One would expect in todays world of Sequels that actually do good *at least at the time this review was written *halo 2...ect* We'd get a great game out of the total awesome feast that was Mech assault, But we get this...A popularized filled with high profile songs mech game with broken mechanics every where.
Graphically the game Isn't that Bad a few updates here and there, They finally delivered on the promise of truly giant environments, Now the buildings are bigger then you are by a far higher margin then the first game. A few glitches here and there but all together fine. *note: its takes too little to destroy buildings, Most engagements will see every building totally gone on the map*
Graphics=6
Sound. Virtually all sounds we're reused from the original a few new ones, Musically its much better then the first but oddly they signed big name bands to the music tracks the intro music by papa roach and ending music *last boss battle as well* by korn we're not needed and just added to the production values and time.
Sound=4
Controls. Sadly you can't Change the sensitivity of axis in this game, Its amazingly slow for some one like me who's used to being able to play at 5 sensitivity or higher.
Controls=5
Game play. Now here comes the big disappointment, Not only Did Day 1 decide that every one should spawn outside of a mech *making you instantly kill-able* they decided you could not use any mech on a level. Whats the point of having the other mechs If you can't use them?
Oddly enough the basics of winning online games is this.
- Get into Mech as fast as possible.
- Alpha Strike capable mechs are a must get them powered up to lvl 3 every thing*
- Rush enemy base trying to kill as best as you can as you go.
- BASE RAPE.
- Rinse repeat.
The very nature of the game that you don't start out in mechs to the fact your pilot forms are vulnerable to EVERY thing, to the fact you get no spawn shield so if you are spawning you will instantly die....makes this the one true Tactic for all most all engagements I played over 3 months.
The VTOL a new entry is easily killed, In the first it took at least 3-4 missile hits to kill one, but in this game you can shoot them down so easily its just amazing, they should all so be faster so that if your getting shot at you can escape, At least it should take some semblance of skill to shoot them down, but its easy.
The Tank Is a nice option but to get a good knock down ratio you have to absolutely be at lvl 3, I've been at lvl 1 and shot a mech 20 times in the legs and it still wouldn't fall, even at lvl 3 its something like a 1-7 chance and by that time your dead, the tank dies easily.
Then we have the weapons some of the stupidest in the game I will go through them for you.
- PPC - Energy does not track specially extreme angles who at day 1 thought it would be smart to break a game and allow PPC's to do better tracking them missles?
- Gauss Rifle - Yet again another weapon that tracks touted to be able to knock enemy mechs down ignore tanks that use it tanks will get you killed, even at lvl 3 I would rarely get a mech knock down.
- Pulse laser - they track...EVEN More then the PPC yet are some of the weakest weapons in the game and hardly any mechs use this weapon.
- Pulse laser 2 - VTOL, Battle Armor combination only weapon It is quite a bit more powerful then the Mech pulse laser I layed down lots of fire with this and it would take out smaller mechs fast.
- Plasma PPC - yet again tracks yet made of energy Less powerful then the PPC in my experience and you have to charge them fully to use them.
- Gravity Cannon - Exclusive to the MK2 tank its touted as being more powerful and able to more easily knock down mechs, when Mechs weren't killing my ass severely in a tank even at lvl 3 it rarely knocked them down.
- Auto Cannon - a Ballistic shell auto that tracks...enough said.
- Pilot Bombs - you'd think being small, able to be trucked, smashed, and blow up by every thing else on the field they would give you options but they don't you have no real reason EVER to use these bombs they do next to nothing.
- NeuroJacking - The new hotness of MA2 it really amounts to crap in any online scenario any mech that happens to have a shield ability can instantly knock you off, The enemy must be inanely stupid or in the middle of a battle to not be able to beat your button presses which the button presses when your in a mech are far easier then those presented to the Battle armor.
Another problem is the fact that mechs of any size will literally be unable to walk up most hills, Big enough to walk over it? too bad you have to watch as it blocks your path unless it has a premade ramp, This causes one problem for alot of the games I played Uziels with one of the most powerful weapons PPC's can simply charge up, thrust up the hill till at the apex get the quick lock-on and let loose and you cannot shoot them back.
Conquest throughout the 2-3 months I played it was unpopulated trash it was just a rip off of the conquest mode that you saw in games like Total Annihilation boneyards where 3 factions start out at opiset sides of the galaxy and take over planets with battles happening on each individual planet as I said unpopulated at the time of 2-3 months on launch night and after it was unpopulated.
Value. Its not a worthwhile game, the single player game has just as bland a story as the original, and the multi-player just isn't worth it, Maybe if it was 10 dollars but no its just not worthwhile.
edit: this was a rip of my gamespot review written a few days after the game launched on original xbox.