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Mech games. What's good and holds up?

H

HitokiriNate85

Member
Armored Core, Front Mission, pretty much every Gundam game, Virtual On, ZoE, etc. I basically haven't touched any of them outside of trying VO for a few minutes and playing one of the Gundam games on the PS2. Also, I have Bangai-O on 360, so excluding that.

I came across a mention of FM: Gun Hazard in another thread. Is it any good? It sounds pretty cool and has Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda on the soundtrack.

I'm not really interested in something turn based like the standard FM games, though. I'd prefer action, but I don't know what has held up best. ZoE? Also, feel free to recommend any older, 2D games as well. I just don't know what's available.
 
I

Ingueferroque

Banned
As for current games, Mech Warrior Online is pretty great. Despite being F2P.

Chromehounds needs a revival. Sadly it can't be played online anymore. Wish this one had a PC release.

Front Mission Alternative on PS1 has some unique gameplay systems and looks awesome for its time, I think there is a fan translation out there by now.
fma_translation1.jpg


Assault Suit Leynos 2 on Saturn is an excellent 2D mech game, but rock-hard.
53918-Assault_Suit_Leynos_2_(J)-3.jpg


Bulk Slash on Saturn is a very highly regarded 3D mech game for Saturn, but I never had the chance to play it.

34198.jpg


Gun Griffon 1 and 2 on Saturn are amazing 3D mech games for its time.

GG2a.png
 
M

Miles Quaritch

Member
EagleBurnn said:
Mechassault and Chromehouds were great. Chromehounds was very underrated also.
Click to expand...

Chromehounds was probably the best Mech game this generation on consoles. Still hurts that Sega shut-down the servers.

As I understand it, Hawken is the one to get if you've a capable PC. It's free to play though, so I'm not sure how well they've handled or addressed the pay to win aspect.
 
R

Relaxed Muscle

Member
Armored Core For Answer is probably the most refined AC I played (didn't played AC5 yet). Fun, with lots of parts to build your mech and with a progressive learning curve in controls that offers more depth than it looks. Also epic boss battles.
 
E

EagleBurnn

Banned
Miles Quaritch said:
Chromehounds was probably the best Mech game this generation on consoles.
Click to expand...

It was, hands down. Deep customization options for your mech. The entire multiplayer was one huge war that reset every two weeks. The matches were as strategic as mech games can get. The maps were gigantic. Clan support. It was the perfect mech game.
 
U

UnluckyKate

Member
bigboss370 said:
what about Hawken? I haven't played it myself, but it looks really good.
Click to expand...

It's really good. Art direction is amazing (much better than Mech Warrior Online) but gameplay is more FPS than mech.

Mech Warrior Online is really more tactical. Much more slower paced, much wider, huge focus on role in the team etc... It's good but hard to get in. Super high learning curve
 
T

Tyrant Rave

Banned
If you want action, Zone of the Enders 2 is incredible. But it's more of a straight action game than a typical mech game. Still great though.

I have some friends who love Armored Core and played For Answer for a really long time. AC5 is probably cheap right now if you want to look into that, there's a new one coming out this year I believe.
 
D

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Relaxed Muscle said:
Armored Core For Answer is probably the most refined AC I played (didn't played AC5 yet). Fun, with lots of parts to build your mech and with a progressive learning curve in controls that offers more depth than it looks. Also epic boss battles.
Click to expand...

Completely agree.

AC5 was all kinds of massive mistakes. You missed nothing - and it doesn't matter because the community is completely dead too.
 
S

sixteen-bit

Member
HiddenWings said:
Is there anything modern that's at all like Virtual On? I guess they re-released VOOT on XBLA, but is there anything else?
Click to expand...

Virtual On Force was released exclusively in Japan on 360 a few years ago. It's region-free though.
Gundam Extreme Vs. (PS3) might scratch that itch for you too, but the controls are more traditional than VO.
Wartech Senko no Ronde and its Japan-only sequel Senko no Ronde DUO on 360 are evocative of Virtual On played on a 2-D plane.

HitokiriNate85 said:
I came across a mention of FM: Gun Hazard in another thread. Is it any good? It sounds pretty cool and has Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda on the soundtrack.

