[Longplay, No Commentary] MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries (DOS, 1996) Full Play-through

[@andrewmcgraw4811]

Man, games back then were so much more *immersive.* Sure, a standard menu is easy to navigate, but this style of menu actually made you *feel* like you were in the world. I miss those days.

[@dennisguilder1]

They need to remake this exact game just better graphics and in VR

[@danielgoodman3578]

@@dennisguilder1 I would buy it..

[@tarron3237]

Absolutely. Now that you mention it, I do remember those menu screens really amazed me. They also aged pretty well. And the economy was quite well balanced iirc. It didn't feel too easy, at least back then. MW2 Mercs in something like Unreal Engine 5? Yes please!

[@peepsbates]

Nowadays games have horrible to navigate menus despite not theming them around anything. Time for the return of the themed, in-canon UI? It'd be a tangible improvement in every way.

[@burnout02urza]

I really like the shift in the story, where you find yourself fighting the Clans - And they're just as alien to you as they are to everyone else.

[@TheRealBDouble]

I love the sound design in this game. The autocannons firing and the sound of assault mechs walking is so good

[@ioreodream]

I love the background sounds when you are on outreach and accessing the computers in each area. It sounds authentic and completely believable! Superb sound design by the team! I also realized much later that the music in MW2 and GBL was otherworldly and strange because they were based on the Clans whereas MW2 Mercs was about the Inner Sphere and more relatable. The incoming salvo on 1:11:47 is sooo beautiful!

[@ioreodream]

"NO DATA AVAILABLE"

[@Gerfervonbob]

It's cool how aggressive they made the ai for the clanners. I hadn't noticed it before watching this, but you can really see the difference in the initial missions they appear.

[@Chanwsan]

Them canister-born really knows how to swing things around

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

Against clans, my favorite setup is Atlas with Arrow IV and AMS, escorted by a Stalker. Stalker works even better than another Atlas.

[@nickpeachey4199]

Thank you for this. Truly. Ive wanted to revisit this and mechwarrior 3 for a good decade but never found a way to do it. I remember never being able to beat that escaping from captivity in a vehicle mission and always wanted to return to finally beat it. Thanks for uploading this to help me relive my 11 year old enjoyment. Simpler times.

[@Alseki7]

Loved this game. And you're pretty skilled at it! Though have to say enemy mechs with their arms shot off look pretty comical...

[@brandonzachman7771]

I played through Mechwarrior 2 first as it came with my parent's Aptiva Stealth PC. So I had no choice but to be raised a Clanner. When my cousin got MW2 Mercs, I got to play as the IS and it was such a fantastic game. I'd build DFA mechs that were heavy and mostly jump jets. I'd spend most of the mission landing on the enemy's head to insta kill the meat and save the metal. 😅

[@mattblom3990]

Man, I'll never forget that first Timberwolf walking towards you, your computer can't comprehend it, but you know how badass it is, and how hard of a fight you're about to get into. That said, Team Inner Sphere all the way.

[@raxsavvage]

my crew murderised them last time we fought, just absolutely destroyed everything in sight, pulse lasers and arrows are broken as hell, pulses just simply due to their instant firerate, arrow4s dealing seemingly full damage each explosion they make, THAT felt good but yeah, first time saw them, was like...the hell is wrong with this catapult???

[@THEGRUMPTRUCK]

​@raxsavvage I do think there was also a bug in Mechwarrior 2 Mercs where the Large Pulse Laser inflicts significantly more damage than it should too.

[@gpgp01]

I've thought the vague and surreal tone of the game's graphic with software lighting effects was unique. It was like depicting something another world where was only in imaginations.

[@macrossMX]

