HAWKEN

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 304 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 211 out of 304
  2. Mixed: 51 out of 304
  3. Negative: 42 out of 304

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  1. Spacegirl
    Mar 24, 2014
    4
    Mar 24, 2014.
    I keep losing connection to the host. The game looks fun but it's frustrating to be kicked out so often and the gameplay (for me) is a little jerky, it's definitely not smooth.
  2. signcontrast
    Mar 12, 2014
    9
    To rate this game below a 5 is perverse. I can only guess that those who've rated in a 0/10 do so for one of several reasons:
    1) they work for the competition
    2) they really *love* their run-and-gun Unreal-style chaos that rewards twitchy shooting without strategy 3) they seek opportunities to make themselves feel better through mean-spirited reviews * I started playing the game    To rate this game below a 5 is perverse. I can only guess that those who've rated in a 0/10 do so for one of several reasons:
    1) they work for the competition
    2) they really *love* their run-and-gun Unreal-style chaos that rewards twitchy shooting without strategy
    3) they seek opportunities to make themselves feel better through mean-spirited reviews

    * I started playing the game about a week ago because it's free. Free! I thought, "Why not give it a try? Nothing else grabs me right now and since I still play on Windows XP, I can't try XCOMM yet. I played L4D2 for a couple years, but there's only so much zombie apocalypse a man can take.

    * Hawken provides the action of FPS in spades as other reviewers have said, yet it does so in ways that still encourage strategic play - not twitchy 12 year olds. Combat rewards maneuvering around the apocalyptic landscape, careful use of thrusters to leap into vantage points or dodge incoming fire, and playing the field to your strengths. If you play a light mech, you're better off darting in and out of cover, or even running up behind enemies. Heavy mechs rely on armor and heavy barrages.

    * There's also a great collaborative mechanic to the game. It pays to work with your team. That's something that L4D2 players would enjoy. But I'd say it's more complex than the team tactics in L4D2. In Hawken, one often has to re-adjust on the fly, run away from a pair of mechs so that your team can back you, and rely on other smart players to innovatively flank or distract the other team. At the same time, I don't like to rely on such precision coordination in FPS games because it's hard to find really good players like that, and it cuts out spontaneity. So I've actually had a tremendous amount of fun leading by example, and seeing my teammates come together in the ways above.

    * As far as graphics and beauty. It's just criminally wrong to call this game lackluster. I play it on low setting on Windows XP and it's stunning. I can play it for short periods of time on high settings (an hour) and it's even more stunning, but the difference is slight enough that I don't mind the low-settings.

    * My connection has been great. And I've felt like I could jump into the game after its 15 minute tutorial. Again, I'm by no means a FPS pro, so it's quite accessible. Also, the starting mech has plenty to learn and experiment with, and with games you get free in-game money to spend on minor upgrades. They're minor enough that other players don't wipe the floor with you if they have them and you don't, but they lend a significant advantage, especially when coupled together intelligently. And again, in case, it's not clear, these upgrades are free of real dollars, but earned over time through playing.

    * Which leads me to my final thoughts: How do they make money when the game is so good and it's good when I haven't put a cent into it? Real money is used primarily for cosmetic upgrades, fancy emblems, and other stylistic choices. One could also get the strategic upgrades early, but why? It's plenty fun just playing the game and receiving the occasional bonus by playing your games! I will say, I am beginning to get tempted to put some real money into the game just for some slight stylistic additions. I'm a sucker for customization, and the game gives it in spades. For those that want more options of their free-to-pay games, keep in mind the game is in Beta. I have no doubt that's the first, and easiest thing to add.

    * I have one criticism. Only one. I don't like the hotkey for flipping your mech, and there appears to be no way to change that. (It's bound with the boost key, which can be changed, but the boost key doesn't bother me.)

    * So... free-to-play, amazing graphics, fantastic strategy and action, customization, style, good mechanics and fresh gameplay, good team-play...but one hot-key needs fixing. You decide.    … Expand
  3. DRiVER_helsinki
    Mar 17, 2014
    3
    too sad dark maps, :( paying customers get little too much benefits over free players - effects balance negatively. also the old school server browsig thing helps cheaters too much, Looks cool for little while thos . - then i found MECHWARRIOR online tho . .
  4. Spork
    Mar 10, 2014
    8
    It's a really cool free to play that's easily kept me entertained for the last 2 days. I really like leveling up both my pilot and mech. Getting all the mechs and weapons for free is a really nice touch too. Just play to earn XP and you can get everything, eventually. You can pay to get stuff faster or for some of the really cool cosmetic stuff for you mechs. Right now I'm just tryingIt's a really cool free to play that's easily kept me entertained for the last 2 days. I really like leveling up both my pilot and mech. Getting all the mechs and weapons for free is a really nice touch too. Just play to earn XP and you can get everything, eventually. You can pay to get stuff faster or for some of the really cool cosmetic stuff for you mechs. Right now I'm just trying to get my FRED to Prestige level and now there's an update stopping the game servers! Can't wait to get back in...… Expand
  5. Nimrod42
    May 15, 2014
    8
    Hawken ist ein Super Spiel, sehr ausgewogen und die erste Einheit die man bekommt taugt auch mal was, nicht wie bei planetside und anderen Games wo man mit der Standard Ausrüstung an der langen Hand verhungert. Nachteilig sehe ich das noch etwas holprige Team Coop Match, da man genau 6 Leute haben muss um überhaupt starten zu können, des weiteren ist es als Gruppe nur zu 3 möglich an einemHawken ist ein Super Spiel, sehr ausgewogen und die erste Einheit die man bekommt taugt auch mal was, nicht wie bei planetside und anderen Games wo man mit der Standard Ausrüstung an der langen Hand verhungert. Nachteilig sehe ich das noch etwas holprige Team Coop Match, da man genau 6 Leute haben muss um überhaupt starten zu können, des weiteren ist es als Gruppe nur zu 3 möglich an einem Mulitplayer Gefecht teil zu nehmen was auch etwas ärgerlich ist, da ich gerne mit meinem ganzen Team spiele. Die Option "echt" Geld auszugeben finde ich nicht weiter ärgerlich, wer ein paar Euros zu viel hat unterstützt so die Entwicklung und bekommt nebenher auch noch ein paar schöne Extras. Wenn das Problem mit dem Team spielen und eine bessere Verknüpfung mit Steam weiter geführt wird sehe ich in diesem Game einen neuen erfolgreichen Newcomer der Extraklasse. Wer hektische Gefechte nicht mag sollte das Game lieber meiden denn bei Hawken ist von der ersten bis zur letzten Sekunde eines Gefechts ACTION ACTION ACTION angesagt.
    MFG Nimrod42    … Expand
  6. jason8102
    Feb 20, 2014
    7
    I paid the $29 for the Steam version of this game, to get me up to par with older players of the game. It was a wise investment. The graphics in this game are for sure a 10, I'm currently running it on ultra settings. Action is fast paced, but people might lose interest quickly on how soon you die. It gets better, trust me. Once you start unlocking the mods for your mech things becomeI paid the $29 for the Steam version of this game, to get me up to par with older players of the game. It was a wise investment. The graphics in this game are for sure a 10, I'm currently running it on ultra settings. Action is fast paced, but people might lose interest quickly on how soon you die. It gets better, trust me. Once you start unlocking the mods for your mech things become better, This is a free to play game and from what I see, you can do a lot without paying for a single thing and still enjoy the game. I've been trying to reach out to the developers and find out what they have in the future coming, I have had no replies yet. Currently there are only 3 or 4 maps to play and you can't customize weapons yet. Each mech has it's own abilities and you are pretty much stuck with those. Downfall in my mind. All in all, the game is great to play for a few hours at a crack, you will get sick of the maps sooner or latter since there are so few of them. I give the game a 7 overall. The developers need to "butter" up the players with new things coming and where they are taking the game.… Expand
  7. Whutupribs
    Mar 5, 2014
    8
    I admit, I had trouble deciding what kind of rating I was going to give Hawken. There's quite a bit to be said about this game, both good and bad. As I'm writing this, I find myself thinking "Well, (insert feature here) is pretty great, but (insert issue here) is still a big problem" and vice versa. I'll admit, I'm cutting the game a little slack because it's still in beta, even if it'sI admit, I had trouble deciding what kind of rating I was going to give Hawken. There's quite a bit to be said about this game, both good and bad. As I'm writing this, I find myself thinking "Well, (insert feature here) is pretty great, but (insert issue here) is still a big problem" and vice versa. I'll admit, I'm cutting the game a little slack because it's still in beta, even if it's official release date is only a short time away.

    I'll start with the things I really like about Hawken. They've taken the standard slow, clunky mechs we've grown used to and thrown them out the window. Some people have called it "Call of Duty: Mechs", but I honestly think that's a good thing. I think that a simpler, faster game style will appeal to a broader audience. It's not nearly as overwhelming as some of the other mech simulators out there, and the learning curve isn't as steep. It's a game that your average casual gamer could pick up and be at least semi-competitive at in an hour or two, whereas some of it's competition interests only the most dedicated mech simulator fan due to complicated mechanics and confusing customization options. There are plenty of mechs to choose from (after you unlock them, which I'll address later) for any play style. The maps are large enough to accommodate "snipers" but small enough that short-range mechs aren't at a disadvantage. It's pretty nice visually, with very distinct differences in map design. I also really enjoy the free-to-play model they've gone with. This is by no means a pay-to-win game. The majority of what you can buy with real money is purely cosmetic. Though you can buy "early access" to the weapons for each mech, they're not so much more powerful that you're at a disadvantage without them. Pay-to-win kills free-to-play games, and they've avoided that by a large margin.

    However, that's not to say that it doesn't have some pretty glaring issues. First and foremost, there's a noticeable lack of non-aesthetic customization options. Each mech has only three different primary weapons, and your secondary weapon is permanent. You can get some items and "internal components" to help adjust your mech to your preferences, but there's no feeling of really being able to own it. I fear that this will cause people to lose interest in the long run. Another issue I've noticed is that there are very few maps, but I would imagine that they'll release more maps as the game continues to develop. I've noticed quite a few random lag spikes too, even when I've got the lowest ping on my team. The matchmaking needs work, as you'll sometimes get paired with people at vastly higher levels than you. The hit detection is a little strange, and there's not much of a feeling of impact when you land hits or when someone lands hits on you. Even when you do a good deal of damage, it just doesn't feel like it. I would also like to see more optimization. My PC should easily be able to handle this game on Ultra at 1920x1080, but I had to lower the resolution a bit.

    All in all, I gave this game an 8 because not only is it still in beta, but it has a lot going for it. Hawken has a whole lot of potential and could be a really excellent game. There's room for a lot of strategy to come into play if you have a few friends to play with. The game play is probably the most interesting and entertaining I've seen in a modern mech game, though hardcore fans of the classic "slow, clunky giant" mech games may not enjoy it. However, the game still feels thin, and I worry that a lot of people may get bored with it after a month or so of play in it's current state. If the devs work on fleshing things out with more weapons, better customization, more maps, and less simplistic game modes, Hawken stands to make a big name for itself. If not, I fear that almost no-one will still be playing it a year from now.    … Expand
  8. Rezintooth
    Mar 21, 2014
    8
    First of all, yes its a free to play.

    Second of all, it is not pay to win as most of the negative reviews claim. Now with that being said, I enjoy this game very much and is a great free-to-play(If you have the patience for the beta stage of a video game). The balance between the different classes of mechs is good, the maps are of great quality, and i like the current game modes(They    First of all, yes its a free to play.

    Second of all, it is not pay to win as most of the negative reviews claim.

    Now with that being said, I enjoy this game very much and is a great free-to-play(If you have the patience for the beta stage of a video game). The balance between the different classes of mechs is good, the maps are of great quality, and i like the current game modes(They plan to add more at some point). New recruits to the game get one mech(The Recruit) and its fairly good(I've seen it used in every skill level of players). All weapons, mechs, items, and internals can be unlocked through playing the game and you never have to pay a dime for anything that effects game-play(cosmetics are not free). The players whining about pay-to-win obviously didn't put enough time in to see that paying for a mech does not mean you will do well. The biggest problem with this game is this.....its still technically in beta and means that this is not a finished product to truly pass judgement upon currently. Here's my pros and cons.

    Pros: Fun, Free-to-play, Great Graphics, Great maps, 16 mechs to choose from(all with different play-styles and abilities), Not pay-to-win, still in beta(which means more content on the way), great to play with friends, Fun maps, Good game modes. Fast-paced(without instantly dying all the time).

