Mechstermination Force

Mechstermination Force is the most consistently fun 2D boss rush game I’ve ever played, and yes that includes a certain other boss rush game launching on Switch later this month. Every encounter is unique and challenging but never unfair. Each boss is uniquely designed, and realized with an outstanding degree of care and attention. From the moment you boot Mechstermination Force, it is immediately fun, and that fun never stops. This is a gameplay loop distilled to its purest form, and it is an absolute joy.

If you happen to have the change to spare, do yourself a favor and recruit yourself into the war against the machines. It may not have the usually expected run-and-gun Metal Slug action to fill the gap between boss fights, but when those boss fights are this good it doesn’t really need them.

Mechstermination Force has a cutesy look but an unmistakably retro feel, and will speak to those who like to throw themselves at a challenge again and again until they understand it well enough to complete it blindfolded. The difficulty is balanced by some brilliant designs and an overall charming package that's much friendlier than the robots it houses.

Those small bumps aside, Mechstermination Force is absolutely wonderful. It presents a top-notch boss rush experience with fights that are exciting and memorable, the difficulty feels perfect, it doesn’t punish the player or feel mean-spirited, and it wraps up before it runs out of juice. Well done, Horberg Productions – this is absolutely superb stuff.

Mechstermination Force is the result of combining the boss structure of Cuphead with the shooting mechanics of Contra. An indie game that shows a great game design, with an excellent balanced challenge. You should't miss it.

Mechstermination Force isn’t the longest game, but that’s no negative, just an observation. There’s nothing wrong with cutting to the chase, and there’s also nothing wrong with a developer focusing on what a game does best as opposed to bolting on extraneous extras. This is a perfect example of all meat on the bone and no fat. It’s fun to imagine Mechstermination Force with actual platforming stages littered with baddies to blast, but ultimately it feels like Hörberg is a master at zeroing on in what best serves the games that he makes. The gauntlet of MegaMechs in Mechstermination Force sucks players in from the outset and never lets go. This is a must for any Switch owner.

This is one of those arcade titles that were so popular a few decades ago but they are very hard find now. A game as addictive as challenging.

Mechstermination Force is a terrific boss-rush adventure that grants a few hours of undisputed, frenetic, and fast-paced gunplay against gargantuan robotic titans. Climb up the legs and torsos of these mighty beasts and take back Earth. Up to two heroes can blast away these monsters to the backdrop of fantastic audio tracks, while using a plethora of the biggest and most damaging guns. The visuals look neat, and the action-heavy fights are pretty to look at. If one downside had to be mentioned, it's that this experience can be over pretty quick as there aren't a lot of MegaMechs to battle, and the three-star system used to replay previous battles doesn't feature any further incentive other than bragging rights.

If you are looking for another run ‘n gun boss rush game for Nintendo Switch, Mechstermination Force is definitely a great option and cements Hörberg Productions as one of the most consistently great Nindie developers. As the indie scene on Nintendo Switch gets more and more crowded, it is important to know which titles are worth your time.

Mechstermination Force is a fun and demanding game based entirely on boss rushes that will provide a series of tough and enjoyable moments to any players who are looking for a difficult but rewarding experience and to all those who are motivated to pursue a good challenge.

Mechstermination Force is a wonderful follow-up to Bertil Hörberg’s Gunman Clive series. While it can get a bit frustrating at times, the silly atmosphere and tough but entertaining gameplay make for a great time for those who want some simple, unadulterated fun.

Mechstermination Force is a surprise. An addictive, challenging and frenetic title with a wonderful design of enemies and a variety of situations that will delight fans of action games and platforms in 2D. Hörberg Productions is back.

Run 'n' gun fans who are intrigued with the idea of a collection of thrilling boss fights need to play Mechstermination Force.

Mechstermination Force is enjoyably challenging, reasonably cheap, and mildly humorous. That makes it a success in my book.

Mechstermination Force feels like Cuphead meets Shadow of the Colossus, and it's absolutely worth your time.

