Mekkablood: Quarry Assault – A Love Letter to Classic Boomer Shooters

If you enjoy independent indie game coverage, consider supporting Indie-Games.eu on Patreon. It helps keep the site independent.

• Developer: KRUMB Games
• Publisher: Judatone Studios
• Platforms: PC
• Genre: Boomer Shooter
• Release Date: January 20, 2024
• Initial Price: 14.79€
• Reviewed Version: PC

Ah, January, a month packed with boomer shooters that will devour hours of your life. Next on our list is Mekkablood: Quarry Assault, a retro-inspired FPS that blends mechanized robot combat with the fast pace of ’90s shooters. Set in a dark future driven by resource exploitation, the game captures the nostalgic charm of that era while introducing unique elements, including a relatable protagonist and a quirky narrative.

The game’s story is refreshingly offbeat, following Bill, a former robot trucker, as he fights to save his girlfriend and retrieve his stolen action figures from the relentless TorxCorp. Backed by his grounded yet loyal friend, Rustry, Bill’s adventure combines humor, charm, and a dose of nostalgia. The narrative playfully leans into typical genre clichés, offering a more lighthearted approach to the traditionally serious mech formula. Although the story is quite simple, the humor and colorful characters provide a memorable framework for the game’s action.

The Beginning is Strong, but the Ending Feels Unfinished

I decided to set aside the controversies surrounding the use of Generative AI in the game (which is clearly marked on Steam due to their policy) and immediately dive into the gameplay. There are a few elements that stand out and are worth highlighting. The cockpit of your mech is incredibly detailed, cluttered with small messes, food scraps, functional monitors, action figures on the edges, and countless buttons. You can even see Bill’s hands moving as you pilot the mech. Practical elements, like the boost duration indicator and the rear-view camera, are perfectly integrated into the design. The User Interface (UI) is clean and simple, never cluttered, which is a big plus.

However, the cockpit occupies a significant portion of the screen, limiting the view of the outside world. This wasn’t a major issue for me; in fact, it increased the sense of immersion, as I truly felt like I was sitting inside the mech. It provided a unique perspective where you constantly have to balance your focus between monitoring the cockpit and watching the action outside.

But my biggest complaint concerns the weapon design. While the game offers a variety of weapons, including shotguns, rocket launchers, and plasma rifles, the feel is quite underwhelming. The weapons look too small and lack a powerful impact, which diminishes the overall combat experience. I expected something more dynamic, like side-mounted mini-guns that would convey the mech’s raw power, but the weapon design failed to deliver that feeling.

The main reason for this lack of impact lies in the minimal animation. Most weapons don’t clearly show the projectile being fired, and even those that do have barely noticeable visuals in the chaotic action. The same is true for enemies; their projectiles are barely visible, making it hard to track attacks. In most fights, you are left guessing where to dodge, relying on instinct rather than visual feedback. This minimal animation detracts from the dynamic combat experience that could have elevated the game to a higher level.

Overly Repetitive Gameplay

That part of the game could have been better—it’s not awful, but it’s just not good enough. The shooting often feels like you’re firing into the void, with no sense of impact or satisfaction. Another aspect that quickly loses its appeal is the enemy variety. Whether it’s the flying foes or the ground-based ones chasing you, they quickly become too repetitive and don’t pose a real threat. Most of my deaths were due to environmental traps, like lasers or crushers, while I was trying to figure out how to bypass them, not because of the enemies. Even when surrounded by a horde of opponents, you can overcome them with relative ease.

The game is also in desperate need of proper boss fights. While there are enemies that could technically qualify as bosses due to larger health pools and stronger attacks, they don’t differ enough from ordinary enemies. There’s a lack of anticipation or spectacle, which means these encounters leave no memorable impression.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. This title delivers something unique, the charm of playing boomer shooters that takes you back to nostalgic times. These aren’t just randomly thrown together assets and content without direction. The game has a beginning and an end, and it’s up to you to decide how you experience it. It’s difficult to satisfy everyone, especially since boomer shooters have a diverse player base, but what Mekkablood excels at is providing a simple and intuitive approach to combat. The basics are easy to master, and once you do, destroying everything in your path becomes extremely satisfying.

The levels are another big disappointment. Dull and uninspired, they fail to utilize the unique opportunities a mech-focused game could offer. The environments lack distinctive features or creative challenges, making progression monotonous. Every room feels similar, and it’s difficult to find the hidden zones where collectibles like the action figures might be placed. The atmosphere rarely changes, and while the outdoor areas were more fun than the indoor ones, the overall similarity in content makes long-term engagement difficult.

Final Thoughts

On the positive side, the retro-inspired visual aesthetic successfully balances detail and nostalgia. The mechs are excellently designed, with clear references to classics like Gundam and MechWarrior. However, the audio design leaves a lot of room for improvement. The sounds of weapons and explosions fail to convey the sense of power of piloting a massive mech; they feel muffled and lack impact. While the music complements the retro aesthetic and suits the game’s tone, it’s not particularly memorable or lasting.

Mekkablood: Quarry Assault is a solid attempt to merge retro FPS mechanics with mech combat. The humorous story and nostalgic echoes of classics make it an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre. However, the flawed level design, the combat that lacks real impact, and the shortage of depth prevent it from fully realizing its potential. While the game is good enough, those with high expectations might be left a bit disappointed.

In the end, Mekkablood: Quarry Assault succeeds in delivering the retro charm of classic mech shooters but stumbles in providing the impact and variety that made those games unforgettable. If you are a fan of the genre, it’s worth a try, but don’t expect it to overshadow the classics.

Review copy provided by the publisher