MechWarrior 4: Vengeance Review

The rest of the gameplay elements are just as impressive. The physics engine is probably the best one I've seen in any combat sim game. Almost every object on the terrain can be interacted with (i.e. flattened), and the whole concept of piloting a 80T steel machinery is put into perspective by the fact that you can destroy any object aside from rocks and other Mechs that you stomp on, or ram into. Because of the excellent physics engine (fantastic implementation of the F=m*a formula), MechWarrior 4 definitely strikes me as a simulation rather than an action title (an action-packed simulation to be more precise). Gunning down Mechs in MW3 seemed like a task unworthy of a seasoned MechWarrior. All you had to do was fire a group of large lasers in one of its legs and the poor enemy Mech would tumble over and lay there like a wounded duck. On top of that, the physics engine made the Mechs appear more like Heavy Gears than actual BattleMechs. MechWarrior 4 goes back to its roots by utilizing the incredible features of its robust engine.

Defeating an enemy Mech is not a simple one-two process any more. It takes time to pierce through that heavy armor. For the first time in a combat sim. game I had the feeling that the enemy is in control of an equally dangerous Mech (when I'm up against the similar-tonnage opponent), meaning that it won't simply crap out after a couple of blasts, just like I wouldn't expect my Mech to fall down after suffering a couple of hits. This effect definitely delivers sharper gameplay, which requires use of proper technique, tactics, and extensive knowledge of your Mech. Add to that a relatively good enemy AI, and some alert lance mates, and what you get is one kick ass single player experience. Speaking of the AI, both the enemy and friendly AI show some smart routines and actually enhance the overall gameplay experience. For the first time in God knows how long I had my lancemate bail me out of a jam. The fact that I was in a jam in the first place says a lot about the enemy AI, too. Steiner Mechs will excessively use the strafe technique and pose a serious threat in short-range combat. They'll limp away (critical leg damage) when they're badly hurt, and even regroup. On the other hand, they're not the greatest snipers in the world, so hitting that 'INS' key and configuring your weapons for some long-range combat might even the odds a bit when outnumbered.

One other thing that I've found frustrating in MW3 was the unoriginal and repetitive mission design. By combining an involving storyline with some versatile mission objectives and unexpected mission twists, MechWarrior 4 single player successfully engages the player in its intense action sequences. All the aforementioned game elements combined with quality mission design make MechWarrior 4 the most involving MechWarrior game to date.

Phew... I hope I made myself clear on the 'balanced and involved gameplay' point. (Hey you! Yeah you, stop yawning and skip to the scores if you're bored to death by now!)

MechWarrior 4 just f*ing oozes with eye-candy! The models are extremely high in polys, the landscapes have been improved since the BETA, the textures look richer, and so do the weapon effects: missile smoke trails, explosions... I've said it in the preview and in the first impressions, and I've even mentioned it a couple of times to my pet Schnauzer - MW4 is one beautiful combat sim! The only thing I feel is lacking is a bit... just a tad more color. Not that I like what LithTech is doing with its giant robot game, mind you (hmm... that thing looks like an LSD induced 60s party flyer). It's just that MW4 could've used just a touch of Serious Sam's color schemes.

What's really amazing about the visuals is the frame rate. Christ, that thing is rock solid on my PIII600/GeForce rig, on Ultra-high detail and in 1024x16Bit! Considering the advanced AI, and the incredible physics, I think the smooth FPS (Carlos Santana style, baby) stands as a proof of what can be achieved through skillful coding. Other programmers should really think about what they're doing when they're feeding us that: "you need a 1.3GHz Athlon to run our game at 25FPS" crap.

It All Comes Down To...

... the fact that MechWarrior 4 is a true heir to the MechWarrior throne. And if I may be so pretentious as to throw a few historical facts at you: if Philip II, the king of Macedonia was MechWarrior 2, MW4 would then be Alexander the Great, and MW3 is just this thick bastard son that ended having his name lost somewhere in the annals of history (yeah right, too easy).