Mechstermination Force isn't a game for those easily frustrated; it requires a lot of patience. But beating a boss on the first try would never be fun. Only after losing again and again and nearly giving up but then whispering to yourself "one more go," should the boss's patterns be fully revealed.

If you're a fan of run and gun games like Contra or Metal Slug, Mechstermination Force really captures the essence of how tough those titles were, while pairing it with a modern look and a wild penchant for mech design. There's no easy mode.

While there were some very tense moments, and a few too many Try Again screens with too much swearing from myself, Mechstermination Force is fun. Boss battle games like this aren’t usually my kind of game, but with the Contra style run and gun style gameplay and inventive battles I was won over. If you like a challenge there’s plenty here to knock you around as you learn more each time. There’s easily a few hours in saving the world and for a good price too. It’s not without its flaws, but it doesn’t matter so much when it’s as fun as it is along the way.

If you played Contra back in the day and want an enhanced, distilled run through some bosses in that gameplay style, Mechstermination Force is an expertly-designed nostalgia exercise. Anyone else might find the game initially warm and approachable, but eventually turn it off out of sheer frustration.

With Cuphead just around the corner, we can’t help feeling sorry for Mechstermination Force. It's certainly less of a head-turner, but it's a more approachable take on boss rush platforming, with less of an emphasis on twitch-based, pixel-perfect precision. It's peppered with ingenious design and amusing writing and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with it. We'd recommend it as a more accessible alternative to (or appetiser for) Studio MDHR’s upcoming game. If you enjoyed Gunman Clive, this is a great expansion on the concept and well worth investigating.

I found some of the MegaMech abilities felt a bit cheap – bullets shouldn’t be able to travel through hard surfaces. There are over a dozen boss fights in Mechstermination Force, and we logged in over 5 hours playtime, which is a pretty decent value. If you’re looking for a challenge and a solid co-op game, then I can easily recommend Mechstermination Force.

Mechstermination Force hits the nail on the head gameplay-wise if you just want to spend some highly entertaining hours. It definitely lacks replay value, and the jumping and climbing leave to be desired, but overall this game is a refreshing take on the Run´n Gun formula.

The new work by Bertil Hörberg will keep you glued to the Switch screen thanks to its style and its adorable vintage look.

My complaints with Mechstermination Force are straightforward because that's really what the game is, a boss rush shoot-fest. If the stars align and you can find someone who really enjoys 2D shooters, give the game a go: even its fleeting joy is worth the entry ticket. Hell, it's worth it if you go alone, so long as your expectations are in check.

Even through my multiple gritted-teeth attempts at the battles, I loved figuring out the puzzle of how to take down each monstrous foe. Finally executing on your plan to defeat a boss you’ve been stuck on is beyond rewarding. Mechstermination Force is action packed and exciting, but hit-or-miss controls and a disappointing final boss prevent it from reaching its best form.

If you’re a fan of boss rush then you already know what you’re in for with Mechstermination Force. The difficulty is punishing, but the feeling of accomplishment after each victory makes it all worthwhile. Well, mostly.

Mechstermination Force feels like it comes very close to having a manageable learning curve. Quality-wise, it’s great, and a good homage to its boss-filled predecessors. However, there’s nothing more game-ruining than, you know, not being able to play the game. There’s hard, and then there’s hard hard, and then there’s Mechstermination Force. It can be done. It can be beaten. I just hope you have a spare hour or two for every boss, and some throat lozenges and ice water nearby.

The graphics are similar to games from that time period and the backgrounds, the bots, the players all look and feel really good.

An enjoyable companion piece to Cuphead, but despite some fantastic enemy designs the single-mindedness and lack of visual variety doesn’t have quite the same charm.

Mechstermination Force has solid gameplay and plenty of heart. It knows exactly what kind of game it wants to be, and it manages to stick the landing when it comes to addictive gameplay and rewarding progression. The lack of narrative flow between each fight, though, really hurts it. That emotional engagement with each boss you fight is sorely missed, and it’s that missing piece of the puzzle that prevents Mechstermination Force from being a truly excellent boss rush game.