Gundam Breaker 4 is finally here, though it’s technically the fifth installment in the 11-year-old Gunpla-based game series. That’s because 2018’s New Gundam Breaker is technically the fourth series entry, though there’s a good reason they didn’t use 5 in the title.
Instead of being an evolution of New Gundam Breaker, this new game builds up on Gundam Breaker 3. This makes sense given how badly that game was released, and despite the various updates, it never got the same love from players as the older Breaker entries.
Of course, that’s not to say Gundam Breaker 4 (or GB4 for short) is just a rehash of 3 as it still promises to be the biggest series entry yet, both in terms of gameplay and in terms of the sheer number of available parts.
Returning to its Gameplay Roots
To understand Gundam Breaker 3, it’s important to know a bit of context. The Gundam Breaker franchise began with the first game released on PS3 and PS Vita back in 2013. This game then got two sequels, GB2 and GB3, which were released in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Both these sequels shared the same core gameplay, albeit with new additions with each entry. Sadly, these games did not get released outside Asia, with GB3 being the only game with an English release, though only in select Asian countries.
Then, New Gundam Breaker was released in 2018, and that game had a rough release. Many players noted how it played totally differently from the previous games, but not for the better. What’s worse is that the game had a lot of “broken” mechanics, making for an unenjoyable experience.
Given what happened with the “New” entry, Bandai Namco took a while to develop the series’ next entry. Based on how its gameplay feels though, the wait is worth it for long-time fans.
In combat, GB4 plays similarly to the GB3, but considering that the older series entries didn’t get wide releases, here’s a rundown of how combat works in this game.
Players control a custom Gunpla in three-stage missions. These Gunpla have two melee weapon options controlled by the face buttons, and two ranged weapons that are fired by the left and right triggers, respectively.
Along with these basic attacks, players also have access to EX and OP skills which are activated in a menu brought up with the right and left shoulder buttons respectively. EX skills typically put out high damage or useful support abilities, though they have a cooldown so they can’t be spammed. Meanwhile, OP skills are more varied, with skills like a heal, or other abilities that can help keep a player’s combat score up. OP skills consume charges which fill up as you attack enemies.
The name of the game in combat encounters is not simply to defeat enemies, but it’s also important to keep a combo up. To be exact, there are two bars on the right side of the screen. One is for hits which increases the more you combo attack enemies. Then, the break bar increases when you continue to break enemy parts. As with combo bars in other games, it’s important to keep comboing and breaking enemy parts so that the bars don’t deplete. Doing this increases your score at the end of the mission which comes with bonus rewards. Plus, having higher combo counts and breaks will give useful bonuses and buffs while in combat.
As the title implies, breaking enemy parts is a key mechanic. Players can break off parts by attacking enemies with combos, and by doing so, they can prevent enemies from attacking or moving, depending on which part is broken. Note that breaking has an element of luck to it as enemy parts are broken.
Breaking off parts can be quite a challenge against some enemies, especially the huge Perfect Grade (PG) bosses as players will need to target specific parts to break them. What’s more, some of these parts are high up, meaning players should make use of their thrusters
To help with more difficult combat encounters, players have an ultimate ability which is activated by pressing L3 and R3. As expected, this gives a big buff in damage which is great to have in a pinch. This also comes with an ability such as a heal which can also help the AI companions that join players in each mission.
While there are many elements in the combat system, they all come together well. Of course, it’s not a perfect system as there is some clunkiness to movement and combats. As such, playing this doesn’t feel as smooth as something like Armored Core 6 (though that’s a bit of an unfair comparison). Still, combat feels good overall, and it’s helped by the fact that missions are just one part of the game. After all, the building mechanic is perhaps the main reason to get this game, especially if you’re a Gunpla collector.
Heaven for Gunpla Lovers
As with the previous series entries, GB4 has a big focus on collecting all sorts of Gunpla parts and building them to make your ultimate Mobile Suit. This game outdoes all the other ones though as it is the biggest yet in terms of parts as it has over 250 base kits with thousands of individual parts given that each kit has 11 customizable parts/weapons.
The building mechanic is important firstly for the effect on combat. Each part has a unique set of attributes, with some also having unique OP or EX skills. That means parts selection is key as you can select which parts to use depending on your playstyle. For instance, you can go with a speedier setup when against faster enemies, or instead use harder-hitting parts with powerful EX skills in a mission with a big boss fight.