I'm not really interested in something turn based like the standard FM games, though. I'd prefer action, but I don't know what has held up best. ZoE? Also, feel free to recommend any older, 2D games as well. I just don't know what's available.
Click to expand...

If you're interested in Gun Hazard, check out Cybernator AKA Assault Suits Valken for SNES/SFC.
 
BigTnaples

BigTnaples

Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
Miles Quaritch said:
Chromehounds was probably the best Mech game this generation on consoles. Still hurts that Sega shut-down the servers.

As I understand it, Hawken is the one to get if you've a capable PC. It's free to play though, so I'm not sure how well they've handled or addressed the pay to win aspect.
Click to expand...



Chrome hounds was the absolute best mech game on consoles in memory. I can only hope one day we see a sequel.


On the PC front Hawken is good, but true mech fans look no further than Mechwarrior Online. That is a true mech game much like the great Mechwarrior 2 from ages ago.
 
A

Adam Blue

Member
If you play the first Lost Planet in the mind-set that you will always use mechs, that'll be satisfying. I played it twice; once as a 3rd person shooter and once as a mech game. It really allows for that.

I did really like Front Mission Evolved. There's not a whole lot to it, but the mission design is decent enough and the customization is fun.

Gun Hazard is great. Only way I could obtain it was through emulation.

Gundam side-story on Dreamcast is a lot of fun.
 
H

HitokiriNate85

Member
Is Chromehounds worth playing without online?

Since I'm not sure I'm going to find a game with a thriving online community, I'd like something with a great single-player experience. A good soundtrack also does a lot for me.
 
I

Ingueferroque

Banned
UnluckyKate said:
It's really good. Art direction is amazing (much better than Mech Warrior Online) but gameplay is more FPS than mech.

Mech Warrior Online is really more tactical. Much more slower paced, much wider, huge focus on role in the team etc... It's good but hard to get in. Super high learning curve
Click to expand...

Hawken feels shallow and has invisible walls everywhere, it's really just a dumb arena shooter with Phantom Crash aesthetics.

MWO isn't that hard to get into, I play it quite casually.
 
L

Llyranor

Member
MechWarrior Online is my latest gaming addiction. I adore the core mech gameplay, and customizing mechs in the mechlab is an absolute blast. Do I add an extra medium laser for a bit more punch if I need it, or do I just put an extra heatsink to make overall heat management better? Do I go for endosteel for the extra tonnage saving, at the cost of losing critical spaces? Oh crap, I ran out of space with both endosteel and double heatsink upgrades, going have to sacrifice something again. Can I afford to strip off a bit more armor off this mech's rear, or am I not maneuverable enough to gamble that? Do I go for an XL engine for extra tonnage saving, or risk being easier to kill because of increased engine vulnerable (or gamble and do it anyway for the substantial extra tonnage that I can put into a bigger faster engine and more weapons?). Do I max out on jumpjets - they are pretty heavy in larger numbers, but then again I do want to jump over that building on that map... Should I put a gauss rifle on this arm? The extra damage is nice, but since I'm a medium-range mech, maybe it's too risky and it might blow up in my face if they shoot it. Maybe I'll just grab an autocannon-10 instead and use the extra tonnage to boost the risk of my arsenal. Hmm, I ran out of critical spaces, but have a bit of tonnage left - ooh, I'll just upgrade to a bigger engine - and even fit an extra heatsink in there, awesome! There's always something you have to compromise/sacrifice, I love it.


bigboss370 said:
what about Hawken? I haven't played it myself, but it looks really good.
Click to expand...

To me, Hawken just felt like a FPS with a bit of boosting. Meh.
 
A

AllenShrz

Member
Fucking Front Mission 3 and 5!!

Superb games!

Edit: My exitmet took over, if you are not interested in FM, I could perhaps show you ZoE2 and Omega Boost.
 
M

Mesoian

Member
Hawken is a really cool game. It's just a little frustrating that the F2P model of it means that you have to fall in love with it in order to get the most out of it.
 
