Mech Mercenaries is live! Play it now: https://vdeijk.itch.io/mech-mercenaries

After months of iteration, the game is finally out in the wild. A turn-based tactical mech game with deep part customization, narrow choke-point maps, and a thick layer of corporate/mercenary satire. Four mechs, endless build possibilities, and a story that’s basically one long HR nightmare.

Why I chose browser (React + Vite) instead of Unity

This was a deliberate decision from day one, and it saved the project.

1. Unity eats time Getting 3D visuals “just right” is a black hole. Lighting, shaders, animations, LODs, optimizing for WebGL — every small polish pass turns into weeks. I wanted to ship a finished game, not a perpetual prototype.
2. Asset consistency nightmare In Unity, every new mech part or weapon needs matching 3D models, textures, materials, and animations. One off-style asset breaks the whole look. Finding or making dozens of consistent sci-fi mech parts that all fit together? Massive effort for a solo dev.
3. Scope control Browser + 2D grid let me focus on what actually matters: tight tactical gameplay, part hunting grind, and the satirical writing. No time lost on vertex counts or normal maps.
4. Instant playability No downloads, no installers, no “WebGL build broke again.” Players click and play. Perfect for quick sessions and sharing with friends.

The trade-off? No fancy 3D explosions or rotating mechs. But the core loop — positioning on choked maps, scavenging that perfect Legendary part, laughing at the flavor text — is all there, and it runs smoothly in any browser.

What’s next

• Galaxy 2 content (new enemies, parts, and even worse corporate memos)
• More polish on sound and crit feedback
• Maybe a “hard mode” where HR actually shows up mid-mission

Thanks for playing, rating, and leaving comments. Every bit of feedback helps.

Files