    Cons: Matchmaking still needs more work, Can get frustrating(Due to the competitive nature of the game), To play with friends you need to be on the same or of similar mmr(skill) levels. Still in beta(which also means that there are a few problems that exist in the game.)

    Overall I enjoy this game, I recommend this game to everyone who want to play a competitive Mech shooter. Remember though **************WARNING************STILL IN BETA********THIS IS NOT A FINISHED PRODUCT YET***********************

    (On a side note)
    I've been playing free-to-play games for awhile and noticed that there are people who play for free, and then whine or complain about someone who puts money into a game. These developers have put countless hours into their games, and don't live for free. They deserve some money and they don't demand any money from you to play/try their game. So show some respect to the people who pay-to-play, pay-for-hats, or pay-for-early-unlocks, because no one wants to work-for-free, nor deserves to work-for-free.    … Expand
  9. Moosemarg
    May 6, 2014
    9
    Mechs in Hawken operate somewhere between those found in Mechwarrior and those found in Armored Core. It is brilliant, really. You get the feel that these machines are large and hulking, yet they have a certain degree of finesse that makes combat feel like a dance. Frequent updates by the developers show they really care about Hawken, and want it to succeed. Nitpicks to the game areMechs in Hawken operate somewhere between those found in Mechwarrior and those found in Armored Core. It is brilliant, really. You get the feel that these machines are large and hulking, yet they have a certain degree of finesse that makes combat feel like a dance. Frequent updates by the developers show they really care about Hawken, and want it to succeed. Nitpicks to the game are all minor, and include things like the high skill ceiling (steep learning curve) to really get the most performance out of your mech. However, the game's tutorial is fantastic, and it is very easy for new players to jump right in. I highly recommend giving the game a try. The default mech available to everyone, the CR-T Recruit, is incredibly powerful and very capable in the hands of a skilled pilot. Three additional, fully kitted out, mechs are available for free each week. Plus, if you enjoy the game and wish to support the developers, you can purchase one of many very reasonably priced game packs, which include mechs and in-game currency, and play like the game was a regular release title.… Expand
  10. delete013
    Jan 17, 2017
    9
    This is a high quality game for free.

    + good movement system + decent progress system + money plays a smaller role (even free players are competitive) + tempo changes tremendously (never boring) + graphics, sounds and design are a bliss + rich choice of accessories + good dynamic maps + co-op mode + it's free! - mech modification and damage are holistic (no body part    This is a high quality game for free.

    + good movement system
    + decent progress system
    + money plays a smaller role (even free players are competitive)
    + tempo changes tremendously (never boring)
    + graphics, sounds and design are a bliss
    + rich choice of accessories
    + good dynamic maps
    + co-op mode
    + it's free!

    - mech modification and damage are holistic (no body part locality)
    - weak choice of weapons
    - environment damage is very limited

    Bonus factors:
    +1 score: high quality + free

    Sum score: base 8 + bonus 1 = 9    … Expand
  11. Alyss
    May 7, 2013
    8
    Hawken is by no means a perfect game, but the amount of terribly scathing reviews due to ignorance and stupidity is appalling. The barrier to entry with Hawken is no different than any other FPS. Gameplay is chaotic, but there's a difference between chaotic and incomprehensible. If you can't determine that mechs outlined with red squares on your HUD are enemies, then maybe you should stayHawken is by no means a perfect game, but the amount of terribly scathing reviews due to ignorance and stupidity is appalling. The barrier to entry with Hawken is no different than any other FPS. Gameplay is chaotic, but there's a difference between chaotic and incomprehensible. If you can't determine that mechs outlined with red squares on your HUD are enemies, then maybe you should stay away from other games that use shapes and colors like checkers and tic-tac-toe. Microtransactions yes, but pay-to-win no. The Recruit suit (introductory mech given to every player) regularly tops charts in TDM, and skill outweighs weapons in this game. The developers are even nice enough to provide you with 400 Meteor points (cash points) after your first hour of play.

    Play the tutorial people. You don't have to be a genius or rich to be halfway decent at this game.    … Expand
  12. Lightangel112
    Feb 27, 2014
    10
    I rate this a 10, even though it's not completed but soon will be, it's a great game overall. People like shakes321 would not know a good game if it hit him. The game isn't meant to be a realistic mech game, it's more arcade and made it as real as "can be". If you knew anything about early access on steam, this is something steam does for new games being published, the game will forever beI rate this a 10, even though it's not completed but soon will be, it's a great game overall. People like shakes321 would not know a good game if it hit him. The game isn't meant to be a realistic mech game, it's more arcade and made it as real as "can be". If you knew anything about early access on steam, this is something steam does for new games being published, the game will forever be free to play and the fee will be gone in a few weeks time.

    As a F2P the game quality is superb (visually) for what it is. This is by far the best shooter I have come across since last year, and I did try them all. Since finding hawken, I haven't looked elsewhere and it's been very rewarding and engaging, there's at least 15 or so mechs now and each has a different way to play with new mechs coming in the future, as well as maps, once Adhesive have time to add them in, but updates are now happening at a much faster rate than before.

    The issue with the match making is that the servers need to assertain your MMR rating, which does not happen over night and will take time to pair you up with players on your level. The better you become at playing or the longer you play, the better the chances for more quality games. Instead of being insta killed all the time. The thing is, that people have the mentality of not wanting to lose, but you will lose at some stage, even if it has to be 20 times before you win a game.

    People need to realise that most of the game modes require team effort and co-operation, being a solo bandit killing mechs as if you were rambo does not always work out, especially if you keep dying. One thing about hawken is, it's not just fast paced, but you literally have to think on your feet and use good thinking, not only to get kills but to avoid being killed and living another skirmish.    … Expand
  13. GarrettStrahan
    Jan 20, 2013
    9
    Hawken is a mech game fast & light mechs similar to gundam mechs NOT SIMILAR TO mechwarrior mechs. Its a quick learning curve game. For a free game this game is a winner, especially because this is a beautiful graphic game. To the reviewer that says you need to pay to win, maybe he didn't play it long enough but the only thing that I can figure you can buy with money that you cant buyHawken is a mech game fast & light mechs similar to gundam mechs NOT SIMILAR TO mechwarrior mechs. Its a quick learning curve game. For a free game this game is a winner, especially because this is a beautiful graphic game. To the reviewer that says you need to pay to win, maybe he didn't play it long enough but the only thing that I can figure you can buy with money that you cant buy with play credit is aesthetics parts. YOU WILL ENJOY THIS GAME IF YOU LOVE MECHS OR FPS games.… Expand
  14. TheOtherGuy103
    Jan 7, 2014
    8
    Anyone who says that this game is a pay to win experience in lying. Pretty much every real world money purchases are just cosmetics for your mech, and you gain HC (In-game currency) quickly enough to be able to freely acquired free internal and offensive devices for you mech. Most of the issues regarding balance have been solved. You can also unlock new mechs without having to purchaseAnyone who says that this game is a pay to win experience in lying. Pretty much every real world money purchases are just cosmetics for your mech, and you gain HC (In-game currency) quickly enough to be able to freely acquired free internal and offensive devices for you mech. Most of the issues regarding balance have been solved. You can also unlock new mechs without having to purchase them (With real or in-game money) by fully levelling up one of your current mechs or by increasing your pilot level.

    Combat is fast, for a western Mecha game. You can quickly dodge incoming missiles by sliding either right or left at the perfect moment, you can hover up into the air, and quickly turn your mech 180 degrees if someone catches your unprotected backside.

    I will say that most players online are pretty much incompetent, but this is more thanks to a lack of coordination and communication than anything. If you are playing this game, be prepared to use the voice-chat if you want to succeed.

    Team balancing is also an issue, but the devs are actively working on trying to fix it. All in all, I say that if you're a mecha fan, download this game and try it out.    … Expand
  15. valid8
    Jul 22, 2013
    5
    This F2P FPS has so much potential...too bad that after about 28$ million capital injection around last year (no joke, google it!) the game is still, as of July 2013, in Open-Beta state. The devs are literally giving 2 flying F***s about the community...with slow updates, lesser servers, with some awful ping (I play on the UK ones and in about a third of em I ping 200-250). With that kindaThis F2P FPS has so much potential...too bad that after about 28$ million capital injection around last year (no joke, google it!) the game is still, as of July 2013, in Open-Beta state. The devs are literally giving 2 flying F***s about the community...with slow updates, lesser servers, with some awful ping (I play on the UK ones and in about a third of em I ping 200-250). With that kinda money support/funding, this game should have rocked the ground amongst other F2Ps like PlanetSide2, Team Fortress 2, Blacklight: Retribution etc... Hawken has, if I did the counting right, more than 3 years since they started development and I quote: "On March 9, 2011 Adhesive Games announced Hawken with a trailer of the work-in-progress, with only 9 months of development behind it." That's right down pathetic, and poor excuse too still be an incomplete, not finished game...

    As for the technical part of the game, it runs OK, but still needs polishing...I can barely keep 60fps with a 1090t, gtx670 and 8Gbs or RAM on HIGH settings (not ULTRA)

    The game has (STILL!) some dreadful balance issues along with a niche community of hardcore players that have maxed out their mechs...and all that (along with step learning curve) really make the sessions frustrating in the long run...leveling of the mechs is OK at best, it's sort of appealing...but by the time you've maxed out a mech or two, you will most likely find the game repetitive and stagnant; with really few incentives to actually spend more of your money on in-game currency (Meteor Credits).

    If you're looking for a good F2P first-person-shooter, just go with the ones I've mention above...if you're really into mech stuff, and you're not satisfied with MechWarrior Online or other of the same genre...my advice, don't get your hopes too high with Hawken either.    … Expand
  16. ace9592
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing. Ignore the meta score. All these reviews are outdated an no longer relevant. The F2P model has been improved to perfection, there's still incentive to purchase (so the game can generate revenue and servers can stay online) but I've only played 10 hours and already have bought 4 mechs as well as tons of upgrades. The combat is innovative, with abilities, internals, 2This game is amazing. Ignore the meta score. All these reviews are outdated an no longer relevant. The F2P model has been improved to perfection, there's still incentive to purchase (so the game can generate revenue and servers can stay online) but I've only played 10 hours and already have bought 4 mechs as well as tons of upgrades. The combat is innovative, with abilities, internals, 2 weapons and dodge mechanics all making for fluid and fresh combat not seen in other games. The learning curve is perfect and the matchmaking is shockingly accurate and matches you with players of your skill level. And it's a beta! If you ever had a hint of doubt in your mind as to whether this game was worth it, you should cast it aside and give this free and amazing game a shot!… Expand
  17. warrgharrrrbbll
    Feb 16, 2014
    10
    Fun, hardcore and beautiful multiplayer. And it's not "pay-to-win" — u can earn all the useful upgrades by playing in matchmaking. I like this game quite much. 10/10
  18. Packmang
    Feb 13, 2014
    9
    Flat out, one of the best F2P games ever made. The learning curve is rough only if you jump straight in to ranked matches (namely free-for-all death match) without doing the tutorials and running a few games of the offline practice or online co-op bot mode. That said, the game tries to place you in games with people of similar pilot rank but that doesn't mean you can't get smokedFlat out, one of the best F2P games ever made. The learning curve is rough only if you jump straight in to ranked matches (namely free-for-all death match) without doing the tutorials and running a few games of the offline practice or online co-op bot mode. That said, the game tries to place you in games with people of similar pilot rank but that doesn't mean you can't get smoked occasionally; It's a squad based shooter, not a sim. There are bound to be some elite players who practice night and day... The controls are really easy to learn and master if you play basically any FPS games, and the sound, graphics, & physics are really good. Mech balance has been very thorough, as you'd know if you played all through the beta. There are internal components you can earn to customize your mech a bit, and you can unlock every single one via normal game play, and it doesn't take eons which is nice. You can pay real money to unlock cosmetics like paint, and body parts from the other mechs of the same class. You can also pay to unlock internal parts sooner, and buy bots faster than you'd earn them, but it really doesn't give any real advantage since all the bots are equally capable if played right. Anyone who thinks the game is pay-to-win hasn't played it enough to know that is nonsense. A lot of players stay with the starting bot long after they've unlocked everything else because its just good all around. I do wish there was a single player or co-op campaign mode but that's not what the game is really about. One thing I really love is the online community for Hawken, The devs can regularly be found in higher ranked games and the response the player critiques/requests is better than any online game I've seen. Patches are on-point, and somewhat frequent without being annoying. My only real gripe is that if you play at non peak hours, sometimes the only games active aren't what you really want. Overall, Hawken is pretty incredible. I honestly can't figure out why anyone would give it a negative review unless they've been emotionally compromised, coming off the heels of repeated beat downs.… Expand
  19. Langston89
    Feb 15, 2014
    8
    HAWKEN is for tier 1 PC gamers. A terrific experience in the likeness of Armored Core but with all the features you have always wanted. This is not a game for your 12 year old teeny bopper who thinks Episode 2 is the best of the triology. Anyone born before '95 knows what I mean. This games learning curve is steep and the gameplay fast paced. PROFESSIONAL GAMERS ONLY PLEASE.
  20. logger123
    Feb 15, 2014
    10
    Hawken is astonishingly fast paced and action packed and it deserves better than the current critic score. The fast paced battles and customization make the game fun for hours and hours. I did not play it as much before in alpha, but now I have hours and hours into the game on steam. I hope that you will get past the lame critic score and see the game for how it really is: awesome.
  21. MrBluu
    Feb 20, 2014
    10
    Hawken is a fast paced FPS-game. The gameplay is wonderful once you get the hang of it. It's F2P so it's is well worth a try. The interface can be a bit hard to understand but it doesn't take much time to get used to how it works.

