MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf for Xbox

I thoroughly enjoyed the original MechAssault on the Xbox, so naturally I had to buy the sequel. I think MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf is an even better game because it kept all the good stuff from the original, then added a few extra features that really enhanced the gameplay. If you are into well-done shooting games, you will like this series.

This game is set in the future and the premise of the MechAssault series is that you are piloting giant combat robots called Mechs. If you ever played the excellent MechWarrior series on the PC, then you'll already be familiar with some of the Mechs as well as their weapons and abilities. The main difference between the original PC games and these Xbox versions is that the console version is more arcade-like and doesn't feature all the customization and management options as did the PC version.

The biggest difference between this game and the original is that you now have the ability to exit your Mech and get in another. This adds a whole new level of complexity to the gameplay because you sometimes have to change Mechs in order to survive some missions. You also now have the option to steal a Mech from another player by hacking into their system. If you can master doing this, you can dominate the multiplayer games on Xbox Live. Just remember that it's very easy to get killed trying to approach a Mech to hack it.

Before you go jumping onto Xbox Live to play this game online, I highly recommend that you go through the Campaign levels in order to get a feel for the game. Each level, or mission, is designed to show you how to use the different Mechs and there are different goals per mission. While there are missions where you simply have to blow everything up, there are also some where you have to steal Mechs or protect ships. Each mission varies as you progress, so you don't get the feeling of doing the same thing over and over again. Each mission also gets progressively more difficult as you go farther into the campaign, but you can Google some strategies, if needed.

The graphics in this game are excellent and the special effects are plentiful. In the heat of battle, it's not uncommon for your entire screen to be filled up with fire and lighting effects when stuff starts to blow up around you. The environments are highly interactive like if somebody is trying to hide behind a building you can just blow up that building. I do have a small complaint that sometimes when the action is very heavy you can't tell what is going on. Of course, this usually means you are in some type of crossfire and about to get blown up.

The sound effects in this game are great and it makes full use of the Xbox's Dolby Digital surround sound capabilities. Sound plays a very important factor in the gameplay because you can hear weapons charging as well as various alerts. When another Mech explodes, they emit a unique sound that gives you about a two second warning before it explodes. If you are standing too close, you'll get blown up, too. The game also features music by the bands Korn and Papa Roach.

The control system in this game is very smooth and easy to pick up. Some gamers may have to get used to how slow the Mechs move around, but their lack of movement is made up with firepower. I haven't really found too many strategic moves in the game because the Mechs aren't too maneuverable, but it all seems to come down to who can aim the best and find the best power-ups. This sometimes creates an unfair situation where one player with a lot of improved weapons can easily dominate the game.

The multiplayer experience via Xbox Live leaves something to be desired. The problem is that this game is a few years old now and only a couple dozen people still play it. Of this group, I've found a great many of them to be elitists who aren't much fun to play with, especially if you don't have a microphone headset. Your best bet is to create your own match and wait for people to join your game so that you can remove disruptive players, if necessary. There is also an optional premium map pack that you can download for $4.99, but you don't need to get it now since hardly anyone uses those maps.

I've really enjoyed playing MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf and think it offers a challenging addition to this great game series. I do regret that I had not bought this game earlier and been able to experience the multiplayer aspect of it back when more people were on, but some good times can still be had there. Since this game is considered an older title, you can find a used copy of it pretty easily for less than five bucks.

My review of the original MechAssault:
http://www.epinions.com/content_228806659716