Before you start reading my review, I have a confession to make. I have never seen an entire Gundam series to its completion. I like the series and what people do with Gunpla, so when Gundam Breaker 4 landed in our inbox, I thought, why not? And it has been a while since I played a Gundam game. And yes, it grew on me in the last few years. People can change, can’t they?
Gundam Breaker 4
So before we dive in, Gundam Breaker 4 is the sixth installment in the Gundam Breaker series by Bandai Namco, and it has been a while since the last Gundam mainline entry. Storywise, it’s a sequel, and the game’s story is set six years after the events of Gundam Breaker 3. The original Gunpla Battle Simulator has since evolved and made its way from the arcade scene to home devices such as Gunpla Battle Blaze: Beyond Borders (GBBBB, or GB4 for short). It reminded me a lot of the Mega Man Battle network idea. You take on the role of a newcomer participating in an open beta test of the game alongside their formed clan, consisting of a young newcomer named Tao, who specializes in SD gunpla, and Lin, a straightforward, aggressive fighter. The player’s reputation will grow during the story and begin attracting seasoned players’ attention. They will also meet veteran players from previous games, such as Ryusei Fudou and an older Misa Satsukino.
Gameplay
Gundam Breaker 4 takes the tried-and-true hack-and-slash formula of its predecessors. It cranks it up to eleven, maintaining that familiar fast-paced rogue-like action but with a more refined focus on combat fluidity and combo play. Building on the solid foundation of Gundam Breaker 3, this iteration emphasizes mastering long chains of attacks, rewarding players with combo ranks that affect everything from weapon cooldowns to item drop rates. And here’s the kicker—each arm can now wield two melee and ranged weapons, allowing you to create devastating custom combos that feel as personal as they are destructive. And to be fair, it’s not hard to get those S scores in the first few missions (so go all out!).
The combo system isn’t just there for flair. The longer you can keep those attacks going, the more buffs you’re stacking—whether it’s faster weapon recharges or better loot drops, you’re constantly pushing yourself to string together just one more hit. If that’s not enough, Break Combos now works alongside the combo gauge to drop even more stat buffs, making every fight a test of skill and endurance. D0, keep in mind that Gundam Breaker 4 isn’t the kind of game you play through once and call it a day. It’s a grind in the best way possible. You’ll find yourself constantly chasing higher levels, better parts, and that elusive upgrade material to strengthen your Gunpla. A big part of this grind involves replaying missions, often at higher difficulties, to carve off the parts you need—literally. One of the primary ways to gather new pieces is by hacking them off your enemies and claiming them as your own. Is it brutal? Yes. Is it fun to do? Yes. Are there other methods? Yes, by nailing an ‘S’ rank at the end of a mission. While the game doesn’t present too much of a challenge overall, scoring that top rank is usually a breeze, often achieved on your first run. Still, the motivation to replay is real, especially when you’re chasing those high-end parts.
I’ve played many Metroidvania and Souls likes, so I’m used to grinding for the correct item or material. And the game knows this as well. It allows you to skip the dialogue and dive headfirst into the action. And why not grind a bit? The game has over 250 different Gunpla kits. The game carries over the extensive roster of kits last featured in New Gundam Breaker alongside several new additions, some returning from Gundam Breaker Mobile. The constant stream of new parts, weapons, and customizations keeps pulling me back in, teasing what’s possible with each upgrade. Plus, the game throws in some variety to mix things up. Take Bounty Hunter mode, for example—it’s all about survival. Every player starts with a bounty; with each kill, that bounty rises, making you a bigger target. This high-stakes cat-and-mouse game adds a layer of strategy and intensity to the typical hack-and-slash gameplay.
Customization
Customization gets deeper this time, with the Ranged and Melee sections split into Left and Right tabs, introducing a new level of asymmetry to your builds. Can you handle dual blades on one arm and a bazooka on the other? Go for it. And for those who love the classics, don’t worry—two-handed swords still take up both slots, keeping the traditional powerhouses intact. Optional parts and builder functionality return from Gundam Breaker 3, but this time, they’re integrated more seamlessly into the game. OP Skills, reminiscent of EX Skills from earlier games, are now tied to the EX Gauge, giving you more flexibility in combat without the cooldown micromanagement. With enough bars, you can unleash devastating abilities back-to-back, making combat smoother and more dynamic.
For the customization fanatics, you’ll love the new texture and pattern options. Want your Gunpla to glow like it’s lit up from within? LED textures have you covered. And that’s not all—parts can now be resized, repositioned, and even stripped of specific components, and I always wanted to ditch the RX-78’s iconic V-fin or smooth out the Gouf Custom’s shoulder spikes. Now you can, with a level of detail that lets you craft your perfect Gunpla down to the finest detail. The Merge mechanic from Gundam Breaker 3 has been given a much-needed overhaul with the new Synthesize system. Combining parts is smoother, and while you can still cannibalize abilities, upgrading parts now requires specific plastic items known as Parts Evolve. Max out a part’s rarity to five stars, and not only do its abilities skyrocket, but any EX Skills attached to it will be Mastered, meaning they can be slotted into any future build. However, as a trade-off, the corresponding part temporarily shifts into a digital silhouette, a visual nod to the power you’ve just unlocked.
Conclusion
To conclude, Gundam Breaker 4 is a love letter to the series fans, taking everything that made the previous games tremendous and refining it for a new era of Gunpla enthusiasts. Get ready to break, build, and battle like never before. Just be prepared to put in a lot of hours without tweezers to assemble your Gunpla.
