M.A.S.S. Builder

I've spent enough time with build-order theory in strategy games to recognise when a game's real depth lives entirely in its pre-mission prep screen, and M.A.S.S. Builder fits that description almost perfectly. The hangar is the game. You are assembling a Mechanical Assault Skeleton Suit from over 38 distinct part slots, mixing and matching frames, engines, arms, legs, and weapons with a level of granularity that genuinely rivals dedicated mech-building sandboxes. Critically, cosmetic parts carry no stat penalties, meaning there is a clean separation between how your suit looks and how it performs. Heat management, mobility ratings, and weapon mounting points all shift depending on your choices, so every build decision has real mechanical weight. Once you take that build into a mission, the picture gets more complicated. Combat drops you into linear, gated stages against waves of alien Quarks, ranging from horde grunts to large boss-type units that regenerate shields and scatter constantly. Early on, you are limited to single-action rifles and basic melee, but progression unlocks gatling weapons, missile volleys, shotgun-spread launchers, dual-wielding options, and combo chains that add genuine rhythm to late-game fights. The Quantum Break Mode system, which triggers short-term stat boosts, and directional shielding are present, though both feel like they need more prominent tuning to fully shape how you approach a fight. Boss encounters in particular drew sustained community criticism for high HP thresholds, shield regeneration, and relentless grunt spawning, and the developers have publicly addressed these issues through post-launch patches with explicit goals around close-combat parity and boss fight pacing. The structural tension here is real: the gap between how extraordinary your mech can look and feel in the hangar versus how repetitive the stages can become in the field is the defining trade-off. Stage layouts are largely linear with minimal branching, target-lock switching can be clunky under pressure, and the 25-mission campaign moves at a pace that some players burn through quickly. The story, presented in visual novel cutscenes, has an interesting sci-fi premise around the Quark threat but is hampered by uneven localisation. There is also multiplayer and online co-op support, which adds replay value for players who want to run missions alongside friends in customised suits rather than solo. For who this actually works: if your instinct when given a part list is to open a separate window and plan synergies, you will lose considerable time here happily. The upgrade development tree has three separate categories with branching nodes, resources are earned by mission performance score, and blueprints for new parts drop in the field, giving a satisfying loop for optimisation-minded players. If you are coming primarily for deep action combat with tight mechanical skill expression, M.A.S.S. Builder will feel like a rough ride. The customisation is genuinely best-in-class for a game at this price tier. The combat is still catching up. Diego, Scout Team

Valve rates this game Steam Deck Playable. Playable on Linux with some workarounds. Based on 18 ProtonDB community reports.

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