Mecha BREAK game review
If you weren’t captivated by the beauty of giant robots after watching «Evangelion», you’ve probably appreciated the aesthetic of Michael Bay’s «Transformers». And where there’s demand, supply soon follows. At first glance, the selection of online games on this topic today is indeed wide: just mention War Robots, Titanfall 2, MechWarrior Online, or even Crossout, where updates later allowed players to build giant walking machines and race them into battle. But not all of them offer full fan service for minimal money. So Chinese developers from Amazing Seasun Games also decided to ride the hype and offer their own take on mecha warfare. In Mecha BREAK, attention is given to both the machines and their pilots, and the shooter is completely free to play.
Getting to know the game
Mecha BREAK can be downloaded for free from Steam — there’s no difficulty there. But there are two nuances to keep in mind. First, there is a Russian-language interface. Second, it’s hidden like a needle in a haystack, and the game defaults to Chinese. If you launch it without figuring this out, you’re unlikely to get past the start menu. Unless you can read hieroglyphs — and we imagine there aren’t many such gamers here. To fix this, you need to click the gear icon to the right of the selected server in the launcher, and there you’ll find a list of languages, including English and Russian. A rather exotic solution from the developers — the gaming industry already has a rule that English is set by default everywhere.
Another unusual nuance, but a much more pleasant one, is that the game about robot battles starts with customizing the pilot’s appearance in a detailed editor. It must be said that even without cosmetic tweaks, the characters are quite attractive. But why is this here if in any match we view the battlefield from behind the robot? From any angle, the pilot inside the cockpit is completely invisible. In fact, the heroes do get a chance to show themselves and look at others. This can be done at the base, which resembles the Tower from the Destiny duology. From here, you can access missions and rooms, including the characters’ personal apartments — nothing stops you from lounging on the couch, checking email at the computer, or taking a shower.
After deciding on the pilot’s appearance and the type of machine under their control, the player dives into the world of mecha warfare. The mechs here fight for resources. Overall, the setting of Mecha BREAK isn’t big on originality. According to the backstory, future Earth has experienced some catastrophe that destroyed all civilization. But some technologies remained, as did radiation, so survivors created radiation-proof robots in the style of «Evangelion» — with their help, several factions began a new competition for the mineral corite, discovered in 2082. The resource is needed to build and power machines, yet it also destroys what’s left of the planet’s ecosystem. In short, don’t expect any revelations from the plot.
After deciding on the pilot’s appearance and the type of machine under their control, the player dives into the world of mecha warfare. The mechs here fight for resources. Overall, the setting of Mecha BREAK isn’t big on originality. According to the backstory, future Earth has experienced some catastrophe that destroyed all civilization. But some technologies remained, as did radiation, so survivors created radiation-proof robots in the style of «Evangelion» — with their help, several factions began a new competition for the mineral corite, discovered in 2082. The resource is needed to build and power machines, yet it also destroys what’s left of the planet’s ecosystem. In short, don’t expect any revelations from the plot.
Obviously, the developers focused mainly on gameplay. For those familiar with shooters but who haven’t tried robot combat games: the controls are roughly the same, with WASD movement, jumps, and boosts, only cover isn’t very important. Walls and ruins in Mecha BREAK are of little use — it’s hard for a giant towering over a house and a small pine forest to hide behind them. Instead, vertical movement becomes tactically important. Instead of a jump, you have an upward thrust (or even a double thrust if you hit the spacebar twice). Combined with Shift for boosting, this allows for quick maneuvers, getting out of the enemy’s line of fire and choosing your own attack vectors.
You have two types of primary attacks (default mapped to left and right mouse buttons), plus special moves. Some mechs can switch ranged weapons to melee and back, others go invisible for a while, some stun, others drop force fields, and so on. In addition, mobility is crucial — battles are so fast-paced that a newcomer is unlikely to last more than five seconds in their first PvP match. Enemies will tear the robot apart almost immediately after landing on the map. But after a few fights, you’ll gain the basic skills. At the very least, you’ll learn to pick the right moment to attack and keep an eye on key machine stats — armor and health.
