In early 2016, my quest for import-friendly games on the PS Vita led me to the *Gundam Breaker* series. If you're unfamiliar, these games are a thrilling blend of hack and slash action with RPG elements, featuring deep customization and a heartfelt tribute to Gunpla. At the time, Bandai Namco announced an Asia English release for *Gundam Breaker 3* on PS4 and PS Vita, which I eagerly purchased in both formats. It became my gateway into the Gundam gaming world, and since then, I've imported and enjoyed *Gundam Breaker 1* and *2* on PS Vita, and collected nearly every Gundam game released in English across various platforms. The announcement of *Gundam Breaker 4* earlier this year, with a confirmed global multi-platform simultaneous release, was one of the most unexpected surprises of 2024. Now, with *Gundam Breaker 4* available on Steam, Switch, PS4, and PS5, and having logged about 60 hours across these platforms, I can say I adore the game, despite a few minor issues.
Gundam Breaker 4 is a significant release, not just for the game itself but for how it represents the series' evolution in the West. No longer do fans have to wait for Asia English releases to import; Gundam Breaker 3 was exclusive to PlayStation and not released in the West, whereas Gundam Breaker 4 offers dual audio and multiple subtitle options (EFIGS and more). This extended review will delve into the game's features across different platforms and also share my journey as I tackle my first Master Grade Gunpla, having previously built simpler High Grade kits.
The story in Gundam Breaker 4 has its highs and lows. While some pre-mission dialogues felt a bit drawn out, the latter half of the game introduces interesting character reveals and engaging dialogues. For newcomers, the game does a commendable job of bringing you up to speed, though the significance of certain characters might be lost without prior context. The embargo limits my discussion to the first two chapters, which seem straightforward but endear the main characters to you. My personal favorites, however, appear later in the story.
The true allure of Gundam Breaker 4 lies beyond its story—it's all about building your perfect Gunpla, enhancing it over time, and tackling increasingly challenging quests. The customization aspect, understated in promotional materials, is phenomenal. You can adjust individual parts like arms, equip different weapons for each, and even scale parts to your liking, allowing for unique creations from mixing normal and super deformed (SD) parts.
The game's customization extends further with builder parts that add extra elements and skills to your Gunpla. In combat, you'll use EX and OP skills, influenced by your parts and weapons, and later unlock ability cartridges that offer various buffs or debuffs.
As you progress through missions, breaking parts and earning S-rank rewards, you'll also collect materials to level up your parts. Each mission has a recommended parts level to guide your progress. Later, you'll earn materials to increase part rarity, enabling further skill upgrades and the opportunity to cannibalize older parts for new enhancements.
During the main story, I occasionally engaged in optional quests for additional parts or money, but the game's balance means grinding isn't necessary on standard difficulty. As you progress, higher difficulty levels unlock, increasing both challenge and part level requirements. Don't overlook optional quests, especially the engaging survival mode.
Beyond customization, you can paint your suit with unlocked color schemes from progression or DLC. With time invested, Gundam Breaker 4 offers a wealth of content, including decals and weathering effects, making it a dream for Gunpla enthusiasts. But does it play well?
Having explored Gundam Breaker 4's gameplay through story missions, side content, and boss fights—except one mission type—I'm thoroughly impressed. Combat remains engaging, even on the easier normal difficulty, as I experimented with various weapons before settling on a greatsword. The variety in skills and stats keeps the experience fresh.
Bosses and minibosses emerge from Gunpla boxes, a delightful feature that never loses its charm. Seeing a kit I built appear as a boss was thrilling. Most boss fights require targeting weak points, managing multiple health bars, and destroying shields. One particular boss posed a challenge due to its weak points, but switching to a whip solved it. The only truly tough fight involved facing two bosses simultaneously, where the AI proved somewhat frustrating.
Visually, Gundam Breaker 4 ranges from great to satisfactory. Early environments may seem lackluster, but overall variety is good. The focus is clearly on the Gunpla kits and animations, which are well-executed. The game's aesthetic suits its style and scales well on lower-end hardware, with impressive effects and boss fight scales.
The game's music varies from forgettable to memorable, with standout tracks in specific missions. I missed the inclusion of anime and movie music, which is typically available through DLC packs in Asia and Japan. Custom music support, as seen in Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs Maxiboost ON, is also absent.
Voice acting was a pleasant surprise. I played through with English and Japanese options, finding the English more enjoyable during action-packed missions where reading subtitles is less ideal.
