HomepageDownloadAt first glance this looks like a total rip-off
of Activision's MechWarrior 2 with a few
touch-ups on the graphical area. First looks can be deceiving --
but only to a certain extent.
It was either the "great minds think alike" syndrome
(or was that "fools seldom differ"?) or it
was really intended to look like MechWarrior (hey, why change a
winning formula?) Well, that
said, this is NOT MechWarrior 2 and anyone who buys this thinking
it is will be severely
disappointed, if they have already previously played the former:
it's as much to BattleTech
simulations as Doom is to gunnery practice - then again, I hear
some Marine's _are_ using Doom
for just that. Anyway, I do sincerely hope that this was not
created with Mechwarrior 2 in mind
because this is waaaaay off, guys. There are the SIMILARITIES
though: 1) You're in a Mech. 2)
That Mech of yours does a pitifully lousy imitation (but an
imitation nonetheless) of a
Stormcrow. 3) The scenery is just a pumped-up version of
MechWarrior's... hills so that your
ride is bumpy and everything. 4) The external view looks at least
as lousy (in fact I'd say
way lousier) than Mechwarrior's. 5) The lady that says
"ammunition depleted" in MechWarrior
has a role here too. 6) The startup rooms look eerily familiar:
cadet training, ready room,
etc. Well when you download the demo add some more to your own
list... I'm sure you'll find at
least an additional one.
ON THE OTHER HAND, 1) If MechWarrior 2 is the clash of the
titans, this is the clash of the
aluminum foil figurines. In the former there is a feel of great
mass... like two giants are
taking it out on each other - here there is nothing of that sort.
Compared to Quake, you'll
think you're shooting at paper figures. 2) Scenery is, well, a
lot better than
Mechwarrior. What's better, the sand actually sprays when you
shoot into it. 3) Enemies here
are very heavily texture-mapped. Mechwarrior 2 used mostly gourad
shading, and textures only
for logos. The texture maps, by the way, lend a sort of tawdry
feel to the figures here.
Lighting effects (on the figures themselves), though existant,
are not very realistic. 4)
This has a more quick-arcade feel - it had better have been
intended so or at least marketed
so; selling this as the "MechWarrior 2 Killer" will
cause my early demise by laughter.
MechWarrior has a simulation feel that this lacks completely. 5)
Shattered Steel does not have
that fabulous storyline to back it up - so there's less
atmosphere. However if you found that
Descent has enough atmosphere, then it's fine - but it's nothing
compared to the backing of the
BattleTech series.
I think now's a good time to say what I think of MechWarrior, in
case some of you think I'm
biased. I never did think much of the game, in fact - I only have
it because it came with the
joystick. I never was a big fan of BattleTech either - however
just breezing through the
manual made me feel like I was in another world, especially
knowing there's enough info on this
to actually bring me into that world if I wanted to go. That's
something you just can't
compensate for. Compare the Star Trek universe with 30 years of
backing (while I'm on this,
happy 30th anniversary, Star Trek), with that of The Dig
(LucasArts). Both great games but
you'll probably relate better to Captain Picard or Kirk and gang
than to... errrr gee, I can't
remember his name. The Star Trek universe is so big that a few
races have fully functioning
languages now. (Check your local college for night courses on
Klingon grammar!)
Well, I think that's enough said. One last thing: the still-shot
of the game looks
unbelievable - based on that I was about to rush out and get the
game - however, try before
buying: caveat emptor.
in all) (pulled down
heavily by sprite movement)
(here
nothing can beat it)
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