Gundam Breaker 4: Playable across consoles

Gundam Breaker 4: A Deep Dive Review Across Platforms, Including Steam Deck Performance

Back in 2016, the Gundam Breaker series was a niche import title for PS Vita enthusiasts. The announcement of a global, multi-platform release for Gundam Breaker 4 in 2024 was a pleasant surprise. Having logged 60 hours across various platforms, I can confidently say it's a fantastic game, despite a few minor issues.

This release is significant not just for the game itself, but for the series' Western accessibility. Gone are the days of importing Asian English releases. Gundam Breaker 4 boasts dual audio (English and Japanese) and multiple subtitle options (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish).

The story, while serviceable, isn't the game's main draw. While the early dialogue can feel protracted, the latter half delivers intriguing character reveals and more engaging conversations. Newcomers will be brought up to speed, though the significance of certain characters might be lost without prior experience.

The true heart of Gundam Breaker 4 lies in its unparalleled customization. Players can fine-tune individual parts, including weapon assignments for each arm, melee options, and even part scaling. This allows for wildly creative Gunpla designs, blending standard and SD parts.

Beyond basic parts, builder parts offer additional customization options and unique skills. Combat utilizes EX and OP skills determined by parts and weapons, further enhanced by ability cartridges with various buffs and debuffs.

Missions reward parts, materials for upgrading, and materials to increase part rarity. Each mission suggests a recommended part level. While optional quests offer extra income and parts, the main story is well-balanced on standard difficulty, minimizing grinding. Three higher difficulty levels unlock as the story progresses, significantly increasing the challenge.

The game also features paint customization, decals, and weathering effects. The sheer depth of customization is astounding.

Gameplay is largely excellent. Combat remains engaging even on normal difficulty, with diverse weapon types and skill combinations. Boss fights involve targeting weak points and managing multiple health bars, providing a satisfying challenge. One specific boss fight presented a minor difficulty, easily overcome by switching weapons.

Visually, the game is a mixed bag. Early environments feel somewhat sparse, but overall variety is decent. The Gunpla models and animations are exceptionally well-rendered, prioritizing style over realism. Effects are impressive, and boss fight scale is spectacular.

The soundtrack is a mixed bag, with some forgettable tracks and a few standout pieces. The absence of music from the anime and movies is disappointing, as is the lack of custom music options.

Voice acting, however, is a pleasant surprise. Both English and Japanese voice options are well-executed, with a personal preference for English during action-heavy missions.

Minor issues include a repetitive mission type and a few bugs. One bug prevented name saving, while others seemed Steam Deck specific (long title screen load times and a mission crash).

Online functionality was limited in pre-release testing, with PC servers offline. Further testing is needed upon release.

The review also documents the author's experience building a Master Grade Gunpla kit concurrently with playing the game.

Platform Differences:

• PC: Supports above 60fps, mouse and keyboard, and multiple controller profiles. Runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck, exceeding expectations.
• PS5: Capped at 60fps, excellent visuals.
• Switch: Lower resolution, detail, and frame rate, with sluggish assembly and diorama modes.

DLC: The Deluxe and Ultimate Editions offer additional parts and diorama content, but the early unlocks aren't game-changing.

Overall: Gundam Breaker 4 is a spectacular entry in the series. While the story is enjoyable, the customization and gameplay are the true highlights. The Steam Deck version is particularly impressive. The Switch version suffers from performance issues, making it less desirable unless portability is the sole priority.

Gundam Breaker 4 Steam Deck Review: 4.5/5