MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat - The Best?

[@KeiNova]

What's your favorite memory with MechWarrior 2? Or are you new to the game? *My error of saying 1997 instead of 1995 has been removed.

[@shuboy05]

That one mission where you blow the reactor and then run like hell for "Minimum Safe Distance".

[@IntoTheJadeSea]

Just playing it, my dude 😎

[@ventusagri7656]

Sitting on my Dad's lap trying to figure out what the heck a "peepeesee" was. I was 3. Now, I've been piloting mechs for nearly 3 decades.

[@captainfiercebeard]

First time seeing the intro video in 1995

[@KeiNova]

@@captainfiercebeard that video was awesome, definitely ahead of its time.

[@LynxVGL]

The reason Activision lost the license was that FASA/VWE/FASA Interactive wanted to develop Mech3 internally and reap a larger financial reward. Activisions aggressive push into making the game an OEM pack-in game for many graphics cards limited a significant financial return to FASA based on the original licensing. I worked for VWE/FIT from ‘94-‘97 and on MW3.

[@KeiNova]

I really didn't want to say something that I wasn't one hundred percent sure about. There are a lot of rumors online and I had no actual sources that said something concrete. Thank you for sharing your experience and it's pretty amazing you got to work on a project like that. Seriously, at this point, with so many people interested in the history behind these games - someone should really write a book about it. 😂

[@LynxVGL]

@@KeiNova I was test lead on MechCommander as well. I’m Lynx in the game, and the first line of dialog in the intro cinema “That’s the last comsat, moving to escort position” is me as well.

[@KeiNova]

@@LynxVGL That's amazing. I guess I'll be hearing it soon, as I'm going to be firing up MechCommander later this week!

[@shabmaster7128]

​@@LynxVGLI can hear your voice in my head, MC1 is pretty much a yearly playthrough for me. You and Beast were my heavy hitter Lance mains.

[@RippPryde]

@@KeiNova I can hear you voice so clearly in my head lol, those lines are so ingrained in my memory.

[@evlkenevl2721]

The fact that many people use MechWarrior 2 sound packs in MechWarrior Online is a testament to the love for this classic game.

[@KeiNova]

It really is a testament to how great it is.

[@JMark-zk5pj]

Movies such as Iron Man use it as well.

[@raineyjayy]

I built a whole booty retro PC with a Voodoo 1 PRIMARILY to play MechWarrior 2. I still remember the first time I saw the opening sequence. So many memories. Old and new

[@KeiNova]

That is absolutely amazing. I wish I would have. Instead, I had to rely on shoddy PC emulation and work-arounds to get my discs to work :/

[@raineyjayy]

@@KeiNova if it makes you feel any better - getting a gravis gamepad to get calibrated and getting the sound card drivers to work made me remember real quick how fiddly the Pentium 1 era was. If you are curious- I built a system with a Pentium Pro Overdrive (Basically a Pentium II Xeon shoved into a Pentium Pro Socket 8 form factor) (honestly it's a weird cpu and I love it for it's weirdness). An Orchid Righteous 3d Voodoo 1 paired with an S3 Virge DX, 256mb or ram (I had 512 but it was both overkill and 2 of my ram chips were unstable) and a Soundblaster Live PCI. I threw Windows 98SE on there. - It's a little too fast for some things, but other things like Tomb Raider or Mechwarrior 2 (3dfx version) (honestly the OG works too) , or Diablo 1 run perfectly. I was strictly aiming at like a "roughly 1998" build - I put it on one of those wall mount backplane "cases". I love it.

[@Wahinies]

@@KeiNova PCem does Voodoo and Glide emulation very well and I just have a 5800X3D. FWIW check out the video by Phils computer lab

[@Reoh0z]

I remember playing this one hot Aussie summer's day when my monitor blew up. Sparks and smoke flowing out the back. I can only assume someone hit my cockpit.

[@KeiNova]

Jesus, hope you got out of that safely.

[@WolfHreda]

It's those damned Elementals!

[@rgerber]

that must be as immersive as having the power socket blow out with a huge bang while playing Doom in the attic at a young age

[@tbrockplays]

Favorite memory: on the approach to a nav point, pyre light playing in the background, listening to the voice of the cockpit computer say “auto pilot disabled” “Chain fire engaged”

[@KeiNova]

Yeah, that group fire function was amazing. It's too bad it was sort of implemented roughly here - better in further titles, certainly.

[@macdeus2601]

You know, I remember you could put the game CD into a stereo to listen to all the music tracks. No real need for a separate commercial release of the soundtrack by itself.

[@KeiNova]

A lot of games did that, I remember doing that with Revolution X and hearing the Aerosmith tracks.

[@jordanquinley2471]

Oh yeah, I did that back in the . Great music. In fact, I was on YT trying to find the MW2 soundtrack.

[@josew.6423]

Oh yeah true, nice one, Memory unlocked! :D Also Age of Empires you could do this... good times.

[@rv2167]

I cannot explain to you the hype and awesomeness when this game came out. The opening sequence with the video of the mech being hunted was fucking incredible.

[@KeiNova]

I was around, but I think at the time I was more wrapped up in playing Doom and Duke Nukem 3D at the local flea market via LAN parties. I remember going to the store and seeing the boxes, back at Electronics Boutique. My family couldn't afford a PC though, and I wouldn't get one until the school was giving away theirs. Affording this game would have been a pipedream for us in those days. It would have been amazing to be part of the hype at the time, I miss how different gaming was back then.

[@robertharvilla4881]

It truly was amazing back in the day, and it wasn't just from being too young to know any better. I was in my 20s, and there was nothing like it back then, and even being a Battletech player back in the 80s, I was impressed with how well they did with making it a PC game.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

It was a top notch experience. * Digitalized music instead of MIDI synthesized was plain epic, and the music has aged perfectly. * Sound effects boosted the epic feeling. Other games like Starsiege failed in the sound department. * Graphics had to acomodate the limitations of existing hardware. So water and forests could not be added as in the original Battletech board game. So to add variety they had to add urban combat. All the techniques to optimize graphis while providing depth were used. Hazy horizon not only allowed optimization to go unnoticed, but also added a mysterious alien feeling with color gradients. * The story, while not an RPG, included details from the Battletech lore from the novels, so you could see some sophistication in the universe in the background. This lore was most useful if you played the RPG rules for Battletech tabletop, like Mechwarrior secondedition. I play Mechwarrior Destiny due to the simplified mechanics that do not get in the way of fun. * Gameplay. This is where the MW2 games shine. Great mission design with some noticeable exceptions, is top notch. It has cool characters like Sgt Unther. And it is way more arcadish than MW3 and MW4 and MWO because lasers fly like bullets. I know many people like these later games, but I find MW2 more entertaining. When you read the novels, you find that Mechwarrior 3 is graphically more accurate to the novels, with triangles designating objects, and lasers not flying like in Star Wars or MW2. But idk why, MW2 is my favorite. I leave the lore for the Battletech board game. For videogames I replay MW2.