Aside from one annoying mission type and minor bugs, Gundam Breaker 4 has been trouble-free. Newcomers wary of repetitive missions for gear might find the gameplay less appealing, but fans of the series, akin to Earth Defense Force and Monster Hunter, will appreciate the post-story Gunpla-building phase.
I encountered a few bugs, such as names not saving and specific issues on Steam Deck, like slow transitions to the title screen and crashes in one mission when played on a monitor. These were resolved by playing directly on the Deck.
Regarding online play, I tested it during the network test on PS5 and Switch but couldn't assess the PC version pre-launch. I'll update this review once the servers are live and I've tested online play on Steam Deck.
As for my Gunpla project, I've made progress on my RG 78-2 MG 3.0, reaching halfway through before a small mistake almost led to disaster. Thankfully, a guitar pick saved the day. I'll finish it once the review embargo lifts.
Now, let's explore platform-specific features and differences.
Gundam Breaker 4 PC Port: Controls, Keyboard, Mouse, and Controller Support
The PC version of Gundam Breaker 4 is the only one supporting above 60fps, while PS5 is capped at 60fps and Switch at around 30fps. It also offers mouse and keyboard support, alongside controller options with multiple button prompt displays.
On Steam Deck, Xbox prompts appear, and the game correctly switches between keyboard, mouse, and controller inputs. However, it sometimes fails to detect reconnected controllers. The game provides three preset controller configurations and a custom option, with independent adjustments for keyboard, mouse, and controllers. I recommend tweaking camera sensitivity and distance early on for a better experience.
Gundam Breaker 4 PC Graphics Settings and Display Options
Gundam Breaker 4 on PC supports various resolutions and frame rate caps, with options from 30fps to 360fps or unlimited. On Steam Deck, it runs at 720p and 16:9, and I set it to 120fps on my Steam Deck OLED. You can toggle v-sync and adjust settings for textures, anti-aliasing, post-processing, shadows, effects, brightness, and motion blur.
Gundam Breaker 4 Steam Deck Performance: Does It Work Out of the Box?
Using Proton Experimental and default Proton, Gundam Breaker 4 runs flawlessly on Steam Deck, even prompting the on-screen keyboard for text input. With settings at High (except shadows), it easily achieves 60fps, and at Medium, it maintains 80-90fps in most scenarios. In-engine cut-scenes drop to 50-70fps, and I encountered occasional frame rate dips in the assembly section, but these were rare. The only visual issue on the Deck was with smaller, less crisp fonts and menu icons.
Gundam Breaker 4 Switch vs PS5: What to Buy?
On consoles, I focused on the Switch (Lite and OLED) and PS5 versions. Gundam Breaker 4 on PS5 looks stunning and runs smoothly at 60fps, though I didn't reach the more demanding late-game missions. On Switch, I logged nearly two dozen hours, noting significant downgrades in resolution, detail, and reflections. The Switch version resembles a High Grade Gunpla compared to the Real Grade quality of the PS5 version.
The PS5 version, while capped at 60fps, offers decent rumble support and PS5 Activity Card support for quicker save loading. Switch load times are notably longer than on PS5 and Steam Deck. The assembly and diorama modes on Switch feel sluggish, which is a concern given the time spent there. For those with multiple platforms, I recommend the Switch version only for exclusive portable play without a Steam Deck.
Is the Gundam Breaker 4 Ultimate Edition Worth It?
Having access to some DLC from the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions, I found the early unlocks useful but not game-changing. The builders parts in the early DLC are more beneficial for new players. The Diorama mode, while not fully available yet, offers great potential for posing Gunpla and using the cel-shaded filter, though more items and accessories would enhance it.
Is Gundam Breaker 4 Worth It for the Story?
While the story in Gundam Breaker 4 is enjoyable, the game's true value lies in its customization, battles, and Gunpla-building experience. For a story-focused game, consider Megaton Musashi. As a fan of the series, I found Gundam Breaker 4's gameplay more engaging.
My plan to build my MG 78-2 Version 3.0 kit alongside playing Gundam Breaker 4 was ambitious, but other game releases prevented me from completing it simultaneously. The experience of playing the game while building my kit has deepened my appreciation for Gunpla design, and I'm grateful for friends who've shared their expertise with me.
The wait for Gundam Breaker 4 was long, but it's here and it's spectacular. It's my favorite Steam Deck game since Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance, and I look forward to exploring it further with the planned DLC.
Gundam Breaker 4 Steam Deck Review: 4.5/5
