game player

MechWarrior 3

review by Orlando C. Fernando

June 18, 1999

Control: PERFECT 10 (0=worst, 10=best)
Originality: 8
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: PERFECT 10
Overall: A- (F=worst, A=best)

Mechs have returned to the fray!A long awaited title has finally arrived just recently. In a technologically advanced robot machine (resembling a Transformer), you go on different missions which involve destroying other MechWarriors and enemy bases. MechWarrior 3 is another sequel to the battle games originating from Battletech fiction, games, and such. It is a continuation of the successful series of first person shooter action that had originated by Activision. Microprose has now taken over the efforts along with Hasbro interactive to create quite a souped up trilogy.

T he third presentation seems to continue on the war efforts theme that thrived in MechWarrior 2 classic and Mech Commander, although honor doesn't seem as strong a theme in this installation. It has now reverted to the point system rather than bounty money for successful attacks such as in MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, another great sequel.

M any elements of the game have been improved. The graphics and user interface will be the first noticeable. The menu screens have been polished up and look more professional. Your HUD display shows visual status and textual information in a less obtrusive way to your window view. I cannot find a way to remove the cockpit display, however, which you could do in previous games. All your favorite weapons have been significantly boosted in firing and explosion impacts. The SRMs and LRMs (missiles) in particular look near-identical to the mechs firing in the opening scene (full motion video). The mechs themselves are particularly polished and now even show human-like limb remains when you take out their arms. New to the scene are many active environments, such as houses, telephone wires, and people running around the cities, which you can mash as well. :) There are also platform areas to go under and cave alcoves to go through. Did I also mention the water? It cools your mech down and you can even go deep underwater in some areas. Can't fire missiles down there though. Finally, the collisions and explosions are cool! Remember how dead mechs went aflame in the older game's full motion videos?

M issions still involve enemy bases, enemy mechs, and defense. But now other non-mech enemies play a bigger role. You immediately deal with jeeps, gun turrets, and satellites in the first mission! The training mission does an excellent job getting you started with the basics. It is a welcome to finally get demonstrations on grouping weapons, firing modes, and jump jets. No more 3 minute tasks of walking around to a hundred op points (formerly called nav points). You also don't have to wait for each trainer speech to complete before doing each objective.

Sounds have more impact and help the weapons systems better. Missile lock-ons are more distinct now. Walking on different terrain have different stamp noises. All weapons pretty much have much cooler sounds! CD music quality is good but seems very limited in selection. And there's plenty of speech at the briefing sequences.

Controls for the most part are similar to previous games. Throttle, jump jets, and group weapon management are essentially the same. However, you can now crouch to avoid missile attacks or hide behind barriers. You can get knocked down even with both your legs, and you can get up again! And now they've borrowed a concept from Battlezone in including mobile repair units. If in the mission, you can have them deploy to certain spots then you can shutdown at the center of their formation to replenish your ammo and damaged (not severed) body parts! What a concept for a MechWarrior game! Lancemates are back to help you out and you can even call up a menu screen (similar to the Comm Tower view in Battlezone) to call out more specific orders to individual Lancemates.

Multiplayer was a bit tricky to set up, but then a breeze once implemented. You can subscribe for free to the Microsoft Game Zone to access their game servers. Otherwise, the modem, LAN, and TCP/IP options are available from the game itself. You do require Winsock 2.0 to play, and the README file smartly tells you where you can get it. You should be familiar with most hosting options from MechWarrior 2, such as team play/deathmatch, stock mech restrictions, and unlimited ammo. You can now also pick your skin color to fight which people are finding quite helpful to play in teams. (As of this writing, MS Game Zone does not have team play implemented yet, but you can make teams either by agreeing on picking certain skins or go on-line via TCP/IP connection if you know of an IP address for a game session.) Chatting in every aspect of the game (lounge, game preparation room, and in the heat of battle), although it the text looks quite ugly and limiting in the game preparation room. Clans among certain on-line players are forming as we speak.

It's a must for MechWarrior fans, and something to try for newbies. Newbies will find the fury of keyboard, mouse, and/or joystick controls overwhelming. However, by doing the training mode, they learn the essential ones to be able to play. My purchase was for US$32. Some stores have sold it for over US$49.99.