You have two types of primary attacks (default mapped to left and right mouse buttons), plus special moves. Some mechs can switch ranged weapons to melee and back, others go invisible for a while, some stun, others drop force fields, and so on. In addition, mobility is crucial — battles are so fast-paced that a newcomer is unlikely to last more than five seconds in their first PvP match. Enemies will tear the robot apart almost immediately after landing on the map. But after a few fights, you’ll gain the basic skills. At the very least, you’ll learn to pick the right moment to attack and keep an eye on key machine stats — armor and health.
Another key difference from classic shooters is that accuracy isn’t required. You won’t need to aim at enemies around corners, target agile opponents, or curse at hit registration. Because in Mecha BREAK, targeting is automatic. Whoever enters your crosshairs first will be hit by lasers and missiles. If there are multiple enemies, you can switch between them like in an MMORPG. Still, it’s better than traditional aiming — players have time to look around and admire the robots. They’re quite well-designed: small detail animations are noticeable, every action is accompanied by bright effects. If you like «Transformers» or Gundam, you’ll love the design of this game.
More on classes and modes
The types of machines, called fighters or strikers here, come in a wide variety. They’re divided into five classes: attackers, defenders, support robots, melee, and snipers. But within each class there are several machine options — even in the free format, there’s plenty to choose from. You can take, for example, Elnes from the attackers — a balanced option that can fight with a halberd up close and blast enemies with a laser from afar. Prefer to shoot from a distance? Master Narukami — the machine seems fragile, but deadly at long range. Welkin, on the other hand, is great in close combat — just by looking at it you can tell it’s a real tank.
In the screenshot above is Falcon, also a free robot from the starter set. The main feature of this machine is that it’s highly mobile and, unlike most mechs in the game, can actually fly. While aerial acrobatics require some skill, Falcon allows for full hit-and-run tactics. It’s armed with a pair of rapid-fire guns and a missile launcher that fires a salvo at any target but requires a long reload. It also has onboard radar that reveals enemies in smoke, stealth mode, and behind walls — without this «spotting», auto-targeting won’t activate.
If some machines aren’t available at first, that means they can be bought. And each has its own price: one can be purchased with credits, another with corite (reminder, this is the most valuable resource in the game universe), and a third, like Inferno, is given for merit points. The latter are like experience, so you can only earn them by finishing matches. Even spending real money won’t always help — in any case, you need to practice and master your chosen class.
As for modes, you’ll have to scratch your head, because the main menu is chaotic. It’s hard to tell which battles are for newcomers and which are for veterans, what the rules are, and how many friends to bring into a match. To make it clearer, let’s talk about training, which comes in two types. The first is available from the start menu, but after launching it you’ll find yourself on an empty field, looking around in confusion until you figure out to go into settings and pick a dummy target type.
If some machines aren’t available at first, that means they can be bought. And each has its own price: one can be purchased with credits, another with corite (reminder, this is the most valuable resource in the game universe), and a third, like Inferno, is given for merit points. The latter are like experience, so you can only earn them by finishing matches. Even spending real money won’t always help — in any case, you need to practice and master your chosen class.
As for modes, you’ll have to scratch your head, because the main menu is chaotic. It’s hard to tell which battles are for newcomers and which are for veterans, what the rules are, and how many friends to bring into a match. To make it clearer, let’s talk about training, which comes in two types. The first is available from the start menu, but after launching it you’ll find yourself on an empty field, looking around in confusion until you figure out to go into settings and pick a dummy target type.
The second type of training, the one actually needed by newcomers, is hidden in the operations menu, where you need to select Bootcamp. This activates a virtual guide who can clearly explain the controls for your chosen machine. After completing training, players can check out other battles. There are three main modes in the game. Start with «Operation Storm» — a classic shooter with evacuation. Alone or in a group of three, you’ll head to the Mashmak Islands, where the richest corite deposits are hidden. Here you’ll face both AI-controlled enemies and other player teams. At the end of the match, if you make it that far, everyone must reach the evacuation point — where, as per genre law, a final brawl over the loot breaks out.
