Heavy Metal Machines

Heavy Metal Machines is a free-to-play combat racer that blends arcade driving with MOBA-style team fights, all wrapped in a loud, post-apocalyptic heavy metal aesthetic. Two squads clash in short, aggressive matches where the goal is not simply to out-race opponents, but to control a bomb and force it into enemy territory through smart positioning, ability timing, and coordinated brawling.

Publisher: Hoplon Infotainment
Playerbase: Low
Type: Action / Racing
Release Date: January 31, 2017
Pros: +Distinct vehicle roles with plenty of style options. +Easy-to-learn handling that stays responsive under pressure. +Team-focused combat that rewards coordination.
Cons: -Low playerbase. -Limited variety with only one map and one mode.

Heavy Metal Machines

Overview

Heavy Metal Machines Overview

Heavy Metal Machines is a post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-inspired battle racer where every match revolves around a single objective: escort the bomb from the center of the arena into the opposing team’s base. Played as 4v4 PvP, it feels closer to an arena brawler than a traditional racing game, because the strongest plays usually come from controlling space, peeling for allies, and chaining crowd control rather than simply taking the cleanest driving line.

Each playable driver comes with a distinct vehicle silhouette, a defined role (including offensive and support-oriented picks), and a kit of four abilities that shape how they contribute to a push. Some characters excel at initiating and disrupting, others specialize in protecting the bomb carrier, and a few are built around harassment and area denial to break enemy formations. Abilities can be flashy and impactful, such as Windrider’s Veiled Dream, which shifts enemies and allies into a spiritual realm for recovery, or Clunker’s Magnetic Pulse, which drags nearby vehicles inward to set up follow-up damage and collisions. Between the roles, the driving, and the skill kits, the game’s best moments come when a team synchronizes its tools to open a lane and convert a bomb run into a score.

Heavy Metal Machines Key Features:

  • Variety of Playable Characters – choose from a roster of eccentric drivers like Metal Herald, Little Monster, and Wildfire, each tied to a unique vehicle and ability set.
  • Intense Combat use destructive powers and well-timed engages to break defenses and swing control of the bomb during chaotic skirmishes.
  • 4v4 PvP Battles – queue up with friends or jump in solo and fight in focused 4v4 matches built around team play and objective control.
  • Customizable Cars – adjust parts, weapons, and cosmetic elements to personalize your ride and driver presentation.
  • Tons of Skills – experiment with different characters to access varied playstyles, with each driver bringing four abilities into the arena.

Heavy Metal Machines Screenshots

Heavy Metal Machines Featured Video

Heavy Metal Machines Gameplay - Sunday Funday Round 81

Full Review

Heavy Metal Machines Review

Heavy Metal Machines has a clear identity: it is not trying to be a pure racing title, and it is not a conventional top-down MOBA either. Instead, it sits in the middle, asking players to drive cleanly enough to stay in the fight while using abilities with the same intent you would in an arena PvP game. When that mix clicks, matches are tense, tactical, and surprisingly readable, because the bomb’s position naturally focuses both teams into predictable conflict points.

On the driving side, handling is approachable and responsive, which is important given how often you are turning tightly while watching cooldowns and enemy positioning. The game does not demand simulation-level precision, but it does reward good movement, awareness of choke points, and using the map geometry to your advantage. Since the bomb is the win condition, smart routing matters less as “fastest lap” and more as “safest, most controllable path for a push,” especially when the enemy team is setting up to intercept.

Combat is where Heavy Metal Machines earns its best moments. Kits include displacement, shielding, healing, and burst damage, and fights often revolve around forcing mistakes, isolating a target, or protecting the carrier long enough to cross the scoring threshold. Support-style drivers can feel just as impactful as damage-focused picks, because denying an engage or resetting a teammate at the right time can be the difference between a stopped run and a point scored. The ability examples, like Veiled Dream and Magnetic Pulse, communicate the broader design philosophy: abilities are meant to create positional advantages, not just inflate damage numbers.

Progression and customization are largely about giving your vehicle and driver a distinct look, and the game’s presentation leans hard into its heavy metal theme. The soundtrack and visual direction fit the arena’s violent carnival tone, and the character designs are intentionally loud. If you enjoy stylized, over-the-top aesthetics, Heavy Metal Machines commits to the bit and rarely breaks character.

The biggest practical drawback is longevity. With a low playerbase and a limited amount of content variety (notably only one map and one mode), the experience can start to feel repetitive even if you enjoy the core loop. That limitation also puts more pressure on match quality, because a smaller community can make it harder to consistently find balanced games.

Overall, Heavy Metal Machines is at its best for players who like objective-based PvP and want something faster and more physical than a traditional hero shooter or lane-based MOBA. If you can accept the content constraints and population concerns, the moment-to-moment team fights and bomb runs still provide a distinctive, skillful kind of chaos.

System Requirements

Heavy Metal Machines System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 or newer
CPU: 2.0 GHz Dual Core
Video Card: Intel Graphics HD 4000 Nvidia GT 620
RAM: 4 GB
Hard Disk Space: 4 GB

Recommended Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 or newer
CPU: 2.3+ GHz Quad Core
Video Card: Nvidia GTX 650 / Radeon HD 6700 or better
RAM: 4 GB
Hard Disk Space: 4 GB

Music

Heavy Metal Machines Music & Soundtrack

Heavy Metal Machines - Original Soundtrack

Additional Info

Heavy Metal Machines Additional Information

Developer: Hoplin Infotainment
Publisher: Hoplin Infotainment

Closed Beta Date: November 3, 2015
Early Access Release Date: January 31, 2017

Development History / Background:

Heavy Metal Machines is created by Hoplin Infotainment, a Brazilian studio recognized for the space-themed title Taikodom. Work on the project dates back to 2013, with closed beta sign-ups opening on November 3, 2015 for Brazil. In 2016, the game broadened its reach by rolling out an English-facing website and establishing a presence on Steam, signaling a clear effort to bring in a wider, international audience.