[@shuboy05]

Even Bruce Willis mentioned Mechwarrior 2 in an interview during that time. When you’ve got a big Hollywood actor playing the game you know you’ve got a hit on your hands!

[@agentmith]

I used to play Mech 2 on Mplayer back in the day with friends. I had one friend who exclusively played Mech 2 and played constantly and was super active with clan battles. Once Tribes came out though, we all migrated to that, then Tribes 2. This time period was the pinnacle of gaming for me, the late 90s through mid 2000s (N64, PS1, Pentium 2 - Pentium 3 era). Everything was so pure and fun and we had so many friends all playing together. We had so many LAN parties where we camped out at some friend’s house for a week or so with tons of people filtering in and out over the week. It’s a shame that younger people won’t ever know what that’s like with the advent and convenience of online gaming. I could talk about this for hours, but if you were there, you knew what it was like.

[@KeiNova]

I miss those days. Me and my brother used to go to the local flea market and do LAN parties for Duke 3D, Doom, Starcraft, GTA, and eventually Quake 3 Tournament. It was a different time, and in a lot of ways, it made for a stronger social experience in gaming - rather than dividing people like it sometimes can now.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

1990s was the pinnacle of civilization. After that the world went to hell.

[@ACE1918]

Correction, the original versions of MechWarrior 2 along with the Ghost Bear's Legacy came out in 1995 with the Mercenaries expansion coming out in 1996. In 1995 this game was a massive leap forward from a technical standpoint and had a big in pushing 3D accelerated graphics cards at the time.

[@KeiNova]

My mistake, so I've pinned your comment so people are aware that I flubbed the years.

[@JoeSwider-y6e]

There are other videos that say 1997 too. I wonder if the mistake has to do with information on the Internet being sometimes wrong.

[@guaposneeze]

Yeah, that was an era when PC graphics were changing very fast, so getting a date wrong definitely places it in a different context. Maybe that 1997 date was a re-release or something. But in 1995, home users didn't have Win95, Direct3D, OpenGL, etc. Quake hadn't come out yet, so any kind of 3D was pretty much bleeding edge. Even the original Voodoo with the Glide API wasn't released yet, so 3D graphics on home PC's was absolutely still the wild west when MW2 came out, even if it was kind of obsolete a year later. As the cambrian explosion of 3D accelerators happened over the following few years, the Mechwarrior engine wound up being one of the breeding grounds for ports to the API of the week because the OEM's wanted to use it to show off. But Mercenaries the following year was better that the original MW2. The extra year of polish on the engine probably wasn't a bad thing.

[@marblemunkey]

​@guaposneeze No joke. I had 2 bundled copies of DOS MW2; One for the MS Sidewider 3D joystick, and one for my Matrox Mystique 3d video card. I owned both prior to Mercenaries coming out. The Matrox version had the textures and 3d acceleration, while the joystick one had bespoke input drivers.

[@Mikey-zj8bn]

Has to be 1995 rember playing this on a pentium in windows95

[@discipleofsound4565]

Timothy Seals covered the soundtrack, releasing it under the title "A New Dawn (Bred For War Edition)". Highly recommend it. Honestly, either version of Silent Thunder really gets me; makes me feel like a predator on the hunt for prey. A lot of people got introduced to Battletech through this game. One of the things I ask people new to the tabletop is "have you played MW2?" If they have, they get the gist of what BT is all about. One guy who plays with us played MW2, and had no idea BT was the same IP. But, as soon as he saw the Mad Cat, he felt right at home.

[@discipleofsound4565]

Side note: if you want to try the tabletop version of Battletech, I can help get you started.

[@KeiNova]

I would actually really appreciate that as I'm picking it up at the end of February.

[@KeiNova]

I'm going to have to check that out, I probably will this afternoon. Honestly, I had no idea either were connected until I did these videos either. I really want to get into the tabletop game and since I have a budget for it soon, I want to get both the original and Clans expansion. Also probably Alpha Strike.

[@discipleofsound4565]

​@@KeiNovaI dunno if you have a business email or anything, but if you'd like, I can shoot you a message with a quick buyer's guide.

[@bpblitz]

This was my first real "I'm a PC Gamer now" moment in 95. And then walking in a Waldens I remember seeing the starter box and saying "Oh, neat! A board game for that game I like." Aaaand that's how I became TTRPG trash, too. this game ruined me lol

[@ThootenTootinTabootin]

Unlocking some dormant memories here

[@KeiNova]

Happy I could help with that 😁

[@juststatedtheobvious9633]

The wireframe is still beautiful. It's that sweet spot of how movies once imagined the future and how some modern games remember the past. It's hard to believe it was a real game on store shelves in 1995.

[@KeiNova]

I absolutely loved the wireframe mode. It was so nice to use, and I loved seeing the active damage being applied to enemies and myself. Way ahead of its time.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

Wireframe was so 1980s retro future.

[@No-jb6fy]

Because this is not superfast and some Mechs allow you to spin their torso and shoot to the side while moving forward, and because some have boosters jets, this made for an amazing feel and I remember mastering the controls and shooting down other Mechs was immensely satisfying and the ambient music and female computer voice was amazing. Also, how the missiles and munitions flew away, feels a bit like shooting torpedoes from a submarine. The simulation depth was great. What an amazing title this was. Great memories.

[@KeiNova]

I have to agree with all of that, it really is a satisfying experience.

[@CybershamanX]

(8:44) So, we're just going to waltz by that laser turret pecking at us like we don't have a care in the world, eh? LOL 😉😁

[@novemberbravo6194]

As I was saying during our AC6 battles, tis was the first PC game I ever played, way back in '96 when I was 6 years old. Definitely gonna give this a watch when I take a break from editing later this evening! It was a real pleasure to make your acquaintance; thanks again for being willing to participate in my birthday special episode!

[@KeiNova]

It was great to meet you and play AC6! Happy Birthday, as well! I'd have said so, if I'd known. Sorry about that! Hope it's a great one!

[@novemberbravo6194]

@@KeiNova Thanks bud! Great to meet you and throw down with you as well, thanks so much for being part of this little project! Hope to see you at the premiere tonight : )

[@KeiNova]

Absolutely! @@novemberbravo6194

[@MurderMostFowl]

Oh man I remember when the downloadable trailer demo came out for this…. It was just the opening to the game but my friends and I got together to watch it and it blew our collective minds. I had played the PC version of the original mech warrior and didn’t have high hopes. And the game was just as good as it promised to be. Loved it

[@shuboy05]

Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries is where the UI was changed. The Mechwarrior 2 Battlepack is the original game running on the updated engine used in Mercenaries. The wireframe Enhanced Imagining appears to have been removed for performance issues in Mercenaries. Which would make lore sense since Inner Sphere Mechs would not have Clan Technology like EI except the Clans Mechs in Mercenaries ALSO lack Enhanced Imagining....

