MechWarrior 2: Titanium Trilogy

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: 1998
• Genre: Compilation
• Style: Simulation
• Similar Games: MechWarrior 2 (Macintosh), MechWarrior 2 (IBM PC Compatible), MechWarrior 2 (PlayStation), MechWarrior 2 (Sega Saturn)

Game Description

MechWarrior 2 tells the story of the Clan Refusal War, a great conflict between the Crusader Clan Jade Falcon and the Warden Clan Wolf. The epic storyline culminates in the destruction of Clan Wolf as it was and the annihilation of most of Clan Jade Falcon's military power. Players choose either Clan Jade Falcon or Clan Wolf mechwarriors to play as they attempt to carry out their Clan's battle plans.

With Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Wolf decimating each other, Clan Ghost Bear becomes the most powerful amongst clans. In MechWarrior 2: Ghost Bear's Legacy, someone steals the stored genetic material of the Clan's founders. Only through a series of difficult espionage and raid missions can Clan Ghost Bear uncover the parties responsible and recover their very legacy.

MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries examines the life of a mercenary in the Battletech universe as the player negotiates and accepts contracts as a mercenary leader. Between missions, he or she can acquire hired help or mechs and equipment with money earned from the contracts. The game begins with the Succession Wars between the Inner Sphere's five great houses, goes through the invasion of the Clans and ends with the Clans' defeat.

MechWarrior 2: Titanium Trilogy is not only a compilation of all three games in one package but updates them to support 3D accelerator hardware. These first person perspective giant robot simulators were instrumental in the development of the genre and now fans can play them with updated 3D graphics. Players pilot one of many mechs and command several CPU controlled allied mechs as well. Each mission has a number of objectives that must be completed for advancement.

Roots & Influences

This title is offered as a package of Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries and Mechwarrior 2: Expansion Pack -- Ghost Bear's Legacy.

Review: Overall

MechWarrior 2: Titanium Trilogy is a compilation of three of Activision's biggest sellers: MechWarrior 2, its add-on MechWarrior 2: Ghost Bear's Legacy and the standalone sequel MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries. All three games have been updated to support a variety of hardware graphical accelerators, improving their graphics significantly. At heart the trilogy contains the great gameplay that has been so instrumental in the development of the giant robot simulator genre.

This collection improves considerably on the three games' graphics. Whereas their original version used software rendering, the majority of the graphical load is now passed over to your hardware accelerator. The differences are stunning and quite noticeable. A good portion of gamers played the original MechWarrior 2 using the enhanced vision mode, which is essentially a wire frame mode that sacrifices graphics to give players the ability to see enemies more clearly and ascertain information more quickly.

Whereas you didn't lose that much in graphics compared to what you gained in tactical advantage, you won't be doing any of that in MechWarrior 2: Titanium Trilogy. The world, which was decent looking by 1995 standards, is gorgeous by 1998 standards. You now get dynamic lighting and shadows while shooting. When you look up, you'll also notice an absolutely beautiful sky scene filled with moving clouds. Even the basic objects and mechs in the world have been improved with more detail and better textures.

The sounds and music from the original games return unaltered in this collection and, for the most part, they're fairly well done. Shots sound realistic and explosions have a good amount of energy. The well-written and recorded atmospheric music in MechWarrior 2 and MechWarior 2: Ghost Bear's Legacy adds significantly to the overall mood of the games. MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries' music isn't quite as well done but the sound effects are just as good.

MechWarrior 2 and its sequels were eminently playable games and did as much as any other games to define the giant robot simulator genre. MechWarrior 2: The Titanium Trilogy, being a compilation, captures those great gameplay aspects. The mech battles are quite exciting with controls so intuitively laid out and responsive that, at times, you almost feel like the mech is a part of you instead of just a vehicle. The honor system for the Clan based games is a subtle way of making you challenge yourself, as you try to get more honor points for each mission by completing it with fewer mechs or a lower tonnage. MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, on the other hand, gives you a chance to try playing as a mechwarrior mercenary, living off contracts and salvage. You get more salvage by going for the tough head or leg shots but only at the risk of getting your own mech blown out from under you.

MechWarrior 2: The Titanium Trilogy represents a compendium of three of the most enjoyable games in giant robot simulations grouped into one easy to afford retail price package. As such, any gamer who is a fan of the genre and missed out on one or more of the games contained therein should get the trilogy. In fact, although there's nothing appreciably new in gameplay, even old addicts of the MechWarrior 2 games should consider it for the improved and impressive 3D accelerator support in graphics.

Review: Enjoyment

The collection's three games represent some of the finest in giant robot simulators.

Review: Graphics

Gorgeous hardware accelerated 3D terrain and objects are good enough to even possibly distract you during gameplay.

Review: Sound

The sounds and music are generally done quite well.

Review: Replay Value

The package offers an incredible number of missions and mechs

Review: Documentation

Decent documentation with some background material on the Battletech universe.