Overview

When I think of Gundams, I think of model kits and high stakes mech combat. Gundam Breaker 4 blends those two in a way I was not expecting. Gundam Breaker 4 elevates the franchise to new heights, offering an exhilarating blend of fast-paced mech combat with deep customization that will satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Gundam Breaker 4 is the next installment in the Gundam Breaker series. It’s been 8 years since the last game in the Bandai Namco franchise which was released on the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4. The series focuses on Gunpla, model kits depicting the mechs and characters in the Gundam franchise. Your Gunpla model will enter combat scenarios and missions. As you play, you will focus on three primary activities: break, build, and battle.

Break

Let’s break things down; the missions, whether they are story focused or any of the optional side quests you take on, will have you primarily engaging in Gundam combat scenarios. These missions usually operate in three waves of enemies swarming you and your squad. Then it’s just a matter of taking down your enemies as fast as possible. What’s your incentive? That’s where ‘Break’ comes in. Your main goal most of the time is to break off pieces of enemy Gunpla models. Any and all pieces you are able to successfully dismantle, you are unlocking for use for yourself. Also, the faster you complete missions, the more likely you are to hit S rank, which rewards you with additional parts. These rewards are then at your disposal when you head back to your workshop to, you guessed it, build!

Build

When I say this is game about Gunpla, I really meant it. With over 250 base kits, I found myself with a buffet of options available to me to pick from. When you are between missions, you get to roam the hub center and can access the workshop for building and customizing your own kit to your most creative desires. In the early game, I was mainly focused on whatever allowed me to use the coolest or most powerful abilities, whether it was a space lance, dual laser rifles, or even giant mech arms. I had no uniform look or fashion, but I was a mech of destruction. Each mission brought new toys to play with and created a wilder, more capable Gundam model. This then feeds directly into enjoying more and more of the battles.

Battle

The more I broke other units, the more I was building. The more I was building, the more I was eager to go back into the next battle to try my new features and see how I can break more units. Once that cycle started, it was an addictive hook to keep going. The first few waves would be hordes of easier units to combat against. In the third wave, I would face a higher-grade unit of the larger scale towering above you. These fights were good tests for the combat and would serve as some of the real challenges I faced.

Verdict

Gundam Breaker 4 is a fun time – it;s a playful sandbox for fans of both Bandai Namco’s Gundam series and model kits. It serves as a blended celebration of what makes the Gundam series so stylish and cool and what can be so fun and creative about the Gunpla model kits. If this mech sandbox combat for model kits sounds like your jam, then I would recommend you go play Gundam Breaker 4. There is even cooperative multiplayer for you and two of your friends if you want to play as a squad.

Reviewed on PC. Early review code provided by the publisher.

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