[@KeiNova]

That's very interesting. I'm new to Battletech and only have a surface understanding of the lore. I was looking at the game from the perspective of a player, and that's why I was looking at it from a Gameplay standpoint. I'm going to be playing Ghost Bears Legacy and Mercenaries in separate videos and I'll be sure to mention this with those.

[@shuboy05]

@@KeiNova One more thing. The original Mechwarrior 2 was going to allow players to choose one of SIX Clans (the six that invaded the Inner Sphere). From what I've read over the years, the original development team at Activision ended up quitting and a new team decided to restart from square one (the one person who worked on the game engine ended up staying the longest). So the project restart led to the six playable Clans getting reduced to two (with the Ghost Bears added to the expansion). Given how messy this story sounds, it is amazing that Activision even ended up making a great game at the end.

[@RoboticPope]

The big increase in mech designs in MW2: Mercs is also why the damage indicator changed to the generic mech outline from the tt game's record sheet.

[@colbyboucher6391]

​@@RoboticPopeTabletop uses a generic paper doll actually. In fact someone on the r/BattleTech has been going through all of 3025's roster and making unique record sheets for them for the past couple years.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

Mercs added textures, compared to the gouraud shading of polygons of MW2 21CC. At the time it was quite a milestone. And it added dynamic lighting, so your LRMs would lit the night. However, if you play the tabletop game, you will find that for obvious reasons you do not have the simulation on a board game, as it is a bit more like Mechcommander, and the many rulebooks add a richness to the game that I have never found in a videogame. For example Mechwarrior Destiny allows me to role play the tabletop game, and add beloved characters players create and high stakes that the game master creates. The lore allows very rich stories to be told. I love the weather and exotic terrain possibilities of advanced rules. You do not see lava or plantations or cliffs in the videogame. You do not see stormy conditions and planet magnetism interfering in the videogames. You do not see mines in MW2. You do not have industrialmech light drones. You do not have electronic warfare. Advanced rules also allow you to skid, to have smoke screens to hide your approach, you have falls, and physical attacks. You can ram, punch, kick. And your mech can fall and get damaged. And there are plenty of maps you can buy to play the game. The maps of Tukkayid are especially tricky. Your mech can get damaged just by moving, and clan mech mobility is impaired by the planet environment. You have river streams, slippery terrain, lava, etc. And the mountain canyon you see in the final cutscene of MW2 Mercs is one of the maps of Tukkayid map pack. The Battle of Tukkayid rulebook allows you to create dynamic campaigns. And it would be useful to have all 3 boxsets (beginner box, a game of armored combat and clan invasion) and Grasslands and Tukkayid map packs, plus the 21 force packs with miniatures from 2020, to have the most complete Tukkayid experience. No videogame is capable of that.

[@ZachAttackIsBack]

I played this as a kid using a Microsoft Force Feedback joystick, which was so awesome.

[@KeiNova]

I really need a legacy pc to pick one up, pretty bad.

[@falconergray]

Great video. This was my introduction to the franchise when it was new in the mid-late 90's. It was a blind purchase based on the box-art alone, and it definitely made an impact. Battletech quickly became one of my favourite sci-fi universes across any platform/medium and has stayed that way ever since. I absolutely loved all the fluff text and story telling, and would spend hours reading through all the content in the Archives. I still think including all that content was incredible, as it really immersed me into the universe like no other game ever has. The other cool thing about the storytelling is the way that it unfolded. The placement of the main MW2 game is a little out of order, but all the Battletech games from this era (including the Mechcommander games, and even the Mechassault titles if you squinted and tilted your head) all told new chapters or different perspectives of the same story. It really was incredible to follow through, as one game would set up story elements that would be significant features of the next. It really captured my imagination as a child that obviously still carries on more than 25 years later.

[@KeiNova]

I really loved the story too, but I should have included more about it in the video honestly. I might do a 'MechWarrior 2 story' video someday. I can't wait to really get into what all these games are about.

[@falconergray]

​@@KeiNovadid you say this was your first time jumping into Mechwarrior/Battletech? It's always exciting to hear the perspective of newcomers, and you should also know I think you're representing the franchise really well. I don't know how far into things you are, but the in game story telling really takes off in MW2 Mercs (which actually takes place before the main MW2 game). Each game advances the story, which I found so enjoyable and immersive!

[@KeiNova]

@@falconergray Yes, I'm new to the series and experiencing it entry by entry by making these videos. I'm new to Battletech as a whole. But, as a Mech channel, I thought it was absolutely a must-learn franchise, game series, and tabletop game if I was going to pursue the niche! And thank you, I'm glad that I am doing well. I honestly worry at times that I'm doing some disservice to series such as this.

[@falconergray]

@@KeiNova I think you've more than done it justice, so keep doing what you're doing! One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of care and attention to detail went into these games, meaning there are deliberate choices that have reasons behind them you might not be aware of. For example, in this video you mentioned that the currency system wasn't carried over from the original Mechwarrior game. There's actually an in-universe reason for this - in MW2, the player character is effectively just a single soldier within an extremely large army, and as such doesn't need to worry about resource management, currency etc. The currency system returns in MW2 Mercs, as in that game the player is the owner/commander of a mercenary unit and as such as more to worry about than just combat. This approach of currency/no currency is carried on throughout the franchise depending on the position of the player character. Gotta love detail!

[@wirikidor]

I still have my original copies of MW2 and Ghost Bear, and even though I haven't played them in decades I can still remember all the startup sounds and the thrill of some of the missions.

[@KeiNova]

It really is an amazing experience. And, very cool that you still own those copies! I wish I had the boxes for my shelf, rather than just jewel cases.

[@wirikidor]

@@KeiNova unfortunately I don’t have the boxes either I think sometime in my 20s I said “Why am I keeping these?” My only original box from that era is Xwing vs Tie Fighter. The rest are all jewel cases.

[@djayjp]

Quite possibly the best VG soundtrack ever made.

[@SuppressedOfficial]

I had Mercs (original boxed copy) and the Titanium collection back in the day. LOVE this series. My strongest memory is the Mercs storyline where you go to Solaris for the games and your character gets invited to some schmoozy dinner and he's like, "These people are too damn stupid to live," but then he remembers he wasn't allowed to bring his field pistol to dinner.

[@KeiNova]

I'm really excited to play Mercs. I really just have to take a little mental break for a week, this one was a nightmare to get going on a modern system - even through a virtual box. Titanium, I've heard, makes sense mostly for Mercenaries, so I'll definitely be covering that. I can't wait to play something with a few more features.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

And do you play the original Battletech tabletop game? Star Wars started as a movie, LOTR started as a book, and Mechwarrior started as the Battletech board game. Since 2018 the new modern resculpts look blocky, industrial and heavy. Older miniatures looked like a 1960s retro scifi sculpts. These new sculpts look like I dreamed them to look.

