Hawken Reborn is having a rough time on Steam
Hawken Reborn Steam reviews suggest a rocky comeback for the 505 robot game, as microtransactions and optimisation issues see the shooter sequel already rated ‘mostly negative,’ despite anticipation for its return after 16 years. A multiplayer favourite, the original Hawken launched in 2007 and developed a substantial cult following. However, Hawken Reborn, from Payday and Control publisher 505, seems to be struggling to capitalise on that success.
Released on May 17, as of this writing, Hawken Reborn has 878 Steam user reviews, with an aggregated rating of ‘mostly negative.’ Though the mech shooter is still in early access, players cite microtransactions and monetization as chief among their concerns.
“The cash shop sells actual equipment,” one player says. “Not just skins or something, but gear, mechs, weapons, etc. I played some more and the missions started getting really spammy with enemies, so it becomes difficult to survive. But to get stronger you need parts, which you have to build, and which you need currency and resources for.”
“They are selling guns for real dollars,” another player writes. “Literally pay to win. No PvP or co-op, yet it’s always online and can’t be paused. The missions are basically all ‘go to X, kill enemies, repeat.’”
“I loved Hawken,” a third player writes. “This isn’t Hawken. The art style is completely different, the gunplay and movement is completely different, and it’s already planning to lean extremely hard on monetization.”
The original Hawken also included microtransactions, allowing players to purchase a variety of in-game items for use in multiplayer game modes. Hawken Reborn is currently only available as a single-player PvE game, with 505 saying it will remain in Steam Early
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