Features
- Twenty single-player levels so you can enjoy the game by yourself for a few hours
- Pilot eighteen mechs (plus extra unlockable mechs) and Elemental powered armor
- Fully destructible worlds
- Split-screen and System Link so you can play against your buddies at home if you don't have Live
- Up to eight people can play against one another in five different game modes on Xbox Live
- Voice Communicator lets you talk smack to your opponents in a variety of masked voices
- Did we mention it's online?
- 5.1 Dolby Digital sound
In case you don't know what a mech is or why they are assaulting things, let's give a quick rundown. Mechs are giant walking tanks, created by people in order to destroy things. Every mech needs a pilot (that's where you come in) and all mechs have one purpose -- to kick ass. Mechs, like editors, come in all shapes, sizes and smells. Some mechs are quick, others are heavy on armor. But again, the idea is they blow things up. Buildings, soldiers, helicopters, and other mechs are all fodder for these walking metal beasts. Any Techhead can run down a complex list of the history of these giant monstrosities, tell you stories about the different sects vying for power across the galaxy, and give you detailed analysis of all previous Mech campaigns on the PC and in numerous books. I'm not going to do that because, well, with MechAssault none of that really matters.
Created by Day 1, MechAssault is a distinctly different game from Microsoft's PC MechWarrior series. While it has many elements of the MechWarrior universe, it plays nothing like its PC cousin. MechAssault is a pure action game with little need to worry over technical matters. If you've never heard of Battletech, never played any Mech games before, and don't know a thing about these big bad machines, don't worry. You don't have to know anything about the history or technology of mechs in order to play and enjoy MechAssault. Sure, if you're geek enough to know, you may find a few minor little "ah-ha" moments, but if you don't know a lick, MechAssault will still satisfy without making you feel like you're missing out on something.
Fans of the MechWarrior series may be disappointed to find MechAssault offers only a third-person perspective, no customizations, and no hardcore tech aspects. But these omissions are for a reason. MechAssault is meant for the masses, and as an action game and not a sim (though it's debatable how you sim something that doesn't actually exist), MechAssault delivers the high voltage blast Xbox Live needs.
How do you steer this thing?
Don't sweat trying to find which button wipes your windshield, this control setup is easier than Halo. A four-year old monkey can figure the game out in under ten minutes. And you are smarter than a four-year old monkey, aren't you?
There are only three categories of weapons in MechAssault: Ballistic, missile, and energy weapons. While there are different weapons for each category, every mech will only have one of each (and some may not have one of a particular category at all). X, Y, and B correspond to the different weapon types and pressing the button switches you to that weapon. No, you can't fire missiles and machine guns at the same time, sorry. The left thumbstick controls the lower half of your mech, moving you around and the right thumbstick controls the torso and is used for aiming. Since a torso can swivel 360 degrees, you can run backwards and still fire at pursuing enemies. It takes about fifteen minutes to a half hour to get used to the dual-stick controls, but once you have it, you'll love it. Left trigger cycles through weapons (if you don't want to press any face buttons) and right trigger fires. Some weapons you can charge up, which is quite the nice. Pressing in on the left thumbstick uses your jump jets (if your mech has any) so you can hover for short distances. Pressing in on the right thumbstick activates your defensive power (if your mech has one).
The controls are set up to allow an incredibly comfortable experience. You never have to hit the face buttons, so you can relax your thumbs on the sticks and your pointer fingers on the trigger. That's all you need. It couldn't be simpler and while some may have wanted a more complex setup with every button offering something important, the configuration is actually perfect for the brand of action MechAssault offers.
So which bucket of bolts is mine?
MechAssault has eighteen mechs, Elemental power-armored suits, and multiple unlockable mechs to pilot. Mechs have weight, armor, and different levels of firepower. The heavier the mech, the more firepower and armor they tend to have. After all, that weight has to be accounted for somewhere. But lighter mechs offer speed. There's a lot of versatility here and though some mechs are very underpowered, every mech has a chance to win in the arena.
The appeal of a honking-powerful mech like the Atlas is obvious. It walks straight into battle and attacks without mercy. Though it can't move fast, it doesn't need to thanks to its armor. On the other hand, a light mech like the Uziel may have little armor but its speed means it can avoid attacks easier. Though the mechs somewhat balance out, an Atlas is still generally gonna kick more ass than most people piloting a Uziel. It would have been really easy for MechAssault to become unbalanced, but somehow it never does. In fact, it's that challenge, "Can I take on this Thor with my measly Cougar" that will likely drive MechAssault deep into next year. Sure, it's fun to have the baddest mech and lay waste to lots of fools, but it's much more satisfying to take out a big guy with a scrapper.
