Mech Commander © Microprose

In case Activision's MechWarrior series of action games wasn't quite up your alley, MicroProse has just come out with a brand new title that also happens to feature those robotic engines of death that everyone loves, namely mechs. The first real-time strategy (ugh) game to be set in the BattleTech universe, this product puts players in control of the understaffed and ill-equipped of a particular clan who just happens to be involved in a huge conflict with a much more powerful clan. Survival is essential to the continued well-being of your clan, but the only way you're going to make it through the thirty game scenarios alive is if you can think fast and act faster.

Though the game bears a strong resemblance to other RTS games, it does change the recipe a little. For instance, each of your Mech Warrior operatives has various ratings in different skill areas that develop as you play, making certain units more suitable to particular tasks than others. Since Mechs are expensive and hard to repair, players will find that it's often best to play with a defensive strategy, conserving one's resources and sniping away at enemies in hopes of disabling them from a distance, rather than destroying them up close and personal. Resources tend to carry over from mission to mission, so it's important that you maintain a strategy that's based around a long-term campaign then a brief conflict. While I assure you that there are other features that give this game a bit of charm that sets it apart from the pack, these happen to be the most notable.

It's also worth noting, however, that the game is quite impressive from a graphical standpoint, as units look like detailed miniatures and are fully animated so that they come to life on the battlefield. I also found the overhead isometric perspective used in the game to be well suited to the style of play, and overall the game was quite enjoyable, if a bit difficult. Don't expect anything revolutionary from Mech Commander, but don't just write it off as a generic RTS game...it's well worth spending some time with.

GAME TYPE
RTS

REQUIREMENTS
P200, 300M HD, 16M RAM

PRICE
$39.99

REVIEWER
K.S.