[@KeiNova]

@@josepablolunasanchez1283 Are they the same in the starter set? I'm new to this.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

@@KeiNova Battletech fan channel has a catalog of 2020 mechs in each force packs. There were new force packs since then, but not too many. Force packs contain miniatures. If what you look is the boxed game, it is a good practice to start with "Beginner Box" to not be overwhelmed by rules. Then "A Game Of Armored Combat" boxset. The "Clan Invasion" expansion. Then "Battlemech Manual" rulebook. Then force packs with miniatures. You can buy map packs anytime, not part of any part of buying sequence. After buying all "battletech fan" catalog mechs, you may get the Tukkayid and Grasslands map pack and "The battle of Tukkayid" rulebook, "Tactical Operations. Advanced rules" and you will have an awesome iconic campaign to play for months, This campaign was depicted in the outro of MW2 Mercs. You can just not buy all force packs, but when you roll dice to pick mechs you probably will need to reroll to select mechs or you can use tokens to play these mechs. Playing Tukkayid will deliver months of entertainment. There is a delivery of the Mercenaries kickstarter, so at this time I cannot tell what is in the Mercenaries box and if it is an expansion or another base box. Once delivered i will let you know. I just know the mercenaries box also has vehicles, aside of mechs.

[@ASNS117Zero]

Mercs was *too* good. It's completely painted how the franchise is expected to be in terms of games for going on thirty years.

[@Neorott]

Mechwarrior 1 was my real intro into computers. I was originally in college to become a veterinarian. One day I was walking passed the computer lab in 1990ish and saw someone playing Mechwarrior 1 and went whoa what's that? I sat down and started playing and immediately changed my major to computer science. I got the Battletech games and several of the books. I was totally hooked on the whole BT experience. Even played the table top version. When Mechwarrior 2 came out it was an incredible experience. I just loved it. Everyone now is used to hi-def graphics, but back then VGA was becoming wide spread. Dot pitch in monitors was a thing we looked for. Either .28 or the Sony .25 dp 14inch monitor. Graphics cards that could support that were expensive. All of that made the Mechwarrior 2 experience that much more intense.

[@KeiNova]

Thats an amazing story. Back then, we were so happy with the simplest things. I think a lot of those limitations lead to some creative and endearing gameplay concepts. Nowadays, expectations really ruin creativity. Back then, they were clearly so inspiring that it literally changed your life. Really good story.

[@bryo4321]

I'm a simple man, you keep reviewing the mechwarrior games, I keep commenting and giving thumbs up.

[@KeiNova]

I can certainly provide that (on Saturdays).

[@jabberw0k812]

Such a great soundtrack. I use it as background when playing campaigns in MegaMek. Which btw, is a decent way to play Battletech if you don't have the money/people for tabletop.

[@KeiNova]

I have to agree. I ended up listening to it a lot too. It really captures the sci-fi tone to me.

[@ShiningRayde]

Fun fact: In the Mechwarrior 2 training mission on sensors, you can scan a cargo crate with "HERC PARTS (USELESS)" in it. HERCs or HERCULANs are the giant mechs from Metaltech.

[@KeiNova]

That's awesome. I do know if you scan one, it has a Doom reference and it says BFGs. I hadn't played Metaltech yet so I really got to find that for when I play Earthsiege! That's so funny.

[@keiyakins]

That would probably hurt less if the mech side of that series hadn't been totally abandoned for Tribes. And then Starsiege: Deadzone happened and that's just an extraction shooter with like nothing actually related to the original

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

Pentium version has a cheat trick to have additional mechs for trial combat.

[@Sp3ctre18Gaming]

and yet my favorites are the straightforward deadpan ones, lol. inspect hospital: "sick people."

[@sengyew83]

Booting up MS-DOS Mech 2, GBL and Mercs and watching the FMV intro cutscenes were some of my earliest and most impactful memories in PC gaming. I feel the holy grail today, is getting the 3D hardware accelerated versions emulated in today's tech, they look even better than the Titanium Trilogy.

[@KeiNova]

I'm about to post a video on how to play those versions on modern PCs if you're interested, in about 6 minutes from when I'm sending you this. :) If you're interested, feel free to check it out.

[@Jaroartx]

@@KeiNova LETS GOOOOOOO

[@sengyew83]

​@@KeiNovawas the video eventually posted and I missed it? Can't seem to find it.

[@josew.6423]

I very fondly remember playing this with friends during college with my roommate, LAN party coax cable... was also the first time we installed a network card in our PCs :)

[@KeiNova]

I managed to play it online with a community that exists. Hoping to post some of that footage soon!

[@rfcdgaf]

I have memories of seeing the intro 5:10 repeating on a super pc build in a window of a gaming store at a mall. It had a recliner seat and surround sound speakers and everything. Probably 95-98 time frame

[@KeiNova]

That would make sense. The game came out in 1995 (I messed that up in this video) but it was very popular after.

[@KnightofWine]

That was the first CD-ROM Game I bought. My mind blew with the open scene.

[@mattias969]

Man we have come a long way. This game was my favorite game back in the mid 90's Ive played over 500 hours of mw5 since it got released for ps5 this is just the best mech sim game franchise ever made

[@KeiNova]

It really is, so far - at least. I've heard of many other great ones. For now, though, this is top of the list.

[@mattias969]

@@KeiNova starseige was also amazing a real goat game it definately scratched that mechwarrior itch when nothing else could.

[@JTRch]

This is the best game ever, my absolute favorite. I played so much as Teenager. And it comes with the best gaming music of all time.

[@KeiNova]

I have to agree, I have the whole soundtrack on my computer.

[@Darkleaf-Music]

The music for this game is so unique and brings back lots of nostalgia for me. Funny thing about the wireframe mode is that I used it most of the time while playing because my PC was too slow to render the full graphics at more than like 4 FPS in a firefight. Tip on the controls: the numeric keypad / * and - fire your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd weapon groups, and you can hold down to keep firing the same weapons. This makes autocannons and machine guns quite powerful.

[@KeiNova]

I loved the wireframe mode so much. Though, I can see certain versions stressing systems like nothing else. Even Titanium stressed my system, but it was a glitch-fest anyhow. Thanks to a bunch of commenters, I learned more about grouping as time went on. In these games, it wasn't that intuitive, but it became massively helpful later on.

[@lrstudio3221]

I bought my first GPU because of this game. It was a "3DFX Graphics Card" and the upgrade in graphics and gameplay blew me away! Great memories.

[@KeiNova]

I wasn't so lucky back then; I remember going to the store as a kid and gawking at the cards - really wanting one. But I just didn't have the money to get onboard with that. Especially when my paper route paid about $13 a month.

[@lrstudio3221]

@@KeiNova 😄 I understand. I was already married for several years by then. I did have to save up for a couple of paychecks though.

[@eSSentialplaysYT]

Jade Falcon forever. The Timberwolf will forever be my favourite mech. That box cover art hooked me. I remember the first time I loaded the game up to run through again, but I had The Prodigy's "The Fat of the Land" audio CD in the tray when it spun up. That CD completely changed that game for me. All my memories of the game now are of that CD's music to gameplay. Thank you for the memories and throwback to a classic title.