During the early part of the game, you’ll need to build a Frankenstein monster of a mobile suit as the focus in the first chapter is to get the most powerful parts, regardless of how well they fit visually. Thankfully, you’ll soon get the ability to evolve parts to increase their level. With this, you can now evolve parts that you like visually instead of being stuck with a powerful part with a wonky fit look-wise.
Customizing your Gunpla kit’s parts can take a while given how many parts there are and the sheer number of stats and skills you’ll need to keep track of. As such, the customization aspect can feel quite intimidating to approach, or even frustrating given how many parts you accumulate in missions.
While the interface could’ve been cleaner, the customization part of the game is still very much a fun experience. Aside from perfectly tuning your kit for its gameplay capabilities, it’s also so much fun to build the kit if you’re a Gundam fan, or better yet a Gunpla collector. This is because all the parts can be color-customized, not to mention that the parts and sets are based on actual Gunpla kits.
It’s not just your kit that you can enjoy though as enemies are also based on actual kits, to the point that many enemies first appear as a Gunpla box before they are summoned in the mission area. Plus, as mentioned above, some missions have Perfect Grade bosses. Fighting these should be a treat for collectors, even those who don’t have the space (or the budget) for a PG kit at home.
Along with combat, the kits that you build (which can be saved in presets) can also be used in the game’s Photo Mode. Here, you can pose your Gunpla and choose a background, and you can then keep these photos in your collection or share them with your Gundam-loving friends.
More than the Photo Mode, there’s also the Diorama Mode which lets you pose your Gundam kits in a customizable environment, complete with various poses and special effects. Think of this as a 3D version of the Photo Mode that gives the same satisfaction as setting up Gunpla kits in real life.
This aspect of Gundam Breaker 4 is perhaps its best aspect. On its own, the loop of going on missions, collecting parts, and customizing kits should already deliver hours of fun for fans, especially for those who love building and collecting Gunpla. But that’s not the only reason to play this game though as its story is surprisingly engaging.
A Surprisingly Intriguing Story
As this game is all about Gunpla, GB4’s story is kind of “meta” as it’s not set in a particular Gundam universe and is instead set in a future where the popular “Gunpla Battle” esport is all the rage.
The story starts with a Gunpla fan (the player in this case) who is participating in a beta test for GB4. There, the player will meet other fans and form a clan as they strive to reach the top ranks of the test. Though the story soon introduces more intriguing elements involving AI and even a villainous plot with major ramifications for the game.
While I wouldn’t say that the story is the main reason to play the game, it is engaging enough to be an entertaining time. Plus, it’s a nice addition for players who are fairly new to Gundam or Gunpla given how it eases someone into the game’s mechanics and array of parts.
The game’s story plays out in a visual novel style, though the story missions play out similarly to other side missions. While you can rush through the story missions, it might be a better idea to do side missions to gather better parts as the story chapters do have spikes in their recommended level.
If there’s a key complaint about the game’s story and mission structure is that they can feel rather grindy. Sure, the missions themselves don’t take that long, but they can feel same-y, especially when you’re playing for a couple of hours. As such, more casual Gundam fans may not enjoy this as much as more dedicated Gunpla collectors given that the grindy feel isn’t as much of an issue for those who love seeing more parts added to their inventory in-game.
On top of the story mode, the game also has a multiplayer mode where co-op with up to 3 players can be played. As such, missions can be enjoyed with friends instead of AI companions which is a nice addition to add some variety.
Gundam Breaker 4 Final Verdict – 8/10
There’s a lot to love about Gundam Breaker 4 as it returns to the roots of the franchise in successful fashion. This game provides lots of engaging combat encounters thanks to its tried-and-tested mechanics that it borrows from Gundam Breaker 3, albeit with new additions.
Perhaps the best thing about it is the customization system which offers an addictive experience for Gundam fans and Gunpla collectors. It’s also great that the in-depth customization is great not only for combat but also for the Diorama and Photo modes which are cool additions. Plus, even more casual Gundam fans can have fun here as the story mode is quite engaging.
Sure, the combat could be smoother, and the missions can feel a bit samey, but these are minor issues overall. As such, Gundam Breaker 4 is a great return to form for the series that Gunpla builders will definitely love.
[This review was made via a PS5 game code provided by the publisher]