2024-01-23 21:58:33
Whale Peak Games and Super Rare Originals bring us an arcade-oriented twin stick shooter with roguelike elements that make it an addictive title.
Go Mecha Ball is an arcade twin stick shooter with roguelite elements that will allow us to improve our character as we advance in level with improvements in our skills and combat weapons.
In this case Go Mecha Ball does not have a great story arc, but rather has a fairly clear and simple premise. Suddenly one day a strange portal appears, bringing with it chaos and the arrival of unwanted inhabitants. Our mission will be to use our robotic suit and thus face the threat that is presented to us.
In the game we have the possibility of turning ourselves into a metal ball to be able to perform melee attacks against enemies, dodge their attacks and leave them invulnerable for a few seconds. All this thanks to elements distributed throughout the levels (corners, cylinders…) that allow us to increase our speed, thus providing a certain variety to our attack, making us feel like we are in a pinball game like those of yesteryear. We will also have a basic mode in which we can move through the level at a slower speed, while using our weapons and skills.
Controls and gameplay
A very important aspect in arcade games and in which they act as Go Mecha Ball, an easy title to learn to play from the first game we are in, since the controls are simple and intuitive for the user. Simple movement in which our character has two modes, one focused on movement, defense and melee attack with that “ball” mode that at times reminds us of a pinball due to the speed and blows we make.
In this ball mode we will have a greater speed of movement, thanks to the acceleration that we can perform to be able to block the enemies’ attacks. In normal mode we will move a little slower, let’s not forget that we are inside a robotic armor and our movements are slower but it will be the only way to be able to use our weapons from a distance.
Levels
The game consists of 4 phases made up of a total of 3 levels in each of them. At the end of each phase we will find a final boss who wants to make things difficult for us, although it is true that their difficulty is not completely balanced in some cases.
The levels are repeated game after game, there is no variety, making the game acquire a certain monotony that is not at the same level as the progression of the game. One aspect to keep in mind is that in the first levels we are protected by walls and we only have to worry about the attacks of the enemies that appear in waves.
As we progress, the environment will gain a certain prominence since it will allow us to carry out air attacks thanks to the inclusion, among other things, of fans and mats. Also the disappearance of that security barrier that protects us at the beginning of our adventure will end up arriving, and later we will have to control our position in the level more clearly so as not to lose life.
Character and setting
At the beginning of the game we can only use one character, this being the most balanced in all its possible statistics. As we progress, we will have other characters at our disposal that will have different statistics, which will allow us to focus on a different challenge in order to overcome the game with each of them.
Each of the phases is clearly differentiated, whether more urban areas or, on the contrary, more open as they are in the desert. Weapon and skill sound effects provide clear identity and differentiation during gaming sessions. The music is not at all convincing and does not quite match the rhythm of the game.
Enemies
Go Mecha Ball does not stand out for a great variety of enemies since we will mainly find some small ones that will attack us hand-to-hand, some launch remote-controlled projectiles, others that rotate on themselves firing a laser and others that shoot at great distances with good precision. At the end of the waves there are moments with a good number of enemies to avoid and it can give the sensation of great variety but quite the opposite.
The final enemies are different from each other and also introduce some element different from what you face in the previous phases. Yes, it is true that they are not completely balanced in relation to the phase of the game we are in, but it is something that you will discover when you play.
Progression and improvements
Of what The highlight of Go Mecha Ball is undoubtedly the progression focused on 3 fundamental pillars (weapons, upgrades and skills). By having elements of the roguelite genre, we have to generate the best “build” so that our character can overcome the different enemies that we encounter.
Regarding the progression during our game, it is quite balanced since we will always have 3 options to choose from at the end of each level, any of them being quite interesting and having to think a little about which one we want to use. We will have to choose whether to improve our ammunition, weapon damage, general improvement or even get double the coins when we defeat enemies.
Before the confrontation of each boss we can access a store where we will have a total of 4 objects to buy, most of the time 2 of them will be related to ammunition and life, we can spend our gold coins. On the other hand, we can accumulate money in a fight to unlock the rest of the characters that we can use.
In the main menu we will have 3 machines that will offer us the opportunity to unlock a new improvement, skill or weapon at random and thus increase the inventory of the additions that we can get in our runs.
Conclusions
Go Mecha Ball is a twin stick shooter with roguelite elements that is addictive thanks to the great design of its progression that makes each of the upgrades we unlock totally worth it. Its simple controls make it easy to understand, being accessible to those players who may not have that experience in games of the genre. The variety of levels and some extra enemies would have given an extra point to the game, which will also be available on the 25th on Xbox Game Pass.
If you want to be up to date with all the news follow our Twitter o Instagram. You can also enjoy our videos on the channel Youtube or direct through Twitch
Go Mecha Ball
Pros
- Simple and agile control
- Addictive
- Balanced skills and upgrades
Cons
- Levels with little variety
- The music is not that quality
- Not very varied enemies
#Mecha #Ball #Analysis