MechAssault 2 launching in late 2004

Microsoft has confirmed that MechAssault 2 is currently in development and slated for release in time for the 2004 holiday season. The original game in the series, MechAssault, was voted by GameSpot editors as the Xbox Game of the Year in 2002.

One of the primary enhancements over the original MechAssault is that players will be able to pilot a variety of different craft in MechAssault 2, including tanks, vertical take-off and landing craft (VTOLs), and battle armor, as well as the familiar mechs. The versatile battle armor is perhaps the most interesting new addition, as it will allow players to hijack enemy mechs and climb buildings. VTOLs can even transport battle armor through the air, offering increased mobility for teams that can work cooperatively.

Choosing the proper vehicle for the mission will be a key component to the strategy in both the single player campaign and multiplayer action on Xbox Live. Though popular multiplayer modes from the original game will still be available in the sequel, Microsoft hopes that the ability for players to use a wider variety of vehicle types will give the game a distinctive flavor from its predecessor.

Check out our previous coverage for the first screenshots of the game.