MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf

MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf
File:Mechassaultlonewolfcover.jpg
Developer(s)	Day 1 Studios
Publisher(s)	Microsoft Game Studios
Platforms	Xbox
Release date(s)
Genre(s)	Mecha
Mode(s)	Single-player Multiplayer

MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf is a 2004 video game developed by Day 1 Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox console. It is the sequel to 2002's MechAssault and is set in the BattleTech universe. Lone Wolf is forward compatible for the Xbox 360.

Plot

After many searches, Major Natalia "Nat" Kerensky decides to base their testing operations in Dante City on the Planet Dante, using the blackmarketeers as a cover. One evening, as Foster and the MechWarrior (player) are returning to their workshop, mysterious craft enter the Dante airspace and a Stiletto BattleMech lands on the ground and starts searching for them. They successfully evade the Stiletto and make it back to the workshop, where Nat instructs the player use a new powered armor suit called the BattleArmor to stop the invaders. After this, hundreds of dropships enter Dante's atmosphere. Mysteriously, one of these dropships is shot down by the others. After fighting to the crash site, a strange new MechWarrior by the name of Alera emerges, a space pirate with a jumpship named the "Jessabelle". Later, the MechWarrior escapes an enemy port, and steals an enemy tank from 3 soldiers in an attempt to infiltrate the enemy. An allied APC then comes out and follows the MechWarrior on his way. The tank must go through two scans to advance the level, but however, the "Passenger Scan" warns the enemies that it is a trick, and the MechWarrior and his allies must escape the port with a tank. Later the MechWarrior is able to get an Owens BattleMech. During the final mission, the MechWarrior with the aid of his allies uses the BattleArmor to destroy half-complete giant BattleMech that uses all five of the data cores. Tragically, at the conclusion of the battle, Alera dies to save the MechWarrior and the team. However, in the final cut scene we are shown a shadow that passes over the fifth data core implying that she somehow survived.

Gameplay

The player controls a variety of vehicles other than mechs. These vehicles include tanks, powered armor, turrets, and VTOLs. The game lets the player leave the vehicle and plant explosives or roam as a human/pilot. An interesting aspect of the game is the ability to "hitch" rides on friendly mechs and VTOLs, while wearing a powered armor. It is also possible to do the same to enemy mechs and attempt a 'neurohack', with the result of ejecting the pilot and taking over his mech if successful.

Reception

GameSpot rated the game 7.9/10, citing good visual effects, and overall good gameplay, specifically praising the multiplayer portion of the game, but also citing several drawbacks including repetitiveness in the single-player campaign, along with poor voice acting and "uninspired terrain graphics". IGN awarded the game 8.9/10, also citing good gameplay, especially the multiplayer portion of the game. Concerns included the lacking appeal of the singleplayer campaign, and bad environmental graphics. Game Informer gave the game a 9.25/10.