http://xbox.ign.com/articles/575/575195p1.html
8.0 Presentation
The simplistic, uneventful story is weak and silly that's made worse by the remarkably bitchy Major Natalia Kerensky.
9.0 Graphics
You want special effects -- environmental warping, heat blurs, great animations, and more? You got it.
9.0 Sound
Excellent use of Dolby 5.1. Decent voice-overs and a solid, dynamic score.
8.0 Gameplay
The battleArmor, VTOL, and overall diversity of mechs is excellent. The online games are awesome, but the single-player game is simple, too easy, short and disappointing.
10 Lasting Appeal
The 10 online games provide incredibly long hours of fun. The Conquest mode could very well be the thing that makes it an all-time great...or not.
8.9 OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
"Day 1's take on the MechWarrior universe is a stripped down arcade affair, much like the first, favoring action and straightforward destruction over everything else. It's easy to get into and play and its both offline and online. Like its predecessor, Lone Wolf favor online over offline play. That directly translates into a very linear, brief and rather easy single-player mode that will not satisfy kids who don't have online connections. In this regard, it's a superb rental but not a good purchase.
For online players, the world of MechAssault 2 is your oyster. The online aspect has exploded into a deep, diverse, and potentially awesome experience. We've played most of the online matches, so we know they're excellent, as they favor team play, the smart use of a variety of mechs and the all-important BattleArmor and VTOLs. We were unable to play a significant amount of the Conquest mode, so that remains to be seen. In all, MechAssault 2 is a bigger, better, badder sequel that rewards Xbox Live players and doesn't do much for offline players. Also, don't compare the score directly to the first game. Technology moves quickly in the videogame world, and so do expectations. In every way MechAssault 2 is a far better effort than the first. But two years after the first, the level design is still linear, there is very little exploration, it's still got a weak single-player mode, and the story and characters are weak."
8.0 Presentation
The simplistic, uneventful story is weak and silly that's made worse by the remarkably bitchy Major Natalia Kerensky.
9.0 Graphics
You want special effects -- environmental warping, heat blurs, great animations, and more? You got it.
9.0 Sound
Excellent use of Dolby 5.1. Decent voice-overs and a solid, dynamic score.
8.0 Gameplay
The battleArmor, VTOL, and overall diversity of mechs is excellent. The online games are awesome, but the single-player game is simple, too easy, short and disappointing.
10 Lasting Appeal
The 10 online games provide incredibly long hours of fun. The Conquest mode could very well be the thing that makes it an all-time great...or not.
8.9 OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
"Day 1's take on the MechWarrior universe is a stripped down arcade affair, much like the first, favoring action and straightforward destruction over everything else. It's easy to get into and play and its both offline and online. Like its predecessor, Lone Wolf favor online over offline play. That directly translates into a very linear, brief and rather easy single-player mode that will not satisfy kids who don't have online connections. In this regard, it's a superb rental but not a good purchase.
For online players, the world of MechAssault 2 is your oyster. The online aspect has exploded into a deep, diverse, and potentially awesome experience. We've played most of the online matches, so we know they're excellent, as they favor team play, the smart use of a variety of mechs and the all-important BattleArmor and VTOLs. We were unable to play a significant amount of the Conquest mode, so that remains to be seen. In all, MechAssault 2 is a bigger, better, badder sequel that rewards Xbox Live players and doesn't do much for offline players. Also, don't compare the score directly to the first game. Technology moves quickly in the videogame world, and so do expectations. In every way MechAssault 2 is a far better effort than the first. But two years after the first, the level design is still linear, there is very little exploration, it's still got a weak single-player mode, and the story and characters are weak."
