Combine the glorious mech battles of Armored Core 6 and the autobattling tactics of Super Auto Pets and TFT, and you have Mechabellum, a clever multiplayer strategy game that left early access in September 2024. Since then, developer Game River has parted ways with former publisher Paradox Arc to take full control of its future, and it’s just dropped Mechabellum update 1.2, which kicks off the game’s second season. With a training-focused specialist, new units, and reworks on the cards, now’s a great time to check in.
Stylistically, Mechabellum tickles that same part of my brain that classic Command and Conquer has always scratched – rows upon rows of heavily armored vehicles and infantry unleashing missile salvos and laser beams upon one another. But the autobattler element makes this a rather differently paced strategy game, albeit one with plenty of tactical depth. If you’re craving all the team compositions and counters of classic C&C or StarCraft 2, but don’t want to deal with the frenetic real-time base management, Mechabellum is worth a look.
Update 1.2 has arrived, and with it begins Mechabellum Season 2. There’s a new rewards track to look forward to, and Game River says the progression through this tree should be faster than before. Combat Power and Insight have been reset for the start of the season, with player MMR lowered to 90% of its end-of-season value as well. If you played during the previous season, you’ll be awarded additional bonuses based on your performance, and your Season 1 points will be converted into credits.
A new Intensive Training Expert joins the lineup of specialists – they get an extra 50 supplies for the first round and one free use of Intensive Training, which should encourage more unusual matchups during the early rounds. A new flying unit called the Raiden has been introduced. It can hit three separate targets with each burst of lightning it unleashes, making it an excellent counter to medium-sized units.
With the Raiden’s introduction, the Overlord battleship has been reworked. It’s now notably larger, scaling up from a 4×4 unit to a 5×5 one, and it’s fittingly stronger and more expensive – making it a bigger investment but with an immense presence on the battlefield. The Sabertooth tank, meanwhile, has been revamped, with a brand-new model and the potential to install a secondary gun. This altered version has also been included in the initial unit selection to introduce more early-game variety.
If you’re playing in Survival or Brawl mode, a new Titan-class unit called the Death Knell has been introduced as the ultimate form of the Melting Point. In particular, Game River describes this newcomer as “a potential counter to many popular strategies in the four-player Brawl mode,” so it’s certainly one to keep your eyes on. Elsewhere there are several more smaller-scale balance changes, so expect some meta shake-ups across the board.
Mechabellum update 1.2 is out now. You can buy the game on Steam, priced at $14.99 / £12.79. Be sure to check out the full patch notes courtesy of Game River if you’re planning to sit in the commander’s chair.
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