Mechabellum Season 2 brings a square-jawed Sergeant specialist who’s definitely seen things no man should see

Imagine how a younger version of myself would react to the concept of game seasons. “Leave me alone, please. I’m busy replaying The Suffering 2 for the sixth time to see a new 15-second cutscene that recognizes which combination of morally aligned beginnings and endings I’ve picked. It reads your save from the first game and everything!”. Mention ‘memory card’ to a young Fortnite enthusiast with a broccoli-shaped hairstyle today. Go ahead, I challenge you. You’ll be in a retirement home before you know it.

Nevertheless, one real benefit of our current live-service inundation of fleeting novelties is the regular introduction of new features, constantly bombarding my eyes like carnival daggers at a spinning wheel. Especially when it comes to the strategic game Mechabellum. Season 2 was released yesterday alongside patch 1.2, introducing a new unit and specialist, some reworks, and various cosmetic items that I pretend not to care about but end up getting excited about when I unlock a new one.

The new unit introduced is the Raiden, a massive flyer that shoots three bolts of lightning simultaneously at different targets, specializing in fighting medium units. Additionally, there are updates for the Sabertooth (new model, new tech) and the Overlord, which is now described as “larger, stronger, and more expensive”. The Death Knell is a new, more intimidating version of the beloved large laser unit Melting Point, but is only available in the Brawl and Survival modes, which I tend not to play. A strategic thought I often have in Mechabellum when considering my formation is “it needs more firepower!”, so I may need to explore new tactics.

However, the highlight of the update is the new specialist, primarily due to the haunting appearance he carries from years of serving in the mechanized forever wars. The Intensive Training Expert starts with an extra 50 supplies in the first round and receives a free intensive training upgrade, which levels up a unit. In Mechabellum, a key aspect is deciding how much time to dedicate to catching up and countering your opponent’s power spikes, so I am curious to see how this troubled war veteran will impact gameplay.

Here is my review of Mechabellum, which I awarded the Bestest Best rating. The following paragraph encapsulates the essence of the game:

Its truest joys lie in wanton destruction; remarkably tactile for a game where not a single shell casing is expended without minutes passing between the trigger pull and the muzzle flare’s crescendo. Observing for vulnerabilities, applying just the right amount of pressure without overextending, and witnessing entire flanks crumble as meticulous planning pays off – planning that may appear as frantic flailing to your opponent. Having a small premonition vindicated as you decipher your opponent’s patterns and counter their strategy with a confident “not today, buddy” before they even execute it.

Fun robots are big. Big robots are fun.