    NOTICE! Even though it's free to play it's not pay to win. Many people wants to think it is but it's not. Sure you can pay money to get mechs faster but every    Hawken is a fast paced FPS-game. The gameplay is wonderful once you get the hang of it. It's F2P so it's is well worth a try. The interface can be a bit hard to understand but it doesn't take much time to get used to how it works.

    NOTICE! Even though it's free to play it's not pay to win. Many people wants to think it is but it's not. Sure you can pay money to get mechs faster but every mech is available to everyone . It's just a matter of how much time you want to spend on the game. Anyways what's the deal with buying mechs that you can get for free anyways?

    Many people who say it's a bad game usually doesn't like the genre or doesn't know how to play the game properly. The gameplay is fast paced and can be quite complicated when it comes to movement. The boost and dodging is what makes the game challenging but also fun. You need to dodge often to avoid enemy fire.

    Hawken is really worth a try but don't hate on it if you don't really get the movement no one does in the beginning.    … Expand
  22. Ihuarraquax
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    Hawken is a new outstanding free-to-play game. I think this game shows how the 3rd world war will look like. People will fight using huge powerful mechs. Thanks to this game is made on the unreal engine, both graphics and gameplay are on extremely high level. Sounds effects fit to the game setting. Hawken is awesome game. I really recommend it.
  23. FoxUnbeatable
    Jan 17, 2013
    8
    I have put in a considerable amount of time into Hawken over the past couple of weeks. Firstly, I'd like to clear this up and say that this game is NOT pay to win. The starter recruit mech is customizable, and is one of the stronger loadouts, so if you're struggling, I'm afraid the problem lies with the user. Playing with friends is a blast and adds a lot more depth to combat. Relying onI have put in a considerable amount of time into Hawken over the past couple of weeks. Firstly, I'd like to clear this up and say that this game is NOT pay to win. The starter recruit mech is customizable, and is one of the stronger loadouts, so if you're struggling, I'm afraid the problem lies with the user. Playing with friends is a blast and adds a lot more depth to combat. Relying on your team mates for drop repairs, cover fire, shields and radars and baiting / ambushing your oponents is very rewarding. With repair guns and a Technician class hinted in the game files, I can only speculate that we can see some whole new elements of gameplay being added in the future. Being a beta, I have high hopes for Hawkens future. There are some balance issues here and there, but nothing that cant be overcome with solid communication and maneuvering with your team. I would love to see a lot more customization for the mechs, some form of ranking system or rated play and a party system and have faith that the Hawken devs are listening to their playerbase. Hawken is a great game, and worth a try.… Expand
  24. beyondabraxas
    Jan 3, 2013
    10
    Hawken is a brilliant game. The sense of weight and scale is apparent. The combat, once you get the hang of it, is extremely fast based and reactionary. The biggest mechanic that a lot of reviewers seem to be missing is the Dodging / Boosting system.
    You have to be quick to dodge using your boosters. Read your opponents moves and play strategically while still maintaining twitch reflex    Hawken is a brilliant game. The sense of weight and scale is apparent. The combat, once you get the hang of it, is extremely fast based and reactionary. The biggest mechanic that a lot of reviewers seem to be missing is the Dodging / Boosting system.
    You have to be quick to dodge using your boosters. Read your opponents moves and play strategically while still maintaining twitch reflex shooting. Its very, very intense. Don't treat it like your average FPS, you aren't a humanoid, you are a mech, you have separate advantages and disadvantages, get used to them. Verticality plays a huge role in the gameplay as well. The mechs are agile in a whole different way. But if you try to run and gun like an average FPS, you're toast.

    There really isn't any other game like Hawken out right now. Its a Mech Sim FPS with an arcade game feel. There are 8 mechs to choose from, I think, each with their distinct advantages and abilities. The game also features a very robust item/ mech upgrade system, much time will be spend configuring the build that suits you best.

    As far as the F2P model, its rather well designed, if you play smart and play well, procuring ingame credits is a breeze (as is leveling up). If you lack the patience or time, real world currency can be used for unlocks.

    Did I mention the game looks incredibly stunning? No other game imo right now touts as much polish and detail visually, its remarkable that its F2P.

    Get this and decide for your self.

    A++

    PS. Its still in Beta, it will only get better from here on out.    … Expand
  25. Atryeu
    Feb 22, 2013
    3
    While it can be fun to jump in for brief periods of time, the learning curve is steep for new players and the gameplay is hectic and repetitive in the long term. Even when winning matches, the frustration due to the game's chaotic nature can have a tendency to outweigh the overall fun factor. Matchmaking is constantly being worked on but seemingly never improved. Playing in team basedWhile it can be fun to jump in for brief periods of time, the learning curve is steep for new players and the gameplay is hectic and repetitive in the long term. Even when winning matches, the frustration due to the game's chaotic nature can have a tendency to outweigh the overall fun factor. Matchmaking is constantly being worked on but seemingly never improved. Playing in team based modes (which comprises 3/4 of the currently available game modes) tend to result in one team dominating while the other team struggles and constantly deals with a rotating team due to players constantly leaving due to frustration. Making matters worse, while still in the open beta the game functionality and regular player base seems to have filtered out many of the curious newcomers and has culled the herd down to those hardcore players that have mastered their mechs, leveled each one to the maximum level, and don't necessarily want things to change. This leads to very limited options when searching for available servers and almost guarantees a new player to be dumped into a match full of high level, very experienced players. If in the US and searching at night on a weekend, you may be hard pressed to find just one server for each type due to the lack of activity. New players that express their concern about this painful level gap in game or on the message boards results in many of the established players explaining as a fact that mech level means nothing in Hawken (if you are as incredulous reading this as I was when someone first tried to explain this concept to me check the hawken message boards as there are many discussion regarding it). Even if this were the case (which obviously it is not leveling gives bonuses and bonuses give advantages), this would mean that the best case scenario is that the currently implemented upgrades system is close to worthless. =/

    If you are curious go check it out and think for yourself, but based on experience it would seem the best course of action would be to wait until the game is out of beta before really investing any time (or God forbid money) in hopes that the fixes to gameplay and balancing are ironed out. While the game is in beta it seems as though focus is mainly on overall stability (there are very few crashes) and implementing new content for the dedicated fan base as opposed to making the game more accessible and enjoyable for new players.    … Expand
  26. und3rgr0und
    Mar 1, 2013
    7
    Hawken isn't a free game to play, you play online matches and acquire in game currency to buy new Mechs, purchase different equipment and different perks. There's multiple game modes and you can filter the matches based on your location. One thing I did find was for the USA East it was tough to find any matches but by switching it to USA West I had no problem. Its a decent enough game butHawken isn't a free game to play, you play online matches and acquire in game currency to buy new Mechs, purchase different equipment and different perks. There's multiple game modes and you can filter the matches based on your location. One thing I did find was for the USA East it was tough to find any matches but by switching it to USA West I had no problem. Its a decent enough game but it does only hold your attention for so long. I can play for a hour at a time or so..it's a good way to waste some time but its also fun but for whatever reason i get bored quick.… Expand
  27. Nevermind
    Feb 16, 2013
    7
    Hawken could be described as the embodiment of "average". It does not really stand out in any way, possibly due to the bland graphics, so super foggy to the point that you might imagine the game is taking place underwater. The game modes can be fun, and require team play, but the lack of things such as auto balance, and some unbalanced map design mean that winning a game in Hawken mightHawken could be described as the embodiment of "average". It does not really stand out in any way, possibly due to the bland graphics, so super foggy to the point that you might imagine the game is taking place underwater. The game modes can be fun, and require team play, but the lack of things such as auto balance, and some unbalanced map design mean that winning a game in Hawken might not be due to your skills, but most likely due to some underlying fault in the map/ mechanics/ balance.
    Hawken aims to be a hit to the "unskilled" f2p crowd, with level ups to keep you interested, unlocks and cosmetic items, and this comes at the expense of the skilled player, when the team based game modes are full of people generally not helping. Ultimately the game modes are what will either make or break this game. If Hawken does manage to cater for skilled, competitive players, and fixes the little annoyances here and there, it will no doubt become a great game. However, given that these problems do exist, it means more likely the game will be just-another-UT3-game, as easily forgettable as it is was initially exciting.    … Expand
  28. averageGamer12
    Feb 11, 2014
    5
    Just another boring generic shooter but with mechs. There is no depth. The game has really bad matchmaking. It doesn't know what it whats to because the Developer keep drastically changing it's core game-play throughout the last few years.The recent changes only the game feel a lot more generic by taking away what little depth it had before.
  29. TheRuiner
    Feb 23, 2014
    10
    A wonderful F2P, fast-paced FPS experience with much more in common with Armored Core than MechWarrior. If you want to win your matches simply by stacking the biggest guns on the biggest frame, this isn't for you. If you want to have to seriously consider your options when choosing between the lighter, burst-damage capable mech and the heavier, more-sustainable mech, then this is right upA wonderful F2P, fast-paced FPS experience with much more in common with Armored Core than MechWarrior. If you want to win your matches simply by stacking the biggest guns on the biggest frame, this isn't for you. If you want to have to seriously consider your options when choosing between the lighter, burst-damage capable mech and the heavier, more-sustainable mech, then this is right up your alley.… Expand
  30. 00000000001
    Feb 27, 2014
    1
    Before Hawken's move to steam the game was well crafted and innovative mech shooter, offering fast paced combat, but not removing the feeling of being in a mech. However, since its move to steam the game has taken a drastic u-turn replacing the old game with a steam friendly "twitch shooter" mess. This is coupled with the stream of updates that occasionally remedy issues but mostly hinderBefore Hawken's move to steam the game was well crafted and innovative mech shooter, offering fast paced combat, but not removing the feeling of being in a mech. However, since its move to steam the game has taken a drastic u-turn replacing the old game with a steam friendly "twitch shooter" mess. This is coupled with the stream of updates that occasionally remedy issues but mostly hinder and damage the game further(2steps foward 4 steps back). Further failures of adhesive games lay in its match "balancing" system. This system rarely creates balance 90% of games having a difference of 20 kills between the teams, stacking too many players on one team and filling the winning team players while leaving the losing side till lacking. Hawken represents the biggest fall from grace of any free to play game; going from my favorite time-sync to a pitiful disaster with little to no reasons to keep playing. In addition pay 2 win elements have crept further into the game since its steam update with the replacement of skill tree unlocking mechs to just buying them with micro-transactions or in game money a further dumbing down of the system. In game currency earnt per game will barely raise over 250 each game mech cost between 7000-12000 of this currency, so prepare to spend a lifetime saving for the mech you want. Hawken has sold it soul for a chance to get on steam and alienated veteran players to attract call of duty kids; the devs may as well remove the mech models and replace them with humans because the once powerful mechs who could take hits I played in have been replaced with tin cans that are destroyed instantly by a single shot ,(the intro video shows this perfectly to their detriment). Give the game a chance if you want, you may like it, but eventually its allure will fade you will become woefully bored with what remains. For those who read all of it , Thank you.… Expand
  31. SineCurve
    Feb 21, 2014
    9
    Okay, first things first: I've read a lot of reviews below that somehow claim that this is a P2W game, and you cannot win if you haven't bought a mech, etc. etc.