[@KeiNova]

You are welcome, plenty more to come :)

[@petejohnson8397]

Nova. Jump jets. Massive extra cooling. Nothing but lasers. Op/group fire. Eliminates legs in one or 2 shots.

[@WolfHreda]

This was my introduction to Battletech and MechWarrior as a whole, and every day I play a game or read a story in this universe, I'm grateful for my friend Brandon, who introduced me to it in like 2001. My favorite thing about MW2 is that, in-universe, your Galaxy Commander is possibly the single most honorable warrior in all the Clans. Just underbidding like a madman and then paying you on the shoulder and saying, "Go get them, warrior."

[@carlsalbacka8237]

At the time, I thought the opening cinematic for this game was the coolest thing I had seen in my life; I reveled in watching it every time I started the game up, and never even contemplated skipping it. It was high cinema.

[@KeiNova]

I think every one of these old FMVs was considered so. I remember playing just about anything if it had FMVs!

[@StillTheVoid]

Mech Commander is a different experience than the simulation of Dynamix's Mechwarrior. However, understand this (which goes to all who view this video): this was the 32-bit era we're looking at. By 1995, MechWarrior 2 ALONE was the most expensive game ever produce with a budget estimate at $12-25 million (the source regarding marketing and finances for this game is somewhat lost in the forums via wayback machine. It was someone from Activision who worked there until Mercenaries.) Before Call of Duty, Activision and Electronic Arts were one of the gaming companies pushing the boundaries of PC gaming and beyond like their console counterparts with EXTREMELY HIGH production and marketing costs. The voyage of true 3D gaming was the mass appeal to all tech fields and is the focal point where computer hardware began to evolve from its infancy stage of basic computation. I can go on but the Digital Foundry retrospective of this masterpiece provides an in-depth detail of over 36 (yes...3..6!) different versions from different native hardware put into the test. Also, this has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. Kudos to Jeehun Hwang.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

I heard that there was another composer composing the orchestral music. It seems that the guy was not easy to deal with and this is why they brought Hwang to the game. What do we know about this?

[@StillTheVoid]

@@josepablolunasanchez1283 There's a lot to unfold regarding this game. I'm sure if someday on a podcast somewhere these guys can return and talk about this game's lengthy production.

[@DavidDingoBleecher]

I was at Virtual World in Pasadena when the dev team came in to check out the mechanics of the Virtual World Battletech pods. It was cool playing the game a couple years later, and seeing all of the mechanics they used. :)

[@KeiNova]

I wish I could have shared that experience. I just recently heard of these and knowing that you actually got to see the devs at work is amazing. It had to have been a memorable experience.

[@bryo4321]

What version of the pods was that? I work at the company they helped co-develop the first couple versions. There's some cool posters in the office to this day from that project.

[@KeiNova]

I would love to see those. Great that you were part of the company responsible.@@bryo4321

[@ppmguire]

This was the second PC game I ever got to play on my dads 486 machine. I used to sit there and watch him play Descent, then he came home with this one day in a new shiny box. I was already "familiar" with Battletech from the Commodore 64 (I put quotes because I was 5) but I was too young to put two and two together at the time. Eventually he finally let me play and I would play it nonstop along with Descent. These days, I fire up PCem and load this up any time or if I'm feeling frisky I load it up on my 98 box. This is still my favorite Mechwarrior game of the series.

[@KeiNova]

Great memories! This game really has provided a lot of important moments for many, it seems!

[@ppmguire]

@@KeiNova Indeed. I can honestly say I owe the career I have today to this game and Descent giving me my interest in PCs early on. I had the C64, but went back to the SNES that held my attention. These games were on a whole other level though. When the N64 came out my friends couldn't understand why I wasn't that impressed with the graphics lol.

[@ethanreynolds4942]

In it hing for your MechWarrior 3 video. That was my favorite childhood game.

[@RudivanderWalt]

Such a classic! I got mine bundled with the Microsoft Sidewinder 3d Pro joystick :D Awesome video, subbed!

[@KeiNova]

Thank you! I really wish I could get my hands on Sidewinder. I only have a more moder Extreme 3D Pro for MechWarrior 3 onwards.

[@RootinrPootine]

The immersion combined with the masterpiece soundtrack in middle school was pretty special

[@Jay.McCarty]

Bought this the day it came out and it was a revolutionary game. Played it initially with the a CH Flight Stick then picked up a Sidewinder 3D Pro later that year. The twist on the 3D Pro was a game changer.

[@KeiNova]

I envy those still able to play this game with a joystick. I miss them and options these days suck!

[@johnjfrederick]

MW2 came with my first PC, an IBM Aptiva. I thought that was 1997. What you said about it being rewarding once you figured out the controls is so right. Every few years I try get it to run.. one of these days I’ll figure it out haha

[@jimmer411]

Earthseige 2! So many memories, it was how i finally discovered MechWarrior

[@KeiNova]

Definitely one I've been hoping to do down the road.

[@1chrisanderson]

The Mechwarrior games after MW2 / Ghost Bear's Legacy just never had the same level of atmosphere to me. Never really pulled me in, but also i think a big part of that was the soundtrack which had a HUGE influence on my tastes as i got older

[@64kram]

I had the 3DFX special edition free with my HP Pavilion P200 mmx, 32MB ram, 4MB voodoo orchard. It looked like the original Pentium version, same hud layout but better textures - not as detailed as the titanium version though. Sunk so many hours into this. At the time it was so advanced, and I still play the soundtrack regularly due to the incredible atmosphere. Still got the CD if you want an iso to try and run it, but I haven't had any joy!

[@MrSickNoodle]

Yeah MW2 is truly the GOAT military sci fi. It needs a remaster so bad. The mood of this game is something ive never seen matched. For some reason it still feels truly futuristic. I think its the sound design, its brilliant!

[@KeiNova]

Yeah, I've been struggling to find something with the same tone and just couldn't. Its so crazy how good this game was.

[@ncavis]

Lots of nostalgia here. I was blown away by the PC version.

[@eyemastervideo]

I loved that game and spent so many hours playing. MW2 was awesome! The closest thing now that I still play is Mechwarrior Online, which is very close to MW2 in my opinion, except I still miss the wiremesh view a lot. Battletech is a fine game too, and MW5 mercenaries is also ok. Oh, and as far as the sound track for MW2, it was just normal songs on the CD, I still have them in my music catalogue and still listen to them. I think the soundtrack was, and still is to me, the best out of all the games I've played, as I can listen to them and still find them great.

[@KeiNova]

I love the soundtrack too, I was just saying that its a shame it never got the release it deserved - I think people would have LOVED to own it on vinyl or CD even now. Who knows, it could happen one day maybe. Its nice that it can be used anywhere just about without legal issues, I used it for the background of this video. No copyright at all, which was odd... I think.

[@eyemastervideo]

@@KeiNova I was able to just pop the game CD in a regular cd player and play the music.

[@peterboren14]

The Mech Commander games were great. I'd love to see a video with your take on them!

