Mech game Hawken heading to PS4 on July 8
Xbox One release is listed as July 1 on Xbox store, but no official confirmation.
After a couple years in stealth mode and a developer switch, the free-to-play mech game Hawken is finally making its way to consoles.
In a developer update on the PlayStation Blog, producer Josh Clausen confirmed a July 8 release on PlayStation 4, while offering some of the background lore for the game. A quick search for an Xbox One version of the game revealed the product page and a July 1 release date. The game has been in Steam Early Access since Feburary 2014.
Not long after original developer Adhesive Games released a coop deathmatch mode for the game, not much more was heard about it. In March, 2015, developer Reloaded Productions acquired it from publisher Meteor Entertainment and continued to build it out, adding the console versions to the mix. At the time, the game's official Facebook page announced that the game was back and "here to stay." Reloaded had previously picked up All Points Bulletin and re-released it as the free-to-play APB: Reloaded.
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replyJohn Keefer posted a new article, Mech game Hawken heading to PS4 on July 8
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Last time i played it was probably a couple of years ago, it was not pay to win, credits are used only to buy cosmetics.
I used to really like the game. -
Fast paced mech shooter
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It was fun for about a week. Never looked back.
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It ain't no Mechwarrior. It's more Quake or UT in mini junkyard-esque looking 'mechs.
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It's a lot of fun. It's not pay to win: the starting equipment is as effective as any other. The gameplay is a combination of Quake and MechWarrior and there's a high skill ceiling. There are plenty of mechs, maps,a and modes to keep you interested and I had a lot of fun with it for about 20 or 30 hours. Definitely check it out if you're interested. It's also very pretty and sounds good.
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last I tried, there was zero way to hop on a map and test out the controls. No way to set up your own server. Join an empty one, and it was immediately jumped on by other people who were happy to smash noobs. If I can't even try out the controls before getting destroyed I'm not checking it out again (particularly if there was zero investment to getting it)
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I tried this when it first did a beta round. I was pretty pissed that the game install required multiple reboots. WTH Why would a game require me to reboot? Uninstalled. I knew the producer at the time and let him know my thoughts. There's just not reason for that unless they're doing something I hardily wouldn't approve of (like some kind of root level anti-cheating nonsense).
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I played this heavily about a couple years ago and really enjoyed it.
Don't go into Hawken expecting a sim game, it's got more in common with Call of Duty than MechWarior. Movement and combat is fast but weighty, and feels satisfying. You can dash in each direction and fly around with your jumpjet but this requires fuel, which recharges over time. Additionally, weapons will overheat if you fire them for too long, rendering them unusable for a short period. Managing your fuel and weapon heat is crucial to success. You can also heal whenever you want by holding down a button to deploy a repair drone. You're completely immobile while repairing, but you also get put into a third person view so you can move the camera around to check for incoming threats. This can lead to some really tense moments where you dash away and around a few corners in an attempt to lose your pursuer and get a few seconds of clutch healing in. It's a simple but really cool mechanic that adds a bit of depth to the game.
There are three different mech classes: heavy (slow, but very tanky with good firepower, can transform into a "bunker" mode), medium (balanced firepower, speed, and armor), and light (speedy and maneuverable but very fragile). Each class has a few different specific models you which are tailored to different playstyles, but they need to be unlocked via a currency that builds up slowly as you complete matches. Or you can spend real money to get them right away. Each specific model gets two weapons and a special ability. For example, you start out with "Assault", a medium mech that has a chain cannon and a rocket launcher with a remote detonation capability, with a cooldown that immediately vents your weapon heat. It's a really solid all-rounder and you won't feel gimped right out the gate, or pressured to spend real money to get something better right away.
In addition to these weapons and a special ability, each mech also gets an item that can be used once per life iirc, and can be swapped out in between games. There are bouncy grenades, shield barriers, turrets, radar jammers, etc. Some of these are more useful than others, and they can give you a massive edge if utilized at the right time. Item charges restock over time or you can buy more, which is probably my biggest gripe with the game. Hawken does a pretty good job of not being pay to win but stumbles a bit here. It's really frustrating to be out of item charges, dueling somebody, and lose to a grenade lobbed straight at your cockpit.
Main game modes are TDM and Domination (called something else but it's the same idea). There are some others as well, like a co-op mode where you and three others fight waves of enemies, but not many played them.
Environments look great on the Crytek engine and the small destructible objects included on some maps like freeway railings, lamp posts, and nondescript industrial structures help lend the sense that you are piloting a 2+ story stompy clompy robot.
I'm really glad this game hasn't been forgotten, hopefully a console release will generate renewed interest. Also everything I've said is from what I remember the game being 2 years ago, so things could have changed a bit since then.
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