Speaking of which, one of the more interesting options is the Elemental. Not a mech, but powered armor, the Elemental is barely taller than the average man. It's relatively weak, has only two weapons, and scantly any armor. One or two hits and it's kaput. Yet its one of the most attractive options once you become a MechAssault veteran. Take four Elementals against a Thor and see who comes out on top. Or, my favorite, have a full on brawl with eight Elementals duking it out for power-armored supremacy.
Almost every mech has a variant, which is the same form but with different weapons, armor and speed. So while there are twenty mechs available (with two hidden), only about half of those are unique designs. Still, the variants often play quite differently from the originals and a Cougar and a Puma are truly two different experiences. The various mech types aren't just there to keep the game looking interesting. Piloting a light mech is different from a medium mech and definitely different from getting in a heavy mech. While you're likely to find your favorite mech and stick with them most of the time, switching it up keeps MechAssault fresh. This is definitely a game you'll be playing for months and months.
Here's a list of all the available mechs excluding the unlockables (we'll let you enjoy finding those on your own):
Mad Cat | Timber Wolf | Atlas | Prometheus |
Owens | Hackman | Cougar | Puma |
Uziel | Belial | Vulture | Mad Dog |
Catapult | Bowman | Thor | Summoner |
Uller | Kit Fox | Elemental |
Customization my ass
Customization -- The missing element of MechAssault. While many mech games allow you to tweak your mech, buy different guns, attempt to alter the weight, give new colors or decals, MechAssault allows none of this. The closest you get to any customization is which button does what on your controller. As such, MechAssault serves to the lowest common denominator. Apparently afraid of alienating casual gamers, the hundred-ton mech game has been so softened that it may turn off hardcore fans. And if Xbox and Xbox Live have anything, it's a plethora of hardcore fans.
That's not to say MechAssault isn't pleasing, but it is a little disappointing. Rather than serving both sides (casual and hardcore) they risk alienating the already-converted in hopes of attracting new mice with a friendlier piece of a cheese. Surely there could have been options for both. Even online, with the Optimatch ability (which lets you search for games by specific parameters) timid gamers could have chosen to only look for non-customized mech games.
MechAssault loses the smallest hint of luster because of this. Imagine how much more fanatically some might have been about the game had they been able to make a mech they thought of as their own. Instead, mech selection is more a pick your fave from a list of generic options. Microsoft is underrating their audience and it's the many parts of MechAssault that feel dumbed down that keep it from being at the pinnacle of gaming excellence. It's still great, but had their been some trust in the gaming audience, MechAssault could have become something even bigger than it already will be.
When 60-ton mechs collide
Combat is king in MechAssault. In fact, it's really the sole purpose of the game. Whether it's destroying buildings or taking on other mechs, the objective is simple -- destroy everything. And just about everything you see can be destroyed. Boulders, trucks, bridges, and buildings can be taken out with a few well-placed missiles or a solid PPC hit. And while mindless destruction is fun, that destructibility serves a combat purpose.
Buildings hurt when they fall on you and standing on a bridge when it collapses is bad for your health. Even though you are in a weaker mech, you can always take out an Atlas by getting a building to drop on them. By this way, even a minute little Elemental can take on an army of mechs and survive. It's not easy for the pint-sized powered armor to knock down a building, but if done with good timing, any mech can be destroyed. And when a mech dies, it's not some meager explosion. These babies errupt. When a mech goes down, everybody runs, because if you get caught in the blast radius, you'll take some serious damage. At the same time, destroyed mechs leave behind salvage, which can be used to upgrade and repair your mech. So, while everyone runs when a mech explodes, the moment that gorgeous display of Xbox power disappears, they're all running for the loot.
There are four types of power-ups in MechAssault. Each weapon type can be upgraded up to three levels. Each level increases the rate of fire and damage. While your default weapons cannot run out of ammo, all of the upgrades have limited ammunition, so use them wisely. The other upgrade is a health boost. Destroying trucks and buildings sometimes reveals these power-ups, making them key in combat.
Toss in friendly fire and the ability to actually knock down mechs with certain attacks and you've got yourself a real beat-down blow-em-up contest. Combat is fast and always tense. I can't stress enough just how much fun it is blowing crap up. But don't think it's just mindless, because when you start playing against other people you will need to employ strategy. Learning your mechs, knowing their weaknesses and strengths and also knowing when to run and when to charge are important. Even in the single player mode you will have to find ways to take out others when you are outmatched. Dropping a bridge on a caravan of mechs, for example, is a lot easier than trying to take them head-on.
