Loving Mecha Break? Here’s 6 More Mech Games You Should Play

Mecha Break was released in early July, bringing a new and exciting experience for fans of the mech combat genre. It’s frenetic and full of cool robots, but for a true fan like me, no single game is enough. That’s why I’d recommend playing these other mecha games if you need even more robots in your life.

Armored Core 6: The Fires of Rubicon

You just can’t talk about mecha games without bringing up Armored Core. For decades, it’s been one of the most noteworthy members of the genre, perhaps even the face of it in certain years. The series went through a bit of a slump in the 2010s, still putting out games but not really hitting with as much pop culture might as before. But it made a huge comeback in 2023 with Armored Core VI: The Fires of Rubicon.

Praised for its high-speed, high-impact combat, a wealth of customization and personalization options, and dozens of hours of gameplay with multiple story routes that allow for multiple playthroughs, Armored Core 6 is arguably the most similar game to Mecha Break on this list, at least as far as the movement and combat mechanics are concerned. I’ve even seen a lot of gamers refer to Mecha Break as Armored Core Lite, and I can’t deny the similarities.

But that’s a good thing. Every type of mech in Mecha Break, you can build in Armored Core VI. The speedy melee assassin, the behemoth tank with an entire nation’s arsenal, the stealthy sniper, the airborne menace—not only can you make all of these playstyles your own in AC6, but you have way more customization options, allowing you to pick almost any weapon for almost any build, even if it doesn’t make sense.

That said, the multiplayer scene in AC6 is not the same as Mecha Break. Multiplayer is 1v1 duels against other players, not big team fights with objectives. So if that’s your favorite part of Mecha Break, this one might not be for you. But if you want an amazing single-player experience with far more customization, epic battlegrounds, and characters you can somehow love even though you never see their face, Armored Core VI is for you.

Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2

You can’t have a list of mecha games without Mobile Suit Gundam coming up somewhere. Gundam Battle Operation 2is somewhat similar to Mecha Break in the sense that it’s heavily multiplayer-focused, with teams of players fighting over a variety of objectives across different battlefields. That said, it’s a bit more on the tactical side; the time-to-kill is much lower than Mecha Break, the mobile suits don’t move as quickly and erratically, and positioning and manual aim are king.

I think that makes it a bit harder of a game to learn than Mecha Break, but it’s rewarding in its own way. Mobile Suits in GBO2 move with a lot more weight and inertia. They really feel like giant building-sized robots that weigh multiple tons, stomping around battlefields where they dwarf things that were built for puny humans. Scoring kills feels incredibly good, because it’s usually a result of your superior tactics, aim, or teamplay.

Not to say that Mecha Break doesn’t have those things, but if you’re the type of person that prefers slightly slower, more tactical shooters to something like arcade shooters, you may find GBO2 to be more your speed. It does have a gacha mechanic familiar to mobile game players for acquiring new mobile suits, but there are plenty of ways to acquire dozens of suits, weapons, and gear without ever spending a dime, so you won’t be hurting for options.

That said, some players seem to have trouble with the netcode for this game. I personally didn’t encounter too many issues, but it’s something to be aware of.

MechWarrior 5

Depending on how deep you are in the mech scene, you may be familiar with the terms “real” robots and “super” robots. Real robots are considered “somewhat” grounded and realistic, with designs and mechanics that at least seem plausible, while super robots are usually absurd, almost mythical machines whose abilities are more akin to superheroes than real technology. MechWarriorfalls completely into real robot territory.

This game is admittedly quite different from Mecha Break. Instead of nimble super machines with energy shields and a complete lack of care for inertia, you control lumbering bipedal robots who have to rely on actual armor to survive getting shot, and that armor takes damage or whittles away to nothing as it sustains hits. Limbs and parts can be blown clean off. If your ammo takes a direct hit, you could explode at the snap of a finger. Machines have real tonnage and are affected by terrain, turning time, ammo limitations, and much more.

In short, it’s a more “realistic” mecha game that focuses on machines at least somewhat grounded in real physics, machines that you can at least kind of see humans being capable of really building in the future. That does mean it’s a lot slower, more tactical, and somewhat more realistic compared to Mecha Break, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re the type of person that enjoys a more realistic take on huge battle robots, MechWarrior 5 is an excellent choice.

