Gundam fans have a new roguelite action game on the horizon, and early hands-on impressions suggest it gets a lot right — starting with one seriously stylish weapon. Bandai Namco’s Gundam Rogue Orbit recently went hands-on with the press, and while the combat left a strong impression thanks to a memorable whip sword, one glaring omission has mech enthusiasts sighing: you can’t freely customize your mobile suit with your own parts.
A Roguelite Spin on the Gundam Formula
Gundam Rogue Orbit takes the beloved mech franchise and drops it into a run-based action structure, tasking players with piloting mobile suits drawn from across the series’ long history. Each run offers new weapons, escalating challenges, and the fast-paced, replayable loop that roguelite fans have come to expect. For a franchise that has historically leaned on story-driven campaigns versus arena shooters, the genre mashup alone makes this one of the more experimental Gundam games in years.
The Whip Sword Steals the Show
The clear highlight of the demo? A whip sword that PC Gamer’s writer described as an absolute treat to wield. Long-reaching, visually striking, and deeply satisfying to swing, the weapon exemplifies what the game’s combat does best: giving players expressive tools for slicing through enemies. It’s the kind of armament that immediately gets players theorycrafting about build potential and combat styles — which makes the game’s big limitation all the more painful.
The One Thing Missing: Custom Parts
Here’s the rub, and the sentiment from the original hands-on says it all: “Let me put my own parts on my Gundam, dangit!”
Despite arming players with creative weapons, Gundam Rogue Orbit holds back the single feature many mech fans crave most — the ability to truly build and customize their own machine. You pilot iconic suits and wield flashy weapons, but the deep part-swapping freedom that defines the mech genre remains out of reach.
Why Customization Matters So Much in Mech Games
It’s worth remembering that customization isn’t just a nice-to-have in this genre — it’s the core fantasy. Series like Armored Core built entire legacies on letting players tinker with every frame, generator, and weapon slot. Meanwhile, the Gundam Breaker series captured the joy of building Gunpla models digitally, part by part, mirroring the hands-on hobby that inspired the franchise’s fandom in the first place.
In a roguelite especially, customization doubles as replay value. Randomized parts found mid-run could feed into build-defining synergies, giving each attempt a distinct identity. Restricting that freedom risks flattening long-term appeal in a genre where “one more run” momentum is everything. Of course, it’s possible the full release expands on this — demos often hold systems back — but for now, the absence stings.
Early Verdict: Promising, With Room to Grow
None of this means Gundam Rogue Orbit isn’t worth watching. The combat foundation — whip swords and all — appears fast, flashy, and genuinely fun, and the roguelite structure is a refreshing direction for the franchise. If the final version can address the customization gap, or at least lean harder into weapon variety and build depth, it could become a standout entry in the mech action space.
For now, mech fans eagerly awaiting more news can bulk up their backlog — titles like Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon and Gundam Breaker 4 scratch that customization itch today. You can grab Steam Wallet gift cards and game codes at TURGAME.com to fuel your mech gaming library while you wait for Rogue Orbit to arrive.
Source: PC Gamer