
3. Daemon X Machina
Daemon X Machina tries to capture much of what fans love about Armored Core and manages to thrive while having its own identity. Gameplay consists of third-person action where you control a customizable mech and battle other mechs of all shapes and sizes. However, the style in which you do this varies greatly.
Graphics are much more stylized with a cel-shaded 3D look compared to Armored Core’s more realistic tone. It’s complemented well by the outrageous cast of characters and bombastic anime-style storylines and concepts. Twists, turns, and epic battles are to be expected in the (unfortunately) single-player campaign missions, but there are plenty of fun and awesome moments playing the co-op missions with friends or online.
2. Front Mission
Another long-running series in a genre filled with them, Front Mission is one of the most respectable names for lovers of mech-on-mech combat. It has a realistic tone and setting similar to Armored Core, but by far one of the darkest and deepest tactical RPG gameplay experiences out there.
The core concept is that the mechs you command, called Wanzers, are made up of customizable parts – but in combat those parts can be individually damaged. You might spend all your hard-earned cash from previous battles to buy a fancy new arm for your favorite weapon, only to lose it in the next fight when it’s destroyed. Front Mission 4 illustrates this gameplay well and is accompanied by the best story in the series, while Front Mission First is a very accessible (if not entirely forgiving) entry point into the series for new players.
1. Armored Core
The Armored Core series, like many mech series including those on this list, has a long and colorful history. It started on the original PlayStation in 1997. While the older games undoubtedly haven’t aged very well due to the infamous “tank controls” of the era, each iteration has only improved the formula.
The more modern additions to the series, starting with Armored Core 3, are considered the quintessential mech pilot action experiences. You’ll have tighter controls and deep customization, allowing you to pilot the mech of your dreams. The graphics, storylines, and soundtracks are all as great as you’d expect from a FromSoftware franchise, making the whole package a mainstay for anyone who loves mecha.
