Introduction

Microsoft has picked up the MechWarrior mantle with the newest game in the series, MechWarrior 4: Vengeance. Set in the well-developed BattleTech universe, where war between massive star empires is waged by giant humanoid war machines called BattleMechs, this sci-fi mecha series sets the standard by which others are measured against.

After playing the pre-release beta, my initial impressions are that this game will continue in the legacy of the series – taking mecha simulation games to a new level.

A good story, cutting-edge graphics, and great gameplay come together in what is sure to be one of the biggest-selling games of the holiday season. The game will also ship with multi-player support, allowing up to sixteen people to join in for team, deathmatch, or co-op play. For those who don’t like playing with others or storylines, there is an option to jump in and start blasting away in the instant action mode.

In Vengeance, the player is cast as a noble son whose family has been murdered while their star empire is embroiled in civil war. Piloting different BattleMechs through a single campaign, the player’s goal is to restore the family name and regain control of their home planet. The single-player campaign follows the tried-and-true format of a series of missions which start simple, and grow more difficult as the story progresses. Missions that include destroying communication stations and capturing convoys vary the tactics needed to complete the campaign. Small cut-scenes are scattered throughout the game, so the player’s fellow warriors can give advice and updates. Based on the player’s actions and the results of their missions, more pilots and equipment become available for the player to use. This then leads to several different endings for the game, depending on the player’s actions.

While the many different controls available during play can be confusing, a training section walks the player through the basics, while a terse instructor issues verbal commands and instructions, allowing a new player to quickly pick up the essentials of the game. Playing with a mouse and keyboard is possible, although I find a joystick is much more natural and simpler to learn. The controls are fully remappable, allowing players to place most of their commands into easy reach. After remapping the joystick, the keyboard is barely needed.

There is an entire spectrum of environments in which players can do battle. From desert to the jungle, diverse playing environments add to the single-player immersion and add replayability to the multi-player and instant action modes.


Terrain and weather effects combine to create a great game environment.	Different perspectives allow the player to view the entire battlefield.

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