When it comes to big armoured robots mowing down intergalactic armies, there are few genres that do it better than 2D side-scrolling action. This game, originally released on mobile devices, makes the most of that formula with a suitably overblown anime narrative and explosively satisfying mech combat.
The story opens with a motley group of rebel scum on a rescue mission to Mars, but that quickly escalates into a full-scale Gundam-style war between the New United Nations and their terrorist nemesis Steel Dawn. Over the course of 50 missions you'll battle across a wide variety of planets and more distinctly alien environments, hacking, slashing and shooting your way to victory with an ever-expanding roster of unlockable weaponry.
While the basic controls aren't particularly complex, they do feel intuitive and responsive. The left thumb-stick directs your mech, while pressing A forces it to attack. A range of melee moves and boosts can be utilised with the Y and B buttons, and successful missions award various upgrades in the form of weapons, cores and mobilisers to further enhance your fire-team.
Hardcore Mecha is a hugely entertaining and satisfying mech action game that fully embraces its overblown anime influences to tell a ludicrous and OTT tale packed with twists, turns, cheesy dialogue and epic face-offs. There's also a wealth of unlockables, branching paths and mission rankings to keep things fresh. The only spanner in the works is some noticeable stuttering during hectic battles that can make it difficult to keep up with the action.