    This is very far from the truth. It IS a free to play game, and the pay scheme is a refreshing one, especially for a player like me who was IMMENSELY disappointed by the cash-grabbing, lie-to-the-community cesspool that    Okay, first things first: I've read a lot of reviews below that somehow claim that this is a P2W game, and you cannot win if you haven't bought a mech, etc. etc.

    This is very far from the truth.

    It IS a free to play game, and the pay scheme is a refreshing one, especially for a player like me who was IMMENSELY disappointed by the cash-grabbing, lie-to-the-community cesspool that Mechwarrior Online has unfortunately become.
    Simply put, you have to pay for cosmetic options. Period. Everything else in the game, including any options you might consider necessary for having an edge over other players, can be purchased by credits earned in game, which you earn by playing. You get one free mech at the beginning, and you unlock other mechs by leveling this mech, the progression is very simple to understand. You can of course pay to unlock any mech early, again, with real money, or, and for me this is very important, in game credits. An average match will net you around 250 credits, and an average mech unlock is around 10K credits, so do the math. The most expensive mechs will cost you 40-50 matches, or if you don't have the time, about 10 USD in real world money.
    The game seems to be making most of its money on cosmetic options. You can get paint schemes, new plumes for your rocket exhaust, legs, arms, body, etc. These are the only options that require you to pay real money. I myself only bought a couple of these, mainly because I thought they looked good, and partly to support the devs.
    Gameplay used to be MWO-like at the beginning, with the weapons, mech armor and speed balanced towards long engagement times. It has fluctuated between MWO and extra-twitchy shooter for some time since then, but with the last update I find that it has settled somewhere in the happy medium between. There are around 8 maps, I believe, with 4 game modes, not including the newly-implemented co-op mode played against bots.

    The community is very active and quite loud in its critique, but not caustic. You can usually find people who can help you get better at playing. There is a simple, but adequate training simulation for beginners.

    Overall, I have found Hawken to be quite a satisfactory experience. But hey, it's free to play on steam. Go try it, it's not like you have anything to lose.    … Expand
  32. Zerit
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    Il gioco metita ...e parecchio! Ottimi combattimenti in mappe ben disegnate, una bella grafica e modalità di gioco variegate. Oltre al gioco in se cio che mi ha stupito è stato il vedere così tanta qualità in un gioco free to play e lo store interno, per nulla invasivo e del tutto evitabile per chi non è intenzionato a spendere, consente si sbloccare in anticipo l'equipaggiamento piùIl gioco metita ...e parecchio! Ottimi combattimenti in mappe ben disegnate, una bella grafica e modalità di gioco variegate. Oltre al gioco in se cio che mi ha stupito è stato il vedere così tanta qualità in un gioco free to play e lo store interno, per nulla invasivo e del tutto evitabile per chi non è intenzionato a spendere, consente si sbloccare in anticipo l'equipaggiamento più avanzato (tutte cose sbloccabili anche solo giocando, non c'è nulla di esclusivo) e personalizzare l'aspetto (e ribadisco "aspetto", è solo una questione estetica) del proprio mech ...questo si, la personalizzazione ESTETICA del mech è solo per chi vuole spendere 2 soldi (e mi pare anche giusto, nessuno lavora gratis).
    Il mech base, l'unico accessibile inizialmente (che permette comunque di fare i primi combattimenti in modo più che dignitoso ...ci ho fatto un buon numero di kill prima di passare ad altro) consentirà in breve tempo di sbloccare altre classi che permetteranno di scegliere l'approccio agli scontri che più si preferisce per proseguire via via verso le rivisitazioni più avanzate (e variegate) degli stessi. Che altro dire... pur essendo ancora una beta (ma non per molto ancora) non ho mai avuto un solo problema ed il gioco promette molto bene e con gli aggiornamenti previsti nel prossimo futuro avrà tutte le carte in regola per essere uno dei migliori fps online ...PROVATELO!!!    … Expand
  33. PersonDude
    Nov 6, 2013
    9
    I started playing this game with no idea of what to expect and came out amazed. It's F2P, but the only thing you can exclusively buy with real money is customization options that don't affect gameplay in any way. I haven't found the game to be much of a grind; it only took me an hour or so to unlock the Rocketeer mech and around two hours to unlock the Berserker mech. The gameplay is fastI started playing this game with no idea of what to expect and came out amazed. It's F2P, but the only thing you can exclusively buy with real money is customization options that don't affect gameplay in any way. I haven't found the game to be much of a grind; it only took me an hour or so to unlock the Rocketeer mech and around two hours to unlock the Berserker mech. The gameplay is fast and frantic and is really enjoyable. The only fault I have with the game is that there's a really steep learning curve and the tutorial isn't helpful.… Expand
  34. mike2003
    Nov 18, 2013
    5
    Very quickly bored. Boring and monotonous game. Few weapons, a lot of lags. Little variety in the game, all the same too, no need to move forward. The only plus is fighting robots!
  35. Notthatguy
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    Hawken is an interesting "mech" game, its not quite my speed, and makes me yearn for unreal, not surprising as it is made on the unreal engine, its fun, tho matchmaker can at times be painful.

    Hawken plays like unreal, fast paced rapid combat with a TTK that is a bit longer than would be expected based on the pace of movement. It also has a nice sense of progression all mechs can be    Hawken is an interesting "mech" game, its not quite my speed, and makes me yearn for unreal, not surprising as it is made on the unreal engine, its fun, tho matchmaker can at times be painful.

    Hawken plays like unreal, fast paced rapid combat with a TTK that is a bit longer than would be expected based on the pace of movement. It also has a nice sense of progression all mechs can be earned and will be unlocked by simply playing the game.

    I tend to play in stretches about an hour long, after that I get burned out, but I do tend to come back every day.

    Good viable fun.    … Expand
  36. Krellus
    Oct 8, 2013
    9
    The most fun FPS game on the market as at October 2013. The mech movement is arcade style rather than simulation and it's awesome amongst other things you can shoot, sprint ("boost"), jump, fly and dodge (a quick sidestep to avoid rockets, etc), and it all looks and sounds excellent. The gameplay is awesome and since the Ascension patch there is lots of mech customisation. The game is NOTThe most fun FPS game on the market as at October 2013. The mech movement is arcade style rather than simulation and it's awesome amongst other things you can shoot, sprint ("boost"), jump, fly and dodge (a quick sidestep to avoid rockets, etc), and it all looks and sounds excellent. The gameplay is awesome and since the Ascension patch there is lots of mech customisation. The game is NOT pay to win, the only exclusive thing money can buy you is cosmetics, but it's fair to say you can spend money to "grind" less (although there is not much grind, compared to most free to play games). The only downside to Hawken is that so far there are only 4 game modes and about 6 maps I think. With time and more content pure win.… Expand
  37. Hex_01
    Jan 14, 2014
    9
    I really like this game! At first you may be discouraged at first when you just keep on dying over and over but there IS a learning curve in the game. Eventually you learn that a certain mech should attack the enemy like this and this mech like that. When this is finally learned the game gets so much more enjoyable.
  38. RadioActiveTwin
    Jan 22, 2014
    8
    I can honestly say this game is solid as a multi player game only. The mech "creator" and costumazation is pretty in depth. It deff has a deep learning curve for those that are new to any type of game that requires some type of intelectual degree.
    The game is definitely favored to a well balanced team and one that knows what they are doing. The recruit class is actually a very good mech    I can honestly say this game is solid as a multi player game only. The mech "creator" and costumazation is pretty in depth. It deff has a deep learning curve for those that are new to any type of game that requires some type of intelectual degree.
    The game is definitely favored to a well balanced team and one that knows what they are doing. The recruit class is actually a very good mech surprisingly. I found myself using it the most after unlocking the other classes.
    Yes you have to pay for the colors and camos, but if you were part of the beta like I was you get a few or just one.
    The plus side to it is if you play for a good amount of time you actually could spend 0 dollars on mech upgrades. Meaning this game is deff not pay to win. Hell I'm a level 2 and have been able to hold my own with level 10+ guys. Just with the in game currency unlocks. Sure it could take a while but at least you don't feel helpless at all. This game has really come far from the early stages of the "beta" that was releases some time ago.
    I can honestly say that this game is on par with titanfall or better. Why? Because it requires actual skill and team work.
    Thanks.    … Expand
  39. meevvash
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    Great game, great community. If you enjoyed arena shooters like Quake or Unreal Tournament, you will most definitely enjoy Hawken. It is something more than just arena shooter. The game looks great, the combat is fast paced, controls are responsive. It's not pay to win, and the devs actually listen to their community. It's well balanced, and just simply fun to play.
  40. Dafutur
    Feb 16, 2014
    9
    J'aime bien jouer a hawken. Un free-to-play. La sortie sur steam aideras surement à se que les matchs soient mieux balancé.
    C'est un jeux très bien construit et bien pensé, chaque mechs a ses points forts mais ses points faibles et il faut avoir joué de nombreuse heures parfois avec un seul pour se dire en maitrise de la machine. J'aime bien qu'il est répartie les classes.
    Mais le jeux    J'aime bien jouer a hawken. Un free-to-play. La sortie sur steam aideras surement à se que les matchs soient mieux balancé.
    C'est un jeux très bien construit et bien pensé, chaque mechs a ses points forts mais ses points faibles et il faut avoir joué de nombreuse heures parfois avec un seul pour se dire en maitrise de la machine. J'aime bien qu'il est répartie les classes.
    Mais le jeux est parfois frustant d'ou le 9/10!!! Car certain joueur otiste sont vraiment meilleur que les gars normal comme moi meme ayant jouer plusieurs dizaine d'heure. Les modes sont bien construit, et avec les nouveaux patchs les graphiques sont vraiment mieux qu'avant bien que le jeux est désormais beaucoup plus difficile a apprendre.

    je recommande se jeux a nimporte qui MAIS STP. ESSAIE D'ETRE BON AVEC UNE MACHINE AVANT DE DIRE QUE LE JEUX SE DE LA POURRITURE!!!.    … Expand
  41. Merik2013
    Feb 24, 2014
    9
    I've spent the past few days on this game, and I feel at this point that I can now share my thoughts on it. First off, if you are concerned by some of the more negative reviews and their complaints that this game is pay to win, don't be. There is nothing pay to win about this game. The only aspect of this game that is locked by real world money are purely cosmetic features that effect theI've spent the past few days on this game, and I feel at this point that I can now share my thoughts on it. First off, if you are concerned by some of the more negative reviews and their complaints that this game is pay to win, don't be. There is nothing pay to win about this game. The only aspect of this game that is locked by real world money are purely cosmetic features that effect the way your mech looks. every thing else can be unlocked with playtime and the natural in-game currency (earned through matches). Hawken itself is a very fun mechanized combat shooter and is very well balanced, so even a new player should be able to handle themselves once they get a grasp on how the game plays. It burrows a lot from Mech Warrior Online, but removes most of the clunkier aspects while speeding up the gameplay. There are both cons and pluses to be garnered from that. As a result, the game is much easier to get into, control, and come back to. However they have also sacrificed some of the more dynamic aspects like component durability and destruction, and the start up sequence proves to be just a bit less interesting. As of right now the game is still in early development, so there's no real telling what might change between now and it's actual full release, but they game is still a lot of fun and very much worth checking out.… Expand
  42. GameSpoon
    Feb 26, 2014
    7
    Hawken is a free to play first person Mech shooter, developed by Adhesive Games. The game originally debuted on its own independent launcher, but earlier this month it re-released on Steam Early Access. To gain entrance to the Early Access you currently have to buy the Hawken: Nemesis Bundle, but on its final release the game will be free to play.

    I was immediately dropped into a    Hawken is a free to play first person Mech shooter, developed by Adhesive Games. The game originally debuted on its own independent launcher, but earlier this month it re-released on Steam Early Access. To gain entrance to the Early Access you currently have to buy the Hawken: Nemesis Bundle, but on its final release the game will be free to play.