An army of one
MechAssault was originally planned as an offline title so the single-player mode is actually more robust than you might expect. Campaign mode tells the story of a trio of soldiers crash-landing into hostile territory. Taking on some crazed cultists called the Word of Blake, you'll go through 20 levels of various missions. All involve killing things, though several actually have you running for your life instead of gunning for baddies. The Campaign will take maybe ten hours for those less skilled and can easily be less for more astute gamers. There are a few tough spots here and there, but nothing too difficult.
Even if you just want to go online and take on your buddies, the Campaign mode shouldn't be ignored. For one thing, you can unlock a couple of extra mechs this way. But, just as important, this will teach you the game. You'll have to use strategy in some situations to survive. Those who play through the Campaign will definitely have an edge over those that don't. Though the Campaign mode was once the main focus of MechAssault, it's now secondary thanks to the Xbox Live component. But that doesn't mean it isn't deserving of praise. Were it not for the multiplayer features, yes, the Campaign would be too short to hold its own, but it's a fantastic compliment to the rest of the game. The only thing I would have loved is if you could co-op with a buddy, with one person steering the mech and the other attacking. It's been done before on the Genesis and, in fact, done to perfection.
Multiplayer if you're not online
You don't have to spend the fifty skinnies for Xbox Live to enjoy MechAssault with a friend. System Link and split-screen play is available. Not only do these host the same games offered in Xbox Live, but they include an extra mode not online. Grinder is the only MechAssault game with bots. Picking one of two arenas, you and your buddies can take on increasing numbers of mechs to see how long you can survive. It's your typical survival mode from any fighting game, but with giant metal monstrosities instead of beefcake fighters. And it's probably the best of the multiplayer games. So why isn't it online? Uh, well, you see, the thing about that is... uh. Hmm.
System Link is great and there's generally no slowdown (it does happen from time to time though). The games are fun too and while it's not quite the same experience as Xbox Live, it will certainly do in a pinch.
Online
MechAssault is the biggest Xbox Live game this year and a lot is riding on how it performs online. Let me first say that MechAssault online is one of the best console experiences I can remember. It's incredibly fun, fast, and furious. That said, it's also a bit of a disappointment.
As of shipment, there are only five online game modes: Destruction, Team Destruction, Last Man Standing, Team Last Man Standing, and Not It! As you can see, there are really only three different types of games and then team variations on two. That's a pretty sad little list for a game that is meant to usher in Xbox Live. But, the fact is, almost everyone will be happy with the five modes initially available. I say initially because there will be modes added later through downloadable content. What is available is good, but there should have been more.
You can jump into any available game with the Quick Match feature, search a game meeting your requirements through Optimatch, or host your own match. Sounds great right? Sure, if it had been done right. Here's your search filters for Optimatch: Game type, minimum and maximum players. That's it. When creating or searching for a match you can't set up parameters like "only heavy mechs" or "all elementals." These things must be agreed upon by the participants when the game is set up through voice communication. There's no way to look for players of a certain skill or diffficulty or by the level being played. This is about as sparse as an online game gets as far as search filters.
Team games are handled almost the same way as everyone-for-themselves matches. When each person selects their mech for the battle, they choose a color representing the team they're on. However, the online setup here is lacking. Everyone needs to communicate on what team they want to be on, what mechs are allowable, and what color they should all be. You can have more than two teams, and you can have a single mech on one team and seven mechs on another. That's actually a good thing because you can have seven Elementals take on one Atlas. However, there's nothing on the selection screen that gives you any info on any of the mechs. So if you don't know an Elemental is a power-armored weakling, you may pick it and be totally cheesed off and frustrated over your selection.
When setting up a game, you can choose how many slots to leave open for a public (anyone with an Xbox Live account) and how many to make private (for inviting your buddies). Once the game is created, you can then send out invites to anyone on your friends list. Only friends can hop into private spots. This way if you only have three buddies but wanna play a full eight-mech game, you can. And you will need to do it this way for a full eight-mech battle, because MechAsssault on Xbox Live has no bots.
Another nitpicking thing. When you finish a game, rather than taking you back into the same little lobby of players like Whacked does, MechAssault kicks you back out into the main lobby. This means everyone is cut off from voice communication with each other and must reassemble into a newly created game. If you're just looking to play with a few particular buddies, each game has to be set up again and again. A minor gripe, but yet another thing that could have been done right here if someone had merely thought to do it.
Now let's take a look at the game modes offered on Xbox Live:
Destruction/Team Destruction
This is the mode you will likely play most. Destruction is your standard fragfest. Kill and avoid being killed on one of a variety of arenas. Arenas are large enough that multiple small battles can take place in different areas off screen from one another, giving the feeling of one large freelancer battle. You set the time limit and between 2-8 people can get in on the action through Xbox Live. Team Destruction is the same premise, except kills and deaths count for an entire team.