Love Mech 2 Merc. One of the best things this game has in addition to a campaign mode, is the many different branching missions in the main campaign if you fail in any one of the missions. Some good examples of this is: -Failing Galdeon 2 will instead put you on Alt Galdeon 3 where instead of attacking the city from behind facing 1 mech at a time before you hit the leaders, you instead lead the charge straight into the leader's forces with all their defenses waiting for you, making the mission harder if you are still using a light mech. -Failing Gravenhaugue 1 will put you on Alt Gravenhaugue 2, where instead of starting at the bottom of the pass where you can choose to destroy the enemy forces coming down the pass or destroying the dropship, you instead start at the top of the pass and have to fight your way down to link up with the dropship to end the campaign. Basically, this alternate mission has you play the role of the Dread Legion from Gravenhaugue 2. -Failing in any of the Solaris tournaments (only possible by the unlikely chance of combat ejection or by abandoning the mission) will have you face off with weaker contestants. If you are really bad at the tournament, you can end up with the final tournament where your odds are 1:1 instead of the 10:1 if you won every one of the previous fights. This is just a short list of the alternate missions I can remember, but I remember every campaign minus Liezen has an alternate mission if you fail the previous one. I hope you do another play to show the many different alternate missions, because those are truly the lost gems of the game as very few people actively play Mech 2 Merc with the intention of losing on purpose.

[@Chanwsan]

Wow, thanks for the informational post! I did not realise this kind of branching is present in the game. I can foresee the high challenge level of doing a video for such alternate missions due to the sheer number of combinations. However, I think everything would be much easier if this video can gather at least a hundred likes 😏😜

[@MrCatfishable]

I believe that failing Gravenhague 2 also puts you in an Alt 3, one that shows you exactly why the Dread Legion were there in the first place.

[@thomasaitken1345]

@@MrCatfishable I thought I remembered something like that, if you fail the correct mission in that campaign you get to sieze some star league/clan weapons

[@MrCatfishable]

@@thomasaitken1345 Yep, that's the one.

[@Jacklangefeld]

Great job. best playthrough I have seen of this game. I am glad you left the music on and used a variety of weapons. Very good for content creation. Missiles are very good to use in this game because they promote ammo explosions on the enemy. People who use lasers only make the game harder for themselves.

[@Chanwsan]

Thanks for your kind words! The music is actually so good it would be a shame to turn it off. Also agree on the missiles here being fabulous. It may be not immediately apparent but they also deal splash damage which just adds icing on the cake.

[@quangpham6779]

Easiest way to play single player is to have 2 ppcs 12 heat sinks and some secondary weapons. Stand about 1.4km from the mech go in reverse and fire with the ppcs . It's boring but it works

[@tomfennesy9105]

I like using Ppc to shell buildings. Use max magnification and fire can hit at over normal target range.

[@quangpham6779]

@@tomfennesy9105 yeah it is on certain building . It's also effective against dropships and aerotech fighters. I usually run 2 ppc and the cerppc in the end with 4 medium or clan medium lasers. My Lance mates usually have lrms and lasers so they don't miss.

[@iller3]

ya but the missile trails / particles themselves also drop your framerate a crazy amount

[@evilmiera]

"Pfff, Clans? Whatever merc, we're docking your pay." *a month passes* PLEASE come fight the clans for us :(

[@EricDKaufman]

Someone needs to Mod this game now such that it says "Professor Randolf P. Checkers, Esq." now instead of "Brockton's" Complete History of the Inner Spehere now that Tex is canon.

[@TheBeardedFrogSage]

Man, I vaguely knew this expansion existed, but I never got to play it back in the day. If I'd known that I'd have a lancemate that sounds like Beaker from the Muppets, I would have gone out of my way, though. That made the entire thing worth it, even if you weren't an ace elite mechwarrior already.

[@alexanderprestrelski2563]

Muppet Lancemates my man

[@iller3]

A lot of people won't get to play it ever now. (So it's a good thing someone recorded this!) ...the reason is that 1.05 / 1.06 DOS version is pretty frustrating difficulty-wise and hard to aim in due to Dosbox's performance while all win95 editions that **have** 3d acceleration and dynamic salvage, are ridiculous levels of effort to get running on anything except for a dedicated Win98 boot-HD.

[@tomtom34b]

I remember this game. The poor man´s mech (maybe it was even OP): You equip your mech with Machineguns. Yes, there is even a slot for a MG in your head. Should your head ever be hit, this increases your chance of survival, because that critical hit would just potentially take out a machinegun instead of YOU. Anyway, have your dozen+ machineguns (even some in your legs) or so ready and some ammo of course. You stay close to buildings and when the enemy comes around the corner or is really close, you "prrrt prrrt" his legs, and he is finished. For long missions, you have an unlimited ammo energy weapon equipped ( a small one will suffice, you have all the time in the world, and heatsinks are not important), so you can finish the mech off for scrap metal bonus. The AI had no chance. It was ridiculous. 100MT mechs falling quickly to the ground... MG´s "prrt prrting" them, LOL.