    I was immediately dropped into a tutorial, explaining the basics of the game, movement, shooting, items and abilities. This was quick to grasp, and when that was over I jumped right into my first game. The first game you play will always be Team Deathmatch, as it is decided for you that this is the best choice for a beginner.

    image

    The movement in the game is very effective. The normal movements of the Mechs is slow, giving weight to it, but you have boosters which can be used to speed up movement and perform a variety of dodges and even hover. While the Mechs feel weighted, the addition of...
    To read the rest of this review, please visit http://bit.ly/1l8NaeP or follow us on twitter @GameSpoon    … Expand
  43. mizzrawrz
    Mar 30, 2014
    0
    Devs are constantly making large sweeping changes, while blatantly ignoring their community. With it's current patch the game feels and plays very broken for a FPS. Combat went from super fluid and immerse, to clunky and intentionally broken. Their so called "bug fixes" often introduce even more and larger gamebreaking bugs.
  44. Jswizzy84
    Dec 28, 2012
    9
    Hawken is basically a gundamn style mech combat game with a western junkyard brawler look that is fast and furious. If your expecting mechwarrior with slow combat with slow moving mechs then this game is not for you, it is much closer to chromehounds or Japanese style mech games. The shooting is skilled based it is not the low time to kill bull that is plaguing other FPS games where mapHawken is basically a gundamn style mech combat game with a western junkyard brawler look that is fast and furious. If your expecting mechwarrior with slow combat with slow moving mechs then this game is not for you, it is much closer to chromehounds or Japanese style mech games. The shooting is skilled based it is not the low time to kill bull that is plaguing other FPS games where map knowledge and spotting the enemy first is all that is required. The game has an emphases on landing skill based shots and out maneuvering opponents. Once you master dodging in and out of cover and landing skill shots you'll soon be able to rank in the top half of the scoreboard with just about any mech. The starting mech actually is one of the better mechs. It starts with the assault rifle which is the most well rounded primary gun in the game and the TOW which is hands down the best secondary weapon. The only down side to FRED starting mech is that it is an ugly mech and an eyesore but it has it's charm. Anyone who says the game is pay2win simply doesn't understand the game since you can acquire everything in the game with time. Meteor points just allow you to skip the grind and purchase paint jobs.

    Now for the bad stuff. Despite Hawken's shooting mechanics being solid the game lacks variety and customization so far. The tech tree has very little effect on how your mech plays and I think it is mostly a place holder right now. Paint jobs are very limited with no ability to change color palates or add much to make your mech unique from other players. The game modes are also horrible. Basically both objective game modes suck right now. Seige just leads to snowballing lopsided matches and missle command or what ever it is called is your run of the mill domination style game. The game could use a capture the flag style mod or some kind of better objective game mode. With that said this is just about the only game that I will play death match or team death match in. Both those modes are great but without a more objective team work orientated game like what I was use to in NS2 I can see this game growing stale. There are only a few maps with prosk being a far superior map to the others with it's mix of open and close combat. Uptown is just a horribly designed map that favors close combat only giving very little freedom to sharpshooters and rockeeters. One aspect of the maps that is great is they are all multileveled much like the quake and unreal tournament maps of what I consider to be the golden years of PC FPS games. So in conclusion Hawken is the start of great shooter with a firm bedrock of mechanics that however is undermined by a lack of customization and variety. At this time the game still feels like it is very much a beta product but it also feels like it has plenty of potential. Since the game is still in development I have high hopes for it but I'm skeptical. I'd rank the game an 89/100 right now but it could easily be 95 if the developers added more content. The gameplay is there the content is not.    … Expand
  45. Stanith
    Jan 12, 2013
    9
    I think Hawken is a refreshing comeback of the deathmatch-style FPS, with a nice twist of being a hybrid FPS (you're essentially piloting a mech). As I love deathmatch, I've been thoroughly enjoying Hawken! The different mech types are very varied which makes for some interesting tactics (my favourite is the Sharpshooter, though most of the maps are difficult to snipe in). There areI think Hawken is a refreshing comeback of the deathmatch-style FPS, with a nice twist of being a hybrid FPS (you're essentially piloting a mech). As I love deathmatch, I've been thoroughly enjoying Hawken! The different mech types are very varied which makes for some interesting tactics (my favourite is the Sharpshooter, though most of the maps are difficult to snipe in). There are various different abilities available such as placing decoy mechs (that don't move, but copy you otherwise) and throwing an EMP that disables all nearby mech's weapons (including yours if you're too close).

    Overall I'd definitely recommend it, as it's also one of those games that will only succeed if the player-base remains a critical mass to keep the games fresh. So tell all your friends to come join the fun!    … Expand
  46. bacster
    Feb 15, 2014
    3
    This game has become a joke ... The gameplay is totally different from that earned him awards. Simply removed the soul of the game wanting to make it a new UT3, Quake or Exteel (other games that failed and Hawken is next) due to its new simplistic and not immersive "gameplay".
  47. MS79
    Apr 10, 2013
    10
    Wow...so many ignoramuses giving this a bad review because they think it's a pay-to-win game. I have just started playing this game two weeks ago and had no need to spend a single penny on this game.

    The starting mech that you get for FREE, even though it's not the best looking, is one of the best in-game mechs with free internals and 700hp (more than any light mech or medium mech in    Wow...so many ignoramuses giving this a bad review because they think it's a pay-to-win game. I have just started playing this game two weeks ago and had no need to spend a single penny on this game.

    The starting mech that you get for FREE, even though it's not the best looking, is one of the best in-game mechs with free internals and 700hp (more than any light mech or medium mech in the game). A lot of high level players are still using the starting mech.

    You can buy every other mech and all their upgrades with Hawken Points(No need to buy Meteor bucks) that you get from playing the game. It's very easy to get a lot of points. Plus, they give you 5000 starting Hawken Points when you start. With new mechs costing a little over 6400 points, you can buy any other mech you wish in no time. You can get about 200 points per game, very easy to buy ALL the mechs in a relatively short time span. To reiterate, this game is Play-to-Win not Pay-to-Win. Only visual aesthetics cost real money. This game is a AAA quality game that has people peranoid with the "Free to play" title.

    As for the game itself, it's a fun mixture of Mech Warrior, Counter Strike, and an RPG with a skill tree. The game is not perfect by any means and the only reason I gave it a 10 is to counter the incompetent lemmings. Hawken is still in beta and not a finished product, but still, it's a fun experience.    … Expand
  48. LD9000
    Feb 20, 2013
    6
    An ok game for F2P. Can hold my attention for a couple days. Beyond that, the action is not really that great. The game does not feel like huge battle mechs, more like your average twitchy short range FPS. My biggest gripe is engagement distances they are way too short. 100 meters is long range sniper... Seriously? Even BF2142 had better mechs, even though they were just a small part ofAn ok game for F2P. Can hold my attention for a couple days. Beyond that, the action is not really that great. The game does not feel like huge battle mechs, more like your average twitchy short range FPS. My biggest gripe is engagement distances they are way too short. 100 meters is long range sniper... Seriously? Even BF2142 had better mechs, even though they were just a small part of that game. Using active defense to block missles, slow, heavy damage overheating cannons. I don't feel this here.

    Even the world of tanks has engagement distances of around 350 meters, possibly more. But in this game you just get some hazy fog obscuring distant stuff. With this in mind, the levels feel small and while there is some hot around the corner action, it gets boring fairly fast.

    Combine this with some "OP" flavors of mechs and general lack of players, and I had to suffer through some horribly unbalanced matches where little one can do counts.    … Expand
  49. zohancritic
    Jun 19, 2013
    10
    this game is awesome way better than mec warrior online...............................................................................................
  50. 223kazin
    Feb 13, 2014
    4
    Before reading keep this in mind: I only played this game for 2 hours, before I genuinely got bored of the game. I'm not saying it has no depth, it has plenty, the skill ceiling for booster jet juking is pretty high, it just doesn't have any meat to the potatoes. There's roughly a dozen mechs, all of which have 3 weapons to choose from, max. The only customization that I could see wereBefore reading keep this in mind: I only played this game for 2 hours, before I genuinely got bored of the game. I'm not saying it has no depth, it has plenty, the skill ceiling for booster jet juking is pretty high, it just doesn't have any meat to the potatoes. There's roughly a dozen mechs, all of which have 3 weapons to choose from, max. The only customization that I could see were just different cooldown/oh f##k buttons. Coming from Mechwarrior online, the lack of customization in a mech game is crippling for me. The blatant lie about there being "sniping" in the game also bothered me. The maps are so small that you're basically up in the face of every single person, and the "long range" weapons have the same shell travel time as everything else, meaning hitting that incredibly dim, hard-to-see mech that's hiding behind the fog of impaired vision is ungodly difficult. This leads to situations where you're face-to-face with the far tankier, better-equipped mechs that are designed for close combat.

    There are also no real hitboxes, unlike Mechwarrior Online, 90% of the time you'll just be firing wildly, trying to flank as there's no incentive to take carefully aimed, skillful shots. As of this date the game still feels very empty and lacking a lot of the content you may initially expect, such as mech customization and more intuitive combat than spamming thrusters and aiming in the general direction of the enemy. People have likened it to Call of Duty: Mechs, and they would be both right and wrong. It's very different from CoD but plays the same, if that makes sense. It's F2P and I recommend at least trying it out to see if you like it, but keep your expectations reasonable as this game doesn't have much more to it than CoD.    … Expand
  51. evild4ve
    Mar 7, 2014
    2
    It's pretty, but it ain't Mechwarrior 2. I played for 2 hours and haven't earned enough in-game-grind-currency to make any alterations to the basic loadout. All mechs can fly, and dodge, and move really quickly. s'rubbish.
  52. Krisz
    Oct 23, 2013
    0
    Graphics are interesting to say maps are ok but mech design are weak. Program is stable, but sounds and background music are weak. Idiotic match making system, confusing interface and even more confusing maps. Game play is some times fun but it will get boring pretty soon very repetitive. I played 2 weeks and around 10hrs its not for me, if some one needs content in a game it is not the one.
  53. Xacius
    Oct 8, 2013
    10
    If you're a fan of Armored Core, Unreal Tournament, Chromehounds, or FPS games in general, then Hawken is for you.

    In Hawken, your skill matters most. Games like CoD, Battlefield, and Halo give players immense advantages for spotting their enemies first, whereby being spotted first means instant death. In Hawken, it's all about reaction time, accuracy, and out-maneuvering your    If you're a fan of Armored Core, Unreal Tournament, Chromehounds, or FPS games in general, then Hawken is for you.

    In Hawken, your skill matters most. Games like CoD, Battlefield, and Halo give players immense advantages for spotting their enemies first, whereby being spotted first means instant death. In Hawken, it's all about reaction time, accuracy, and out-maneuvering your opponents. Some fights last for multiple minutes at a time, which is insane for an FPS. Unlike the typical FPS, Hawken has a large emphasis on movement and big health pools.    … Expand
  54. nullface
    Dec 29, 2012
    9
    As Hawken is currently in beta, a lot is subject to change, and not available or accessible yet. But so far Hawken is shaping up to be a great western take on a gundam style mech shooter.

