The year looks to be action-packed for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. The subscription service expects an influx of high-quality games in 2024. Leading the pack are Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 and Avowed, and there is a good chance we will soon see many Activision Blizzard games on the service. However, what excites me even more are the games that I have never heard of before. Some of my favorite Game Pass titles over the years have been unknown indies that I discovered the same day they were released. You could call them pleasant surprises.
This week, Xbox Game Pass is receiving one of these games. Go Mecha Ball is a new rogue-like hybrid shooter with dual-stick controls, launching on January 25th for both PC and Xbox Game Pass. It’s an incredibly creative little action game that makes Game Pass intriguing for me.
Structurally, Go Mecha Ball is a fairly standard rogue-like. Players embark on runs, collecting power-ups, defeating waves of enemies in various biomes, and taking on several bosses. Its closest counterpart is last year’s Lone Ruin, another straightforward action game from publisher Super Rare Games. But Go Mecha Ball has one key deviation that sets it apart from others – and it’s right in the title.
Players control a rolling mecha that can quickly move around levels like pinballs. By pressing one of the buttons, I can enter ball mode to move around swiftly. And when I press the other button, I can strike enemies to destroy their shields or launch ammunition. This addition enhances the joy of movement in the game, where I swiftly go from enemy to enemy, briefly appearing from my cover to shoot a few rounds or use abilities before retreating from danger. It’s an extraordinary movement system that I haven’t encountered in rogue-likes before, and it’s immensely satisfying to control.
The developers at Whale Peak Games seem determined to deliver an adrenaline-filled action, and it shows in this game. The battles are filled with neon explosions. The whole experience is accompanied by an exciting electronic soundtrack that makes me want to move even faster. Several boss fights also provide incredibly tense challenges. In one battle, I have to race up ramps to collide with the opponent in mid-air and knock them to the ground. It’s the kind of combat you would expect from a solid 3D Sonic game.
Each level consists of three waves of enemies, which are defeated in a fairly straightforward manner, but the whole experience is slightly more complex due to pinball-inspired levels. The arenas are filled with small elements such as bounce pads, rounded corners to roll on, ramps, and much more. Defeating each enemy requires some spatial awareness to figure out how to reach a high ledge. This puzzle-like element in movement is implemented subtly enough to maintain an exciting level without creating frustration that can occur with pinball physics.
Additional movement calls play a significant role here, especially since Go Mecha Ball is not a very deep rogue-like. I completed the entire 45-minute gameplay within two hours of starting the game, although there is an incentive to continue playing. For every currency found in the game, I collect currency that can be used to obtain new weapons, abilities, and upgrades through the gum vending machine (yes, it is very dedicated to the ball theme). Each newly unlocked equipment is added to the pool for future runs, so there is always a reason to try again. More importantly, each successful run unlocks a new modifier that increases the difficulty. Beating it once is easy; going through each subsequent level requires true skill.
I’ve only spent a few hours on Go Mecha Ball, but it makes it a perfect game for a subscription service. It’s the kind of light curiosity that you can load up when needed, enjoy an afternoon, and not feel too pressured to continue. There’s a subtle difference between “a great game” and “a great Game Pass game,” and Go Mecha Ball’s arcade elegance understands that.
Go Mecha Ball launches on January 25th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
FAQ:
1. When does the game Go Mecha Ball launch?
Go Mecha Ball launches on January 25th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
2. What are the distinguishing features of Go Mecha Ball?
Go Mecha Ball is a rogue-like hybrid shooter with dual-stick controls. Players control a mecha that can move like a pinball.
3. What are the main gameplay elements in Go Mecha Ball?
Players must collect power-ups, defeat waves of enemies, and battle bosses on diverse pinball-inspired levels.
4. What are the unique features in the game’s movement system?
Players can control the mecha in ball mode to move swiftly. They can also strike enemies to destroy their shields or launch ammunition.
5. What are the puzzle elements in the game?
The arenas are filled with pinball-inspired elements such as bounce pads, rounded corners, and ramps. Players need to utilize these elements to figure out how to reach higher places.
6. What are the character upgrade possibilities in the game?
During gameplay, players collect currency that can be used to obtain new weapons, abilities, and upgrades through the gum vending machine.
7. How long is the gameplay in Go Mecha Ball?
The entire gameplay lasts about 45 minutes, but there is an incentive to continue playing and unlocking new equipment.
8. Where can you play Go Mecha Ball?
The game is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Definitions:
1. Rogue-like – a genre of computer games in which the player explores a procedurally generated world, and a character’s single death leads to the loss of most progress and resources.
Suggested related links:
– Xbox Game Pass link
– GamesRadar link (a portal about computer games)
The source of the article is from the blog foodnext.nl