Archangel: Hellfire Developers Offer Tips for Mech Combat

The original Archangel experience released for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive last year. Now, almost a year later, Skydance Interactive are proud to announce the arrival of Archangel: Hellfire, a brand new PVP-focused update that brings the mech combat of the original game to new levels. To help players improve their mech combat skills in Archangel: Hellfire, several developers at Skydance have offered up some pro tips in an exclusive new video. We’ve rounded up some of the key points below for those looking to hone their skills in Archangel: Hellfire. 

In Archangel: Hellfire, players drop into the cockpit of a six-story war mech and are tasked with taking down HUMNX, a tyrannical corporation that has taken control of post-apocalyptic America. Fight alongside squadmates in an explosive, action-packed VR battle as one of the last hopes for humanity.

Choose Your Starter Mech Carefully

Archangel: Hellfire features three types of mechs: light, medium, and heavy. One of the first steps toward achieving victory is understanding the advantages of each type of mech and choosing the right mech to suit your play style. 

The heavy mech may have the most health in Archangel, but it won’t deal as much damage as the other two mech varieties. John ‘Blu’, game caster for Archangel: Hellfire, recommends starting out with the more powerful medium and light mechs. Once you get the hang of the movement of these mechs, you’ll be dealing tons of damage in no time. “Those things can deal damage, you’ve just got to have some skill to learn how to move with them properly,” says John.

Conversely, it may be a good idea to start with the heavy mech instead depending on your play style, according to Peter Akemann, co-founder of Skydance Interactive. “Play the big heavy mech and crank the damage up,” says Akemann, who claims that the heavier mechs are “easier to play than the lighter, faster mechs, where you really have to master the movement.”

Use Your Shields

In Archangel: Hellfire, it’s also important for players to not only remember to use their shields, but that you must turn to point your shield in the direction of your enemy. “Now you’ve got to think about where [your shields] are facing, because your enemy might be behind you,” says Akemann. 

Adjust Your Sliders

In Archangel: Hellfire, players can manually adjust their speed, energy, and power during each match. “There are four sliders: power, energy, shield, and weapons,” explains Brooke Yap, audio engineer on Archangel: Hellfire.  Since you can only maximize two sliders at a time during battle, consider which two sliders should be increased according to the context of the match to maximize the benefits you gain from each slider.

Twitch streamer Allie “Alliestrasza” Grace recommends maximizing your speed slider at the start of battle to reach the enemies faster, then adjusting the sliders as needed during the match. “Later on in the game, you probably want to boost up your shield and your damage…when you’re actually in combat,” Allie explains.

These adjustable sliders are part of what Skydance calls the “interactive cockpit” that they’ve added to Archangel: Hellfire. This offers a layer of complexity to the game, allowing players to “not only shoot the outside world, but interact with elements of the cockpit during the game,” says Pablo Leon-Luna, programmer at Skydance Interactive.

Archangel: Hellfire is now available on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. For more information, visit the official Archangel website.