The Last Starfighter Meets Armored Core In Huge New Sci-Fi Mech Game

Mech games are surprisingly few and far between, with one of the last major AAA titles in the genre being Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. Sure, that game is legendary in its own right and a triumph in both fast-paced mech combat and incredible boss design, but it is just one experience and not nearly enough to satiate the appetites of mech fans all over the world. FromSoftware did an admirable job, but it is time for another developer to take the reins and deliver something just as great.

Fortunately, that may be happening and surprisingly soon. While Armored Core 6 may remain one of the best mech games of all time, this newcomer to the genre promises to aim for the skies and deliver something new and exciting for the genre. With a push for a more cinematic flair making it feel akin to The Last Starfighter and deep levels of customization, this brand-new mech game could become an instant classic, so long as its developers can pull it off.

Gundam Is Finally Back

A mech holding a rifle in space in Gundam: Rogue Orbit.

One of the greatest and longest-running mech franchises of all time is Gundam. Despite its long history and generally excellent anime, Gundam has always struggled when it comes to video games. That’s not to say that there aren’t any good Gundam games, as that is absolutely not the case, but, rather, its string of releases has been inconsistent at best and frequently fails to match the high quality of its very best shows.

Fortunately, Bandai Namco looks set to rectify that with the latest big-budget Gundam game, Gundam Rogue Orbit. Offering the high-octane mech combat one would expect from a Gundam game, Rogue Orbit promises to be a great entry point for newcomers and a thrilling adventure for long-time fans, something that feels almost necessary at this point considering the generally lackluster video game entries beforehand. However, while its Armored Core 6-esque gameplay will undeniably be the highlight of the experience, it is Rogue Orbit’s penchant for the cinematic that could make it a success.

Think Last Starfighter Via Armored Core

Leaning on the strengths of the anime, Gundam Rogue Orbit is a more cinematic experience than its predecessors, leveraging its gorgeous visuals and action-packed cutscenes to deliver a hopefully compelling narrative that isn’t too dissimilar to the iconic sci-fi film, The Last Starfighter. Both feature a rag tag team of pilots attempting to defend humanity against a seemingly never-ending extraterrestrial existential threat (which breaks Gundam’s sacred rule), although, in this instance, the preferred mode of transport is a hulking, mechanized suit rather than a swanky spaceship.

Of course, when the going gets tough and players are thrust out of the stylish CG cutscenes, they’ll need to plow through aliens and clear objectives in quick fashion. Fortunately, from the limited gameplay we’ve seen, Gundam Rogue Orbit looks like a significant improvement over its predecessors in the gameplay department as well, offering a more robust combat model that looks weighty and impactful, much like its clear inspiration, Armored Core 6.

Gundam Rogue Orbit is set to release in 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. A more specific release date will likely be revealed in the coming months.

One has to assume that there will be complete customization over your mech suit (this is a Gundam game after all), allowing you to kit it out with all manner of weapons and body parts to improve your chances against the aforementioned existential threat. If it manages to make its customization feel meaningful and transformative, catering to a vast swathe of unique build types, deliver a compelling and coherent narrative through engaging cinematic cutscenes, and offer weighty yet high-octane and fast-paced combat, then Gundam Rogue Orbit may just beat Armored Core 6 as the best mech game.