Last Man Standing/Team Last Man Standing
The idea is that, like Destruction, mechs take each other on in one of a variety of arenas. However, where in Destruction you respawn after death, in Last Man Standing you only have one life. The last alive wins. So what happens when you die? You respawn as a footsoldier with no weapon and limited movement. You can run around and get squashed (or commit suicide if you wish and respawn again). This is not only boring, but terribly done. It looks awful and it's honestly going to confuse people as to why they are suddenly just little people. Unreal Championship does this much better by allowing a dead player to use a free camera mode and watch any other part of the battle. Not only is all of this a bit annoying, but the game itself just isn't as much fun as the rest. Last Team Standing is the same premise but it's whichever team manages to survive. And the real problem with all of this is that the best strategy is to simply hide as long as possible and let everyone else kill one another off. What fun is that?
Not It!
The best of the online modes, Not It! makes one person It, designated by a yellow arrow floating over their mech. When you're it, you score points by destroying other mechs. And every mech comes after you, because they become it once they waste you. A lot of fun and a real challenge for everyone, Not It! could even have been made into Team Not It! But at least it's in there in some form. Fast and a load of fun, this one may be your true online love.
So how's it play?
Despite a lack of options and game modes, MechAssault is a fantastic online experience. There is slowdown when you have six or more mechs on screen at once, but it's not too terrible most of the time. For the first wave of online titles, this is an excellent indication of things to come. Yes, you only have five game modes and six levels to begin with, but it honestly is enough to keep you playing for the next six months. Yup, MechAssault online is that much fun.
The voice communicator adds a lot, letting you talk smack to people across the country. There are voice masks, so you can disguise how you sound, but most of them are annoying. Fortunately you can mute people so you don't have to hear them because you will not want to hear that child voice more than once. Yech. Some voice masks are just impossible to even comprehend and though a good idea, voice masking may make a quick online exit. The communicator is great, the smack talking is awesome, the voice masking is garbage.
Downloadable content
Microsoft has plans for several batches of downloadable content to begin shortly after the release of MechAssault. All you have to do is go online and select the Downloadable Content option to see if anything new is available. You can then choose to download the content to your hard drive. New mechs, weapons, maps, and online games are planned, including a rumored real-time strategy game mode. But these are things in the future and not something you get right out of the box, and therefore isn't something we can add to the weight of this review. In essence, MechAssault will continue to have life beyond its release thanks to new content, but perhaps some of those extra goodies should have been in here from the moment of launch. Oh, and if you're curious about size, most content looks like it will take up anywhere from 200 to 5000 blocks on your hard drive (you know, the one that currently says 50000+ blocks available).
Graphics
Let's get the bad out of the way first. Yes, there's slowdown. Even in the single-player mode, there are a few moments where the game will chug. This is usually when there are several mechs on screen at once, plus tanks, and soldiers all trying to take you down. It's certainly noticeable. And yes, the game will slow down online. This is usually during larger battles, but tends to happen mostly when at least five mechs are all in one spot at the same time. Everyone's trying to blast everyone else to pieces and there's a million different particles hitting the screen. The slowdown is noticeable, but it's not too great a hindrance on the overall experience.
Now for the goodness, and boy is there a lot of it. The mech designs are fantastic and the animations are stellar. What's truly impressive is seeing how well these metal monsters are constructed. There are actually pivots in the feet, for example, so that if a mech is standing on uneven ground, the foot will be shifted to the side to keep the mech balanced. And weight matters. Land hard after being high in the air and the mech will actually momentarily crouch down on landing, from the force of its own weight. The physics of these fictional mechs seems spot-on (though I guess it's all just theoretical).
Most levels are packed with particle effects. You get dust blowing through as eight mechs are shelling out damage on one another, snow falling (and mechs leave tracks in the snow), and sparks of fire in the lava levels. You get smoke billowing out of mechs, spectacular weapon effects, and stunning explosions. When a mech is destroyed, it's not some weak little destruction. The explosion rocks the area and anything nearby gets caught in the blast. Chain reactions -- where one explosion kills a nearby mech whose explosion kills yet another -- are sights to behold.
Sound
MechAssault offers awesome 5.1 Dolby Digital. The explosions and gunfire truly rock with the subwoofer booming in full effect. The surround is well-blended, given the true feel of total sound immersion. You can actually hear missiles wiz by. The score is a bit limited, but what is there is good. The music kicks up into rockin' hair metal the minute an enemy mech comes on screen, adding to the intensity. Unfortunately, there's no customizable soundtracks. Those worried about the voice communicator ruining the 5.1 experience need not. Though you have an earpiece over one ear, you can still hear from that side. Actually, it's the cranking 5.1 that will make it almost impossible to hear others over the voice communicator. But this is a fine example of how to do Dolby Digital on a console game.