To kick off our week of giant-robot-goodness, we’ll be giving you a preview of Adhesive Games’ free-to-play, mech-based arena shooter Hawken.

Of all the Mech-related and F2P games launching this year, Hawken is by far and away the one I’m most excited for. Its unique scifi setting and promising gameplay mechanics have me clamoring for a chance to climb into the cockpit of a giant, stompy mech.

According to Hawken’s official website, the game is “a multiplayer mech combat game. The focus is on creating an intense and enjoyable battle experience that captures the feeling of piloting a heavy war machine while keeping the action fast-paced and strategic.” That description alone is enough to get me excited!

But the reason why I’m really interested in this game is because it shows the power of indie development. Hawken is a work of love from a small team, who created the game using Epic Games’ Unreal Development Kit (UDK). Over months of work, and the help of Youtube and social media, interest in the project began buzzing, until finally the game was picked up by Meteor Entertainment, who raised over $10 million to fund the game. It’s another happy story of independent development that have been taking place lately, showing how the industry is slowly evolving into something new and very exciting.

But beyond that, Hawken simply looks amazing. Set in a scifi world, colonized by humans and sent to the brink of destruction due to over-industrialization, Hawken’s art style and setting is beautiful to look at. There’s Blade Runner and cyberpunk influences in the cityscapes, and the mechs are a wonderful blend of Mechwarrior with a twist of anime-esque inspiration. The gameplay looks like a quick-paced arena shooter, a la Unreal Tournament. However, the weight of the mechs and force of the weapons opens up the possibility for strategic gameplay tactics like one would use while piloting the bipedal machines of Mechwarrior. On paper, this juxtaposition is enticing, and the gameplay footage that’s been released has given me high-hopes for its execution.

While none of us here at Pwrcords have actually played the game yet, we have spent hours watching trailers and reading the developer blog. Be sure to do the same, and watch some of Hawken’s gameplay videos below. After, head here to sign up for the game’s beta. Hawken won’t be launching until December 12, but if you sign up for the beta you’ll have a chance to play the game early. You best believe I’ve got my names registered and ready to fight!