[@JamieBainbridge]

What a great playthrough. You make it look so easy.

[@broastedgarlic7354]

Great longplay. Amazing game. Edit: Always loved reading the Player Character's journal writings. So snarky at times.

[@veronicavidboi913]

youre a more honorable man than i expected

[@PewKittens]

Great job on the little things like walking through a few menus to show all of the game

[@CT-Wreck]

The moment i saw you but a second Atlas i immediately knew the we have a Steiner Merc here.

[@tumate45]

Good to walktrough other than Sir MMPD Radick's. I like his one really much, one of the best, but variety is always good.

[@Chanwsan]

Thanks for watching :)

[@scratch5120]

This game’s opening video is why 2 of my favorite mechs are the catapult and the Zeus.

[@SteinerArts]

This great game needs a remaster ❤

[@perry92964]

that colonel talking in the first few missions sounds just like the one in mw3. this game play is so much like mw5

[@davetaylor2088]

I miss this game. I had the Titanium Trilogy and spent days playing all three games. Now I understand I would need to emulate windows 98 to get it to run. I still live in hope that GOG or someone will patch it for modern systems.

[@lynxharpthorn7764]

3:46:46 this mission was always buggy for me and I had to redo it a few times before it let me proceed. Either way, I really enjoyed this playthrough. ty for the upload

[@Chanwsan]

Thanks and you're welcome :)

[@sindobrandnew]

6:18 Goosebumps!

[@Vdossed]

It's 2021 and I love this game! I played it last night and it's really fun! I just wish mercnet was up...

[@MECHANOSAURUS]

How could you play it? I have it in cd but it’s for windows 95. Let me know because I want to play it so bad!

[@Vdossed]

@@MECHANOSAURUS I'll help you. Do you have reddit, or discord, or anything?

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

I understand this setup should work... ipxnet connect mech2.org 49002 I have not found anyone in the lounge yet.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

@@MECHANOSAURUS "Battletech fan" channel has videos with instructions. Check description of videos, what you need is there. There is also a tabletop game called "Battletech a game of armored combat" which is like chess with math. Last time I saw it was available at Barnes and Noble. Mechwarrior belongs to Battletech franchise.

[@melvinjansen2338]

@@Vdossed help me🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

[@McChimperson]

If you fail the Death Legion ravine mission you get to claim the stuff in the wrecked ship hull for yourself

[@erd675]

Sargent unther sounds a little like Ghostface 🤣🤣. Especially when he says "we're killing before breakfast "

[@RoboticPope]

@1:28:36 😂 Nice team kill AI.

[@atticusthegamingllama8302]

4:24:25 "You shot Church ya team-killing fucktard!"

[@mikecampos1193]

I think I was only like nine when I saw this game and I only played it when I was like 12 I only paid the first two missions and I forgot the rest those were good times.

[@sonofeyeabovealleffoff5462]

I often wondered if Sho-Sa-Varus in the second campaign that you have to assassinate is the same guy in the first campaign that the players character said that was in charge of the riot duty he had pulled.

[@_JackNapier]

I loved this game, haven't played it since HP days; why aren't the environments more detailed? I remember clouds in the sky, detailed streets and grass for the cities✌️💯Awesome Share✌️💯

[@Chanwsan]

Probably because this is DOS version with barebone graphics, and I also further turned down the graphic settings otherwise the textures and stuff slows down the game too much to be enjoyable

[@CallofDutyBlackOps28]

wow; a STALKER just to tease you at 3:45 what a game. hahah. man.

[@taxman3749]

Back when I was a young lad, I had to beg my folks to upgrade my Packard Bell tower with more RAM to run this game, if only barely.

[@tumate45]

I hope that one day that dude finally gets his newest version of the Bitching Betty.

[@chm983]

this is one of the best games i played. graphics is ugly. but sound and atmosphere was the best. last game is trash in comparison... same with games like "urban assault" from 1998. masterpiece!

[@TheClblflame79]

Early missions I switched out for a Jenner and gave it LRMs

[@Chanwsan]

I can see it being a fun build to play! I was overly cautious about my budget early on to make a change to another light mech.

[@aquarius5719]

I removed SRM, added medium laser, group fire and aim and you have a medium range PPC equivalent.

