NYCC 2026 - Gundam Rogue Orbit Gives Players the Definitive Gundam Experience
It’s a good time to be a Gundam fan. For the past 47 years, the Gundam franchise has been revered for its grand, epic mech battles, all woven into sweeping stories focused on war, friendship, and peace. Many were introduced to Gundam with Gundam Wing in the 90s, myself included, and have been engrossed in the epic space opera storytelling. At the center of these stories are the Gundams, mechs that have the power to shift the very balance of conflict. Their reasoning, whether for good or evil, is entirely up to the pilot.
Gundam has exciting new projects. Earlier this year, a new anime series called Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO was announced as a new take on the franchise, while a prequel movie, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Zero, was announced at New York Comic Con 2026. With 2026 being a big year for the Gundam franchise, I had the special opportunity to try out the newest Gundam video game, Gundam: Rogue Orbit. As part of the 'RG Project,' Gundam Rogue Orbit is shaping up to be a sharp mecha action combat game.
The RG Project
Gundam Rogue Orbit is set 100 years after Gundam RG XARX-ZERO, which has a tight-lipped synopsis. Humanity finds itself in the post-apocalyptic era. Earth has been abandoned, and humans have been forced to live in space in massive space colonies. The threat is a strange mechanical alien threat called The Apocalypse. Referred to as APCs, these mechanical beasts continue to threaten humanity. Players play as a mysteriously awakened pilot, known as RE-X, and pilot the incredibly powerful Gundam Helix. Together with their intelligent assistant Vii, and accompanied by a team, RE-X finds himself to be the key to humanity’s future.
Gundam Rogue Orbit is an action-focused game with hack-and-slash combat. For the sake of time, the demo was short and action-oriented, but gave me a taste of what to expect. Gundam Rogue Orbit stunned me with its presentation and graphics. The base Gundam Helix has a remarkable design and various small details. A big detail is immersion. The game goes out of its way to make you feel like a Gundam pilot in a mech that can change humanity's course.
Power Up
One nice touch was the preparation screen. The game goes out of its way to see RE-X load into the cockpit of a Gundam, with intricate style and animation. It’s clear that the development team added these small touches to increase the immersion and give a sense of gravity to the moment. Even the character models look sharp. I can confirm there is English dubbing as well, and the voices all sounded unique and distinct.
Gundam Rogue Orbit promises deep customization options to create a distinctive Gundam, filled with various parts and colors. Given this was a demo, the game was preset to the basic Gundam Helix and 3 different combat styles. It appears that Gundam Rogue Orbit allows players to tailor their Gundam to their unique playstyle. One style involved using a whip sword. For the demo, I chose the Assault Sword, which was more straightforward.
Metal Meets Metal
Playing Gundam Rogue Orbit felt like a traditional action game. I was able to lock onto enemies, close in, and go crazy with my powerful sword. The enemy APCs were insect-like creatures in design, encased in a fusion of silicon, circuitry, and organic parts. There is little known about the enemies, but they do damage and come in large numbers. The goal of the mission was to take back the spaceport. Other units were assisting me in this mission as well.
Some of the things I noticed included a primary weapon, like the infamous purple beam cannon, and a secondary function that allowed small drones to fire lasers in my defense. The interface reminded me of something out of Armored Core, with health on the left and other systems front and center. Pressing both joysticks together initiated 'Over Rise,' which turbocharges all attacks and initiates an AP-Unit burst, a devastating offensive attack.
Epic Bosses
Before long, I was face-to-face with the demo-ending boss, a primate-like monster APC called Giant. Giant uses physicality and brute strength to crush any enemies and easily towered over my Gundam. However, learning the right tactics was key to defeating this monstrous enemy. While the Gundam is nimble and formidable in combat, it is not invincible. The Giant was tough!
I went in for a straightforward attack, shooting and slashing my way through the enemy. However, getting careless was a bad idea, and I took serious damage with just one punch from the Giant. I took a few steps back and recommenced my attack. One nice effect was being able to dismember the enemy. One attack I made sliced off the Giant’s arm. While it did grow back later in the fight, this did leave an opening to attack. I used the aforementioned Over Rise attack to lay in my final blows into the target. With that, the Giant was downed, and the demo was over.
Going Rogue in Gundam Rogue Orbit
My time with the demo was sound and exciting! Other details I can confirm are English dubbing, which may help reach out to those that prefer dubs over subs. The controls felt tight and responsive, making this an accessible action game for those who are familiar with the genre. The game has an original storyline, though much of the game’s story remains under wraps.
I’ve always wanted a high-speed, multi-directional Gundam game. Previous games didn’t quite go in that direction, and it feels great that we are finally getting a Gundam game that is fast-paced, engrossing to play, and bolsters what appears to be a compelling story. I came away impressed with what I played and look forward to Gundam Rogue Orbit when it launches on March 4th 2027, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
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