MechAssault – XB – Preview

E3 2002

Is there anything more enjoyable than
watching a pair of high-powered robots duke it out in an urban setting?

MechAssault, from Microsoft and Day 1
Studios for the Xbox, is an action-packed product that will have fans of robotic
combat salivating. And not only will this game have strong single-player
elements, but it will be one of the games that is incorporated into the Xbox
Online scheme.

The game takes place in the 31st
century. There are a dozen BattleMechs that players can choose from – and they
run the gamut, from slow 100-ton monsters to quicker 30-ton beasts. There are 20
single-player missions and the environments are completely interactive. In fact,
you can use your environment as a weapon.

This game was demonstrated at E3 2002
in Los Angeles.

During the demonstration, developers
showed just what they meant by an interactive environment. Ground forces are
attacking, and because you really don’t want to waste a lot of your ammunition
on them, you simply wait until they are in position, then blow up an adjacent
building, sending it toppling down to crush them.

Other game features include
mid-mission Mech upgrades, excellent special effects; a great array of weapons
(including lasers and particle-projection cannons); mission-based game play; and
a terrific audio track.

MechAssault may not go where other,
similar games have not, but it does provide a seemingly solid game experience
and that which most players of this genre really enjoy – action and destruction.

This program is slated for release in
December.