    Don't let the first 15 minutes in game get you down, there is a semi-steep learning curve, and you have to adjust your fps-skills and tactics before you get work done in Hawken.
  55. Brosman
    Jun 28, 2013
    9
    Just a blast to play. Now this is my first mech game i have ever played so Im obviously not basing this game off any others of the Mech Fighting genre. But its well balanced, being that even a higher ranked player with a nicer mech can still get schooled by a level one starter mech, and incredibly fun. Everything can be earned in a reasonable amount of time unlike many other free to playJust a blast to play. Now this is my first mech game i have ever played so Im obviously not basing this game off any others of the Mech Fighting genre. But its well balanced, being that even a higher ranked player with a nicer mech can still get schooled by a level one starter mech, and incredibly fun. Everything can be earned in a reasonable amount of time unlike many other free to play games, making this something i would be more than happy to play for a long time. Also it is not pay to win. The only things that you pay for are cosmetic and dont effect gamplay. So there's none of this Blacksite BS where a guy can just wreck people because he payed $20 for armor that puts him at an unfair advantage over FTP players, or like in TF2 where classes can purchase OP weapons and hats. Overall the game is very well handled. It is very fun to play and since it seems the Devs hearts are in the right place (making a good game over making money) i will be more than happy to spend money on this game unlike other games like Blacksite that seems more like a CoD money grab. (PS i love TF2, just using that as an example.)… Expand
  56. squeax
    Sep 1, 2013
    7
    The gameplay is pretty solid and there are enough mechs to choose from. The main gripe I have is that it doesn't feel like you're piloting a mech, it actually reminds me most of Battlefield 3. But unlike Battlefield 3, you cannot change out weapons or equipment once inside a match (although you can switch between your mechs). The starting mech is pretty good and within just two matches IThe gameplay is pretty solid and there are enough mechs to choose from. The main gripe I have is that it doesn't feel like you're piloting a mech, it actually reminds me most of Battlefield 3. But unlike Battlefield 3, you cannot change out weapons or equipment once inside a match (although you can switch between your mechs). The starting mech is pretty good and within just two matches I could buy one of the more specialized ones. Another issue I see though is that it's a very team-based game, you get pulverized in seconds if you try to solo, so you always have to stick together and cover each other. Though in all matches I've played most communication seemed near non-existent. My advice then is to play this with 2 to 3 friends to have a solid core of players on your team should you want to win reliably.… Expand
  57. potapal
    Sep 17, 2013
    9
    Hawken has been in development for a long time, and the quality of the game has really shifted between good and very stale, but as of the September 2013 ascension patch, the game is a solid rompy stompy robot game, it's half mechwarrior and half unreal tournament and it blends nicely. The game's accessibility has been greatly improved in this patch, adding in a tutorial that introducesHawken has been in development for a long time, and the quality of the game has really shifted between good and very stale, but as of the September 2013 ascension patch, the game is a solid rompy stompy robot game, it's half mechwarrior and half unreal tournament and it blends nicely. The game's accessibility has been greatly improved in this patch, adding in a tutorial that introduces you to all the important ideas of combat and movement, as well as letting you train against bots. The meta of the game itself is still slightly unapproachable for new players due to it's heavy utilization of teamwork with mechs that can turn into turrets and healing mechs and mechs that excel in invisiblity and flanking, all of these factors mesh together well in the team-play factor but new players are thrown to the dogs in terms of figuring them out, it's a real learning curve. My only concern about the game's success at this point is matchmaking pitting random pubs against premades for crushing consequences pushing players away from the game. Other than that though, it's a really well done game, it looks amazing, sounds amazing, has good music and gameplay, it's new interface is incredibly easy to navigate and intuitive as well. I'm speaking of hawken as of september in 2013 however, I do not really know how the game was before that.… Expand
  58. Duke_Silver
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    Mech fans should love it. Unhappy people that are used to getting instant gratification will be frustrated. This game is very much still under developement. New patches come out all the time that give people cause to troll the developers. These are the same people that have never made anything in their life. 30 years old, still attending community college, kinds of people. Games like thisMech fans should love it. Unhappy people that are used to getting instant gratification will be frustrated. This game is very much still under developement. New patches come out all the time that give people cause to troll the developers. These are the same people that have never made anything in their life. 30 years old, still attending community college, kinds of people. Games like this live and die by their community. Unfortunately, for all the dev's hard work, the community currently leaves something to be desired.… Expand
  59. jewler
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    The greatest FPS I've ever played!!! Fast and tenced combat, very atmospheric maps, unique and fierce mechs it all makes me want to play it again and again!
  60. totalknowledge
    Sep 25, 2013
    3
    Microwaves with legs. Hawken is an uninspired clone of the other fighting robot games on the market. It doesn't have anything to keep you playing. All of the weapons feel the same.
  61. Homerlvsbeer
    Feb 17, 2014
    0
    I Give it a low score. i know its over the top BUT. i dont like getting ripped off. or seeing overs get ripped off. so this is for us all guys. Yes sure the games not bad. but after paying £22:99 for the game. i wasnt expecting that i would have to start buying mechs and items etc. I think its a rip off. and when people steal money from me i dont rate them much. Ive also been playingI Give it a low score. i know its over the top BUT. i dont like getting ripped off. or seeing overs get ripped off. so this is for us all guys. Yes sure the games not bad. but after paying £22:99 for the game. i wasnt expecting that i would have to start buying mechs and items etc. I think its a rip off. and when people steal money from me i dont rate them much. Ive also been playing Mechwarrior. which cost me £00.00 yes you have to buy mechs but with a free game i expected it would be that way. damned if i have to buy the game then buy everything else. WTF. is going on here. and it seems alot fo you havnt even said anything about it. like you enjoy people taking money out of your wallet . and ripping you off. Well i really find it disgusting. An I think Mechwarrior. which is free by the way. is a better game. :P the way game companys are ripping people off is starting to get criminal. charge ya for a game and the content. OMG..… Expand
  62. Chivay
    Dec 23, 2012
    4
    Pros: nice graphics, didn't crash a single time.
    Cons: Chaotic gameplay, idiotic match making, confusing interface and even more confusing maps. Game modes are not grate also. I want to feel that I drive a 50 ton mech not ninja in jumsuit.
  63. ezay
    Dec 30, 2012
    3
    First of all, if you don't like F2P, this game isn't for you. If you don't pay for a decent mech, you won't do anything. This is a Pay To Win.

    Second, I didn't find any complexity in the fights. It's a plain simple I-see-I-shoot, with slow and boring machines.
  64. Banhammer0
    Mar 15, 2014
    6
    Probably only mech shooter on the market not counting Titanfall. For an F2P game it's very good, but compared to normal (paid) titles it's obviously lacking. Good concept but poor execution in most areas.

    GOOD + For an F2P game there is very little P2W here (100 % non-comsetics are grindable) + Well thought-out ideas for deployables, mechs and abilities + Mech combat is actually    Probably only mech shooter on the market not counting Titanfall. For an F2P game it's very good, but compared to normal (paid) titles it's obviously lacking. Good concept but poor execution in most areas.

    GOOD
    + For an F2P game there is very little P2W here (100 % non-comsetics are grindable)
    + Well thought-out ideas for deployables, mechs and abilities
    + Mech combat is actually pretty fun and tactical with dodging and boosting

    BAD
    - It lacks the "weight" feeling when you shoot someone
    - Not enough variation in gameplay, few mechs, items and weapons that are hard to unlock as well
    - Poorly designed maps, potential achieved by giving mech "boosting" (weak flight ability) mostly unused
    - Generic modes (TDM, DM, Rocket assault which is really domination, Siege which is domination + capture the flag) without innovations
    - Weak audio, explosions sound like someone kicking a cardboard box

    SUMMARY
    If you are a kid or someone who can't afford a decent game go for it, you could have chosen worse in the F2P world. Good thing is you don't have to spend a cent on it.
    Average 6/10    … Expand
  65. Kalazor
    Feb 22, 2013
    9
    First off, this is not a Pay to Win game. The most significant advantage you get is from skill points obtained through experience and leveling up, both of which you can't buy (although you can buy a exp-booster to temporarily increase the rate of exp gain). You also get to choose how these skill points are distributed in a skill tree for each mech. With a good distribution, you can get aFirst off, this is not a Pay to Win game. The most significant advantage you get is from skill points obtained through experience and leveling up, both of which you can't buy (although you can buy a exp-booster to temporarily increase the rate of exp gain). You also get to choose how these skill points are distributed in a skill tree for each mech. With a good distribution, you can get a noticeable advantage in close matches if the other mech is 10 or so levels less than you (max lvl is 25). The starter mech is the absolute best mech to learn on (one of my favorites in general), and you can buy a new mech right off the bat with free credits. Most mechs are balanced and the balance is only getting better as the open beta continues. You can also buy internal upgrades that are mostly useless, additional items to equip (you can only equip 1 offensive and 1 support), and aesthetic items.

    The game looks like a triple-A title, it's easy to forget that this is a relatively small indie team behind it. There are 4 stages currently, and I think the game could do with more diversity on this front. Hawken differs from a normal FPS mostly in how you maneuver. The mechs can feel very slow before you learn how to move effectively and manage fuel and boosting. The gameplay is like many other FPS titles: movement, positioning, and awareness primarily decide who win fights, while reflexes and aim are crucial. It is balanced rather well in that the most skillful player will nearly always win the match, and most mech types offer similar overall combat ability despite difference in combat style. There is still more balancing to do among the mechs, but the current state of the game is very good for open beta. Faster smaller mechs seem to be winning more often in free-for-all deathmatch, but the balance is better in team game modes.

    Current Negatives: Matchmaking can take a long time, and the results are sometimes very one-sided. Teams are not auto-adjusted during a match if a player quits. Gaining hawken credits takes a bit too long for a guy with a full-time job, but the weekly rotation of free mechs helps a lot in this regard.

    Overall, Hawken is a very fun, fast paced shooter where you get the feeling of piloting a mech with a more FPS style of piloting and gameplay. There's a lot to learn and skill decides winners at the end of the day. I've been having the time of my life with this game and I would recommend it to anyone who likes FPS titles, but is looking for something different from the standard crop of war shooters.    … Expand
  66. anononymousFukr
    Feb 21, 2013
    0
    Really stupid gameplay because if you are matched in a team with all people that don't pay and the other team is full of payed users they will kick your asses (happens more than you would think) and most of the paid mechs suck even more than the free one which makes for a really disappointing experience.
  67. shakes321
    Feb 26, 2014
    0
    The worst game I've ever played mechs have no weight graphics are confusing no effort has gone into this game what so ever.. Also its always been a free to play game but now until further notice they are charging ppl to play which is kind of terrible since the mass majority got this for free. I urge you all stay well clear from this title it can only go from bad to worse
  68. herro35count
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Definitely one of the best games ever, deserve a 10 out of 10, it doesn't deserve all its negative scores as the game feature great mechanics and gameplay and also one of the best graphics I have ever in a free to play. The idea of pay to win is definitely not in hawken, the game can be harsh on newbies but even for a fps newbie like me, I can still enjoy the game
  69. Ordin1120
    May 5, 2014
    0
    Clich, mundane, out of date, old mechanic design. This alone is already 80% failed. Ahead of South Korea's failed 'Metal Rage' comes to mind games. Design of more advanced forms of mechanics want to walk.
  70. Jonhs
    Jan 16, 2013
    0
    Gameplay is boring. Interface is confusing. It's pay-to-win. This game has no soul, only demand for more money spend on it. It's just another try to get some money without doing anything for their customers.
  71. merkaba48
    Mar 15, 2014
    8
    For a free to play game, Hawken is definitely one that should be sampled by anyone with an interest in first person combat. It's a highly polished game with some much appreciated attention to details that give the world and game-play a strong character. I have spent £15 on the game purely because that is how much I think the game would be worth were it not F2P.

    I have not spent any    For a free to play game, Hawken is definitely one that should be sampled by anyone with an interest in first person combat. It's a highly polished game with some much appreciated attention to details that give the world and game-play a strong character. I have spent £15 on the game purely because that is how much I think the game would be worth were it not F2P.

    I have not spent any money on game-play items, and feel no need to. Using the default mech I have been consistently in the top three places on scoreboards, frequently first place, even when up against players who have clearly pimped out their mech, so I find it difficult to accept the idea that this game is 'pay to win'. Having said that, the game does require some grinding to aquire items, and until you have filled out your item slots you ARE at a disadvantage. I've rated it 8 for the excellent presentation and attention to detail, fun game-play with interesting combat and depth via items, and not being too grindy.    … Expand
  72. GM_Ninja
    Apr 8, 2014
    3
    An overly ambitious game overshadowed by it's business model, this game comes with one-color graphics hues and one of the worst matchmaking queues i've seen in any multiplayer title. Balancing teams seems to be an issue, as well as class balancing. The game hasn't progressed much at all over the course of two years, and is currently one of the most disappointing releases i've come across.An overly ambitious game overshadowed by it's business model, this game comes with one-color graphics hues and one of the worst matchmaking queues i've seen in any multiplayer title. Balancing teams seems to be an issue, as well as class balancing. The game hasn't progressed much at all over the course of two years, and is currently one of the most disappointing releases i've come across. Pretty generic music, only 4-6 basic maps, and a convoluted HUD/UI setup sealed the deal for me in ignoring their abhorrent title. 38/100… Expand
  73. alla0222
    Mar 21, 2014
    8
    i think this game is fun and i would like to think its really fun to play with friends. i do not think this game is a pay to win because the robots you can use at first are not at all bad. they are in fact really good. fun game. deserves a chance
  74. dsj556
    Mar 9, 2014
    6
    This is probably the most accurate game to "mechwarrior" style games. The controls are very easy to use and the brief tutorial explains everything very well.

    Graphics:9.5 very good as is expected with modern games My only complaints are that this game has no single player mode and that it suffers from the pay to play function. I would have been willing to pay actual money for this    This is probably the most accurate game to "mechwarrior" style games. The controls are very easy to use and the brief tutorial explains everything very well.

    Graphics:9.5 very good as is expected with modern games

    My only complaints are that this game has no single player mode and that it suffers from the pay to play function. I would have been willing to pay actual money for this game but the in game purchases really make me not want to play it at all. Yes you can still seemingly unlock everything without paying for it but just the fact that it is in the game really kills it for me. I know this is the direction that games are heading and I wouldn't be surprised to get to the point where you can respawn for just .99 but I will not be playing games like that.

