If you’re one of the rare few who don’t like blowing things up, then this game’s not for you. But for everyone else, Mechassault 2 is always great to pick up and play (and blow things up). You take control of a towering mech (among other vehicles) and are able to level anything you see, such as buildings, trucks, and other mechs. The basis and appeal of Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf (explained above), is the same as its predecessor, but that’s about where the similarities end. In the original Mechassault, you were confined to the towering hunk of metal that is a mech, but in MA 2, you have the ability to climb out of your mech and enter other means of transportation. Four new vehicles have been added to the game, VTOL’s, tanks, Battle Armor, and your puny human flesh. Along with these new types of vehicles, several new mechs have been added for your pleasure. The Battle Armor is a very fun new addition to MA 2. The Battle Armor is a 6 foot tall armor suit, mounted with a pulse laser, a mortar, and a claw. Your little human can hop into a suit and can move freely, shoot at anything, and jump jet around. The Battle Armor is also the center of one of the big new features to Mechassault 2, mech-jacking. While in the Battle Armor, you can jump jet behind an enemy mech, latch on with the claw, and attempt to ‘neuro-hack’ the pilot. Neuro-hacking is actually a quick mini-game that the hacker and the hackee (while online) both participate in. A symbol of one of the controller buttons pops up and you must try to press the button on the controller as quickly as possible. Eventually, depending on the results of the mini game, either the pilot is ejected or the Battle Armor is tossed of, taking damage. This adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay, especially while playing online. VTOL’s are Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles. They can be used to pick up Battle Armors and transport them around the map, and to drop salvage (power ups). These are only used in one single player mission, but can be a huge player in an online game. VTOL’s are also equipped with medium range missiles, which can help while making a heated retreat. Players of the original Mechassault will remember lumbering down a street in your mech, seeing a ‘puny’ tank and quickly and easily destroying it. Well, now you get to get to control one of those puny tanks. The Rommel tanks that you control with are equipped with ample weapons to take out a light to medium mech fairly easily. Some of you may also remember from the original Mechassault seeing a few poorly armed infantry trying to take on your mech. Pfft. They never stood a chance; you just crushed them beneath your huge feet. Now, you can take control of your pilot, although you want to be in some type of vehicle as much as possible. Mostly, you only control your pilot while switching vehicles and hacking open gates (which use the same mini game as neuro-hacking). Atleast your pilot doesn’t come totally unarmed; he can plant explosive charges that can pack quite a punch. One mission finds you destroying a base with just your pilot while dodging tanks and other mechs. Several new mechs have been added to the line-up and they’re all pretty good. They range from medium class mechs, such as the Raven and Corvus, up to the heavy hitting assault class Star Adder and Blood Asp. The graphics in Lone Wolf are great. There is no greater satisfaction than coming out of a hard fought battle and watching your former opponent be blown into oblivion in a huge explosion and seeing the land ripple and surrounding buildings collapse. There are quite a few exciting moments like this to be found in Mechassault 2. The Mechs themselves look very realistic, with a pleasing recoil when firing the larger weapons, such as the gauss rifle, and a realistic stagger when you get hit with said weapons. The buildings, which are all totally destructible, look OK when they’re standing, but it’s when they’re getting bombarded that the graphics shine. Pieces of the building fall off and flames sprout from the windows, and when the building finally collapses, the ground shakes and a huge cloud of dust rises. The framerate holds steady for most of the game, but in a few moments with several mechs and an explosion, it can lag a bit, but not enough to ruin the game. The sound goes hand in hand with the graphics, as they are both great. The many explosions in the game are very realistic and help to immerse you in the game. The mechs create a nice thumping sound whenever they plant their massive feet on the ground. The weapons sounds are varied and sound really good. The voiceovers in the single player cutscenes are well done also. While those things are all well and good, the gameplay and controls can really make or break a game, and fortunately, in Lone Wolf’s case, it’s the former. The controls are easy to pick up and work well throughout the entire game. The controls are fairly standard, with the right trigger firing your weapon, the left trigger switching weapons, and the control sticks designating the mech’s movement. The single player in Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf is OK, and my biggest complaint is its length. The campaign is very short and can easily be beaten in several hours of game playing. The storyline is also fairly meager, but it moves along pretty well. As mentioned above, the cutscenes are fairly frequent and are well done, but there isn’t quite enough meat behind the story. Mechassault 2’s multiplayer is clearly the main focus of the game. Mechassault 2’s XBL experience is amazing. The biggest thing online is the new Conquest mode. You can join a clan (house) and try to dominate the galaxy by taking over planets one by one. You can only challenge planets next to a planet you currently control, and since each house starts with only a base planet your power will spread across the galaxy like a huge tidal wave. In order to conquer a planet, your house must win a certain number of games (the number and game type are based on the planet) in a row against the defending house. Overall, Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf is a solid game that provides a much better experience to players that are connected to XBL. If you aren’t hooked up, Lone Wolf might only be worth a rent.
Other Helpful Reviews for MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf (Limited Edition)
I personally thought tis game was better than the first one. However, this game would be perfect if it weren't for VERY minor flaws: Graphics: Better than the first game's graphics but not by much. The biggest thing... Read Full Review
The Good: The destruction in this game is good, weapons on the mechs, and the mechs look nice. The Bad: The game's environment is boring and doesn't have a lot to it. The voice acting is terrible, and no customization. ... Read Full Review
