As beloved as mecha is as a genre with worldwide recognizable names like Mobile Suit Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion it’s a surprisingly niche one in the world of video games, and one would think that wouldn’t be the case due to how fun the concept of a mech is to gameify. Luckily, we’ve been in a bit of a mecha resurgence in video games as of late, and today the Prologue for a highly anticipated indie project, Toge Production’s Kriegsfront Tactics, dropped for free on Steam.

Kriegsfront Tactics – Prologue is available on Steam!

Experience the opening chapter of Kriegsfront Tactics! Engage in narrative-driven mecha combat & exploration set in alternate 70s Southeast Asia. Plan, strategize, & lead your squad!

Play now for FREE https://t.co/J9l5QF1ZVO pic.twitter.com/pwsN92tF8b

— Kriegsfront Tactics – Prologue out NOW! (@kriegsfront) July 17, 2024

Kriegsfront Tactics hearkens back to older tactics based mecha games like Front Mission and Vanguard Bandits. The setting being Southeast Asia and set in an alternate universe 1970s definitely gives the same feel as Front Mission, as much of Front Mission’s story revolves around conflicts set in Southeast Asia.

The gameplay also brings to mind these games, tactical grid based gameplay like Front Mission (or Final Fantasy Tactics if you’re not familiar with Front Mission) alongside interesting alterations to the traditional systems such as an ammo count you have to keep track of as well as a real time targeting system whenever you fire so you can target specific body parts.

Overall, Kriegsfront Tactics really looks like a love letter to the “real robot” mecha genre and is looking like a fine addition to this era of mechs in video games. As shown above, the Prologue is available for free on Steam, basically being the first section of the full game you can play to see if it tickles your fancy. Definitely worth the try if you have even a cursory interest in either mecha games or classic tactics games. As for the full release, there’s been no official announcement for a full Kriegsfront Tactics release, but the team is constantly hard at work, so whenever the full release is, it will certainly be worth it.