Mecha BREAK takes place in the future after an event known as the Catastrophe. A mysterious material known as Corite helped fast-track humanity’s technological development but at the cost of poisoning the world. As part of the mysterious organization S.H.A.D.O.W., you’ll take on missions to either save what’s left or, presumably, let the world burn.

Featuring 12 playable Strikers at launch with a few new additions to unlock, Mecha BREAK offers three modes – the 6v6 Operation Verge, 3v3 Ace Arena, and PvEvP extraction in Mashmak. You can check out our review for more details – we rated it a seven out of ten, praising the combat, Striker designs, and more.

Mecha Break attempts to channel all those disparate franchises, at least in terms of design. The almost non-existent narrative offers little more than set-up for a free-to-play competitive shooter with no shortage of objective-based modes, hero shooter elements, and, of course, an extraction mode. Its anime-inspired Strikers will certainly fulfill the fantasies of piloting your favorite mecha, pretending that you’re a New Type handling Trans-AM or a pilot deftly weaving between separate forms, even if it could use some further fine-tuning.

Even with all the mecha media I’ve consumed, I don’t think there’s ever been a set-up as blatantly disposable and forgettable as Mecha Break. The actual setting, clichéd as it sounds, with elements like The Catastrophe, the mysterious organisation S.H.A.D.O.W., and the magical MacGuffin Corite, which is actually poisoning the world. The whole race against time premise versus those following the “Corite’s call” is simply a means to explain why two different teams of players are fighting against each other.

"Though it can be very fast-paced, Mecha Break’s Energy system brings some strategy to the mix. You can fly, dash and boost through the air as long as your Energy lasts, but once it runs out, hitting the ground is a must to recharge."

And I would be fine with that if it imbued a little bit more soul into the game. You create a pilot from a decent set of customization tools, embark on the tutorial, and join S.H.A.D.O.W., but you’re ultimately irrelevant (even despite developer Amazing Seasun’s goal to make it feel like you’re more than just a mech). They’ll spout the same lines about sneaking into the backline if you’re playing as an Ambush Striker or telling an executed opponent to back off. No banter or chatter in combat. At least HQ is nice enough to give you a mission briefing (and let me mute them when I’ve heard it one too many times).

Such an approach could have primed the Strikers to have unique voice lines and personalities ala to the Titan OS voices from the Titanfall series. But alas.

On the bright side, Mecha Break does bring the ambience and immersion in many other important ways, including the actual piloting of the Strikers. Everything from the lift-off sequences to the fly-in adds to the fantasy, and some even have unique entrances – like starting underwater on a slowly rising elevator, which you can boost out of manually. Even the heads-up displays strike a fine balance between busy, as they should be, yet clean and clear-cut.

And though the inspirations for some of the Strikers are obvious – Alysnes is Gundam-coded, and Skyraider brings Macross to mind – they each have a distinct feel. Much of this boils down to granular specs like energy regeneration, defenses against various types of damage, fluid armor regeneration rate, mobility, handling, and much more. You’ll feel the heft of trying to get Stego into the air versus the sleekness of Falcon or even Stellaris.

I also appreciate how the Striker’s kit, despite slotting into a specific category – Support, Attackers, Flankers, Defenders – brings something notable to the table (though the viability of some can be argued). Falcon’s ability to pounce on and hound snipers is fantastic, but if you prefer a more generalist play style, Alysnes offers strong ranged and melee capabilities alongside an Airdrop Kit to rearm once its armor and shield have been destroyed.

Though it can be very fast-paced, Mecha Break’s Energy system brings some strategy to the mix. You can fly, dash and boost through the air as long as your Energy lasts, but once it runs out, hitting the ground is a must to recharge. Some Strikers have the benefit of remaining airborne for much longer; others are practically built for sticking to and maximising the benefits of terrain. Engaging targets and having enough wherewithal to retreat, using the environment to recover Energy while getting ready to go airborne again, is vital and can be as fun as it is frustrating when completely dry, awkwardly shuffling away as your fluid armor tanks the hits.

"Each map in Operation Verge offers a unique objective, whether it’s capturing and holding zones, delivering keys to a rocket launch or a payload race (which feels oddly more about capturing terminals than actually escorting)."