    Anyways this game is very good if you want a mech combat experience for free but be advised that there are some pay to unlock areas.    … Expand
  75. Varaxis
    Jul 31, 2014
    5
    I felt immediately comfortable playing Hawken, since I like Tribes and Halo style play. The jumpjets and the amount of HP mechs have, takes the emphasis off of snap and reaction skills out and opens the door to tactical and strategic skills. You don't have to collect stronger weapons nor power-ups like armor, so skirmishes tend to be fair fights. The game modes are interesting, taking aI felt immediately comfortable playing Hawken, since I like Tribes and Halo style play. The jumpjets and the amount of HP mechs have, takes the emphasis off of snap and reaction skills out and opens the door to tactical and strategic skills. You don't have to collect stronger weapons nor power-ups like armor, so skirmishes tend to be fair fights. The game modes are interesting, taking a game or two to learn the unfamiliar ones like Missile Assault and Siege, and are regularly played.

    There seems to be some personal matchmaking rating that matches you with those near your skill level, but for me it seemed to have cut down the # of available games down a lot. There doesn't seem to be too many online to find a decent game where one team doesn't outnumbers the other, I wind up having to go to another server, US East, to find them. Balanced games seem to be uncommon and leavers are not really punished in any way except for counting under their "Abandoned Games" stat figure. Unreal engine dodging in this game can be ridiculous with how some light mechs can do their dashes in the air with very short cooldown. Maps are few and the amount of cheap destructible stuff on many maps is a bit excessive. There are a few mechs that are too similar to others, creating a grind of an experience on them.

    The game's free to play, but they obviously are trying to make money. Every time you start up the game, you must stare at a sponsor billboard screen for 5 seconds, unable to skip or alt-tab to wait it out. The upgrades and unlocks in game are so numerous and expensive that you'd need to spend well over 100 hours to unlock them using credits earned from playing only. It took me on average 20 game wins to afford something, games which last 10-30 mins each.

    The game's plagued by some bugs, such as items getting planted/embedded into the ground making finding and aiming at them hard. You can get stuck on some things like under energy lifters, on trees, or whatever. There's also hackers that use aimbot and move speed enhancements ruining games.

    Overall, I do not regret uninstalling the game, though I did not regret the bit of fun I had playing it. I just wore through the fun of learning the mechanics of mastering weapons, aiming, dodging, flying and navigating through the map, and various game modes. It just eventually turned into a grind, a time sink, once I started focusing on the unlocks, instead of my performance. Friends moving on to other things didn't get me to move on, but I did play less and have less fun, and frustration with terrible team balance and hackers were the final straw to get me to kick this to the curb.    … Expand
  76. AlienSpaceBats
    Jun 24, 2014
    7
    2014: Hawken arrives on Steam. I've been playing since closed beta, and seen the game come a long way - in it's current state, it's awesome fun, especially with friends, but in the long-term, once I reached an apex (winning matches most of the time, completed the PvE arenas) I didn't see much reason to persevere.
  77. ogower
    Aug 24, 2014
    3
    This game COULD be great. It is quite a lightweight shooter but the scenery and mechs are impressive and it can be a lot of fun. However, there are some quite major problems. Key to this is an almost invisible development team. Compounding a recent lack of new content and development and the fact that this has been beta/early access for a long time is the lack of any recent updateThis game COULD be great. It is quite a lightweight shooter but the scenery and mechs are impressive and it can be a lot of fun. However, there are some quite major problems. Key to this is an almost invisible development team. Compounding a recent lack of new content and development and the fact that this has been beta/early access for a long time is the lack of any recent update from the dev team. On top of this are some very annoying mechanics, such as the increasing reliance on twitch reflexes making this a game dominated by younger players, the fact that spending money does give you an edge on internals and equipment that can really help (so partial pay to win), the lack of mechs and weapons countered by quite a long grind with an overpriced premium model to help if you want to, a matchmaker that either keeps you waiting forever or dumps you in a match that is already lost and game modes that have no tutorial leading to slower players wandering around trying to play deathmatch and losing the game for their team. This game could rate higher but the missed opportunities, p2w mechanic and invisible devs lead to a lower score.… Expand
  78. Salient0ne
    Dec 24, 2017
    5
    Looks like i never updated this review, this game's matchmaking kills it after awhile. Before long there were so few players you had to play against guys 30-50 levels highers than you. Had no chance to win. Well it's dead now, and thats a big part of why.
  79. Wildtaz32
    Mar 27, 2014
    10
    What an amazing FP2 game!
    I have not had this much fun since Halo2 multi-player (was my first online FPS expeirence) and my Unreal Tournemant days.
    I and my RL friend logged in last night Qued up for a match and it was ON after that! :-). We actually lost track of time because we were having so much fun. I have read a few reviews saying it has a P2W model, I dont see it my self. Sure    What an amazing FP2 game!
    I have not had this much fun since Halo2 multi-player (was my first online FPS expeirence) and my Unreal Tournemant days.
    I and my RL friend logged in last night Qued up for a match and it was ON after that! :-). We actually lost track of time because we were having so much fun.

    I have read a few reviews saying it has a P2W model, I dont see it my self. Sure Players can get gear/items/mechs quicker by buying Meteor Credit/MC, but you can earn enough Hawken Credits/HC(free in game currency by playing) at a decent rate that playing a handful of matches will net you your first mech in no time.

    And like any other online match making game you can come across different level of skilled players across the board, so ya at times you mite get your a$$ handed to you and visa versa.
    So what are you waiting for DL Hawken and come join the Fun! its FREE! :-)

    I also love that they put in Training:Team Death Match (AI bots and you), to get accustomed to the controls scheme(s) of piloting. That way when ya hit a live match you have a decent understanding of them...instead of the "Oh S**t"what buttons do what in the middle of a fire fight.    … Expand
  80. DannySwish
    Jun 20, 2014
    8
    For me, Hawken is a great game to jump into for a few rounds with a friend. The controls and gameplay flow well. Having skill actually makes a difference."Fun" is the easiest way to describe the game, and considering it's free to play, there's no reason why anybody shouldn't give it a go.
  81. mijxero
    Feb 7, 2015
    7
    I am generally terrible at FPS games and do not play them a lot. This game has a large variation of mech types and the combat is fun and with the ability to take a few hits and heal between fights it adds a tactical element. I have played for a little bit and find the f2p model to be very similar to LoL where you can't really buy wins. I haven't spent a dime and ranked in the top threeI am generally terrible at FPS games and do not play them a lot. This game has a large variation of mech types and the combat is fun and with the ability to take a few hits and heal between fights it adds a tactical element. I have played for a little bit and find the f2p model to be very similar to LoL where you can't really buy wins. I haven't spent a dime and ranked in the top three of some matches using the standard starter mech.… Expand
  82. Hirron
    Apr 6, 2014
    10
    Overall a great game for free. On the surface it may seem chaotic but once you get used to strafe, flying and avoiding fire you get a very fun game. The health : damage ratio is similar to that of league of legends. In a game of 8 players it is important to play with your team otherwise you will be pretty much insta killed by 3 mechs vs one.

    For anyone whom claims that it is P2P. The    Overall a great game for free. On the surface it may seem chaotic but once you get used to strafe, flying and avoiding fire you get a very fun game. The health : damage ratio is similar to that of league of legends. In a game of 8 players it is important to play with your team otherwise you will be pretty much insta killed by 3 mechs vs one.

    For anyone whom claims that it is P2P. The initial mech is perhaps one of the better ones in the game. It has good mobility, good damage, a great side weapon and the cooldown works to protect from the punishing mechanic of overheating (If you still overheat again within 30 seconds you really have a problem)    … Expand
  83. Irregulator
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    Extremely good mech game for being free to play. Very good visuals, fair customization, a bit of grinding; however, the game is not pay to win as it does come down to skill: I was pwning face with my unaltered starter mech. The combat is a lot of fun and there are many little nuances and tricks that make close combat quite exciting and interesting indeed.
  84. Justin417
    Mar 14, 2014
    9
    Great gameplay, fun maps, what more could you ask from a free to play? The gameplay is very enjoyable. XP is easy to gain. If your not a person who enjoys very fast paced gameplay, then I woulden't suggest this. Otherwise, its an amazing game and I would suggest it to anyone!
  85. kirina
    Mar 16, 2014
    9
    まだクランシステムがありませんが、面白い内容になってます。
    Steam移行後も順調に日本人が増えていますので、これからに期待できるロボゲーとなりそうです。
    Hawken is good game !
  86. Thwoomp
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    This game is everything you could want from a f2p mech game. It is not perfect, but it is terrific considering the cost. A lot of the negativity of it being expensive or grind-heavy is not completely true. To earn the most expensive mechs it could take a while, but earning the 3 or 4 which are only 3800~ Hawken Credits is pretty quick. I earned 3 of them in a week, and they are veryThis game is everything you could want from a f2p mech game. It is not perfect, but it is terrific considering the cost. A lot of the negativity of it being expensive or grind-heavy is not completely true. To earn the most expensive mechs it could take a while, but earning the 3 or 4 which are only 3800~ Hawken Credits is pretty quick. I earned 3 of them in a week, and they are very competitive. Compared to League of Legends, that was very quick indeed. I think some people might have trouble adjusting to the gameplay quickly, but that is part of the appeal to me: mechanically, it is incredibly unique for an fps. The mechs in general are quite tanky, so extended skirmishes and epic strafing battles are the name of the game. You have to get used to having the endurance to fight a 30+ second duel, all the while carefully managing your weapon heat, your cooldowns and your gas tank. In games such as CoD or CS:GO, if you position poorly you can get headshotted from across the map and be dead instantly. I like that in Hawken you really have to work to get every kill. This might be a personal preference, but I find it a refreshing change from the tried and true fps model. The one criticism I can agree with is that the replay value of the game does suffer from the lack of maps and modes. Siege mode is not balanced very well, with brutal stomps happening in probably 60-70% of all games. Missile assault usually ends up in pretty close games, but is honestly pretty annoying as it is a sort of musical chairs of capturing and losing points over and over. Team deathmatch is very balanced and is of course good old-fashioned fun, but it does get old after awhile. I wish they had a more subtle and teamwork-heavy objective oriented game, similar to the awesomeness that is the de series of maps in Counter-Strike. It would be even more enjoyable if they instituted some sort of rank queue or leader-board, to encourage you to improve your skills in the game. I do get better all the time, but stomping in deathmatch is not as fun as it would be to climb ladder and continually face tougher opponents. There is an MMR-esque system supposedly, but it has not impacted my experience much. Anyways, loads of fun and awesome gameplay for the value, but there is a limit in terms of replayability.… Expand
  87. reveler
    Mar 23, 2014
    9
    Combat is fast and the experiences are highly varied. Mechs come in loose categories -- Light, Medium, and Heavy -- with variation within each class. The fastest Heavy is quicker than the slowest Medium, etc., and each mech is designed for a particular role. I've enjoyed the feel of heavies ("fatties") for the power that they wield while still having decent access to the dodging mechanicsCombat is fast and the experiences are highly varied. Mechs come in loose categories -- Light, Medium, and Heavy -- with variation within each class. The fastest Heavy is quicker than the slowest Medium, etc., and each mech is designed for a particular role. I've enjoyed the feel of heavies ("fatties") for the power that they wield while still having decent access to the dodging mechanics of smaller mechs. It means I can take a rocket for a smaller mech on my team, and feel good about it. I mention my own style because the best part of Hawken so far was finding that "right" feeling. I never paid for the mechs that I got, access to them was never limited, and I ended up with what I wanted. Four hours in and I felt like I was at max level (but definitely wasn't there yet). 10/10 for being 100% F2P. It's one thing to find a good game, another thing to find a good developer who wants you to have a good experience.

    Combat for newbies seems like a mysterious thing. It's decided more by positioning and teamwork than things like your ability to aim and click quickly (looking at you, CoD). Skirmishes are extended by better players, lasting minutes each until there's nothing but a constant stream of combat across the map. It's that kind of energy and strategy that keeps me going. I feel like a part of a team and know that our success depends on my ability to support those around me. The items you can deploy deepen combat roles and increase reliance on the team. The only negative, I would say, is poor team balancing, which can make certain losses utterly depressing. Combat gets a 8.5/10 for its energy, team dynamics, and the occasional soul-crushing, life-altering, mind-blowing defeat (seriously, fix the autobalance, guys).

