MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is a science fiction simulator that lets you sit in the cockpit of a powerful mech. The project was developed by Piranha Games, the authors of MechWarrior Online.

Story

The game is set in the universe of the BattleTech brand. The action begins in 3015 and takes us to the distant regions of the colonized part of the galaxy, known as the Inner Sphere. The territory used to be ruled by the Star League, but internal disputes eventually led to its dissolution and the creation of five rival nations, governed by the so-called Great Houses. They spent the next several hundred years in constant battles over planets and resources.

We join the conflict during the so-called Third Succession War, which has been going on for 150 years and is not expected to end soon. We play a young mercenary, just starting his career as a mecha pilot. Campaign covers a period of 35 years, allowing us to develop our business from a small unit to a powerful mercenary corporation.

Mechanics

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries continues the tradition of the series. So we get a game whose theme is as far from realism as possible, but at the same time the level of complexity of controlling a mech is so high that the gameplay resembles what simulators offer. The machines we steer are slow, but very durable and perfectly armed, which gives us the impression of piloting a walking fortress.

In MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries we play as a mercenary whose only motivation is the desire for profit, so during the campaign we are given full freedom to accept missions commissioned by all factions involved in the conflict. We spend the money earned on repairs, upgrading parts and weapons and buying new mechs. Along with the progress in the game our reputation slowly grows, which opens access to better paid tasks. With time, we hire more pilots and buy machines for them, and the decisions we make and the course of missions dynamically affect the fate of the war.

Operating on your own account, however, does not only mean freedom. Repairs and equipment replacements are expensive, so during missions victory may not be the only priority. It is also necessary to avoid large damages, so that the cost of their removal does not exceed the promised payment. We also have to show economy in the use of weapons. In the later stages of the campaign, our corporation develops so much that managing its finances, resources and personnel starts to resemble almost an economic strategy.

Game modes

In addition to single-player gameplay, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries also offers co-op for up to four players.

Technical Issues

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is built on Unreal Engine 4.0 and uses some of the graphical elements from MechWarrior Online, but all of them have been heavily tweaked.