Hands-On With MechWarrior 4

MechWarrior 4 was probably the most anticipated game that Microsoft showed off at Gamestock. More so than the three mech games that preceded it, MechWarrior 4 will be completely character driven, and it is being designed to feel more like an interactive movie than just a simple game. You'll take the role of a clan leader, the last in his family's lineage, out to avenge the death of his father and reclaim the planet from those who would see it destroyed. Microsoft hopes that MechWarrior 4 will bring the classic BattleTech novels to life.

A new wingman system will affect the way gamers will play Mechwarrior 4. Each wingman has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, and losing any of them in battle will affect events later on. For example, losing a pilot who specializes in intelligence-gathering will remove your ability to survey enemy positions in the battlefield before each mission. Pilots' experience levels also determine their skills, and rookie wingmen are almost always guaranteed to make critical mistakes under pressure and should be considered a liability.

Simply put, the game is gorgeous. The new 3D engine allows for an even higher terrain and character polygon count. The game boasts some impressive weapon and environmental special effects. Above all else the new engine gives the player a better sense of scale. Piloting the Vulture amid city streets, we really got the sense that we were in a massive three-story mech towering above trees, vehicles, buildings, and pedestrians. The graphics engine's capabilities became clear when we panned up to take a look at the sky and saw an amazing tapestry of satellite planets set against a myriad stars.

Mechwarrior 4 is being developed by the same team that designed the original arcade version of Mechwarrior, which featured gigantic cabinets linked together in what was one of the earliest arcade multiplayer-only games. It's expected that Mechwarrior 4 will hark back to the arcade classic and have various multiplayer options built into the final version.

Microsoft says that Mechwarrior 4 will land on store shelves in time for the holiday festivities later on this year. We'll keep our eye on this one at E3, but in the meantime, take a look at the attached screenshots.