Up to 317,000 people played new shooter on Steam. Mecha Break faces heavy criticism from Chinese players

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In terms of demo versions, the sheer number of players isn’t always indicative of success. A prime example is the beta version of the online action game Mecha Break, which was played by a massive 300,000 Steam users concurrently. However, just around a third of these players gave it positive reviews. The majority of negative feedback appears to be from China.

It’s clear that we can both acknowledge: In comparison to other free demo versions, the outcome of the recently released multiplayer game by Amazing Seasun Games studio (Ballads of Hongye), specifically Mecha Break Demo, is truly remarkable. At its height, a staggering 317,000 players were simultaneously enjoying this game, as recorded by SteamDB. This number surpasses the peak player count for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, implying that the demo’s launch can be considered a triumph for the developers.

In another development, it’s worth noting that this isn’t exactly a demonstration but rather an ‘open beta’. This term might not alter the fact that the Amazing Seasun Games team still has grounds for celebration, albeit with a touch of reservation.

  1. Mecha Break Demo on Steam

Changes for the worse or impatience of Chinese players?

It appears that the player feedback for Mecha BREAK isn’t aligning with our expectations – a fact that carries significant weight given that gamers tend to be lenient with demo versions. Interestingly, some of the reviewers who graded Mecha BREAK had previously played the earlier version of the game and seemed to have held a far more positive view based on their alpha test experiences compared to the current build. However, it’s worth noting that the gameplay itself doesn’t seem to raise significant issues; in fact, many players still regard it as exceptional.

In the demo version, what seemed to malfunction or cause trouble? While overlooking minor issues such as dubbing, a peculiar tutorial, or control handling, it’s crucial to acknowledge that many reviews – particularly negative ones – were in Chinese. The primary complaint among these comments focused on issues encountered when trying to join the game following the release of Mecha Break Demo. Given the high level of interest, these difficulties may not have been unexpected.

It appears that many internet users have noted that most English-language game reviews are favorable. Consequently, it’s plausible that the Chinese servers struggled under the weight of numerous players, and those unable to access the game expressed their frustration towards the Amazing Seasun Games studio.

The developers seem to acknowledge these issues as the main points criticized in unfavorable reviews and have organized a small reimbursement (through X) instead.

Monetization and “oversexualized” personalization don’t discourage

It’s quite interesting to note that in many Chinese reviews, there appears to be no discussion about what appears to be the primary concern of the game as perceived by other players worldwide. While it’s true that the Mecha Break demo seems to have won favor from most, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t recognize potential problems.

If we disregard the initial remarks, it’s noticeable that there are frequent discussions about the in-game purchase system. This appears to draw inspiration from gacha games, a fact that sometimes annoys certain gamers.

This comes with occasional critiques concerning adjustments in mech balance compared to alpha tests and, moreover, an over-emphasis on the “sexualization” of pilot customization options. Although these criticisms are not prevalent across all reviews, they do crop up occasionally.

Despite the current mostly negative feedback, there’s a possibility that the Steam reviews for the game “Mecha Break Demo” may soon shift towards more positive ratings. This is because, compared to the weekend results, a larger percentage of players (33%) are now giving the game a positive review, which was only 21% previously.

Two days post-launch, an astonishing 185,000 individuals are simultaneously enjoying the beta version, which raises a question: could this massive concurrency be maintained for this length of time if the game were as poorly received as the torrent of unfavorable reviews might suggest?

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2025-02-25 03:04