[@KeiNova]

I was really thinking about doing that this Saturday. Honestly.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

@@KeiNovaAnd the existing mods please.

[@ashb899]

MW2 mercs titanium was my first and damn dem was good times. From the first intro video it's just feelz...

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Love your coverage of (now) niche games. Subbed.

[@KeiNova]

Thank you! Sorry, it's been a bit slow here lately due to the end of school with my kids and some health issues.

[@batchallbro]

The change of hud and Paper Doll (the name for the damage readout) makes it match Mechwarior 2 Mercenaries, they swapped to a single one because MW2M had WAY (several times over) the amount of mechs, also from the video clip seems it shares sound effects and some model textures wirh Mercenaries The console port takes music from MW2M as well

[@KeiNova]

Yes, I know that had to be done now - but, as history shows, it was a bit of a mess. Thanks for the info!

[@AndreCarneiro666]

I remember my reaction when I saw this game for the first time. I was shocked! I've never seen a game like that before for PC!

[@KeiNova]

I can only imagine! Sadly, I was too caught up in console stuff back then.

[@syncmonism]

The music in this game was amazing, and that computer voice was also great. For me, they were a crucial part of what made the game an interesting and worthwhile experience.

[@KeiNova]

Yes, the atmosphere was legendary.

[@bbtdltd8081]

Been waiting for this one since your last vid on MW !!!

[@KeiNova]

Happy you weren't disappointed! 😁

[@Storm_.]

I used to have Mechwarrior 2 Matrox Mystique edition (came free with the graphics card) which is how I experienced it. I do fondly remember the soundtrack, I also do remember that 'W' for wireframe did work in this version. It had textures and a skybox.

[@KeiNova]

I really want to try that version, but I can't find any way to emulate Matrox Mystique. At this point, if I get the money - I might as well just order a legacy PC one day to experience it.

[@No-jb6fy]

The Mystique didn't make nice textures like a 3DFx card would, but it was damn fast. I had both the Mystique and a Canopus 3DFx 6mb. It would take 20 years before I found graphics card caught up with what 3DFx was doing back then. With 6mb. And the Mystique with 2 or 4 I guess, can't remember. Loved Matrox.

[@CuriousChronicles82275]

I played this game to death including expansion packs back in the 90s.

[@KeiNova]

Had to be a great time.

[@KILLA_BEA_ARTHUR_O.D.C.R]

This was like the first video game I remember falling in love with in 1996 when I was 6.

[@KeiNova]

You're younger than me! I can see why though, 'Mechs were still really cool back in those days (still are to nerds like me, these days).

[@KILLA_BEA_ARTHUR_O.D.C.R]

@@KeiNova I remember logging hours and hours on it. When I found blackpants legion videos I was transported to my childhood.

[@kytaem]

The 3d card era and titles like MW2, Tomb Raider and Quake, that was peak gaming

[@KeiNova]

Having played Tomb Raider on release, I have to agree with you there.

[@vmonk722]

Well, since building mech variants that suit both the mission profile and your playstyle can be such a huge part of the whole experience, I wonder if you'll revisit this again. The games of the MW2 series and MW3 with their absolute freedom in build variety are a good place to learn about weapon characteristics before knowing them becomes essential for effective builds in the more restricted customization systems of the later titles.

[@KeiNova]

Honestly, with the troubles I had with getting the Titanium version working - combined with my kids being on holidays. I just didn't have the time to dive into it, as I'd have wanted. Since everything is setup, when I get around the Ghost Bear's Legacy and Mercenaries - I can certainly start learning about it more thoroughly.

[@vmonk722]

@@KeiNova I understand that after a small odyssee of a project like this one a comment like mine can feel disheartening. That's most certainly not my intention. But there's a reason that both for HBS BT and MW5 a more complete mechlab was priority number 1 for modders to reintroduce: that's where a significant portion of the overall fun of BT and MW is found for many, myself obviously included.

[@KeiNova]

@@vmonk722 Not disheartening at all, it just lets me know what I should focus on next time.

[@nickk.kalogeras6983]

@@KeiNova What program did you used for virtualizing Win95/98?

[@KeiNova]

@@nickk.kalogeras6983 I used PCEm.

[@dther6314]

The game was offered when you did buy a Power VR GPU, still have my CD. one of my best childhood memory playing on my PC

[@KeiNova]

I actually have the PowerVR version, but sadly I don't have any computer with a PowerVR. I need something like that, I really do.

[@bpblitz]

Honestly, fighting just to get the game working is the authentic MW2 experience, imho. We had system enough to run it and it still took my software engineer dad hours to figure the damn thing out.

[@KeiNova]

Which version was that? It took me forever to get the Titanium version going, so I relate. I'm really versed in earlier computers though, I used to build them and program games and that. It wasn't anything serious, but it helped me figure stuff like that out. I do have to say, sometimes the challenge really is just getting the game installed. So, you're right.

[@imdoobie80]

I loved this game as a kid. My uncle would turn up his stereo, and every time Mech's feet hit the ground, the room shook.

[@damianroberts4330]

You're tenacity with old soft/hardware is well worth it! Great review!

[@KeiNova]

Thank you, it takes a lot for me to throw in the towel.

[@EnigmaHood]

This was my childhood.

[@lurkerrekrul]

Many years ago, I bought a copy of the Titanium Edition at a local closeout store for $5. I never got around to playing it though. I looked at comparisons online and was told that the different versions only had a few different files between them. Someone them uploaded the files that were different so that I could changed the Titanium Edition into the original version. At least that's the way I remember it. I never actually got around to trying it. The box is still sealed, and the files are archived on a disc somewhere.

[@marksanders5781]

Lol I'm not the only one that couldn't get the titanium trilogy to work. Great game. I had 31st century combat and Ghost bears lagacy. Never played mercs.

[@KeiNova]

Well I finally did for the review, it just took forever. It required such a specific set of parameters to work it was nuts. It looked cool, but it played like trash. I am going to be doing a separate video on the expansions eventually. I just need a mental break from playing this so much. 😂

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

You are missing the best of the 3 games.

[@darkprinc979]

I didn't have the full game back in the day, but AOL had the dos version's demo available for download, which I played the heck out of. It only featured a single mission, which was to defend a base from enemy attack, but it gave you an assortment of mechs to try out of varying weight classes. I was really a fan of the pre-mission interface they gave you because it felt like you were interacting with a computer terminal. I did manage to get my hands on a copy of the Pentium edition back when I was in high school, which I still have to this day, but I've never played the game all the way through. Before that I got my hands on a copy of Mechwarrior 3 and 4, and whle Mechwarrior 4 had some decent improvements , overall I think I enjoyed 3's aesthetics and sound design more.

[@swordmonkey6635]

I played Mechwarrior 2 on my Thrustmaster HOTAS system back in the day. It was glorious.

[@MarkReed-smokindeist]

My experience with the game was on the Sega Saturn. It was a lot of fun and the computer's voice is permanently etched into my memory.