    Customization is limited by design. There's no way of actually increasing the "power" of a mech. Weapons, mechs, and loadouts are balanced. They serve mostly to put you in a certain role, which will hopefully give you what you want out of the experience. What limits the experience, then, is the fact that you must grind to get enough credits to buy new items or weapons. If someone buys a mech that isn't for them, no amount of custom options will make it right for them, and the grind repeats. (It's the same as any other game in that sense. You must be careful with your credits. Each mech has its own category of usefulness, extended by custom options, but not changed by them. Do not buy a Sharpshooter and expect to walk up to Brawlers and blow them away. That is literally never going to happen.

    Visual appearance can only be changed through "Meteor Credits" which cost actual cash, and things like paint jobs are purchased for one mech at a time. Like in real life or something similarly crazy, painting one car with tiger stripes doesn't give the other car tiger stripes. I'm fine with this system, but it ruffles the feathers of some players. Customization gets a lowly 6.5/10 from me. The fairness of the system is what makes it so great; its limitations are what make it small and seemingly unimportant.

    Overall, I'm ranking Hawken slightly higher than I feel it needs (as an Early Access game, an honest score should be about an 8.0) since some of the reviews on here seem shockingly unaware of how to, you know, play the game. Aren't you supposed to play something before you review it? I also give a slightly higher review due to the fact that Hawken has given me a prospect of a game that can be improved. I'm excited for everything they change, anything they talk about adding, anything and everything new, even if I won't go for it myself. It plays like a game with a great future ahead. For my personal experiences so far, potential for dozens of additional hours of free gameplay, and high expectations for the future, Hawken gets a glorious 9.0/10.    … Expand
  88. CyberPvnk
    Mar 27, 2014
    9
    Hawken, a F2P game in Beta is really well done. Think MechWarrior Online with a simpler control scheme and very fluid mechanics. With fast paced matches, multi tier maps and the ability to repair yourself at any time (if you dare expose yourself long enough for your repair droids to do it) it can be a real blast.

    When you first start, the tutorial system is quick but thorough, taking    Hawken, a F2P game in Beta is really well done. Think MechWarrior Online with a simpler control scheme and very fluid mechanics. With fast paced matches, multi tier maps and the ability to repair yourself at any time (if you dare expose yourself long enough for your repair droids to do it) it can be a real blast.

    When you first start, the tutorial system is quick but thorough, taking you through the basics and allowing you to get a feel for the game before diving into online matches. One drawback is the tutorial AI is a little too easy, a request I have made on the suggestion forums is to up the AI in later tutorial team deathmatch modes so the jump to MP is not such a large spike in difficulty.

    With Hawken being in Beta and many patches to come, I look forward to the future for this game. Just typing this review, my trigger fingers are itching to get back in my mech and send rounds downrange.

    Great fun and F2P, so why not strap in a 200 ton behemoth and have some fun?    … Expand
  89. Slashdash07
    Apr 25, 2014
    7
    I like the game, but it's very hard to get into. I just started playing today, but I kept dying way too easily. I know you're supposed to keep playing to level up, but the game doesn't have a way to get you into games with people near your level. It's very annoying when someone who is level 50 is against someone who is level 3. All in all, the game is very well put together and isI like the game, but it's very hard to get into. I just started playing today, but I kept dying way too easily. I know you're supposed to keep playing to level up, but the game doesn't have a way to get you into games with people near your level. It's very annoying when someone who is level 50 is against someone who is level 3. All in all, the game is very well put together and is extremely fun.… Expand
  90. ZoroCleave
    Apr 12, 2014
    9
    Nice pvp game , lately the game is constantly evolving , donate for a successful game, do not need. Mech feels good , especially for the shooter , this game not Mechwarrior it is not a mech simulator , this shooter.
  91. FreezingProgram
    Apr 17, 2014
    8
    Ignore the Critic score this game is great! It has many gamemodes and is actually comparable to Titanfall there is one problem with this game though it is repetitive. The graphics are pretty good even if you turn them down to low. This game seems very underrated by Critics which I am quite disappointed by. It also has quite a few maps which I am pleased with.
    Overall I give this game an    Ignore the Critic score this game is great! It has many gamemodes and is actually comparable to Titanfall there is one problem with this game though it is repetitive. The graphics are pretty good even if you turn them down to low. This game seems very underrated by Critics which I am quite disappointed by. It also has quite a few maps which I am pleased with.
    Overall I give this game an 8/10 since it has good gamemodes and has quite a few maps.    … Expand
  92. KillerWasp
    May 1, 2014
    10
    Listen i hear a lot of complaints about "pay to win" issues, but really its not, most things can be unlocked through game play. Plus skill is a major factor in the low scores, this is not a plunge into game... this is for experienced PVP FPS players. I understand the matchmaking is bad but that's about it. The mechs are cheaper than weapons and ad-ons making new mechs available quickly andListen i hear a lot of complaints about "pay to win" issues, but really its not, most things can be unlocked through game play. Plus skill is a major factor in the low scores, this is not a plunge into game... this is for experienced PVP FPS players. I understand the matchmaking is bad but that's about it. The mechs are cheaper than weapons and ad-ons making new mechs available quickly and finding the mech that fits you best is easy. no offence but the people that rated low scores on this excellent game are ungrateful and unexperienced for great free to play games.… Expand
  93. pongkrit03
    Apr 30, 2014
    9
    ็Hawken is a great mech game so far. You cannot play like other FPS game though; This game very much requires you to play with team. In order to win, you need to stick to your team and also know when to commit the attack and when to back off. It is as if you are playing Dot A, every mech has its role. Heavy mech is for tank and support, while light mech is for pursue and kill nearly died็Hawken is a great mech game so far. You cannot play like other FPS game though; This game very much requires you to play with team. In order to win, you need to stick to your team and also know when to commit the attack and when to back off. It is as if you are playing Dot A, every mech has its role. Heavy mech is for tank and support, while light mech is for pursue and kill nearly died enemy. Sniper role is not for kill but for support the front line in the back, let assault team do their job easier. If you like soloing, this game may not suit you. It is very hard to fight 2 mech alone, we like to flank and kill enemy that comes alone, so don't do it. If you have the right mind set, the game will be very much fun.

    Game play is fantastic. Mech feels slow but fast at the same time. You need to learn how to play first. It will require you some time to understand to mechanic, then it will be super fun. There are many mechs for you to choose, many upgrades and many items available so that you can create your own unique mech which suits your play style. The game has matchmaking so that you can play with the guys who are same lv as you, however it is not perfect yet and the lv of player may not correctly indicate player's skill. All maps are well designed as well. They are very complicated for your first time play but each map is unique and has many strategies to play out.

    Graphic is good, not the best but if you consider that it needs only 3 GB to install, it is good enough. All Mechs are well designed. Sounds are good as well.

    Most importantly, it is free to play. There is no reason for you to not to try this game if you are into FPS game. This game does not force you to pay. Most items that need to buy with real money are the decorations for your mech.

    In sum, I gives this game 9 of out 10. It is a must try for everyone who love FPS game. If this game has single player and nice story, it will be perfect    … Expand
  94. SamEureka
    May 18, 2014
    10
    HAWKEN is one of the best games I've played. I am relatively new to the game (3/2014) and I think many of the issues associated with the negative reviews, have been fixed. Matchmaking and the 'pay to win' issues don't seem to be there for me. The graphics and new game modes are amazing in my opinion. I've spent close to 200 hours playing... its that good!! (and I don't have a life)

    The    HAWKEN is one of the best games I've played. I am relatively new to the game (3/2014) and I think many of the issues associated with the negative reviews, have been fixed. Matchmaking and the 'pay to win' issues don't seem to be there for me. The graphics and new game modes are amazing in my opinion. I've spent close to 200 hours playing... its that good!! (and I don't have a life)

    The game isn't without flaws... its still in BETA so there are some issues with bugs and occasional lag problems. Sometimes an update (monthly) will degrade the gameplay. But in my experience the devs are responsive to fixing those problems fast with a patch. (within a day or two)

    I've been generally impressed with the player community so far. There is way more positive interaction than most competitive multiplayer games. More often than not, negative players are shamed into leaving. I'm older than most players and appreciate a little civility in my gaming.

    The bottom line for me... its a FREE game... and it's really fun.... win win!    … Expand
  95. fastest7
    May 30, 2014
    10
    this is the best game....u wanna play any fast paced action game with non stop multiplayer stuff...this is it...try it ..play it..and i bet u r going to love it and never going to stop playing..good luck..moreover..its free to play..go enjoy.....
  96. KidKira149
    Jun 11, 2014
    8
    All I can really say is: if you can't play Titanfall, yet, just play Hawken.
    ...Oh, all right! Ignoring the generic, uninspired setting, I like to think of Hawken as Battlebots with Mechs. You and your friends have giant mechs, you enemies have giant mechs. Together, you duke it out: Country and City. It's a battle to determine who has ALL TEH POWAH!
    ...If I unprofessional with this    All I can really say is: if you can't play Titanfall, yet, just play Hawken.
    ...Oh, all right! Ignoring the generic, uninspired setting, I like to think of Hawken as Battlebots with Mechs. You and your friends have giant mechs, you enemies have giant mechs. Together, you duke it out: Country and City. It's a battle to determine who has ALL TEH POWAH!
    ...If I unprofessional with this "review", it's only because, so far, I can't find any flaws with this game.., except the unoriginal story, of course.    … Expand
  97. enonoid
    Jun 29, 2014
    9
    Addicting, Fast Paced, and sweet graphics. The free to play / level up element does feel balanced. And In game you have the choice to buy better mods, mechs. But is does not feel like a "pay to win" environment. The game is awarding in every way. After "almost" every match of 10 you get rewards in the form of, upgrades, emblems, xp, and cash.

    You have two sorts of cash, one you earn in    Addicting, Fast Paced, and sweet graphics. The free to play / level up element does feel balanced. And In game you have the choice to buy better mods, mechs. But is does not feel like a "pay to win" environment. The game is awarding in every way. After "almost" every match of 10 you get rewards in the form of, upgrades, emblems, xp, and cash.

    You have two sorts of cash, one you earn in game bij completing matches. And cash you buy..
    With the cash you can buy upgrades, mechs, cosmetics that are bigger and better. But still the game feels balanced.

    All in all, I love this game    … Expand
  98. DexterZA
    Jul 2, 2014
    8
    Great, fast paced action - excellent feeling of controlling a mech weapons a little on the crappy side though. Takes an age to unlock some of the better mechs though so patience and lots of playtime is a must - that is unless you have a nice fat credit card...and yes, you will run into some of the credit card mechs, and yes, they will kick your noob ass :)
  99. Chocksa
    Jul 23, 2014
    9
    I love this game. The payment system in this game is what all f2p games should have. You can get everything that affects gameplay for currency you grind for in game. These items can also be unlocked with real money. Only things you can only buy with real money are purely cosmetic items that don't affect gameplay.

    The action in this game is fast paced and the initial learning curve is    I love this game. The payment system in this game is what all f2p games should have. You can get everything that affects gameplay for currency you grind for in game. These items can also be unlocked with real money. Only things you can only buy with real money are purely cosmetic items that don't affect gameplay.

    The action in this game is fast paced and the initial learning curve is not really high. The starting mech every new pilot gets is verry forgiving and still a viable choice later in the game.

    There is a impressive support for this game from the community. Most ppl buy the meteor credits (which is the currency used in game that can be bought with real money) because they want to see this game succeed. This is certainly the case for me.

    The only thing i am missing is mech customization wich has been removed in beta in favor of better game balance.

    I love this game and will probably continue playing this game for a long time.    … Expand
  100. Westord
    Mar 19, 2015
    7
    generally fun but there's too much grind unless you're actually spending money. the recruit mech does often place top, but which mechs actually do well seems almost random, where a medium-short range combat mech like the assault or crt recruit, and others where a medium long range mech like the reaper does best. now this is influenced by the other player mech types, but a lot of it is the map.
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Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
37
#37 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Aug 1, 2013
    70
    Hawken shows that piloting a mech doesn't have to be a complex task, and it gets players straight into the action. [Aug 2013, p.92]
  2. GameStar
    Jul 1, 2013
    76
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
  3. games(TM)
    Jun 25, 2013
    70
    Very ambitious, but we’d urge them to concentrate on the game; with poor matchmaking, few maps, overly simple game modes and a limited free game, players might not stick around. And that would be a shame.
    Read full review
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