As diverse and unique as the Strikers feels, some balance issues need to be worked out. Ultra-Heavy Defenders like Stego can feel a little too difficult to take down than perhaps intended – yes, Ultra-Heavy Defender is literally in the name. However, a decent player can turtle, reposition, and unleash highly damaging shots at a consistent rate while staying alive. I also really like the playstyle for Stellaris – cloaking and stalking other Strikers before pouncing is fun in theory but a chore with how excessive the energy demands can be for such a melee and mobility-focused frame. The iffy melee hit registration also didn’t help, though it may have been lag in some cases. Some units like Skyraider could use a buff – its area of denial is only really helpful in theory.

Each map in Operation Verge offers a unique objective, whether it’s capturing and holding zones, delivering keys to a rocket launch or a payload race (which feels oddly more about capturing terminals than actually escorting). You also may partake in a straightforward deathmatch where the first team to reach eight kills wins the round in a best 2 out of 3. The various elevations and structures also lend a different flavor to fights, whether you’re fighting out in the open or scrapping in a close-knit hangar. While they can have some neat visual sights, very few felt really organic, even with dust storms rolling in or water levels rising and submerging an objective. It’s enough that they’re well-designed, but I wanted something more (even if it was a slightly higher skybox to avoid the annoying alerts about leaving the battlefield).

Aside from 6v6 battles, there’s Ace Arena, where two teams of three battle it out in a first to eight kills, single-round match. I actually had more fun with this than I thought, especially since you can switch out Strikers to adjust to the enemy’s strategy. Its maps are smaller and are once again well-designed, including one where engines would ignite and wall off areas with flame.

Mashmak is the third and final mode, offering a PvEvP extraction gameplay loop. The overarching map isn’t too shabby, though once again, the struggle to point out any distinct locations is real. At least there are several points of interest, enemy types and objectives to pursue, whether you’re destroying Corite Extractors, dodging storms or engaging with fleets. I mostly engaged in Free-For-All – matchmaking times for co-op were excessively long – and even if I can see it shining primarily with a team, it still offers this fun, looter-like loop of amassing a collection of mods, weapons and ammo, and slowly getting stronger.

Equipping a gatling gun and charged shot launcher to unload on enemies also felt great, though beware – there’s always a bigger Striker out there, ready to three-shot you. And while you can redeploy a limited number of times, once they take your loot, it’s gone (though acquiring cargo rockets to send loot back to base or setting your own extraction beacon can somewhat alleviate this). Being able to research better items, including Gliders, for some added firepower, also provides something to work towards, even if you need to locate their separate pieces on the battlefield.

"Mecha Break may not necessarily shake the foundations of competitive shooters, but it does offer something that very few can with its fast-paced mecha combat. There may be several areas to improve, but it’s a strong start and a solid foundation that will hopefully come into its own sooner than later."

There are multiple Strikers available from the get-go, but newcomers Stellaris and Serenith must be unlocked with Mission Tokens. You’ll get these through completing matches and missions as specific Strikers (which are like bounties) or Ace Conquest, which seems to be an introductory pass of sorts. However, picking up the Matrix Contract will boost gains across the board and even provide some free Cargo Rockets for Mashmak. With the new Strikers costing 15,000 Mission Tokens to unlock, the progression may need a bit of fine-tuning to ensure that free players aren’t grinding for too long to unlock a single new unit.

The Matrix Marketplace and Ace Recruitment, with pilots and unique variants of existing Strikers costing real money, also feel a little iffy, but we’ll only see how the former shakes out after launch. Features like a recruitment page for finding teams or customizing your pilot’s gestures during executions are pretty cool.

Mecha Break may not necessarily shake the foundations of competitive shooters, but it does offer something that very few can with its fast-paced mecha combat. There may be several areas to improve, but it’s a strong start and a solid foundation that will hopefully come into its own sooner than later.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Stellaris is armed with a Basic Warblade, which consumes Energy with each striker and whose mid-air downward slash is unparryable by low-altitude targets. Its Assault Warblade unleashes a trio of staggering energy slashes, but when held, a two-second window for parrying attacks is activated. Successful parries will unleash Spinning Slashes.

Alternating attacks with both Warblades unleashes some impressive combos and even a sleek Plunging Strike, a Rapid Slash and the aforementioned Spinning Slash. Other notable tools include the Composite Tactical Claw for grappling and slowing targets. However, pressing it again will see Stellaris knocking them back and dealing damage.

There’s also Optical Camouflage, which grants invisibility (meaning no enemy lock-on). It also cancels stagger, making for an efficient escape tool when overwhelmed. However, if you attack or receive damage, then the camouflage is deactivated. Recon units can also detect you. Finally, there’s Sword Drone that unleashes multiple flying projectiles that hit enemies behind force fields and barriers, though it can’t breach over.