A

A Huge Battleship

Member
(Wartech) Senko no Ronde deserves a mention. It's a 2D shmup/fighter hybrid with interesting mechanics, including the ability to turn yourself into something akin to an end-stage boss. There's a sequel, Senko no Ronde DUO, which never saw a western release but which I understand is a general expansion and improvement.
 
H

HitokiriNate85

Member
EagleBurnn said:
Unfortunately, no. It's kind of like the Battlefield series. Everyone buys it for the multiplayer and the single-player is just there to say they have a single-player.
Click to expand...

Ah, damn. That's too bad. What about something like AC: For Answer?

ramine said:
Gundam Extreme VS seconded. It's really popular in Tokyo arcades and looks so sick :)

I wish there was a Western version or at least a Japanese PC version!
Click to expand...

I've heard nothing but great things about it, but I know very little about it. Is it more of a 1v1 or team battle game? Also, is there much appeal for people who aren't into Gundam? I've seen very little.

(Wartech) Senko no Ronde deserves a mention. It's a 2D shmup/fighter hybrid with interesting mechanics, including the ability to turn yourself into something akin to an end-stage boss. There's a sequel, Senko no Ronde DUO, which never saw a western release but which I understand is a general expansion and improvement.
Click to expand...

I have it, but thanks. It's a cool concept but the execution wasn't all that great. If the sequel had been released here I'd probably pick it up cheap.

Also, I'm not in a position to play Hawken or I would've jumped at the chance.
 
D

donkey show

Member
ramine said:
Gundam Extreme VS seconded. It's really popular in Tokyo arcades and looks so sick :)

I wish there was a Western version or at least a Japanese PC version!
Click to expand...
Dat region free PS3 version.
HitokiriNate85 said:
I've heard nothing but great things about it, but I know very little about it. Is it more of a 1v1 or team battle game? Also, is there much appeal for people who aren't into Gundam? I've seen very little.
Click to expand...

It's a 2v2 team battle game. There are a lot of people who aren't into Gundam but love EXVS due to the solid gameplay.

Here's the OT if you want to learn a bit more about the gameplay mechanics: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=453197
 
T

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Play any of the Front Mission SRPGs only. Not the alternative ones, which are hits (Alternate) or misses (Evolved).
 
D

Deleted member 102362

Unconfirmed Member
MechWarrior 2 is a classic. It also has one of the best VG soundtracks ever.
 
T

Tain

Member
sixteen-bit has this covered.

I'll add that if you want to go buck wild, get yourself a Steel Battalion setup. It's easy to just think of Steel Battalion as a big controller and assume the game is a bit of a novelty, but it really is one of the very best mech-themed games.
 
M

MoGamesXNA

Unconfirmed Member
jdl said:
stand_1.jpg


Still the greatest?
Click to expand...

Perfect answer. I still find that it looks great when played in high resolution. The clean polygons hold up well against the low res textures of the era.

The soundtrack, audio, lore, mech designs and depth are all unsurpassed IMO.
 
L

Lime

Member
Check out the Mechwarrior Online F2P - it's a pretty entertaining game once you get the hang of it.

jdl said:
http://www.localditch.com/mechwarrior/mech2/stand_1.jpg[IMG]

Still the greatest?[/QUOTE]

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X3GD0UnBCk"]Absolutely. [/URL]

[IMG]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3484415/mw2intro_dithered.gif

MoGamesXNA said:
The soundtrack, audio, lore, mech designs and depth are all unsurpassed IMO.
Click to expand...

It's pretty much the apex of mech simulation genre, imo.

I still find that it looks great when played in high resolution. The clean polygons hold up well against the low res textures of the era.
Click to expand...

I agree. It certainly isn't an eye-sore or anything.

mw2_026qjbcd.png
Click to expand...
 
M

MechDX

Member
I loved MechAssault the game helped to launch LIVE and was just fun to play (except for River City and the Madcats PPC's!). Why did MS rent out the IP?
 
E

EagleBurnn

Banned
MechDX said:
I loved MechAssault the game helped to launch LIVE and was just fun to play (except for River City and the Madcats PPC's!). Why did MS rent out the IP?
Click to expand...

Wasn't Mechassault the #1 game on Live before Halo 2 released? Great series, still odd there was never a third installment.
 
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