GunBre 4 Reviews: Deck, Switch, PS5 Test

Gundam Breaker 4: A Deep Dive Review Across Platforms, Including a Steam Deck Perspective

Back in 2016, the Gundam Breaker series was a niche find for PS Vita enthusiasts. Fast forward to 2024, and Gundam Breaker 4's global, multi-platform release is a major event for Western fans. Having logged 60+ hours across various platforms, I can confidently say Gundam Breaker 4 is a fantastic entry, though not without a few minor hiccups.

This release is significant, marking a turning point for the series' Western accessibility. No more importing Asia English releases! Gundam Breaker 4 boasts dual audio (English and Japanese) and multiple subtitle options (EFIGS and more), a stark contrast to its predecessors. But how does the game itself fare across different platforms? This extended review will cover that, and even share my personal journey into Master Grade Gunpla building.

The narrative in Gundam Breaker 4 offers a mix of highs and lows. While some pre-mission dialogue felt protracted, the latter half delivers compelling character reveals and engaging conversations. Newcomers will find the game accessible, though the significance of certain characters might be lost without prior series experience. (Note: embargo restrictions limit my discussion to the first two chapters, which felt fairly straightforward.) Despite this, I grew fond of the main characters, with my personal favorites emerging later in the story.

However, the real star isn't the story. It's the unparalleled Gunpla customization. The depth is astonishing, allowing adjustments to individual parts (including left/right arm weapons and melee options), along with part scaling. This means you can even incorporate SD (super deformed) parts, creating truly unique and bizarre creations.

Beyond the core assembly categories, builder parts add further customization layers, some even offering unique skills. Combat utilizes EX and OP skills determined by parts and weapons, with ability cartridges (unlocked later) providing further stat manipulation.

Mission progression involves breaking parts, earning rewards, and accumulating materials for part upgrades and rarity increases. Each mission features a recommended part level, ensuring balanced difficulty. While optional quests offer extra income and parts, the main story on standard difficulty felt well-paced, minimizing the need for grinding. Three higher difficulty levels unlock as the story progresses, significantly increasing the challenge. However, don't overlook the optional quests—some, like survival mode, are highly enjoyable.

Further enhancing customization, you can adjust paint schemes (unlocked through progression or DLC), decals, and weathering effects. Gundam Breaker 4 is a dream for Gunpla enthusiasts, but how does it play?

The gameplay excels across story missions, side content, and boss fights (with one exception). Combat remained engaging throughout, even on normal difficulty. I constantly experimented with weapons before settling on a greatsword. The varied skills and stats kept things fresh.

Boss fights involve targeting weak points, managing multiple health bars, and overcoming shields. While I encountered difficulty with one boss's weak points using certain weapons, switching to a whip quickly solved the problem. The most challenging fight involved facing two of a specific boss simultaneously. (Details omitted to avoid spoilers, but AI presented some issues in this specific encounter.)

Visually, the game is a mixed bag. Early environments feel somewhat lacking, but overall variety is decent. The Gunpla models and animations are stunning, clearly a development priority. The art style isn't realistic (don't expect Gundam Evolution levels of detail), but it works well and scales effectively on lower-end hardware. Effects are impressive, and the scale of many boss fights is breathtaking.

The soundtrack ranges from forgettable to genuinely great tracks in specific story missions. The absence of music from the anime and movies is disappointing, particularly the lack of announced music pack DLC. Custom music loading (like in Extreme Vs Maxiboost ON) is also absent.

Voice acting is a pleasant surprise. I played through with both English and Japanese voice options, finding the English dub preferable during action sequences due to the reduced need for subtitle reading.

Beyond a few minor annoyances (one specific, thankfully infrequent mission type) and some bugs, my experience has been largely positive. Those averse to replaying missions for better gear might find things repetitive. I personally approach it like Earth Defense Force or Monster Hunter, focusing on building my ultimate Gunpla post-story completion.

Encountered bugs included save issues with certain names and a couple of Steam Deck-specific problems: excessively long title screen loading times and a mission crash (only when docked to my monitor). Online multiplayer testing was limited due to pre-launch server unavailability. I'll update this section once online play is fully tested.

My parallel Gunpla building project (MG 78-2 Version 3.0) provided a unique perspective. While I made progress, a small part mishap nearly derailed things (rescued by a guitar pick!). This experience significantly increased my appreciation for Gunpla design.

Now, let's address platform differences:

Gundam Breaker 4 PC Port: The PC version is the only one supporting over 60fps (PS5 capped at 60, Switch around 30). It also offers keyboard/mouse support alongside controller options with customizable button prompts. On Steam Deck, it displayed Xbox prompts, switching correctly to PlayStation prompts when using a DualSense controller docked. Controller reconnection detection was inconsistent.

Three controller presets and a custom option are available, with independent keyboard/mouse/controller settings. I recommend adjusting camera sensitivity and distance immediately.

Gundam Breaker 4 PC Graphics: Multiple resolutions and frame rate caps are supported. Steam Deck runs at 720p (not full 800p), with frame rates ranging from 30 to unlimited. I set it to 120fps on my Steam Deck OLED. V-sync is togglable. Graphics settings include texture, anti-aliasing, post-processing, shadows, and effects adjustments.

Gundam Breaker 4 Steam Deck Performance: Works flawlessly out of the box with Proton Experimental and default Proton. High settings (excluding shadows) easily hit 60fps, while medium settings achieved 80-90fps. Cutscenes experienced performance dips. A minor assembly section FPS drop occurred a few times. Some menu fonts were smaller or less crisp than expected, possibly due to higher-resolution design.

Gundam Breaker 4 Switch vs. PS5: PS5 delivers superior visuals and a near-perfect 60fps experience (tested in early game). Switch suffers from reduced resolution, detail, and reflections, impacting both environments and Gunpla. The Switch version's assembly and diorama modes felt sluggish, a significant drawback. Load times were considerably longer on Switch than on PS5 and Steam Deck. I recommend the Switch version only for exclusive portable play without a Steam Deck.

PS5 has decent rumble and Activity Card support. The Switch version, while playable, needs optimization, especially in the assembly section.

Gundam Breaker 4 Ultimate Edition: DLC unlocks early-level parts and builder parts (the latter proving more useful). Diorama mode content wasn't fully available at the time of review.

Story Focus: While the story is enjoyable, the game's core strength lies in customization, battles, and Gunpla building.

My simultaneous Gunpla build enhanced my appreciation for the game.

Conclusion: Gundam Breaker 4 is a spectacular addition to the series, particularly its Western release. It's a top Steam Deck game this year, and I look forward to continued online and offline enjoyment.

Gundam Breaker 4 Steam Deck Review: 4.5/5