Bandai Namco announced plans for a console Open Network Test for its upcoming Gundam Breaker 4 game. While fans who attend Anime Expo this week will get to go hands-on with a demo of the game, the upcoming Open Network Test will allow console players from around the world a chance to test Gundam Breaker 4.
The Open Network Test is scheduled to run from July 18 through July 20 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. The test will allow players to try their hand at Gundam Breaker 4 and assemble Gunpla creations from 20-plus Mobile Suits. It is just a small sample of the 250-plus base suits that will be available in the full game when it launches later this year.
The test will also provide hands-on time with multiplayer battles, including three-player co-op against waves of enemy Gunpla and giant boss mechas. As players defeat enemies, they can collect their parts to make bigger and stronger Mobile Suits. Included in the test is the ability for players to use their Gunpla creations as their avatar in the multiplayer lobby where they can interact with others before launching into battle.
Pre-downloading for the Gundam Breaker 4 Open Network Test will begin for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch consoles on July 17th at 9:00 p.m. PDT / July 18th at 12:00 a.m. EDT. There are planned maintenance periods during the test, resulting in the following schedule:
- July 18, 5 p.m. PDT – 10 p.m. PDT: ONT available
- July 18, 10 p.m. PDT: 4-hour Maintenance; ONT unavailable
- July 19, 2 a.m. PDT – 7 a.m. PDT: ONT available
- July 19, 7 p.m. PDT – July 20, 11 p.m. PDT: ONT available
With a gameplay loop described as "break, battle, and build," players use Gunpla to create their own mech and fight enemies comprised of more than 250 mobile suits. By breaking off the enemy's pieces during combat, players can collect this loot and use it to build new, more powerful hybrid creations. The game is said to feature the deepest customization options yet in the franchise's history with the option to customize their creations with new parts as well as paint, decals, and weathering. The all-new Diaroma Mode lets players show off their Gunpla creations in elaborate scenarios with a variety of backgrounds, environmental elements, and special effects.
GUNDAM BREAKER 4, the legendary hack-and-slash action and model building game, takes place in a not-to-distant future where hobbyist builders use simulations to create custom suits and fight them in virtual battles. Players collect loot by breaking off pieces during combat, then use those pieces to build new, more powerful hybrid creations using the game’s customization options to take on more difficult challenges. The series will let players customize their Gunpla with more than 250 base kits, parts that can be acquired by defeating enemies and fighting battles that will feature Gunpla of different grades. The game introduces an all-new feature to the series, where players will be able to use two different weapons for unique combos in their quest for the best parts to build the perfect Gunpla.
Gundam Breaker 4 is set to launch globally on August 29 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It's also coming to PC via Steam, although the Open Network Test this month is only for consoles.