In 1995, game developer and publisher Activision launched a brand-new vehicle simulation title, MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat. This was no ordinary computer game; it represented a major step forward in computer game technology for its time and tied into the much larger lore of the BattleTech franchise. This game could deeply reward dedicated fans of the franchise while serving as an on-ramp for newcomers.
The follow-up, MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, was arguably the best entry point for newcomers, but all the same, MechWarrior 2 could introduce gamers to the idea of a sci-fi space opera simulation game whose graphic design, in-game customization, tie-in lore, soundtrack and online multiplayer set a high bar for all future sci-fi titles.
Gameplay & Cust0mization
MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat was not the first vehicle simulation game, and it was far from the last. But it did make a big step forward in the genre, and for its time, it was practically the definitive experience of that gaming niche. This game is all about giant stompy robots, and they are not the guardians of peace and prosperity, either. There's a war on, and each of this game's seventeen BattleMechs (the giant robots) are bristling with weapons and can run across the battlefield with extraordinary speed for their size. The game's controls are complex and deep, meaning there is a significant learning curve, but once mastered, these detailed controls give the player a hands-on experience in how their BattleMech operates. There is much more to it than "point and shoot"; the player can adjust the 'Mech's throttle, switch radar modes (for stealth purposes), inspect a building to find its secrets, give orders to teammates, re-group the onboard weapons and toggle their firing modes, power down the 'Mech to cool off faster, activate jet thrusters to fly in the air, and more.
This game also rewards patient gameplay since no enemies die in one shot. Instead, a BattleMech can come apart in pieces, and the player can either shoot at the enemy's heavily armored center to take out the whole thing or shoot off a leg to slow it down, or shoot off an arm to rob it of some weapons. A fast-moving 'Mech is doomed if it loses a leg, and a 'Mech that mounts all its guns in its arms is rendered toothless if the arms are blown off with careful aim. Of course, the enemy 'Mechs can return the favor, and the player must mind their heat levels all the while. Firing weapons builds up internal heat, and too much heat will disrupt the 'Mech's sensors and even cause an emergency shutdown.
The player can take their BattleMech to the garage and customize its loadout, where different weapons and items have different weight (in tons) and take up critical slots. The player can budget their machine's free tonnage and critical slots to swap out weapons, armor, ammo and equipment as they like and create an all-new build that suits their play style. Balancing weapon range and damage, heat output, ammo usage and more is essential for building the ultimate war machine.
How can the player control their giant robot? MechWarrior 2 is flexible; either the player can use a mouse and keyboard or plug in a joystick and assign essential gameplay features to the joystick's many buttons, throttles and triggers. Using a joystick wasn't a must, but it could be incredibly immersive, like piloting a jet fighter on legs.
Lore & Art Direction
Anyone can enjoy MechWarrior 2 without knowing the lore of what is happening, but franchise veterans can truly immerse themselves in this game's story. Two warrior clans are feuding for the future of the Inner Sphere (the overall setting) and their ideological differences -- where Clan Wolf wants to maintain balance in the universe, Clan Jade Falcon, the Wolves' bitter rivals, want to launch bloody conquest and seize planet Earth once and for all. This is the Refusal War, fought in the year 3057, and Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon are clashing on multiple worlds of the Inner Sphere, from Wotan and Sudeten to Morges and Zoetermeer. This game features one campaign for each side, and before and after missions, the player can not only review their next mission's parameters (via text) but also read lore fluff surrounding the most recent events in the Refusal War. Each campaign ends with a short cutscene involving the two Clans reaching Earth, either to guard it or conquer it. Will Clan Wolf nobly defend Terra and launch a new glorious chapter in its history? Or will the Jade Falcons achieve their fondest dream and become king of the stars?
On another note, MechWarrior 2 features a soundtrack, composed by Gregory Alper and Jeehun Hwang, that has gone on to become a PC gaming classic. This game's songs feature a creative combination of elements, from synths and choirs to bongo drums and violins and trumpets, to create an exciting but also haunting and borderline ethereal soundscape while the player is blasting giant robots apart on faraway planets. Meanwhile, the game's graphics rewarded players for using the best PC hardware of the time, rendering its 3-D Mech models and terrain in resolutions as large as 1024x768, a major step up from the era's typical resolutions such as 640x480. The BattleTech universe had never looked so good.