A 2D Mecha Platformer With a Full Campaign
HARDCORE MECHA is a 2D platformer action game built around tight, responsive handling. The Campaign mode spans 8 chapters and 18 levels, taking you through mineshafts, underwater areas, urban environments, and space. Along the way you face more than 50 types of enemy mecha. Some levels let you leave the cockpit entirely and infiltrate enemy lines on foot, which changes up the pacing from pure mech combat. Between missions you develop and customize new gear and focus accessories for your machines.
The story is told through seamless in-game cut-scenes: 40 minutes of animation with full voice acting that transitions directly into the 2D platform scenes. The skeletal animation work gives each mecha a real sense of weight, with smooth movement that backs up the handling-focused gameplay.
Playing Together
Multiplayer is where the group play happens. You can fight other players in online PvP, or go at each other in local split-screen. The game also supports Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op, and Remote Play Together, so there are several ways to get a session going with friends. Pick your mecha and take part in fast-paced competitive battles of steel.
Mecha Roster and Progression
There are 42 mechas to unlock and drive, spanning American, Japanese, Super, and Realistic styles. Each one has its own tactical value, so knowing what your machine does well matters more than picking a single favorite. You unlock new mechas by enhancing earlier ones or by reaching certain waves in the survival mode.
Survival mode throws endless enemies at you across changing battlefields. You earn simulation points and gear chests, and the waves keep climbing until bosses show up. Spend simulation points to enhance any attribute on your mecha; pushing specific attributes far enough unlocks new machines. You also equip primary weapons and mods found in battle. Note that some special mechas can only take mods and not primary weapons.
Before You Start
The pilot can eject from the mecha and fight on foot in critical moments, which is a real tactical option rather than a gimmick. Learn when to abandon the cockpit. With dozens of mechas available and each one playing differently, expect some time spent learning matchups before PvP feels comfortable. The soundtrack and animation work carry the tone throughout, so the game reads as much as a story piece as a competitive fighter.