Heavy Gear 2

Rating:
Summary: What an improvement!
Review: I owned the original Heavy Gear and was cautious about getting burnt again... but WOW! This game takes the best features of FPS games and Mech games and creates a whole new feel.

Your squadmates have adequate AI, so you won't be tempted to save the world on your own. the number of squad commands is impressive, and the entire experience is enhanced through the use of GameCommander (if you don't have it, buy it).

The vehicles (Gears) in this sim are smaller and more agile than the 'Mechs in MW3. You can kneel, crawl, run, jump and "rollerblade" using the secondary wheeled movement system. You also have independent torso rotation, so a good control setup is necessary, but possible.

The graphics and models are fairly good, but the engine really shines in the area of special effects. Ive never seen such good smoke, explosions, and dust trails. Its really something to see a grenade throw up plumes of earth and watch a gentle breeze dissapate the smoke. Very nice.

The single player missions are adequate, but the game really shines in the sheer number of multiplayer options-- from "kill the guy with the ball" (that's what we called it growing up), to deathmatch and other variations.

Worth the fair price they ask for it. If it has a flaw, it is the somewhat combersome "close-combat", where FPS players will be tempted to circle strafe, but will find it hard. Once combat starts, it is fast an furious. Don't be caught sleeping at the keyboard. Oh, and in in-mission save would have been nice.

This is the best giant robot sim yet.