The Destroy Gunners and Assault Gunners series developed by Shade Inc. are cult classics in the hearts of mecha shooter enthusiasts. With the closure of the developer studio, official records of these series have become increasingly difficult to find on the internet.
Systematically archiving and organizing these world-building settings—which carry the memories of early hardcore mecha action gaming—is deeply meaningful for preserving the history of mecha games.
As mecha-action pioneers of the early smartphone era (spanning multiple titles like F, SP, SP-alpha, ZZ, and Iceburn), the world of Destroy Gunners presents a quintessential 'Wasteland Sci-Fi' style. The narrative text is minimal, focusing instead on high-freedom customization and pure combat exhilaration.
Assault Gunners, which originally debuted on the PS Vita (and later reached PC, PS4, and Switch as an HD Remaster), serves as Shade Inc.'s spiritual successor in the mecha genre. Compared to Destroy Gunners, it features a more complete and concrete sci-fi narrative framework. Furthermore, it boasts voice acting from renowned seiyuu, including Kana Hanazawa, Maaya Sakamoto, and Keiji Fujiwara, adding a professional cinematic touch to the Martian conflict.
On a planet at the edge of the galaxy, rival nations wage futile wars with mechanized weapons.
A scientist, disillusioned with humanity, plants a program in the master server that controls the mechs. Its command is simple: kill all of mankind. An attack on the server triggers the program.
Infected mechs become known as Destroyers. The nations unite against them, but their forces are overwhelmed and their territories fall one after another.
The few survivors retreat underground and wait for a chance to fight back. Years later, they develop mechs capable of taking on the Destroyers and form a unit called Destroy Gunners.
The Gunners advance into the Madlum sector to eliminate the Destroyers and destroy the master server. But the enemy already knows their plan, and an interception force is waiting.
Late 21st Century. Earth faces resource depletion and population pressure. Humankind initiates a Mars colonization plan, establishing Martian cities maintained by domes and automated systems.
To advance Mars terraforming, humankind deployed systems called "ANTs" (Automated Network robots) on a massive scale. They are responsible for construction and maintenance, serving as the foundational labor force for Martian society.
The ANTs system suffers a sudden, widespread anomaly and collectively breaks away from human control. The robots begin counter-attacking colonies, occupying core facilities, and cutting off communications. Mars rapidly descends into a war zone.
Belongs to the "DAT" (Direct Action Team) elite force, urgently dispatched by humankind. Players pilot "SAT" series combat mecha, air-dropping onto Mars to suppress rogue robots and reclaim strongholds.
During combat, a mysterious unit named "Ghost" frequently appears. This unit possesses autonomous combat capabilities far exceeding ordinary ANTs and seems to be secretly guiding the entire rebellion, hinting at AI awakening or deeper human intervention behind the disaster.