Hawken (video game)

Hawken was a free-to-play, first-person shooter video game centered around mech combat, developed by Adhesive Games and later Reloaded Games. The game featured fast-paced, arena-style battles with customizable mechs in a dystopian industrial setting.

Gameplay:

Players piloted heavily armed and armored mechs, engaging in objective-based matches across a variety of maps. Key gameplay elements included:

• Mech Customization: Players could customize their mechs with different weapons, internal systems, and cosmetic items, allowing for diverse loadouts and playstyles.
• Fuel Management: Mechs utilized a fuel system that governed abilities like dashing and boosting. Strategic fuel management was crucial for effective combat.
• Heat Management: Firing weapons generated heat. Overheating could render a mech vulnerable, requiring players to manage heat buildup strategically.
• Damage and Repair: Mechs could sustain damage to individual components. Repairing damage at designated locations was essential for maintaining combat effectiveness.
• Game Modes: Hawken featured several game modes, including Team Deathmatch, Missile Assault, Siege, and Co-op Team Deathmatch.

Setting and Story:

Hawken's narrative was set on a heavily industrialized colony world, where environmental decay and corporate greed had led to widespread conflict. The story was primarily delivered through in-game events, character dialogue, and environmental storytelling.

Development and Release:

Hawken was originally developed by Adhesive Games, an independent studio. The game entered open beta in December 2012 and officially launched on PC in 2014. Console versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released in 2016.

Closure:

The PC version of Hawken was shut down in January 2018. The console versions were later removed from digital storefronts, and their servers were shut down in October 2018, effectively ending the game's lifespan. Reloaded Games, which had acquired Hawken from Adhesive Games, cited various factors, including technical challenges and a declining player base, for the game's closure.