8 years after release, MEC remains a unique experience. The platforming sections are a blast.

However, the EA App and awful combat cripple this game. On steam deck, even with installing specific Proton versions, and trying other workarounds - I still cannot get this game to consistently launch.

Uhhhhhh yea sometimes the buildings unload under my feet and I fall and die but other than that pretty fun

The choice to switch to open world is a fun idea but also introduced a plethora of design issues which prove to persist throughout the game (an overabundance of chokepoints, through which the player is forcibly funneled, being a good example). Music and visuals remain great, and the reworking of combat is nice, but the story is a bit goofy at times. Not to say the original's story wasn't, but this one takes itself much more seriously and thus invites more criticism, at least in my mind.

The whole reboot thing comes with a subtle but significant aesthetic change and a bit of an adjustment period when it comes to the story, but it's nothing too obstructive. Some glimpses here and there hint at a much cooler world that sadly remains mostly unexplored in-game, but what's here is neat enough at least.

Ultimately, the movement feels good, the city looks cool, and that's about all I could ask for.