"What began as a simple industrial loader has
become the single most feared fighting system of our 31st century. Weighing up to 100 tons
and bristling with devastating weapons, BattleMechs rule supreme on the battlefield.
However, it is the pilot of the 'Mech that is the true difference in any battle. Linked
via a neuro-helmet, the pilot is the key to harnessing this behemoth. Both angel and
demon, there is no more terrifying moment than the increasing vibration of the ground as a
'Mech approaches you. Fusion powered, myomer muscled and armored to the teeth. Take a look
at our world of Mechs!"
I cannot think of any better way to describe the feeling a Mechwarrior game
gives you, even from the very beginning I was hooked on this incredible series of games.
The latest installment, Mechwarrior 3 really sets itself apart from its predecessors by
adding brand new technology to an already great style of game. The original Mechwarrior
was quite impressive for its time, boasting what were good graphics at the time with an
intense original gameplay. Then came the real deal, Mechwarrior 2 that, at the time was
one of the best selling games on the market. There were numerous variants of the game,
including 3DFX-enhanced versions and Pentium enhanced versions (Pentiums were new at the
time), and it sold like no other game did before.
Have you ever felt like strapping yourself into a 100-ton battle machine
and blasting the crap out of anything that comes in your way? On some days, I'm sure we
all feel we could do that, and Mechwarrior 3 provides a fitting experience to meet your
needs. Since the game is entirely fictional, like any simulator in the fictional field, it
is difficult to make the game feel realistic. Why you ask? Well, the designers can't
exactly go outside and sit in their Battlemechs to see what it feels like; it is all
improvised and created from imagination. One thing is for sure though, they did a damn
fine job.
The missions are no longer set to one specific path, well even though they
are quite linear they unfold like the plot in a mystery movie. The briefings themselves
are quite amazing, sometimes being 10 minutes long with full introductions to the
background, purpose, objectives and enemies in every single mission. Your commander may
give you a certain set of tasks, but as you are playing the mission more enemies may drop
in unexpected by your teammates, forcing your commander to change your mission parameters
on the fly. I've noticed this to become a trend in a lot of the new simulation games, the
idea is to make you think you know what to do and then drop in more objectives when you
least expect it. All in all, it works quite well and is an effective way of keeping the
gamer's attention.
As far as controls go, I definitely suggest a joystick. Particularly a
Microsoft joystick (since Microsoft helped publish the game, there is a lot of Microsoft
peripheral support right out of the box). While the game is playable with the keyboard,
like nearly every simulation you will not get full control without a Joystick. For my
playing, I used a Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro, and it worked quite well. There was no need
to setup any controls, as it already had pre-configured the Joystick for me. Fans of
Mechwarrior 2 will be pleased to know that the game's controls are almost identical in
MW3.
Multiplayer is truly and experience you will never forget, and never stop
enjoying! Ever since Netmech I thought the idea of battling in your own battlemechs over a
network was an amazing idea, and they have finally perfected it. It features the
ever-popular Microsoft Directplay networking code, which seems to work quite well for the
hundreds of games that support it. I found it to run flawlessly over the network with my
friends over, and over the Internet the lag time was quite respectable. There are many
different variants you can play in multiplayer also. After setting up your player
preferences and customizing your Mechs, there are many variants available. Free-for-all
mode is just your basic deathmatch, where everyone kicks each other's asses for the most
kills. Teamplay is the same concept, except it's 2 or more teams competing. I prefer
Teamplay mode, because you can plan attacks with your friends against the enemies and even
play co-operatively against the computer. In a nutshell, the multiplayer section of the
game is amazing. (Editor Note: This person tested the game on a high-speed DSL line,
56k speed may vary).
Sound effects are blasted at you in full surround sound, accompanied by an
amazing symphony of music; the audio in Mechwarrior 3 is truly superb. You hear every
single sound you could think of, from the crashing of your thunderous mechs on the sand,
oceans, and rubble, to the swooping missile launches from your shoulder mounted missile
launchers. It would have been nice if there were a bit more ambient sound effects,
although there is the buzzing of the computers inside your cockpit, some wind or better
weather sound effects would have suited the game well.
Graphics are where the game really shines, I have yet to see any Mech
simulation that can compete with the amazing level of detail put into the textures boasted
in MW3. The terrains look awesome at high resolutions, with every curve of sand and rubble
showing up in the light and shadowed in the dark. Even the inside of your Mech is
detailed, with every instrument specially crafted in a fully 3D engine. When a Mech's arm
or leg gets blown off, you can see the wiring and sparks flying out of the sockets. When
you crash through the water, it ripples as if you were running through it in real life.
Amazing lighting effects with smoke trails accompany missiles, and the machine guns scar
everything they hit. If you ever wondered what it would be like to test-drive a
Battlemech, look no further, for this game's graphics will blow you away!
In conclusion, you can tell I really enjoyed playing Mechwarrior 3. It
provides an innovative and fun style of gameplay, which is incomparable to anything else
in the simulation genre. The developers have really put a lot of attention into the detail
of the game, and it shows. So gear up, strap in and start blasting away in your 100-ton
machine of devastation, the ride is killer!
REQUIREMENTS
200MHz Pentium or faster, Windows
95 or Windows 98, DirectX 6.0 or later, 64MB RAM, High Color graphics (1024 x 768 x 16-bit
color), Direct3D graphics accelerator, Hard drive (390MB free), DirectX-compatible
sound card, Joystick
Rating : 92%
Courtesy : GAMING ENTERTAINMENT
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