Right now, you have two options: MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries and MechWarrior 5 Clans. Mercenaries is more of a roguelike experience where you lead a band of mercenaries across space and take on never-ending missions. It does have a story, but Clans is an actual fixed single-player experience with unique characters and a fixed plot, so one of those may be more up your alley than the other.

Gundam Breaker 4

There is no shortage of Mobile Suit Gundam video games and plenty of them are awesome. Gundam Breaker 4is in a bit of an odd place in that its value proposition is a little different from many other mech games. The main sell here is the downright absurd, completely ludicrous amount of customization options available to the player. It’s not an exaggeration to say that you can create the most unique, ridiculous-looking mobile suit known to man.

In the model building community, the phrase, “Gunpla is freedom” gets thrown around a lot. This game perfectly encapsulates that notion. The meat of this game is the customization. There are 11 individual parts to customize on your mobile suit, and over 250 base kits to take parts from. You are allowed to mix and match those thousands of parts in any way you please, even combining the absurd chibi SD Gundam kits with their regular counterparts.

You can change the color of each of those parts individually, and even alter their size, allowing you to make some mobile suit with giant arms and tiny legs, or an enormous head, and so on. In short, you can make the coolest mobile suit there never was or absolute monstrosities, and most of the fun from this game comes from collecting parts and customizing your machine.

There is a basic story, as well as some fairly simple third-person hack-and-slash combat against giant enemies, NPCs, and the creations of other players, but the gameplay isn’t as deep as something like Armored Core or MechWarrior. That said, if the thing you love most about mech games is designing your own and showing them off to other people, Gundam Breaker 4 might be the king of player freedom in customization in this genre.

Battletech

Battletechis the name of the tabletop boardgame that inspired the MechWarrior series of games, and this video game version of Battletech is pretty close to the original tabletop variant. That means it’s not a fast-paced action game like Mecha Break; it’s a strategic turn-based tactics game, closer to something like Front Mission or XCOM. You control a mercenary company and command a group of ‘Mechs in turn-based battles.

For those who enjoy more RPG-like experiences, Battletech is a good pick. Your pilots grow and develop new skills as they gain experience. Successful missions help you secure money and parts to upgrade your ship or customize the mechs you bring into battle. The battles are deep, requiring complex tactics and strategies (it is based on a tabletop game, after all!) to succeed. Terrain, positioning, timing, weapon range, countermeasures, your load-outs and pilot skills, and much more all contribute to a win in both single and multiplayer.

Really, Battletech checks off so many boxes. If you love tabletop games, it has the complexity you want. If you like managing companies or organizations, steadily watching them improve under your guidance as you play, it has that too. If you love giant robots that you can customize, there’s plenty of that to go around in Battletech. And if you just enjoy tactics-based gameplay that challenges your strategic ability, look no further.

ZONE OF THE ENDERS THE 2nd RUNNER : M∀RS

An oldie but a goldie, Zone of the Enders The 2nd Runneris a Konami classic third-person shooter/hack-n’-slash that debuted all the way back in 2003, where it gained a cult following for its excellent music, compelling narrative, interesting mecha designs, and rewarding gameplay. Zone of the Enders has always been a mech IP that flew under the radar and deserved more appreciation, but The 2nd Runner was the title that made a big enough impact to get a 4K remaster and VR version in 2018.

The game feels like Mobile Suit Gundam and Armored Core got together to make a hybrid experience. You’ve got the third-person, 3D, fast-paced action that Armored Core is known for, similar to Mecha Break. But you’ve also got the grim, kind of depressing narrative of human hatred, war, and conflicts between people from Earth and people living in outer space, though not without that glimmer of hope that always shines through.

This is a Hideo Kojima game, so you know it’s going to be a game with incredibly dense lore that makes your head spin. If you’re good at the game and playing on a normal difficulty, this game is a tad short, definitely coming in at under 10 hours, but at the same time, it’s such a gripping experience—especially in the totally immersive VR—that it’s still worth it. It’s definitely worth experiencing this major part of mech gaming history for just $30.

Ultimately, even though the mech genre isn’t the titan of pop culture it used to be, there are still a ton of amazing games that fall under its purview. It’s easy to find the biggest, most popular modern titles, but don’t forget to take a look around and hunt for some lesser-known games too. There are lots of hidden gems you’ll never get the chance to play if you only go for the games that get advertised.