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Rustheart Repair Crew

Lead a crew of small repair bots that climb over a failing giant mech and patch each limb while it fights, so you play the mech's mechanic instead of its pilot.

19% of Robots Mechs games found an audience, yet few came out lately. 24 of 124 judged games reached 1,000 reviews, and 56 came out in the last three years.

What it feels like

You feel like a frantic pit crew on a moving war machine, trading time and parts to keep a giant on its feet.

The core loop

  • Assign: Send each bot to a limb such as an arm, a leg or the reactor, based on the damage you see.
  • Repair: Bots work their limb with a small task, and each type of bot fixes a different kind of damage.
  • Survive: The mech fights an enemy wave on its own, and your repairs decide how well each limb performs.
  • Upgrade: Spend salvage between fights on new bots, tools and mech parts.

One sitting

One sitting is a short run of several battles against escalating enemy mechs, ending at a boss or when the giant falls. Between fights you choose upgrades and rebuild the crew.

What sets it apart

  • You play the repair crew, a view none of the closest hits take, where Mechabellum has you placing units and Toy Soldiers has you defending.
  • Each bot is customizable in look and role, which fits the character customization that goes with the hits.
  • A full solo run is the main mode, which answers the wish for a stronger single-player experience, and co-op can come later.

The first playable

One mech with three damageable limbs, two bot types and one enemy that attacks on a timer. Prove that sending bots between limbs under pressure is fun for a few minutes.

Scope

  • One mech and three limbs
  • Two bot types
  • One enemy type
  • Simple repair actions
  • Several mechs and enemy types
  • Bot customization
  • A run structure with upgrades
  • Controller support

Art

Chunky low-poly or flat-shaded robots with a bold, readable silhouette, and a huge mech filling the capsule with tiny bots on it. Warm rust and bright signal colors keep it clear, and the look stays grounded instead of futuristic.

Risks

  • The central idea may be hard to read at a glance, and most hits lean on familiar mech combat. Show the bots climbing the giant in the capsule and trailer, and teach one limb at a time.
  • Players complained about hidden costs and pay to win in this space. Sell it once at a fair price with no premium currencies.

Price

$10 to $20: Most games in this band found only a small audience, but a solo project cannot match the scope of the bands above it, so it should sit at a fair price.

Robots Mechs games that found an audience

The other idea

Tin Legion Tactics

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