MechAssault

MechAssault
Studio	Day 1 studios
Publisher	Microsoft Game Studios
Erstveröffent- lichung	November 2002
platform	Xbox
genre	Action game
Game mode	Single player , multiplayer
medium	DVD-ROM
language	English
Age rating	USK

MechAssault is an action game for Xbox and a licensed product of the BattleTech franchise, which was released in November 2002 by Microsoft Game Studios . It was one of the first Xbox titles with the support of the online service Xbox Live and comes from the American developer Day 1 Studios .

action

The player character belongs to a mercenary troop called Wolf's Dragoons. The mercenaries are sent to the planet Helios, with which there has been no contact for a long time. The mercenary squad's landing ship Icarus is shot down as it enters the planet's atmosphere. As it turns out, a religious cult of tech devotees of the Word of Blake has conquered the planet. Your fanatical leader, Commander Strader, has established a tough regime on the planet. It is the player's task to free the planet from the clutches of the cult.

Gameplay

campaign

The game is an action-oriented fighting game. The player controls his mech and its weapon systems directly with the analog sticks on the controller through the 3D game world, which is presented from a third-person perspective. The weapons are switched through and released with the shoulder buttons. During the course of the game, the player controls various Mech variants known from the rules, starting with small and medium-weight types up to the large combat classes. The exact model is given by the program for each of the 20 missions. The task varies and changes regularly during the course of the mission, but in essence it is usually important to eliminate all opponents in combat. Enemy types are, for example, foot soldiers, tanks and enemy 'Mechs. Increased position gives the player an advantage in combat and buildings can be used as cover, but can also be destroyed in the process. Armor and ammunition can be refreshed through collectibles in the level.

Multiplayer

MechAssault supported the online component Xbox Live and offered extensive multiplayer options for it. Using System Link , up to eight consoles with a maximum of 16 players can be linked together locally. Online games were offered via Xbox Live, with a second player per console being able to participate in the game via split screen . The game variants for the release were Deathmatch , Team Deathmatch , Last Man Standing and a hunter game variant called "Not Me!" offered. Microsoft expanded the multiplayer part with downloadable content , starting with two additional mechs (Corvus, Raven) and two new online maps (Hell's Kitchen, Stone Cold) in February 2003. In May 2003, Capture the Flag was integrated as a new game mode , along with two on it coordinated maps (Desert Storm, Midtown Mayhem) and two other Mechs (Loki, Hellbringer).

reception

Meta-ratings Database Rating GameRankings 86.92% Metacritic 87% reviews publication Rating 4players 87% Eurogamer (UK) 9/10 GameSpot 9/10 IGN 9.2 / 10 JeuxVideo 17/20

MechAssault received mostly positive reviews ( Metacritic : 87%).

“MechAssault is a glimpse at the future of Xbox. A future fast approaching. Though some presentation elements are lacking, the game overall is absolutely worth your money. Anyone who has Xbox Live needs this game. And any mech fan without Live will still have fun, though the game itself is a little undervalued without Live. "

“MechAssault is a look at the future of Xbox. A futuristically fast approach. Although it lacks some presentation elements, the game is overall worth the money. EVERYONE who has Xbox Live needs this game. And any mech fan without Live will still have fun, even though the game itself is a little below value without Live. "

- Hilary Goldstein : IGN

“MechAssault isn't an overly complicated game, and this makes it a perfect choice for the Xbox Live launch. Once you get used to the game's pacing, it's easy to get good at controlling your mech, which is, of course, invaluable when you're playing online against other experienced players. The well-done campaign mode, the terrific presentation, and the variety of online modes all combine to make a truly superb final product. If you're going to buy one game with your Xbox Live starter kit, MechAssault is the one to get. "

“MechAssault isn't an overly complicated game, and that makes it a perfect choice for starting Xbox Live. Once you get used to pacing the game, it's easy to get good control of your mech, which of course is invaluable when playing against other experienced players online. The well-made campaign mode, the impressive presentation and the multitude of online modes result in a truly excellent end product in combination. If you should buy exactly one game with the Xbox Live Starter Kit, MechAssault is the title of choice. "

- Jeff Gerstmann : GameSpot

According to Next Gen magazine , MechAssault sold around 750,000 times on the US market in July 2006, with sales of $ 26 million. The magazine listed it as the 85th most successful console game since the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube were released .

In 2004 Microsoft published the successor MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf, also developed by Day 1 .

Web links

• MechAssault at MobyGames (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} MechAssault - Test, Action - 4Players.de. Retrieved December 12, 2018 . 
2. ↑ Aaron Boulding: MechAssault Downloads: Newer is Better. In: IGN. February 20, 2003; Retrieved December 12, 2018 (American English). 
3. ↑ Aaron Boulding: MechAssault Download 2. In: IGN. May 20, 2003. Retrieved December 12, 2018 (American English). 
4. ↑ ^{a b} Metacritic
5. ↑ https://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/559823-mechassault/index.html
6. ↑ https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_mechassault_x
7. ↑ ^{a b} https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mechassault-review/1900-2897126/
8. ↑ ^{a b} https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/06/mechassault
9. ↑ http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00002710_test.htm
10. ^ Colin Campbell, Joe Keizer: The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century . In: Next Generation . July 29, 2006. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007.