Gundam Rogue Orbit Could Be the Next Great Mech-Action Game

Bandai Namco's new spin on the Gundam franchise is going big on style. Gundam Rogue Orbit is a high-mobility action game that is meant to be a new entry point for players, thanks to a new setting that doesn't require familiarity with five decades of Gundam lore. After playing a build of Rogue Orbit at Tokyo Game Show this week, it's also clear that the new Gundam game doesn't require hardcore action game expertise; it's a surprisingly friendly action game, not an overly challenging Soulslike.

The initial reveal of Gundam Rogue Orbit drew comparisons to action-focused series like Armored Core, Monster Hunter, and Devil May Cry. After playing the game, those comparisons felt apt in certain ways, but Rogue Orbit does not feel as immediately challenging as, say, 2023's Armored Core 6. Rogue Orbit's action feels much more melee-focused, with flashy sword, lance, and "whip sword" attacks that hit with the panache of a DMC game.

In short, Gundam Rogue Orbit feels fun, flashy, and often a little button-mashy. The game is not punishing when it comes to combat, nor is it overly restrictive in governing movement and attacks. Yes, your Gundam can temporarily overheat by boosting or shooting too quickly, but rarely did I feel like I was overextending my mobile suit.

What is Gundam Rogue Orbit about?

Gundam Rogue Orbit casts players as RE-X, the pilot of the Gundam Helix. Alongside his Haro companion Vii, RE-X and the Helix take on hordes of invasive alien creatures called Apocalypse. The Helix is well-outfitted to handle the threat. In the build playable at TGS, three assemblies were available: Assault Sword, which had a lock-on Anchor skill that attached the Helix to enemies; Whip Sword, which offered a close-range sword attack and an extended whip for longer range; and Sword Lance, which focused on thrust attacks to attack mid-range and keep enemies at a distance.

Image: Bandai Namco Studios/Bandai Namco, Sunrise

Each build has its own Tactical Skills and AP Units. Tactical Skills are powerful attacks that can be deployed in dramatic fashion, filling the screen with beams, explosions, or frenetic melee attacks. (There's also the Tactical Move, which is a high-speed movement ability used to evade enemy attacks and flank them.) AP Units are more limited, but offer special abilities like deployable shields. Pilots can equip two AP-U at any time.

Like any good character-action game, Gundam Rogue Orbit offers an even more powerful layer of combat skills called Over-Rise. Once pilots fill the gauge by attacking enemies, they can deploy Over-Rise to power up basic attacks and automatically evade enemy attacks for a brief period. Additionally, Over-Rise can be activated and burned — a move called AP Unit Burst — for an ultimate attack. Imagine a screen completely filled with energy blasts all focused on a single enemy, and you'll understand the destructive power of this overpowered ability.

Image: Bandai Namco

Gundam Rogue Orbit promises high levels of mobile suit customization, both tactical and visual, and the potential depth here is intriguing. Unfortunately, the Tokyo Game Show demo limited me to pre-built assemblies, but mech game enthusiasts appear to have plenty to tweak and toy with in Gundam Rogue Orbit.

Fortunately, we won't have to wait long to see if Bandai Namco's action-focused Gundam spinoff will set a new standard for mech games: Gundam Rogue Orbit is slated for release on March 5, 2027. The game is in development for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.