Mecha BREAK launches on July 1st worldwide for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out our feature for more details.

What is Mecha BREAK?

There’s a story of sorts in Mecha BREAK – a big catastrophe, a material called Corite that ended up causing more trouble than it was worth, a mysterious organization called S.H.A.D.O.W. that the player ends up joining, and so on. However, at its core, this is a competitive shooter with objective-based modes, Deathmatch, and some PvEvP. A story-focused tutorial is in place to introduce the player to S.H.A.D.O.W., but from there, it’s all about hopping into matches and completing objectives for rewards. Thankfully, those who played through the tutorial in the betas can skip it at launch.

Strikers

There are 13 mecha in this game, known as Strikers, each with extensive kits and roles. Similar to the heroes from Marvel Rivals or Overwatch, they slot into five different categories: Attackers, Defenders, Supporters, Brawlers and Snipers. For example, Falcon is an Attacker that can fire quick shots and lock-on missiles with a Heavy Missile Launcher capable of even bigger damage, but it can also transform using flight mode to move faster and improve its lock-on and detection abilities. Contrast this to Skyraider, which can also transform into Aerial Assault Mode for bombing. It also specializes in plasma shots, energy missiles and unleashing a barrage of micro-missiles.

Combat

While it’s not quite Zone of the Enders-level of fluid, Mecha BREAK’s combat is fast-paced and pretty exciting. Battles can unfold on the ground as often as in the air as you weave in and out of enemy fire. You’ll have to manage armor and energy, the latter especially important when boosting or jumping, and different stats influence your defense against various damage types like ballistics, missile blasts, plasma shots, and even melee damage.

Mods

Of course, it wouldn’t be a mech game without customization, which means mods (obtained as rewards from Supply Crates). Mods will alter all kinds of stats, from boost and evade speed on the ground to your max HP and recovery. They come in different rarities but you can combine multiple of the same rarity into a higher tier via Mod Assembly.

While mods were previously active in all mods, Amazing Seasun Games has since confirmed that they work only in Mashmak mode at launch, thus ensuring an even playing field. Outside of mods, there are options for paint jobs, decals, and more for the Strikers.

Operation Verge

The usual competitive multiplayer consists of two modes – 6v6 and 3v3. The former is called Operation Verge and comprises objective-based modes, like escorting the payload, except both teams have separate payloads and must race to finish first. Naturally, you can disrupt the opposing team to try and slow down their progress. Then there’s Kraub Sinkhole, which involves capturing three Data Nodes and holding them to accrue points. Five maps have been showcased thus far in Operation Verge, each with unique objectives that mirror your average team-based shooter.

Ace Arena

Ace Arena is the 3v3 mode and focuses more on pure combat. Unfolding across four unique maps, the goal is simple: Annihilate the other team and hit the score cap (in this case, eight kills) to win. Unlike the beta, it will be immediately available – along with other modes and options – at the start.

Mashmak

Would it have been a 2025 competitive shooter without an extraction mode? Probably not, but regardless, Mashmak offers a PvEvP experience for players with three-person co-op and solo options. You drop into a map and battle PvE enemies, including bosses; find loot, including Mods; and ultimately extract.

Other players roam the zone, however, and if you die, that loot is lost. One of the notable aspects of Mashmak is the ability to use gliders and modular weapons. At launch, you can purchase these and bring them in from the start, though there is a power level limit (and when they’re gone, they’re gone).

New Maps and Strikers

In a recent developer AMA, executive producer Kris Kwok revealed some new maps, including one taking place on a Lunar base, and two new Strikers. Stellaris is a Brawler mech with blazing fast strikes while Serenith appears to be more of an Attacker.

12 Strikers Available at Launch

Mecha BREAK’s last beta generated significant backlash from players due to the grinding required to unlock its Strikers for playing. That won’t be an issue at launch, though, as 12 Strikers will be available to choose from. Unfortunately, the developer has not clarified how the post-launch Strikers must be unlocked.

Character Creation

Before really diving into combat, however, you can create your own pilot from a range of templates, each representing different units and factions. You can then freely modify the face, makeup, hair style, body, voice, and outfit with even more options in each category like skin, face shape, nose, eyes…and even more within including upper face shape, lower face shape, forehead, etc. It’s pretty extensive and that’s without getting into all the different outfits. Best of all, you can modify your appearance at no additional cost at launch.

The Hangar

As the recent beta showcased, you can wander around the Hangar as the pilot to talk to other characters. It’s not quite a social hub where you can interact with other players, but there are seemingly plans for the same down the line. A gym and gun range were spotted in the beta but unavailable for players, so we’ll have to wait and see how they pan out.