[@deforesttappan6478]

As always a great video. And here's some more 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Chanwsan]

Thanks again!

[@mattgray666]

Could we get ambience loops for the different environments (mechlab, comstar terminal, etc)?

[@bigdrew565]

I'm going to admit, I'm triggered watching you have 3 lancemates and Two mechs

[@Chanwsan]

All part of the KusoNEET Master 🅱️lan

[@bigdrew565]

@@Chanwsan not very economical. But honestly, getting an a+ merc is probably worth it, even with the wonky AI

[@Chanwsan]

@@bigdrew565 Yeah, I thought pilots would be gone forever if passed so I'd do anything to snatch those good pilots the moment I saw them. And I do think their rank does matter, at least when it comes to shooting stuff. Why I didn't fire the third pilot when I only had 2 mechs, was probably down to me not knowing if there'd be better pilots later, or simply keeping a spare. Can't recall.

[@bigdrew565]

@@Chanwsan yeah, looking at it from that perspective. Makes sense. Old time Battletech(tabletop and multiplayer Battletech) player here. Always loved sticking it to the Dracs every chance I got. Death to Mercs, eh?

[@dillonmann6409]

To anyone playing this via the quadrology, do you recommend any settings to make the game clearer? I see that there are different options, some making it worse, some better. I really want to enjoy this game but I almost feel like I can't see what I'm doing because it's so pixilated.

[@danielgoodman3578]

0:26 "And what is on the hell is on my tail?!" FINALLY with KZbin and the ability to slow down playback! I can call out this blunder! :D I still have the game on CD when it and HyperBlade (got that too) came free with an ATI video card, guys. :)

[@MrToxicoreo]

ATI 3d RAGE edition was the tiiiiiiits. MW2 ame with the IBM Aptiva pentium 166 my parents bought in '96. Picked up Merc as soon as I could.

[@Itsallover57]

"and one pissed off atlas on my tail"

[@danielgoodman3578]

@@Itsallover57 really? Now I gotta go listen again more than once

[@danielgoodman3578]

@@Itsallover57 i can choose to hear either. but it seems the mech they're dealing with is indeed an atlas. good grief. I've been stuck on my hearing of it for around 20 years!

[@danielgoodman3578]

@@MrToxicoreo Do they include full PC games with hardware anymore, except likely in today's tech?

[@iller3]

1:02:00 -- moot point when you're exploiting the heat Override (IE: you really CAN"T explode), but the way the Designer "originally intended" this mission to be beaten, was for us to snipe all of the buildings EXCEPT for the Towers in each listening post. IoW: shoot those last after we've killed Varus... otherwise it alerts that Centurian Trebuchet duo who are "super charged" by dev-Cheat stats to make them more lethal than they actually should be.

[@Chanwsan]

I remember mechs do explode if heat went beyond the meter for prolonged time. But good to know that there's an intended way to play the mission, because that duo you mentioned did give me a lot of trouble with the way I played

[@iller3]

@@Chanwsan you are probably right... not exploding might be I read as a bug that happens only when it's emulated or something... so disregard that part

[@raxsavvage]

often wondered what'd happen if you kill deadeye, wont ever hope to survive in a commando but a lil jiggery pokery to get something more potent with pulse lasers n stuff cant say i ever fought an atlas THAT early wish i could get this to work, but even when it runs, the controls are borked although cant remember those soundtracks, do remember them being great, what i've come to know as post 80's desolationism, stuffed full o synthesisier and haven't yet transitioned to the balls to the walls insanity 90's pop had going for it oh yeah, the ice ship...loved this mission but damn was it glitchy as hell for me, the interior would just blow up constantly, couldn't scan nav points too

[@РусланВ-ж5х]

смотря такие видео, хочу поиграть в эти игры. играл в детстве - Ghost Bear ДЛС. интересно сколько лет тому кто играет? наверное сверстник?

[@jonnyb70]

i wonder how hard it would be to recreate MW2, 3, and 4 in MW5.

[@klatuk4u1]

Ok am I insane or did this game swap the mech stables of Draconis and Davion? I notice they are using their opposites mechs, like Dragon is a Drac, and Jagermech is a Davion mech, but they seem to use em on the opposites.

[@OverwatchSniper]

Guess they salvaged em

[@RydiasRevenge]

I have to wonder if Galedon V Mission 2 is bugged - I've never been able to get the bonus on that mission. Maybe in the Windows version they fixed it?

