There was perhaps no better event to showcase the latest demo for Mecha Force than the Tokyo Game Show.
The game is the brainchild of Chinese developer Ming Studio, who have openly admitted how their love for Japanese mecha anime like Gurren Lagann and Gunbuster inspired this upcoming VR mech action game. So clear were these inspirations that, as I waited for my turn to play the demo, one fan trying the game before me began referencing the former series as he waved his arms around to pilot the hulking in-game titan. He later eagerly talked to one of the staff about the series as another prepared the headset for my turn at the controls.
So we know that Mecha Force, from discussions with the team and player feedback, is at least accurate to the series it wishes to pay tribute to. But is it any fun?
Although the final game promises to blend its mecha action with roguelike mechanics, providing a sense of uncertainty and variety to the moment-to-moment play, this demo is pure action. Getting into the mecha for the first time, I was given some time to learn the controls. You move the suit with the analog stick, aim guns with either hand and fire with triggers, while swinging blades are attached to each arm before throwing you into an early level.
There’s a fine line between a good and a great mecha title. To truly take that next step, the machine we pilot must not merely be a tool for which to defeat enemies. Even without being shackled physically into the machine ourselves, we should feel every step and every movement of the arm. Attacks should have a level of force that almost causes our lucid body to recoil from the non-existent force of the back-and-forth between attacking and being attacked. This is what makes Mecha Force such a fascinating experience.
Everything about the demo requires getting used to the weight and responsibility of the machine we're entrusted with piloting. Before even entering the tutorial, we find ourselves inside a hanger that forces us to prepare the machine for launch, including the final thrust that shoots you out of the hanger and into battle. The arena, somewhat reminiscent of a ruined city, provides a clear path to progress to the next objective, with a new threat around every corner.
From floating eye-like creatures to other mechas, each enemy forces you to switch combat style for an effective takedown. It's not too difficult to merely slice and shoot the target-like floating balls from a distance, but I find myself far more cautious when facing other mecha with similar capabilities. It's a degree of tactics I didn’t expect, though this should perhaps come as no surprise considering the team’s lofty ambitions. Coupled with the heft of each step adding to the feeling you were directly at the wheel of metric tons of complex machinery, it made even one-on-one kills against minor enemies feel challenging and oh-so-satisfying to overcome.
In the final release, Ming Studio hopes to make these mechas far more than machines you pilot, with full customization of the weapons and capabilities that can be tailored for each battle. More powerful and ranged weapons may be best when dealing with a lot of flying enemies, and you can even equip rockets that fire from your arms to inflict stronger bursts of damage. The promise is that far more than weapons will be customizable in the final game, although this vertical slice simply focuses on using the limited time to jump into battle and get us used to the action at the core.
It's unclear just how much Mecha Force's roguelike mechanics will evolve the experience across the game. That being said, even in this short glimpse on the bustling show floor of a gaming event in the home of the anime that inspired this title’s very existence, it feels like more than a simple tribute to nostalgic anime of yesteryear. This is a competent and accomplished VR mecha action title that should stand up among the best upon its release in 2025.
