Just finished two rounds on the subway, taking advantage of the transfer to have a quick session. 😭 Lately overtime has been brutal, and by the time I get home at night, I can't even be bothered with my daily tasks, let alone fire up the computer for those half-hour matches. I just want something I can play during commutes and lunch breaks, vertical screen, one-handed, and no regrets if I lose. Tried 'Chainsaw Brawl: Super Mecha' and it really suits my taste.
This game is released by Shenzhen Kesheng Network Technology Co., Ltd. The operating platform is listed as 5.0, and the payment model is 0, meaning it can be downloaded for free. There are definitely ads inside, and to receive certain rewards you have to watch videos, but at least it doesn't force me to spend money. The art style is vertical and minimalist, the mecha and vehicles are small, the maps are not flashy, and you can play with one hand holding a pole on the subway.
The core gameplay is basically the usual IO brawl: choose a mech vehicle to enter the arena, move with the joystick, clash with others using chainsaws and weapons, smash the opponent's vehicle, collect dropped resources to upgrade, and survive until the end. The controls aren't complicated, but it's not mindless rushing either. In my first few matches, I just charged into the crowd at the start and was turned into pieces by the chainsaw in ten seconds. Later I learned to be smarter: stick to the edges to pick up boxes first, wait for the players in the center to take damage before going for the kills, and only then did my ranking gradually reach the top five. Upgrades are pretty important; don't spend coins randomly. At first, I spread out my upgrades evenly, and my power felt like I hadn't upgraded at all. Later, I focused on boosting the chainsaw speed and chassis durability, which made chasing and escaping much easier. New players can start by focusing on these two.
When it comes to time management, I basically set fixed rules for myself: play about 3 rounds 20 minutes before the subway in the morning, play 2 rounds after lunch during the break, and if I work overtime past nine in the evening, I don't touch it—at most, I claim a reward. As for weekends, I'll decide if I want to play more. Playing this way doesn't feel like clocking in at work, and I won't miss my subway stop because a game round was too long. 😅 Some little tips: turn off sound in advance to avoid social embarrassment; if the signal is bad, don't watch ads since it's likely a waste; set an alarm during lunch break so you don't end up late for work.
Advantages: Each round is short, can be finished in two to three minutes; vertical screen; free; easy to get started; if you die, you go straight to the next round, so low pressure. Disadvantages are also obvious: ads can be annoying, the modes get repetitive after playing for a long time, and occasionally you get matched with highly upgraded players and get crushed. But as a free casual game, I can accept it.
Suitable for people who commute, take lunch breaks, or are too tired in the evening to turn on their computer. If you're looking for hardcore e-sports, forget it. Today's lunch break goal is to get into the top three, and if there's no overtime, I definitely won't open it in the evening. 🎮