In 2017 Sony started the China Hero Project, with the goal of getting more games developed in China and bringing them to the West. One of the original games in the project was Hardcore Mecha, back then known as Code: Hardcore, a 2D action game where you piloted some giant robots and either fight other players online or shoot your way through a campaign mode. The game was originally released on PC on June 26th, 2019, and has also hit PlayStation 4 in Asia. Now the West will be getting the PlayStation 4 version of the game on January 14th, 2020.
Described as a mix of Metal Slug and Super Robot Wars!, Hardcore Mecha puts you in the middle of a war. You play as a mercenary named Tarethur who is given the job of finding a missing intelligence officer. Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems, and over the game’s 10-hour campaign you’ll find yourself in increasingly dangerous situations that Tarethur is going to have to battle his way out of. While you have a giant robot, you don’t actually need to stay cooped up in the mech. At any point, you can leave and run-and-gun on foot, or use the chance to hijack a new mech.
Once you finish the campaign, Hardcore Mecha also offers a competitive multiplayer mode. You can duke it out with other players either online or locally. A survival mode is also available so you and other players can team up against AI enemies.
Producer Louiky had the following to say about the new release:
HARDCORE MECHA is a truly stylized 2D Mech action game that platformer fans will love, with a huge variety of mechs and killer moves to master, it delivers on our promise to create a truly competitive action game. We’re thrilled to announce that both North America and European PlayStation 4 players can now battle it out with their chosen mecha.
Hardcore Mecha is the first game developed by Chinese studio RocketPunch Games. The game made a little under $150,000 on Kickstarter and was one of the first games included in Sony’s China Hero Project, which saw Sony assisting with its development.