[@Chanwsan]

Hmm yeah. I would call it being unrealistic more than bugged, though, as are some other bonus objectives throughout the MW2 series. Perhaps the player needed to use some specific speedy build to reach battlefield before the allies get wiped out, not sure about that now.

[@nuhvokva6317]

Is this the PowerVR version? If not, which is it?

[@TheClblflame79]

How were you able to play this? I would love to be able too. Edit: should have said this first, Thank you for posting the video!!!

[@Chanwsan]

Thanks for watching! As for playing the game, the simplest way is, you may head over to MyAbandonware and download the largest DOS version available (captioned Complete Game with DOSBox). You should be able to run it with minimal fiddling with DOSBox settings. This installation video by Ostego Lectric (link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWHPc4Fsmtplf7M) is largely optional if you got yourself the said version, but it may improve your key binding experience if you do follow his instructions.

[@aquarius5719]

"Battletech fan" channel made tutorials on how to install. Everything you need is in the description of the videos.

[@TheClblflame79]

@@aquarius5719 Thank you

[@aquarius5719]

@@TheClblflame79 You will also find a playlist about the tabletop game. Mechwarrior belongs to the Battletech franchise and you may not want to miss the boxsets with miniatures. Controlling a mech in a game is cool. But holding a miniature is even cooler. The game rules may be overwhelming because it is a simulator in tabletop format. One game could last a week, playing a few hours a day. So Battletech fan visual guide may be very helpful. MW2 had movement, weapons and heat. But tabletop has more. You can fall and pilot can be wounded or unconscious. You can kick, punch, charge and use clubs to attack. Water and trees are quite a thing... So if you thought MW2 was the top notch, tabletop offers so much more. I would advise to buy tons of pairs of colored dice of 6 sides to speed up the game. While you wait for the boxsets to arrive home, "renegade hpg" xhannel has the 13 episodes of 1980s cartoon that is filthy inner sphere scum propaganda that demonizes clanners. Those inner sphere sibko reject freebirths...

[@TheClblflame79]

@@aquarius5719 I never played the board game, but back in the day I had friends that did. I use to borrow his Battle tech books and read them, and imagine being there. That's been about twenty five years ago now, I haven't seen or heard Clan phrases in a long time. Still hoping to find a ComStar cache.

[@acs197]

I love this game. Just need to figure out how to run it on a modern OS.

[@ThatSlowTypingGuy]

42:27 What have you done to that zeus?

[@smalltoplg146]

Wow I could never get this to Run... Untel this MW2

[@kevobot9342]

Downloaded it today works well but I wish they told about that glitch were I failed a mission even though I did everything right … at least I made sure to save often since im starting off as a grunt ( economic off)

[@lewisj75]

Great nostalgia, although I was a little disappointed to see you buy your 3rd meta Atlas.. talk about uninspiring lol

[@_JackNapier]

2:59:28 Shakes Mech "No"🤣🤣🤣💯💯💯

[@ngriffin8984]

What you think the hardest mission in the game is? Do you think it's the last mission?

[@Chanwsan]

It's been quite some time and I don't really remember any mission that stood out in being particularly hard. Perhaps the one about finding and killing Varus which I had played wrongly, and a space mission that I can only vaguely remember. The last mission I thought was okay, just made worse by the glitchy hit detection and terrain

[@ngriffin8984]

@@Chanwsan I know dude! When I was a kid, I was in a Commando on the "Commander Varus Mission". I would always get owned with the Trebuchet and the Centurion. (I didn't stay in the cave because I wanted to be a "big man" with a little commando) Those LRM's would take both my arms off and also with Centurion AC10, because your in a short range mech. Scared the living piss out of me.... But what worked for me if your in a commando and "not very smart" with your money like "I" was when "I" was a kid was, let them pass, kill Varus and haul tail to the dropship nav point. Forget those other objectives.... you need to stay alive. I'll take a pay cut over death any day.

[@pyramidhead138]

the mission where you gotta take out the 3rd floor of that building, i always called it the I.S. SPANK building. LOL

[@raxsavvage]

still the best solaris arenas

[@tarron3237]

Missile and explosion sounds superior to MWO and MW5.. so sad

[@Gavamogtron]

stop doing that