Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries Screenshots The Final Say! Gameplay 9.0 Graphics 9.3 Sound 9.0 Value 9.0 Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries - reviewed by Andrew B Review Date: 12 December 2002 Review Score: 9.0/10 Distributed by Microsoft

The eagerly anticipated Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries has finally hit the PC gaming world and it promises a plethora of new features and improved graphics that will ensure this title to become king of the hill for quite some time.  In the year 3063, intrigue, politics and civil war rage out of control in the Federated Commonwealth and Lyran alliance and when an important political figure is murdered, the very fabric of peace is threatened with full scale warfare. You play the role of an upcoming ace Mechwarrior that has been given authorisation to start a new company. Unlike the veteran Mechwarrior companies, it's time to earn some colours, make a living and perhaps save the lives of countless millions.  Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries Features Choose from over 35 different Mechs that include 10 new models Over 40 missions that visit 10 different planets Three different endings New weaponry 4 different styles of gameplay & multiplayer games   Originally developed from the FASA role playing game called Battle Tech, the Mechwarrior series has a huge following world wide that makes the followers of this series as one of the most fanatical lot of gamers around. Unlike the previous games in the series, Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries features improved graphics and gameplay that is guaranteed to give gamers the most for their money. The game comes on two CD's and auto-installed to just over 1 gig.  Graphically, Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries is a slight improvement over its predecessor and features some amazing terrains that really give you a feeling of different worlds. Mechwarrior 4 continues with the tradition of amazing lighting effects and rolling skies that is nothing short of eye candy. The background textures are extremely well done, considering how vast the playing areas are in the game but every now and then, a texture or two becomes stuck. Although this bug appears every now and then, its nothing to write home about. The graphics of the Mech's themselves contain a high amount of polygons and have some great looking visuals plastered on them from high detailed textures to the minute details of logos and stickers from the various legions of Mechwarriors. The final treat that developers Cyber Lore have given gamers is some of the most amazing weapon effects that I have seen in ages.

There are dozens of weapon effects, explosions and some of the nicest particle effects to ever hit the PC that ensures that Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries lives up to the expectations of gamers of all ages. The only problem with the gaming engine is the two-dimensional style trees that really should of have gone out fashion in the mid-90's. 

Thegameplay of Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries is relatively quite straight forward andcan best be described as a walking jet or for those that still rememberTransformers. Unlike previous Mech games, gamers are now rewarded with moneyinstead of medals and prestige. This money can then be used to perform a varietyof functions such as purchasing additional mechs, upgrading weaponry andboosting the power of your mechs. The game itself is set in the Inner Sphere andcontains over 40 different missions that revolve around the Battle Tech universe.Cyber Lore have added a new element to the game be creating a secondary lanceand lets bring eight MechWarriors into battle. 

The controls of Mechwarrior areextremely easy to pick up and ran extremely well on our Microsoft SideWinderForceFeedback with just the right amount of force feedback for that extra bit of realism.Although gamers with the keyboard and mouse can still effectively play the gamewithout too much trouble, a small amount of configuration is needed. There are avariety of different camera angles in the game that help ensure that you get thebest view possible. The control system is almost identical to the previous game whereyou must lock onto your target for an accurate shot but sometimes a free short is needed for when the battle really heats up. Before starting the game, you must purchase yourfirst mech and arm it with whatever weaponry you can afford before embarking onyour first mission. There are a variety of objectives in the game that rangefrom various hunt and kill missions to engaging enemy encampments. By destroyingenemy mechs, you can salvage their weapons and you get paid for successfullycompleting the mission. 

MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries contains some great multiplayer levels and actually letsyou set a variety of options before starting the game such as limiting the amount ofmoney and resources. The multiplayer option also contains a wide range of differentgameplay modes that include battle, team battle, destruction, team destructionand mission play that will ensure gamers of both LAN and internet, hours ofadded enjoyment. 

Musically, Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries sounds like something straight out of an industrialband and really suits the game because of the futuristic type environment thegame is set in. The ingame sound effects contain all the heavy sounds ofgigantic mechs walking around on alien terrains and the sounds fantasticweaponry destroying buildings, tanks and mechs themselves. The voice acting hasbeen professionally done and a new computer voice has been added to your Mech tohelp you achieve your best.

Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries isn't a good game but a great game and contains some awesomegraphics, stories and controls that will ensure this game to become one of yourfavourites in no time. Highly Recommended!

- Andrew B