Full on assault

As PC build frustrations mount to previously unheard of levels, I find myself forced turn to a draft I’ve been sitting on since early summer. Hot on the heels of its predecessor, Mechassault 2:Lone Wolf eats the bomb (Ok, so I’ve been sitting on the draft of this post for a loooooonnnnnngggg time). More than just a graphical upgrade (although the differences are night and day and beautiful to behold), this game brings the series to new heights of destruction while you wage war against the Word of Blake.

Though the single-player campaign of MA2 was almost rip-off short (approx. 6-8 hours), it felt much more rewarding than the first. Filled with more variety in mission type and objective, actual bosses to defeat, several non-mech vehicles to pilot (each serving its purpose in the multiplayer, thus bearing introduction in the campaign first), and a lot more mechs to fight. The first game would pit you against loads of soldiers, tanks, choppers, turrets, and then enemy mechs were sprinkled in. You would often face multiple mechs at a time, but it still felt as if they were as unique as you were. Rarely (if ever) would you be facing more than 2 or 3 at a time. Mechassault 2, on the other hand, will often throw not only clusters of mechs at you, but they will come in waves which barely afford you the time to pick up some power-ups and health before the next batch is on top of you.

Hmmm…..Should I take the Hummer….or the Sherman Tank?

Far and away the most thrilling part of the game is the new ability to get out of your mech and steal others. You are freely able to climb down from your towering beast, run around on the ground as a tiny pilot, and climb back into any unused mech. That’s all well and good, being able to change up mid-mission, but the fun part comes in when you are wearing the exoskeleton that allows you to jump on the back of an inhabited mech, play a button-matching mini-game, and forcibly eject the enemy pilot to take over the mech. If that don’t put a smile on your face, nothing will.

Because of the very short single-player campaign, Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf qualifies as a worthy rental. If, however, you are a Live subscriber, I think the multi-player gives this one legs that make it a worthy purchase at its $20 price tag.