Mech Engineer Review Summary

Offers interesting, unique gameplay with deep mech customization, but the unintuitive UI, lack of explanations, and steep learning curve may frustrate newcomers.

Game is interesting and fun: Players find the game engaging, atmospheric, and enjoyable once they get into it. The concept is cool and the game has potential.

Unique and original experience: Reviewers highlight the game's uniqueness and originality, noting that it stands out from other games. The concept is praised for being outside the box.

Excellent art and aesthetics: The art style and aesthetics are highly praised, with players noting the game's visual appeal and atmospheric presentation. The graphics and music are well-matched.

Pilot management adds depth: The game includes pilot management with skills, stress thresholds, and performance traits. This adds an extra layer of strategy and depth to the gameplay.

Resource management well done: Resource management is well-resolved, providing a satisfying strategic element. Players appreciate the balance and depth of resource handling.

UI is unintuitive and confusing: Players consistently report that the user interface is difficult to navigate, with unclear clickable elements and a frustrating layout. The UI is described as abysmal, clunky, and poorly explained, making it hard for players to understand how to interact with the game.

Game lacks proper explanations: Many players feel the game does not explain its mechanics, features, or shortcuts adequately. The in-game manual is often unhelpful, and there are no tutorials for many systems, leaving players confused and unable to progress without external guides.

Steep learning curve: The game is described as having a very high learning curve that alienates beginners. Players find it hard to learn, with some saying it requires watching videos to understand, and the difficulty is seen as hostile to new players.

Game is very difficult: Players report that the game is brutally hard, especially without prior knowledge. It does not hold the player's hand, and the difficulty can be unforgiving, which may deter casual players.

Energy weapons are ineffective: Energy weapons are considered useless because they have zero armor penetration, making them feel purposeless in combat. This balance issue affects gameplay strategy and weapon choice.

Deep mech customization system: Players highlight extensive mech building and customization, including reactors, weapons, armor, and shields. This is a core feature with high detail and frequency.

XCOM-like strategy with RTS: The game is frequently compared to XCOM, with real-time combat and pause, and strategic base management. This comparison is common and specific.

Base and city management: Players mention base building, city management, and upgrading city structures. This is a distinct feature but less frequently discussed than mech customization.

Alien bug hordes and titans: The game involves fighting hordes of giant alien bugs and titan aliens that can gang up on the player. This is a specific combat element.

Fullscreen display issues at startup: In fullscreen mode, part of the screen fails to load on startup, and the game does not display properly at 1680x1050 resolution. This affects the visual experience and usability.

Poor performance on mid-range hardware: The game runs under 20 FPS on an i5-8000 series with a GTX 1050 Ti and 16GB RAM, indicating suboptimal performance on common hardware. This suggests the game is not well optimized for mid-range systems.

Crashes in Enemy Bases on map transition: The game crashes in Enemy Bases when attempting to move to any second map. This is a critical bug that prevents progression in certain areas.

Recommended for niche audience: The game is recommended for a narrow niche of players who enjoy deep mechanics, complexity, and problem-solving. It is not for those expecting a standard commercial gaming experience.

Not for casual players: The game is repeatedly described as not for everyone, especially those seeking easy, relaxing, or hand-holding experiences. It is recommended only for players who enjoy challenges and learning from failure.

Consult guides and videos: Many reviewers recommend reading Steam guides or watching YouTube videos (e.g., Splattercat, Aavak) to understand the game's mechanics. This is especially important for new players who find the start difficult.

Not recommended currently: Some reviewers cannot recommend the game in its current state due to required tinkering, rough edges, or lack of polish. They suggest it needs more development time.

Not for those seeking easy wins: The game is not for players who want an easy or relaxing experience. It is challenging and requires a willingness to learn from mistakes.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 30.0h.

Story completion: 30.0h.

The game is initially frustrating due to a poor tutorial and obtuse UI, but becomes engaging once players overcome the steep learning curve. Most positive reviews highlight a 'click' moment after which the game's depth and mech-building shine.

Friction: Confusing UI with tiny buttons and indecipherable glyphs; Tutorial tooltips that explain nothing beyond the first step; Lack of tooltips and information; Steep learning curve; Lack of feedback; Need to watch external tutorials.

Unlock drivers: Understanding the engineering and mech building depth; Getting past the initial learning curve; Realizing the game's systems; Trial-and-error learning; Watching external tutorials or guides.

Hardcore Depth Seeker: Methodical, experimental, and research-oriented; they read manuals, test builds, and optimize. Motivation: The satisfaction of mastering intricate systems and overcoming steep challenges. Stance: buy.

Overwhelmed Casual: They attempt to play but give up quickly due to confusion; they may try to follow tutorials but find them insufficient. Motivation: They want to enjoy the game but are blocked by poor onboarding; they seek a more accessible experience. Stance: no buy.

Resourceful Guide Seeker: They follow along with videos or guides, take notes, and gradually learn the mechanics. Motivation: They want to experience the deep gameplay but need assistance to get past the initial barrier. Stance: buy.

External guides: The user feedback consistently highlights a severe lack of in-game guidance, with obscure mechanics, unexplained stats, and confusing UI elements. Players are forced to seek external resources like YouTube tutorials to understand basic systems, indicating a significant instructional data gap.

Comparisons to classic tactical games: The game is frequently compared to XCOM, Highfleet, Mechwarrior, and Battletech, indicating it appeals to fans of complex tactical and mech games. These comparisons emphasize the game's strategic depth and unit variety.

Japanese localization mod available: A volunteer-created Japanese localization mod exists on the Steam Workshop, addressing the lack of official Japanese support. This mod is appreciated by Japanese-speaking players, though some note the game was not designed with Japanese display in mind.

Developer responsive and active: The sole developer is praised for regular updates, responsiveness to questions, and a clear vision. This active development is seen as a positive aspect of the game.

Old-school difficulty and design: The game emulates the obtuse, no-hand-holding style of 90s titles, which some find nostalgic and others find challenging. This design choice is a defining characteristic.

Game lacks certain features: Reviewers note missing features like a save preset function for weapons and mechs, a mech combat simulator, and limited customization options. These omissions are seen as drawbacks.