Rigs: Mechanized Combat League is a free-to-play multiplayer shooter that trades the rifles of Call of Duty for armored suits that walk and jump through arenas. It is also one of the first games built for PlayStation VR, and that distinction shapes nearly everything about it. The game launched in 2016 as a PS4 exclusive, and the VR version followed shortly after. Players choose a mech, pick a role, and fight across a handful of maps, with matches lasting around ten minutes each.
The core loop is simple. You move through the arena, find cover, and fire at the enemy team while dodging their shots. What separates it from other shooters is the weight of the machines themselves. Each rig handles differently, and the game rewards players who learn the strengths of their chosen mech.
Trailer, via IGDBcom.
The Mech Roles
The game splits combatants into three roles: Striker, Assault, and Defender. Each role has its own set of abilities, and the teams balance around those differences.
- Strikers are fast and agile, designed to flank and disrupt enemy positioning.
- Assaults are the heavy hitters, dealing damage with their primary weapons.
- Defenders hold positions and protect their teammates.
Players can swap between these roles as they level up, but the early stages of the game push players into a single role to build familiarity. That structure means new players spend their first few hours learning one set of controls before branching out.
The Arena Maps
The arenas are large, open spaces with multiple paths and chokepoints. Some maps favor ranged combat, while others force players into close-quarters fighting. The design encourages movement over static camping, since the larger mechs cannot simply hide behind a corner and wait for a kill.
Each map has a distinct layout:
- One map features a central platform surrounded by ramps and ledges.
- Another has a winding path through a ruined cityscape.
- A third opens up into a wide, flat area that rewards long-range sniping.
The variety keeps matches from feeling repetitive, even when the same map is used repeatedly. The game also changes the spawn points and objectives between rounds, which adds a layer of unpredictability to each match.
The Free-to-Play Model
Rigs: Mechanized Combat League is free to play, but it carries a premium store. Players earn currency from matches, which can be spent on cosmetic items or on the paid currency that unlocks faster progression. The game also offers a battle pass system, giving players a reason to keep playing beyond the immediate match.
The store is visible during matches, and some players have criticized the placement of pay-to-win items alongside purely cosmetic purchases. The game does not require spending to perform well, but the visual distinction between players who have invested money and those who have not is noticeable.
Playing in VR
The PSVR version is the defining feature of Rigs: Mechanized Combat League. The game was built from the ground up to support VR, and it shows in the way the camera tracks movement and in the depth cues that make distant enemies feel far away. The mech suits are large enough to read at a distance, and the arenas are built with height and scale in mind.
The VR mode also includes a spectator mode that lets players watch matches from above, giving them a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield. This mode is useful for planning routes and spotting enemy positions, though it is not available in the non-VR version.
Performance and Technical Issues
The game ran smoothly during testing, with frame rates holding steady across the PS4 and PSVR versions. There were occasional hitches during matches, particularly when the screen filled with gunfire and explosions, but nothing that broke the flow of play.
The PSVR version connects to the PS4 via a cable, and the game scales back effects to maintain a playable frame rate. Players with weaker hardware may experience a drop in performance, but the game manages to stay playable even on modest systems.
Final Verdict
Rigs: Mechanized Combat League is a competent shooter that leans heavily on its mech gimmick. The VR version is a genuine technical achievement, and the core gameplay holds up well against other multiplayer titles. The free-to-play model is straightforward, though the premium store remains a point of friction for some players.
The game is at its best when players are moving through the arena, using the terrain to gain an advantage over the enemy team. It is less successful when it relies on its pay-to-win items, which can create visible divides between players based on their investment.
Rigs: Mechanized Combat League scores 7.8 out of 10.
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