PC Requirements

Mecha BREAK will require 60 GB of installation space on PC with minimum requirements including an Intel Core i5-6500, an AMD Ryzen 3 1300X or higher, 8 GB RAM, and either an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, an AMD Radeon RX 570 or something higher.

The recommended specs include a Core i7-10700K, a Ryzen 7 5700X3D or higher, 16 GB of RAM and an RTX 3060, a Radeon RX 5700XT, and an Intel Arc B580 or higher. And as usual, installing on a solid-state drive will ensure the “best” performance.

Accessibility Features

With so much going on, it can be difficult to keep track of teammates or get a clear view of the action. Fortunately, Mecha BREAK features options to enable Squadmate Indicator, adjust your UI layout and even toggle Auto Lock-On for Snipers.

Cross-Play

Mecha BREAK features cross-play between consoles and PC, or rather, between PC and Xbox Series X/S. Cross-progression isn’t present and it’s unknown whether there are plans to implement it in the future. Cross-play that encompasses all platforms is somewhat worrying since it opens up the potential for encountering PC cheaters on consoles or having an inherent disadvantage.

What About the PS5 Version?

However, there isn’t much choice, at least in terms of ensuring consistent player numbers over a longer period, since the PS5 version still doesn’t have a release date. It’s unknown if this is due to a timed exclusivity agreement with Microsoft, but that somewhat explains the appearance at the Xbox Games Showcase. Either way, PlayStation players will need to wait to get their hands on it.

Taking place in – you guessed it – a post-apocalyptic world where nations and factions fight over a material called Corite, players pilot mechs in various PvP modes, fighting for supremacy. There are several different types to choose from, including Falcon, which boasts a flight mode, and the heavier Tricera, which is tankier and has several more weapons.

Alongside competitive matches, players can also partake in an extraction shooter mode called Mashmak with upgrades, AI enemies, and much more. Head here for more details.

Mecha BREAK has received positive impressions for its gameplay, though the progression and need to unlock more mechs drew significant backlash for the beta. Stay tuned for more details on potential changes in the coming weeks.

The biggest issue is that only one Break Striker was available from the outset, with the rest requiring you to grind currency to unlock. While the developer hasn’t confirmed the same, CEO Kris Kwok says it’s considering changes in the future. “We do know the biggest concern, and then, we think the players are right. We are considering that we may [give] access to all Strikers to players,” he told PC Gamer via interpreter.

Even if this goes through, players must still grind (or pay money) to unlock Break Strikers released post-launch. That includes variants of the current roster. On the bright side, at least Amazing Seasun is considering limiting Modules, which provide different advantages and disadvantages, to its extraction mode Mashmak to ensure a level playing field in its PvP modes.

Mecha Break doesn’t have a release window, but it’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC this year. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

Amazing Seasun has since apologized for all this, offering 15 Ultimate Maintenance Boxes for free. They’ll arrive through the in-game mail in three batches of five. It also committed to listening to player feedback during the beta’s duration for further improvements.

Mecha BREAK’s open beta is available now for PC, with Xbox Series X/S to follow. Compared to the previous beta, it offers a new Hangar for players to explore on foot and a new PvEvP extraction mode called Mashmak.

While server problems were doubtless a factor, the title has also received numerous negative reviews on Steam due to its progression and monetization systems. It’s currently rated “Mostly Negative” with 34 percent of the 10,484 user reviews rating it a thumbs-up.

Pilots,

As our Open Beta went live earlier today, we were overwhelmed by your enthusiasm, witnessing over 300K concurrent players within hours. This posed a challenge to our server capacity and resulted in negative reviews from players. We apologize for any inconvenience and…

— Mecha BREAK (@MechaBREAK) February 23, 2025

Mashmak sees a team of three players diving into a hostile warzone where they must battle AI enemies and other players for loot. The former includes massive bosses and a capital ship with multiple turrets. Fortunately, you can harness different weapons via tactical loadouts and even pilot gliders with their own weapons.

Of course, as the trailer showcases, you’ll have to be wary of other players waiting for their chance to strike. Mecha BREAK’s next open beta starts on February 23rd at 2 AM PT for Xbox Series X/S and PC, with the game out in Spring (though it’s unknown if the PS5 version will arrive later).

Regarding post-launch support, the developer has confirmed new features like a shooting range, the option to walk around a space station, and more. A new mode revolving around boots-on-the-ground combat is also in the works, so stay tuned for updates.