Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

Publisher

Modus Games

Developer

Modus Studios Brazil

Genre

Fighting

Players

1-4

File Size (Minimum)

2.2 GB

Release Date (NA)

Dec 22, 2020

Purchase From

Amazon

Best Buy

GameStop

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Steam

Epic Games

Mech-fighting game Override 2: Super Mech League is the sequel to 2018’s Override: Mech City Brawl. Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of competition in the giant robot battle arena. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s the top runner. Override 2 delivers some heavy hits but ultimately comes up short of victory. Even Japanese-favorite Ultraman can only do so much.

Try Before You Buy Your Mecha

At the start, you are free to try out a set of mecha suits, each one offering a unique style of combat. Some move with more agility and some have attacks that reach farther. Unfortunately, you won’t get to use these freebies forever. Instead, once you gain enough money from battles, you’ll need to eventually buy one. There’s a total of twenty suits with four additional ones available by either purchasing the Ultraman Deluxe Edition or as DLC separately. Once you buy your suit, you’re stuck with it until you can buy another one. Don’t fret, though: you can score enough money for that fairly quickly.

With the Ultraman expansion, which adds the four extra suits, you still have to buy them in-game just like the other twenty. If you’ve already paid for them as DLC, it’s an extra step before you get to use them in your upcoming league battles.

In addition to buying mechs, players can also buy color options as well as accessories for their giant machine. For the Ultraman DLC, there’s no option to buy different colors (license rules, perhaps?). You can only add accessories such as a unicorn floatie. The options are limited and the game feels like it could do much more. For example, in NIS America’s R-Type Final 2, players are given an overload of options for their spaceship, from decals to colors.

As for the mechs themselves, each one is greatly designed and matches their playstyle quite well. For instance, the mech fighter Maestro is shaped and designed like a music conductor and uses a baton as its main weapon. Toasty, a mech that wears an oven mitt, can create heat from it and can toss oil at opponents. Metageckon is a large, dinosaur-esque mech that resembles Godzilla. This mech lizard shoots a laser beam from its mouth and screeches to stun foes. With how well the mech fighters look and move, it would be quite interesting to see what the development team could do if they were to have the license to create a brawler game based on the popular Gundam anime franchise.

More Than Just the Opponent

Your Override 2 matches take place in a handful of 3D arenas located around the world. In those stages, you are free to roam and, yes, destroy things in your way. Those buildings look beautiful? Gone. Grandiose statues? Gone. Trees? Gone. You can even grab large objects and hurl them at your opponents. Additionally, the environment can adjust its platforms or attack you and your opponents with hazards such as molten lava. It’s an ideal battleground for mech fighting.

However, when you’re trying to focus on your opponent, you’ll also find yourself battling an unexpected second foe: the game’s camera. Since no lock option can be set, you’re constantly moving the camera around to keep an eye out for your enemies and to avoid the infrastructure in your way. It’s manageable but still a hassle.

Shiny for Five Seconds

For a game that was developed for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, it is visually a beauty. On the PlayStation 5, everything looks great, even if the mechs are quite shiny. (After taking a few licks against your opponent, that shiny piece of metal doesn’t stay sparkly for long.) Between the sparks flying from colliding metal to the heat waves showcasing how hot the arena is, the developers spent some quality time adding those fine details to make battles more exciting.

The battlefield visually is quite detailed with its landscapes that can easily be demolished. Even the sail boats and houses look flimsy against the battle between mechas. The game’s opening menu is also surprisingly detailed. From its shimmering garage floor and reflected lights, the game loves its little touches.

The game’s soundtrack consists of fairly fast-paced tracks. However, with all the sound effects from beating your opponent to a pulp or the explosions in the background from buildings, you may not pay much attention to it. Even so, it’s good white noise to have in the background.

Any Takers?

Speaking of backgrounds, Override 2 relies on constantly connecting to the game’s servers to bring in fighters for most matches. Players can decline the search when prompted, but an option to turn it off completely is nowhere to be found. Players can invite other players easily when prompted before a match as long as they also have the game or there’s local play.

When looking for opponents, the game searches for up to one minute and then automatically selects computer-controlled bots if no one is found. If you’re looking for a challenge, bring some friends next time, since the bots aren’t exactly the smartest. Many of them circle around constantly before making a move or until they store enough energy for their ultimate attack. Dang machines.

Fight With Everyone You Got

Override 2’s mechanics are straightforward and every fighter has the same button layout. It largely depends on what type of mech you are using. Some attack from a distance, while some are better up-close. It all depends on your combat style, and with over twenty suits, there are at least a couple you can work with.

No matter which mech you choose, you have a special attack. During your battles, you can fill the gauge for it via a beam of light on the battlefield. Naturally, using your special attack does a great deal of damage against your opponents. Make good use of it. Outside of that, other large-scale weaponry, such as a frying pan or hammer, are available on the field for anyone to use or throw.

Climb the Ranks

The game isn’t just about 1v1. It offers many types of leagues to battle in, such as 2v2, 1v1 tournaments, survival, Xenoswarm, and more. Many battles have some entertaining value, but the Xenotypes’ attack in Xenoswarm can be pretty brutal. First of all, it’s one vs many, instantly putting you at a disadvantage. Second, those giant, alien-like creatures can not only fight, but their attacks can also slowly deplete your health. Third, when you take out one, another one pops out, and then another. While this mode is solo, the addition of an ally could be useful.

Newcomers will want to try out the 2v2 to get accustomed to the game’s mechanics and battlegrounds. Once you’re ready, take on the 1v1 and the tournaments. As you climb the ranks, you’ll have more opportunities to have sponsors come to you to earn extra cash.

Short-Lived Sponsors

After playing a few matches, you’ll be prompted about a sponsor aiding you with money. While it sounds great, they’re only temporary and many of them have high standards to meet. For example, you’ll be asked to use your ultimate move ten times in thirty minutes. While that may not be a big deal, your matches can take around five minutes and you may get only one ultimate attack in. Another sponsor can ask you to block one hundred attacks in one hour. Sounds doable, right? Here’s the troublesome part: you can’t pause the time. If you decide to quit the game and come back thirty minutes later, you lost that thirty minutes to meet those sponsor goals. Being a rising star is tough.

More than Meets the Eye?

If the development team at Modus Studios Brazil would be open to the idea, adding detailed features such as buying upgrades to build up your mecha’s stats could bring more depth to the game. As of now, you can only buy your machine and enter battles to climb the ranks. Sure, there’s a lot more to think about and process to make this work, especially against online opponents, but the more I can customize my favorite mech suit, the better.

The Final Blow

Override 2: Super Mech League shows that a mech-fighting game can be fun and look good. However, the lack of options and the constant camera battles limit long-term replayability. Still, even for a short time, live those mecha glory days!

A PlayStation 5 code provided for this review and gameplay footage. Override 2: Super Mech League available now for consoles and PC.