MECH ME OVER

Move over Mario, here's mech-based platforming in ARMORED SHELL NIGHTJAR

Armored Shell Nightjar offers an experience mech-heads will be unable to resist: the chance to pilot a giant stompy mech from behind its imposing dashboard, by physically pulling levers, pushing buttons and adjusting sliders. It’s a very specific kind of fantasy and one I’m only too happy to get onboard with, not least because Armored Shell lets me operate said dashboard – forces is probably the right word – with just the mouse.

Sure, it’s not as tactile as using the Steel Battalion controller, but it immerses me behind the steering wheel well enough. Except it’s not a steering wheel, but a joystick-looking thing at the bottom of the screen. And to stomp forward, I push the throttlelooking thing on the right. I should probably Google the terminology, but I’m far too busy pulling this cord to make the mech jump vertically, and this enormous button to… well, I should probably leave something for you to discover.