Review of Go Mecha Ball

Go Mecha Ball is influenced by many different things; it incorporates elements of ramp sticks from Tony Hawk, twin-stick shooting, and rolling a la Marble Madness.

Go Mecha Ball
Platform: PC, also on Xbox One
Developer: Whale Peak Games
Publisher: Super Rare Originals
Release date: January 25th, 2024
Price: $19.99 via digital download, $17.99 launch price through February 8th
Availability: Steam

Playing Go Mecha Ball requires an appreciation for the chaotic. The bold goal of Gothenburg-based Whale Peak Games’ debut project is to surpass the chaotic, roguelike action of Hades. However, the team has created a respectable roguelike opponent, with the exception of a slight boredom during later runs.

The basic mechanics of the game are explained in a brief interactive tutorial that follows a basic storyline illustrated with a few animated graphics. You are a cat with two guns inside a strengthened suit when you are not depressing the left trigger.

As with other twin-stick shooters, you can spray enemies with several kinds of ammunition. However, the shooting isn’t all that memorable because to opponents who feel reinforced and a limited supply of ammunition. Indeed, the smooth framerate and responsive controls let you to turn the game’s opponents into heaps of scrap metal. Additionally, it seems as though Mecha Ball releases a small amount of dopamine each time you convert an opponent into a lifeless heap of wreckage. However, there are other superior twin-stick shooters available.

Enjoying a Ball

Pressing the left trigger starts the real fun. Here, our cat protagonist does her best impression of Samus, rolling into a quick-thinking, armored sphere. This shift opens up a number of options. Your rolling cat may navigate the course by soaring off the ramps and quarter-pipes dotted across each stage, a la Tony Hawk. You can take down opponents after getting a little air, dealing a substantial amount of damage and causing your exoskeleton to collapse. Or you could run into them and sometimes bounce them straight off the field.

Furthermore, it is always enjoyable to knock opponents out of bounds in order to kill them. Every basic opponent has a different attack strategy, which can include ramming you, shooting missiles and lobbing artillery, searing you with a revolving laser, or simply jumping up and attempting to fall on you. Therefore, you may sense that triumph is near if you can reduce their numbers even a little. The only drawback is that there is a cool-down meter that limits your dashing. But the ability comes back fast, so for a brief while, defensive play is encouraged.

Delightful chaos

Playing Go Mecha Ball could be frustrating at first. Usually, my early attempts at the four-stage, roguelike adventure ended abruptly once I faced the first boss. Although vanquished opponents may sometimes grant dots of health, Kitty was always unable to withstand the steady accumulation of damage. I eventually discovered that creating a tried-and-true technique is essential for success in Mecha Ball. That meant setting priorities for me, making the occasional dash to less dangerous places, and trying not to panic when enemies suddenly filled the screen.

Go Mecha Ball is a roguelike that offers upgrades to combat the game’s relentless difficulties. You will be able to choose one reward from three options every three steps. These can accomplish things like increase the force of your shots, increase the damage you deal when you collide with enemies, or supply new offensive tools like explosives. Gaining access to extra Upgrades, Abilities, and Weapons can be accomplished by gathering blue tokens that vanquished opponents drop. There are other playable characters that have their own default weapon and secondary, although these are obviously valuable augmentations; nevertheless, they are not permanent.

Roguelike Formula Restrains

Runs through Go Mecha Ball may therefore become monotonous. New weapons will consistently appear during each gameplay session. However, you should plan to use the one that most closely matches your playing style rather than the one that is ideal for a particular circumstance. I chose a rifle with the greatest range because it can be risky to run headlong into the game’s four monsters. While Whale Peak introduces new monsters with unique behaviors for every stage, facing the same parade of foes may make you wish Mech Ball had provided a pre-planned campaign. Even so, this is worth the asking price, particularly for those who enjoy frantic action.

The publisher provided a review code for the PC game Go Mecha Ball.

Review Overview

Gameplay – 75%

Controls – 70%

Aesthetics – 80%

Content – 70%

Accessibility – 65%

Value – 70%

72%

GOOD!

Summary : The action in Go Mecha Ball is definitely fierce as you fire and bash your way through quarter-pipes and ramps. Although the roguelike power-up is an attempt to add some variation, it’s not quite enough to keep things interesting for very long.