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	MechAssault
	Developer: Day:1:Studios Publisher: Microsoft Genre: Action Players: 1-8 Similar To: Armored Core Rating: Teen Published: 12 :06 : 01 Reviewed By: Ryan Newman Overall: 8.5 = Excellent

Screenshots

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Intro
The fanatical "Word of Blake" has wreaked havoc on the innocent for too long, and it's up to you to stop them as you find yourself pitted against enormous odds of cities full of enemies, comrades lost in the fray, and an orbital cannon being constructed with advanced mechs protecting the process. Those ready to drop the sim aspects of Steel Battalion and MechWarrior in favor of some run-and-gun and sometimes jet-jumping action need look no further than Day 1: Studios' initial Xbox offering - MechAssault.

Gameplay: 8/10
As you play the role of a Wolf Dragoon Mercenary, you'll find all the big toys of the trade will butt heads with a lunatic cult bent on creating an orbital cannon. Not too keen on the idea, the mercs set out to rectify this problem as the player assumes the role of the company's commander. After a rough landing, the rest of the party scatters, while the commander and two comrades take shelter near their base, the Icarus. Fending off attacks and razing cities is the name of the game in the 31st century, and that's just what the players will do.

Starting off with only a single mech - a lumbering giant of cannons and armor - more will become available as progression occurs. The mechs are based off the BattleTech universe, so those familiar with the franchise will feel right at home. Ranging from light recon units that have light armament and weaker weapons, to huge hulking towers of cannons and rockets, there's a healthy selection. While some levels will force only one to be chosen, the choice is normally left to the discretion of the gamer, and I found that to be the wisest move as I beat several levels with a mech that was either not recommended, or didn't seem fit for the job.

The missions are fairly basic, with most involving the defense of the Icarus and the storming of enemy bases. While there are a few that require something different, like protecting a city or taking out boats before they reach the sea, the average mission isn't very involving, but it doesn't have to be either. One of the most enjoyable features of MechAssault is the fact that the player can level an entire city. This also greatly enhances gameplay as an entire city becomes cover from enemy fire, or even a maze when action gets chaotic and disorienting. Not to mention that it's just good fun, and the explosion of a building, and its rubble, can not only harm the player but the computer as well; there's nothing like dropping a building on some land troops or killing a mech near another and watching a chain reaction of explosions. With that said, there can be times when the action starts to wear off, especially in difficult missions that require replaying from the beginning as there are no checkpoints. The variety of mechs and evolving missions, which appear later on, do a good deal to alleviate such problems.

The "Word of Blake" aren't pushovers, mind you. They have a seemingly limitless supply of tanks that shoot hard projectiles and rockets, as well as foot soldiers who fire away with lasers. Their bases will also be heavily guarded with laser turrets and some devastating artillery. The biggest threat to the mercs will be their own array of mechs; some are simple soldiers in armor, while others will be on par with what the player has, and at times, superior. It's a good thing, then, that destroyed mechs and buildings leave behind weapon power-ups and armor plates to regenerate health. They'll be desperately needed as the fanatics love to attack in large numbers, and when they combine their heavy ground assaults with their helicopter-heavy aerial attacks, it's very easy to become overwhelmed and, as mentioned, the lack of checkpoints can make things frustrating - luckily, few missions are long enough for this to be a significant problem.

As this is one of the key early Xbox Live titles, it would stand to reason that MechAssault was packed to the gills with great modes. Well, unfortunately, that isn't the case. The modes are basically deathmatch with the rules slightly altered: respawning or no respawning. The other Live mode is a tag game, while non-Live Xbox gamers can partake in a relentless assault of spawning mechs that lasts until death. There's a split screen mode as well, so the options for multiplayer goodness is there, but the lack of modes makes the experience a bit shallow. The mechs are also unbalanced due to the fact that they're designed with single-player in mind, so a lot of them get cancelled out. There's definitely some fun here, but it just doesn't last long. One perk is the downloadable mechs and levels, which should provide some extended life and variety to the feature.

The real downfalls of MechAssault, besides not taking full advantage of multiplayer -- no co-op loving? -- is the pacing of the story and the lack of customization. The backstory of mercenaries battling a cult on the fringe of society is definitely intriguing, but it's not really fleshed out. Instead of a clash of ideals, there are a few vocal rants from the zealots and a game of cat-and-mouse before the final showdown. Since most games in this vein fail to deliver even a semi-interesting story, it stands out even more that they didn't go into more detail. Also, since MechAssault is made to be a stripped down and action-oriented MechWarrior, even the simplest of these games feature some sort of customization. That feature was missed greatly as quite a few of the mechs have poor weapon combinations; unlimited ammo makes things better, but overheating due to having to use an ineffective weapon negated not having to reload.

Graphics: 9/10
The player's view will show a phenomenal mech, cities on fire, approaching enemy mechs, and some bland ground vehicles. Since there are so many tanks and launchers constantly at the player's heels, and they lack much variety, things can seem bland. It's a good thing that explosions are so entertaining. The sight of a rocket entering the side edge of a building and an explosion coming out the windows on the other side is a joy, as is watching a mech explode and taking anything down within the blast radius. Environmental effects are also on point, especially the snow as the robots will slowly sink down with each new step; weapon effects are also done extremely well with smoke trails following missiles and dirt flying up as machine gun bullets rip through infantry. The visual damage seen on the mechs is also pure eye candy as smoke and lighting will spurt out of injured areas. Large outdoor environments and massive encampments top off what is a gorgeous title.

Sound: 8.5/10
Solid voice-overs narrate the story as a nice soundtrack adds to the action. The banter between the crew is forced at times, but comes off as a regular conversation well enough. The enemy's ramblings was a nice touch, done in a very authoritative and 'die infidel!' manner. The music is fairly ambient, taking a back seat to the weapon noises, but it does something pretty cool: whenever combat with smaller enemies is going on, some encouraging classical-sounding music is being played, but when an enemy mech appears on radar, the music turns into a harder rock tone and gets louder. I do wish there were more environmental sounds, which is the only aural area lacking anything.

Control: 8/10
With one analog controlling the turret, and other the legs (bottom half / lower half), the basics can be absorbed rather quickly. The game doesn't get much more intricate than that, other than using the jet, which can be tricky to navigate as it requires pressing down on the analog and in the desired direction. I do wish there was a quick side-step or another form of quick maneuver to get out of jams, and while there's already the jet pack, trying to use it to move to the side of incoming fire was more trouble than it was worth.

Overall: 8.5/10
All told, MechAssault isn't that long of a game, around eight hours or so. However, the game is a blast and leveling entire cities is something the little Godzilla in all of us will enjoy. There are some unlockable goodies, as well as the Live function and the downloadable content, but until more interesting modes come about, that aspect won't appeal to most gamers who get their kicks out of playing online within a week or so. While it lasts, the action is intense and fun as hell - not to mention it's worth visiting again.

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