Back in the day, when we were all logging onto Xbox Live for the first time, a game called MechAssault ruled supreme and paved the way for every Live game in its wake. Eventually the young ‘uns got hold of it, though, putting a damper on the fun of dueling it out with another 200-ton hunk of gun-toting goodness. This holiday season, Microsoft is bringing the ‘Mechs back to Xbox Live, and it’s taking steps to keep the true to its Live-enabled roots while remaining intriguing for gamers young and old alike.
One of the biggest complaints of the original MechAssault was its short campaign, so this time around, Fasa (the developer) is promising more attention to the single-player aspects. MechAssault 2 will include 20 missions in total, nearly double the number of missions in the first game. What’s more, the missions will span a variety of objectives and locations. It’s no longer just “blow stuff up in this slightly new area.” Now it’s “make your way through the story; it actually counts this time.”
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For example, in the early build we’ve gotten our hands on, we’ve taken out city-invading ‘Mechs with the Battle Armor, escorted transports with the tank, infiltrated an enemy base with the VTOL and “jacked” (yes, “jacked”) enemy ‘Mechs to add them to our team’s arsenal. Stealth attacks, defensive maneuvers, pulse-pounding action…it’s all there. Gameplay depth, meet MechAssault. MechAssault, meet gameplay depth. Now, go and play.
That depth is due in large part to the new treatment of vehicles in MechAssault 2. In the first MechAssault, the variety of 200-ton beasties definitely had an impact on the gameplay, because your tactics had to change based on your choice of vehicle. But, you were confined to one ‘Mech the entire level. MechAssault 2 changes all that through the ability to “jack” (think Grand Theft Auto) new ‘Mechs. To do this, all you need to do is equip yourself with some Battle Armor, fly up to the top of a ‘Mech and press the right button sequence (a la a Dance Dance Revolution mini-game) to eject the pilot and take the controls of the ‘Mech.
This is both an insanely cool feature, especially since pilots can try to counter-attack your jacking, but it also enables you to switch tactics on the fly. Need a bruiser ‘Mech? Jack one. Need to get to the other side of the map quickly? Jack a light ‘Mech and consider it done. Even if you’re getting pummeled in battle, you can eject the pilot from his ‘Mech and just leave the unpiloted machinery lying in the battlefield. The options, much like the vehicles, are numerous.
The only down side to the jacking, at least in our early build, is that the game is often too easy. After the first couple of attempts, jacking is more than second-nature; it’s an easily accessible solution to battle. Sure, the Battle Armor has mean energy weapons, but it’s vastly outgunned in battle against a ‘Mech. The solution, then, is to easily eject the pilot and go about your merry way. With any luck, the gameplay balance will be tweaked between now and MechAssault 2’s release this holiday season.
Graphically, though, there’s not a whole heck of a lot to tweak. MechAssault looks awesome. The ‘Mechs look, move and animate like you’d expect a 200-ton machine to look, move and animate, and the damage indicators such as flying sparks, electrical pulses and dragged legs add that extra touch of believability. The environments are also a bit more detailed than the first MechAssault, and although buildings’ rubble still mysteriously disappears once a building falls to the ground, you’ll almost be able to overlook it when you realize you can also blast a hole through a building and shoot through it.
And yes, all of these bells and whistles translate flawlessly to Xbox Live. The anticipated deathmatch and team-based modes are back, but MechAssault 2 also has a new Conquest mode that’s sure to entice gamers who grew tired of the mindless drubbing by 10-year-old, trigger-happy players. The Conquest mode in MechAssault 2 tracks your clan’s success and failure at capturing planets, defending them from invaders and, basically, taking over the online MechAssault 2 universe. Basically, consider it an action-oriented version of a persistent online world.
The defense and capturing of new planets plays out much like the standard team-based games in MechAssault 1, but the addition of new vehicles (and jacking) means you have many more teamwork options at your disposal. Maybe someone hops in a scout ‘Mech to survey the enemy’s defenses. Maybe two of you hold back in heavy ‘Mechs or in a turret to guard your base. Maybe one of you hops in a VTOL to deliver new supplies to your ‘Mechs in battle. Or maybe the VTOL is used as a transport for your Battle Armor to head into enemy territory and take over their equipment.
Whatever you choose, teamwork will be a “must” in MechAssault 2. And the stakes are considerably higher this time than just bragging rights. Now everyone in the Xbox Live world will judge your success and failure by the number of planets you’re able to take and hold, and if you’re in the top 100 positions, everyone can review your details. You’d better prepare your clan now; many a sleepless night are ahead of you.
Between MechAssault 2 and Halo 2, Xbox owners are destined to spend far too many hours in front of the TV this holiday season. And we’ll be the last ones to complain. MechAssault 2 is shaping up to be everything its predecessor wanted desperately to be, with a 200-ton cherry on top. Great graphics, great action, varied gameplay and a renewed focus on the single-player game pretty much ensure there’s something for everyone. With a little more gameplay balance and more variety to its blender-on-a-guitar soundtrack, MechAssault 2 could be one of the most overlooked but pleasantly surprising games this holiday season.
— Jonas Allen