«Operation Apex» is, so to speak, the flagship mode of Mecha BREAK. Here, two squads of six machines each face off. But the exact rules of the battle are decided at random. One time it’s team deathmatch, another time you fight for control points, then collect items on the map to reach a final goal, or even escort cargo across the map. The focus here is on team coordination, so with randomly matched teammates your chances are slim, especially if many of them are Chinese. What and how do you talk about with them in voice chat?
«Operation Apex» is, so to speak, the flagship mode of Mecha BREAK. Here, two squads of six machines each face off. But the exact rules of the battle are decided at random. One time it’s team deathmatch, another time you fight for control points, then collect items on the map to reach a final goal, or even escort cargo across the map. The focus here is on team coordination, so with randomly matched teammates your chances are slim, especially if many of them are Chinese. What and how do you talk about with them in voice chat?
Rounding out the main modes is «Ace Arena» — 3v3 battles. Essentially, it’s team deathmatch, with fights going until one side reaches eight wins. Given the small squad size, this mode relies most on individual player skill, so it’s worth diving into after gaining some experience. Of course, bringing friends helps — a coordinated trio has better odds than random teammates.
There may be other activities tied to updates or battle pass launches. But we’ve covered the main battle formats. Keep in mind that almost all resources and experience points in Mecha BREAK are only awarded for victory (yours personally or your team’s). Simply participating in matches doesn’t provide the same progression as in many other online games. Only by defeating opponents can you unlock new robots, earn customization items, and climb the ranks — from Bronze and Silver to Legend and Indomitable.
There may be other activities tied to updates or battle pass launches. But we’ve covered the main battle formats. Keep in mind that almost all resources and experience points in Mecha BREAK are only awarded for victory (yours personally or your team’s). Simply participating in matches doesn’t provide the same progression as in many other online games. Only by defeating opponents can you unlock new robots, earn customization items, and climb the ranks — from Bronze and Silver to Legend and Indomitable.
What else can be upgraded and bought?
Since this is a free-to-play game, and Chinese-made to boot, it’s easy to guess what role real-money spending plays. Here you can manually tune almost every node of your machine, and paint the hull with the same care Warhammer 40,000 fans paint Space Marine miniatures. Nothing stops you from swapping the reactor before a match, trying out a new gun, or upgrading turbines for flying across the battlefield. Thanks to user mods, it’s easy to tailor any robot to your tactics. But as usual in the genre, there are two ways to reach that goal.
The first is earning rewards from battles and completing battle pass tasks. The second is buying corite and ready-made customization sets with real money. Either way, the game doesn’t let you buy victory for cash. A key difference of Mecha BREAK from similar shooters is the absence of levels. Winning battles changes your account rank, but armor durability and attack power stats remain the same. This is both bad and good. Bad — because the matchmaking algorithm often throws newcomers onto the same map as veterans. Good — because money has no influence on machine power. You can’t drop a couple hundred bucks to level up, since the outcome of a fight depends on each player’s personal skill.
Conclusion
If you look for them, you can find plenty of flaws in Mecha BREAK. Some will complain about high ping, others will be annoyed by the confusing menus, some won’t like that you can’t tell in advance how one robot differs from another, and others will point out balance issues. But there aren’t many free games of this quality about giant robot battles right now. Paid ones — sure. Free but outdated and faded — those exist too. But not all in one package. Here you’ll find visual beauty seasoned with music by Hiroyuki Sawano («Attack on Titan», Kill la Kill, Xenoblade Chronicles: X), and a decent selection of starter machines you can dress up. Fans of the theme and genre should launch this shooter and try a few matches — you might just like it.
Zarium. November 2025
Zarium. November 2025