Mech games

[Sabby]

I've never found one I like :/ but I actually like the sound of them... two combatants in powered suits dashing across massive levels, criss-crossing like fighting birds, breaking away to zig-zag through torrents of laser fire before throwing out a protective shockwave and shoulder slamming right into him, sending him careening into a building side, only to dash sideways out of a lower level and try to blindside you with a sword attack.

This really appeals to me, but I can't find it. Mech games to me just look like third person shooters with robots and a dash button :/ I have the same complaint with Dragonball Z and Naruto games, same epic fighting scenarios I mentioned before, yet confined to a game design that doesn't allow it.

Though Budakai did kind of touch on what I'm talking about :)

I want for Mech's what H.A.W.X. did for jet fighting. The controls for that game were so great... instead of just having an over the shoulder (over the thruster?) perspective, bog standard flying game, they actually broke the mould and turned it into real dog fighting, where the fun and excitement came from the dance, swerving and evading and trying to pull off that reversal that hooks you behind them and blasts them into dust.

That's how I want a mech game to play. If anyone knows of one anything like this, please tell me :)

[Heaven Sent Blossom]

I don't think they really exist, to be honest with you.
Once you get down the rabbit hole of Armoured Core that's probably the closest thing you are going to get to the experience, however I'm talking about pretty high level competitive play here which takes either an outrageous amount of time to master or an innate genetic predisposition towards piloting mecha (hi Japan, how are you today?).
The other alternative is the western style of Mechwarrior based games, which obviously Steel Battalion and maybe one other Gundam game embraced but I can't think of any other Japanese examples. And that style is as far away from what you obviously want from mech games as you could possibly get, it's basically a "what if tanks had legs and were bigger than small moons?" way of thinking.

In other news, did people actually use that awful camera system for HAWX? I guess it would explain why I had such an easy time shooting guys down in the multiplayer using cockpit view then, anybody using that mental "Top Gun" cam is a very brave person if you ask me.

[Callie Del Noire]

The last good mech game I played with the 'in the seat' feel was a LONG time ago, like back before FASA broke up and Microsoft got the rights to all their games. I remember because I made a KILLING on salvage, head shooting mechs right and left with alpha strikes (as much damage as I could get at one MASSIVE shot without totally shutting my own mech down). I'm talking Battletech before the Clans arrival old.

[Wolfy]

Well Sabby, Front Mission Evolved Drops next week. Maybe you should check it out. *shrugs*

[Brandon]

Mech games arent very popular for some reason, even though there seems to be a huge number of fans for the setting. At one time Mechwarrior was a good series but after 3 Mercenaries I felt it went downhill because it just couldnt keep up with current generation graphics and gameplay. Front mission gave us turn based strategy for mech's which was a nice change, there have also been mech RPGs like Xenogears, but I cant think of a single game like the one you describe Sabby

[Sabby]

but I cant think of a single game like the one you describe Sabby

This must be corrected! D= Every time I see something like Gundam Wing on TV, it's always those super fast dog fights, with criss-crossing and blind sides and dashing shoot outs... for there to not be a mech game like that to me is like there not being a soccer game where ya kick a ball.

[Callie Del Noire]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Battalion

Is what you want. :D

[LongN4]

If you've ever wanted to pilot a supah roboto then this might be up your alley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_Alchemic_Drive

Classic Game Room HD - ROBOT ALCHEMIC DRIVE PS2 review

It's one of my favorites.

[Wolfy]

As I said, Sabby, check into Front Mission Evolved and see if it looks good.

[DudelRok]

I was a fan of Robotech Battlecry when it was released for the last gen systems and if I could find a PS2 copy I'd go grab the thing without thinking about it. The story isn't that great if you don't know the Robotech universe, which I don't, you could get a little confused on some portions without paying an extended amount of attention to detail.

The closest thing I could think which hits what you want, Sabby, but at the same time sort of misses. Dodging and the like requires you to shift forms and it plays less like a third person shooter and more like a third person strategy mech game where you can shoot at things directly. It was all about finding a balance between the three mech modes and did not boil down to who got who in their sight first.

[LongN4]

I was a fan of Robotech Battlecry when it was released for the last gen systems and if I could find a PS2 copy I'd go grab the thing without thinking about it. The story isn't that great if you don't know the Robotech universe, which I don't, you could get a little confused on some portions without paying an extended amount of attention to detail.

The closest thing I could think which hits what you want, Sabby, but at the same time sort of misses. Dodging and the like requires you to shift forms and it plays less like a third person shooter and more like a third person strategy mech game where you can shoot at things directly. It was all about finding a balance between the three mech modes and did not boil down to who got who in their sight first.

actually that sounds pretty fun, I'll look it up.

[Wolfy]

Oor Sabby could go pick up that one mech game where you had to actually have the real mech controls just to play it...like this huge, gigantic console of controls that actually simulated the cockpit..xD

[Callie Del Noire]

Oor Sabby could go pick up that one mech game where you had to actually have the real mech controls just to play it...like this huge, gigantic console of controls that actually simulated the cockpit..xD

Steel Battalion

[Wolfy]

Steel Battalion

Maybe....the next steel battalion won't need that, though..and will be on the 360. :P

[DudelRok]

Late BUT another Mech game which I totally forgot about and love totally is Phantom Crash for the Xbox.

Phantom Crash is all about stealth, hit and run tactics and being a ninja while in a mech! :O Phantom Crash is NOTHING BUT TACTICS. You CAN NOT run and gun, you will die. You CAN NOT do anything other than dirty tricks and being a sneaky bastard, else you'll lose. Brute force, unless coupled with a lot of speed and skill, will resort in massive mech damage if not death.

Not to mention the sound track is AWESOME!

Considering I dislike Mech Assault and similar clones, I think between Robottech Battlecry and Phantom Crash you should be solid. However they are generally 1p or only 2p and do lack online notions so if you wan that....

[Sabby]

Yeah, a friend showed me Zone of Ender's 2. Ebaying it.

[Jude]

Front Mission Evolved has decent review scores so far; I want it.

[Kunoichi]

Aww, somebody already mentioned Robot Alchemic Drive.  And here I was hoping I could be the first person to bring it up...

[Sel Nar]

If you want a strangely awesome 'Mech game that shows what very early Prototypes would act like, go collect Ring of Red for PS2; each AFW (Armoured Fighting Walker) Is big, lumbering, slow, uses a HUGE diesel engine and oodles of hydraulics to move, and only has one or two guns on the entire frame.

There's four basic types, too; General-purpose, which is bipedal, has one big gun and one arm to punch things with. Scout, which looks more like a small boat with a turret slapped on top and legs, but is stupidly fast, can be knocked around easily in combat, and shreds infantry. Artillery, which are Four-legged monstrositied carrying 6-inch howitzers as their main guns, and up to 2-inch cannon as their anti-infantry guns. Great at long range (duh) but slow as hell and lightly armoured. And Finally, there's the Close-Combat Unit, which has a pair of bludgeons for arms, and reinforced hydraulics to use them to pound holes in enemy walkers; Best used up close and personal as their guns are large-bore shortbarrels.

Though, the main character does happen to use a Prototype with a german-made 88 mm cannon for a right arm, and named it 'White Tiger'  ;)

You might like it.

[LongN4]

Aww, somebody already mentioned Robot Alchemic Drive.  And here I was hoping I could be the first person to bring it up...

Giant robots and horrible voice acting saving the world

FTW!