[@KeiNova]

I loved how different and Arcadey it was. I did a little thing about those versions at the end of this video but I'm going to be doing more on my upcoming redemption video.

[@MarkReed-smokindeist]

@@KeiNova Lately I have been playing Iron Rebellion. It's a VR game with both Quest standalone and PCVR via SteamVR. I went with the Steam PCVR version and it's a lot of fun. It's about to hit version 1.0 and there's a solo/co-op campaign on the horizon where you'll get to fight against invading aliens. I never got to play the old Battletech simulators so this is my chace to feel like I'm a mech pilot. I did play a little Battletech tabletop and I really miss the old FASA Corp. They had several good RPGs and other games.

[@Linkacide]

Whenever I think of the Mech Warrior games it’s always the Super Nintendo one where you talk to Cearale in that Bar and the music lol

[@KeiNova]

The remake of the original! That was pretty okay.

[@eternaltale6482]

Playing MechWarrior games is truly religios experience! 😊Concentrate on counting your blessings and you'll have little time to count anything else. Game developers will either give you what you ask or something far better. They frequently give us the desires of our heart, though not at the peculiar time we desired, but a better time. Blessed is he who has found his MechWarrior games; let him ask no other blessedness. He has a work, a life-purpose; he has found it, and will follow it! MechWarrior is life. You are sitting and smoking; you believe that you are sitting in your pipe, and that your pipe is smoking you; you are exhaling yourself in bluish clouds. You feel just fine in this position, and only one thing gives you worry or concern: how will you ever be able to get out of your pipe? Charles Baudelaire, Artificial Paradises😅

[@KeiNova]

This has to be the best comment I've received so far.

[@kempet]

Well interms of controls it plays perfectly & easily with keyboard & mouse for targeting/torso movement.

[@KeiNova]

Certainly for those willing to learn it, or who have grown up with Sim style controls.

[@simonriddick]

12:25 I rermember this it was totally unecessary. I still have my Sidewinder 3D pro and Mech 2 cd. Mom bought it for me as a combo pack. Easily one of the best days in my life lol :)

[@jonathanbradley4896]

Soundtrack for this game is one of the greatest of all time.

[@KeiNova]

Totally agreed!

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

The MW2:21CC game used specific displays for the target mech. MW2:Mercs tried to make a more generic game modelling that served perfectly for Inner Sphere. Used a generic target mech. Strangely, for clan mechs it did not work. It was impossible to overheat and weapons had different values. It is unlike the tabletop game of Battletech, where things are extremely consistent. Mechwarrior is the name used for videogames, but it comes from the Battletech tabletop game.

[@Sp3ctre18Gaming]

Big kudos to you for making the effort to get ALL those versions working and getting footage from them. I've never been able to see a comparison of all of them in one convenient way like this, and finally I get to. It was really cool to see. Some of the textures of Titanium actually looked quite nice, but the tiling mars it. Somehow the clean look of the DOS/Pentium/ATI Rage editions really served it well at the time and also helped it age well. Otherwise, a lot of those added details was just too much, and makes Mercs look worse, imo. It even took me a long time to register that the weird striping I kept seeing was supposed to be camo, lol. I've been raving about MW2 and MW3 recently to my gf, so I'll watch the game review parts of this video again with her tomorrow! BTW, as a minor helpful correction since you did say it was hard for you to describe music, atmospheric isn't really a technical term but it's probably usually taken to mean more like ambient, which is definitely not what the MW2: 31CC soundtrack is, apart from two really "weird" tracks, one which I remember is for a moon mission - these are definitely ambient/atmospheric. Oh, and many of them ARE decently upbeat, driving, tense, but measured, and definitely not in driving rock style like much in MW2 Mercs or MW4 series, as you did point out. But I totally get what you mean: the music is unique enough to help set a unique atmosphere and mood, almost like its own genre, imo, really adding the alien feel of this low-ish tech future. Otherwise, I think you described the music well enough for people to get impact of it. In more detail I usually just say it combined orchestra with various ethnic/world instruments (particularly drums/percussion), industrial/metal sounds, and a few synths. BTW, MW2 is largely responsible for my getting into both music composition and scifi writing, so of course I've paid homage to my main influence by writing music inspired by it or even 100% in its style. I'll be more public about it all once I finish my website, but I do have a couple of tracks on SoundCloud if you'd like to check them out! Make sure to check out each piece's descriptions! soundcloud.com/rhoi-fajardo/sets/mechwarrior-inspired

[@KeiNova]

I'll be happy to check your music out, and that is true. It was just that the levels that stuck out to me had ambient tracks, and I was really drawn to those ones. When I actually listened to the soundtrack outside the game , there was a pretty good divide between both sorts. It just happened that I'd already done the voice over. I hope she enjoys the video as well, I'm going through the whole series and getting into Battletech as time goes on. So, lots more to come (there's more after this already, if you're interested!).

[@Sp3ctre18Gaming]

​@@KeiNovaThanks for expressing interest! And yep, most of them aren't very melodic after all. They're mostly rhythmic, using only little motifs and repeated patterns of notes, with melodies being limited to just short statements or small parts of the pieces, like in the title theme, Saber Flame, Temper Edge, or Blade Spirit. We didn't get to finish but she's enjoying the review so far! And I did see and will definitely check out your full collection of MW vids!

[@kingneutron1]

Ghost Bear's Legacy was the best. Hellfire(?) Streak SRM missile cluster against an enemy mech would overheat them and shut them down, then you could pick off their legs with lasers. Very effective, especially if you used the "no heat sinks needed" cheat code!

[@KeiNova]

I didn't cheat, but I ended up using the Kodiak a lot and that thing felt like a walking cheat code! The video for that expansion comes tomorrow!

[@CybershamanX]

(6:44) I originally played this game for the first time with the VERY JOYSTICK. In fact, I might have even bought both the game and the stick together in one package? I don't know. I can't remember. However, I DO remember being incredibly excited to play this game after getting the Sidewinder set up and running. Man, the 90s was an AMAZING time to be alive for gaming. It seemed like every new game that came out pushed the envelope to a whole other level. Crazy fun times. 😎🤘☮ EDIT: The edition of the game I had was the Pentium Edition. This was right before 3D accelerator cards became ubiquitous, so I was jealous of the people who had the Orchid Righteous 3D edition of the game. I even helped a rich kid set up his PC to play that version of the game with his fancy (Thrustmaster?) force feedback joystick. Good times. 😎

[@MatteoB-gx1bo]

Just today an early gameplay trailer was released for Mechwarrior 5: Clans. i can only hope it manages to create 1/5 of the atmosphere of this game.

[@KeiNova]

I saw that! I requested a review copy but sadly, the channel might be too small for them to care.

[@AlexDenton0451]

Hey there! First video I've seen of yours, absolutely love Battletech. I'm mostly a tabletop/MWO player, honestly have been looking for more games like Mech2 3 and 4. 5 was okay, but way different

[@KeiNova]

Thanks for watching! I'm new to Battletech, but I'm going to be covering a load of games in the same vein as MechWarrior as the year goes on. It's hard to find them, of course - because of the unique history and constraints that shaped the games over time.

