Mechcommander 2 - Hands-On

Gamers who enjoyed the original MechCommander will be pleased to hear that the fundamentals for the new game remain unchanged, while a series of improvements make the entire experience more enjoyable and easier to engage in for the novice than the original title.

Players assume control of up to 12 individual battlemechs in MechCommander 2, and dole out orders to the group from an aerial viewpoint above the action. This allows a much more tactical and involved command experience versus the typical RTS style game while still allowing the player to accomplish strategic goals.

Utilizing a new unfolding story line style campaign, MechCommander 2 adds true line of sight combat variables to battle engagements, and also offers combat bonuses and penalties depending upon whether or not the player's units are at a higher or lower altitude than their enemies. The traditional fog of war that most RTS games adhere to has been removed in MechCommander 2, instead players will rely on scouts, sensors, and probes to determine enemy strength and location.

The graphics engine in MechCommander 2 is vastly improved versus its predecessor, and features missiles that arc along real-world ballistic trajectories to their targets as well as laser and PPC fire that crackles and gleams with raw energy when fired.

The story of MechCommander 2 centers on the player as a mercenary, fighting for three powerful noble houses in the Inner Sphere. Missions are laid out in an extended campaign format, where objectives are specified initially, but the order in which they're completed is left up to the player. Individual Mech pilots gain skill as they perform the missions they're assigned, on their way to becoming elite MechWarriors.

New to MechWarrior 2 is the ability to resupply and salvage destroyed enemy mechs within a mission. Other reinforcements can also be called in to aid the player's team should a mission get too tough, including repair trucks, mine layers, scout tanks, air strikes, and other forms of help.

A mission editor is included with MechWarrior2 and it's the same utility that the game's designers used themselves to create the game's campaigns. Creating and trading missions with other MechCommander 2 players is possible using the in-game editor, we expect that the utility will be extremely practical for testing prototype Mech weapon loadouts.

Multiplayer is handled via a LAN connection or through the MSN Gaming Zone with up to eight players with eight teams supported.

Although MechCommander 2 is several months away from its expected Q1/2001 launch date, the early version we played holds true to the original MechCommander's excellent gameplay and featureset.