Hawken has been in development for years, and if you thought the game had already been released, you’re not alone. The PC version is still awaiting a “relaunch” following development turmoil, but you’ll be able to battle it out with other mechs for free on PlayStation 4 in just a few weeks.
“Since Hawken had been created with console in mind, like way back, you’ll find the controls to be surprisingly intuitive,” says producer Josh Clausen in the “Lore Behind Hawken” developer video. He boasts that the game uses “all of the buttons” on the DualShock 4 controller, which includes two different emotes, a spotting ability similar to the Battlefield series, and a “request assistance” button.
A free-to-play mech combat game might not scream “lore” to the average player, but developer Reloaded Games has fleshed out its world so much that it would make BioWare blush. In addition to a graphic novel, comic series, and a “Brand Bible” to keep hundreds of years of lore straight, a “mech web” was included in the game itself, telling you which faction manufactured each vehicle, and with 37 different variants listed on the web, its branching design should help you keep things straight.
Clausen also admits that the game’s narrative and setting — primarily concerning the dangers of corporations and an unstoppable nano-virus — “had not been super clear” in the past, but says that the team has worked to change that recently.
“I believe we have a foundation which we can significantly grow in the future. You’re going to be pretty excited to see what happens,” Clausen adds.
Even if you don’t care about the plot, you can give Hawken a try when it launches free for PlayStation 4 on July 8. While news on an Xbox One launch has not been made quite as clear, the Xbox Store points to it launching even sooner, possibly July 1, on the console.