[@CybershamanX]

Loved your video delving into a subject that is close to my heart. Thank you so much! Subbed! 😎🤘☮

[@KeiNova]

You are welcome! Of course, more Mechwarrior to come so long as I can actually find a way to record it without it messing up!

[@NicolasAlexanderOtto]

My favroite version was the textured Matrox Mystique version. Also this game has the best Soundtrack of any games from the 90s.

[@KeiNova]

Sadly, I just couldn't get that working. I've heard it was really awesome!

[@NicolasAlexanderOtto]

@@KeiNova Yeah, no way without an old card like that. It's a rarity these days. Never been able to play that one again since my childhood for lack of hardware.

[@binho2224]

Legendary game. One of the best soundtracks ever in gaming. I never got the titanium versions to work.

[@KeiNova]

The changes to match Mercenaries were absolutely terrible, so you didn't miss out on much aside from glitches and broken missiles

[@binho2224]

@@KeiNova Thank you for doing this retrospective on the series! Really well done. The only other one I know is from The Examined Life of gaming.

[@KeiNova]

@@binho2224 You are definitely welcome. I'm going to be covering the rest of the series very soon. After this weeks video I'm going to aim for MW3 Pirates Moon and then MW4: Mercs. After that, I'm onto MW5. So, hopefully I'll see you in the comments section!

[@aquarius5719]

What made this game excellent is not just the sound and graphics ar the time. Mission design is excellent. This is an aspect that other games have not managed to match.

[@KeiNova]

I do agree! I'll keep note of that for my redemption video.

[@aquarius5719]

@@KeiNova Are you going to play Mercenaries?

[@KeiNova]

@@aquarius5719 I already did a video on MW2 mercenaries and I did all the way up to MW3 Black Knight so far. I'm going to be doing a video on the new game though if you mean MW5.

[@generaldvw]

The music is still awesome... I am driving in my car... Think about the planet, the mission... And LRM20!

[@KeiNova]

Totally is, I use it sometimes in my videos

[@JoeSwider-y6e]

Awesome review!

[@KeiNova]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@thomasgawronski1425]

I played MechWarrior 2 with a joystick. It was one of my earliest games Ive play and I always wished they would create something like it again

[@KeiNova]

It is rather unique, I agree. I am curious to see the changes - after I tackle Mercenaries :)

[@bartholomewfargo]

This game was a major part of my college experience. I saved up to get a Pentium PC to play this series. The DOS version is my favorite, and I didn't like that they re-cast the female in-cockpit voice between the first and second versions. I will still play the soundtrack occasionally, and I hear those songs in my head any time I see any lumbering robot in a movie or other game.

[@KeiNova]

Great memories!

[@countphil1]

Been waiting for this review . I tried playing mechwarrior 2 was i was unable to un inververt my mouse. My favorite in the series is 4 mercenaries , its a shame the newer games are obsessed with random generation rather than a tight designed campaign

[@KeiNova]

I'm glad I didn't disappoint! I did get the dates wrong, saying 1997 instead of 1995 (go figure, I always seem to flub up something!). I haven't played the newer ones yet. Honestly, I've never played anything past MW2. So, everything after this will be a surprise for me. Might take a small break for a week before I do the DLC or MW3 though, this took a lot.

[@gurriato]

I've never tried the playstation version, but on the saturn's the only problem I had with the controls was aiming at the moving cubes during training. One weird thing is that they advice you to do things in the tutorial that are not even mapped in the default controls, like zooming or rotating the body of the mech. I played it just a few months ago for the first time and it was a perfectly functional game, but compared to Gungriffon or Gundam it's like they are from different generations of consoles. Some missions are supposed to take place in urban environments and you'd never realize it if you didn't read the briefings. Other than that, the thing that bugged me the most was the lack of descriptions or stats for the weapons. The manual had a small table with information, but half of the weapons were not there or appeared under different names.

[@KeiNova]

For me, I just dived into the game and didn't even consider that information. I wasn't having any trouble playing, so I didn't really think about the manual or what was or wasn't missing. It was a port, so I wasn't getting my hopes up. It really does feel like they are from way different generations. I'd have to say that Gungriffon feels way better with gameplay and graphics, at least with this port. So, I have to agree with you there.

[@gurriato]

@@KeiNova Not changing the controls is pretty detrimental in that game, because rotating the head and circle strafing the enemies is always the best strategy, and that's not possible with the defaults. The military acronyms are just annoying, I hate them in Ace Combat too but at least those make more sense. Here it's like they expected me to know the difference between a PPC, an MPLAS, an MLASER or an ERLASER. The game's not so hard that you need to minmax the loadout, but assigning the weapon groups was the only gameplay besides circle strafing while shooting the legs off other mechs, so I wished it could have been more involved. I just used trial and error to group together as many energy weapons as I could without overheating immediately.

[@jaredbenham1078]

Please play the other Mechwarrior 2 games... in my opinion all of them are tied for me as the best mech sims of all time, i just wish someone would make a source port already 😢. Also, great video.

[@KeiNova]

I will, I just didn't want to gloss over them or something since I already had to play the others.

[@marblemunkey]

I'll also say they all play very differently. Roughly speaking, MW2 is focused around medium mechs and squad tactics, GBL tends towards heavy mechs and giant slugfests, while Mercenaries gives light mechs a chance to shine and has the fastest paced combat. Mercenaries also has a salvage system and the need to pay for repairs and upgrades. I'll throw a note on here that the developers were very active on one of the Mechwarrior newsgroups between GBL and Mercenaries. I don't remember which one, but teenage me was thrilled with the insights into development.

[@metal--babble346]

Aim for the legs !! the enemy mech freezes if you take a leg off, then sneak around behind for easy pickins

[@KeiNova]

Yeah, I really went for the arms too much. I have to agree.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

In Mercs, mech with leg destroyed will fall.

[@mgoodman2302]

Can you say Dire Wolf? Man, the HOURS I spent playing this game! It stopped working, so I got rid of the CD - but first I ripped the soundtrack to MP3 and still have it. I wish they'd redo this with modern graphics!

[@KeiNova]

I'd love to just see a modern port of the Windows version, honestly!

[@theohughes74]

I remember running 2 Voodoo 2s running this game at 1024/768 marveling at how amazing it looked, aah, those were the days.

[@KeiNova]

TWO Voodoo 2s? That's a dream for MechWarrior players!

[@Dark-Hound]

Thank thank thank you for presenting this in the correct aspect ratio. You did a great job on this video. I am however going to say it cause it will bug me otherwise. CLANS..They are clans.. not tribes. I am sure the comments have already said that lol.

[@KeiNova]

You'd be only the second person, honestly! It's my mistake, I said it once I know. Brain fart, I suppose. Don't worry, I didn't say that in the GBL video coming in an hour and a half from now.