Hawken is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed by the North American studio Adhesive Games. Hawken was released in December 2012.
It should be noted that projects featuring giant humanoid robots battling each other had long been overlooked by the gaming audience. Witnessing such neglect of a genre that was once beloved by gamers, developers did not think about creating computer games of this kind for some time. However, starting in 2012, the dismal situation began to improve, and projects featuring giant bipedal robots started to be released in droves. Games like Armored Core V brought a Japanese perspective to the genre, followed by Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, where the 'mechs' were essentially tanks on two legs, and then the classic MechWarrior Online came along. Against the backdrop of these three giants, Hawken, of course, did not stand out very favorably.
The thing is, Hawken was developed by a tiny studio, Adhesive Games, whose maximum number of employees never exceeded ten. Indie projects can be produced by such small teams, but a massive multiplayer shooter that could rival MechWarrior Online, for instance, seemed unlikely. Yet the team at Adhesive Games consisted (and still consists) of true fans of robots and robotics in general, allowing the game to slowly and steadily evolve into a quality high-level project. The small team managed to acquire the Unreal Engine 3, which gave Hawken quite respectable graphics. As a result, the game did not get lost among its competitors but found its rightful niche.
Hawken became a true gritty simulator of combat 'mechs', allowing players to fully immerse themselves in exhilarating battles. In Hawken, no one is going to babysit newcomers or wipe their noses – the game is extremely serious, and this is felt throughout. For instance, Hawken does not feature a third-person view, so players must control their robots and observe the unfolding action strictly from the cockpit. If the viewport gets smeared with dirt or some liquid splattered from an enemy robot's explosion, it will become significantly harder to orient oneself in space.
Many modules and parts can overheat and get damaged due to fierce combat, and this must also be taken into account. If there's a short circuit in the wiring, the navigation systems, auto-targeting modules, and other important components are more likely to shut down. No, the robot won't crash and break into small pieces of metal, but players will immediately find themselves at a disadvantage. This level of difficulty is not to everyone's taste, but true genre enthusiasts embraced the hardcore nature of Hawken with open arms.
What else does Hawken offer its players? First, three fully-fledged combat types of robots, each with its unique characteristics. Second, an extensive arsenal of various weapons. Third, very beautiful and diverse locations.