New 'Mechs!
By Ben Barker
Time to load out and strap in again, MechWarrior. Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios and the developers at Day 1 are back with
the most explosive game to hit Xbox Live since, oh, at
least November 9 or so.
MechAssault 2: Lone
Wolf is sequel to the game that, for many (present company
included), made Xbox Live a must-buy the day it released.
Okay, I tell a lie—I liked the original game so much, I got into
beta testing just so I could save a trip to the store.
A new MechAssault means, naturally, new 'Mechs joining the
old standbys, including the 'Mech that wins Uncle Ben's
All-Time-Favoritest-Ever 'Mech award hands down: the Wendigo. But
first …
Meet the Blood Asp.
Blood Asp
Unless you want to hear a lot of
"What did you call me?!" on Xbox Live, learn to enunciate
it proper-like, with a "P" at the end. This lean, broad-shouldered,
mid-size 'Mech packs:
- A wide-set machine guns that devastate up close.
- The same missile load out as the venerable Mad Cat.
- The new Plasma PPC (which looks like a 'Mech weapon invented by
Dr. Doom).
- No special defenses—and it totally doesn't need them.
It's much faster than an Atlas, Ragnarok, Prometheus, or Ymir,
and almost as tough as any of them.
The Blood Asp's new PPC gun is
pretty and deadly.
The Nova Cat, Spanish for "No-Go
Gato."
Nova Cat
Like many of the original MechAssault 'Mechs, some of the new batch
are built from identical body types, but with different guns and
armor (think Mad Cat and Timber Wolf). Two that are sure to see a
lot of online use are the Nova Cat and Wendigo, two polar opposites
in the same chassis. The Nova Cat packs machine guns and a
repeating laser, with anti-laser (blue) armor. That makes it the
polar opposite of the Wendigo. And, to keep the comparison going,
if the Wendigo is the new Mad Cat, the Nova Cat is the new Timber
Wolf. You get me?
The new kitty gets down. Why get
Mad?
Wendigo (pictured) and Nova Cat
share a chassis.
Wendigo
Just as with twin swimsuit models, you'll probably develop a
preference for either the Nova Cat or the Wendigo—and I'll admit
that, for this reporter, it's Wendigo all the way. It's like
someone made me a special 'Mech for my birthday or something. It
features my absolute favorite two weaponsthe heavy ballistic
cannon and the good ol' PPC— and ballistic (gold) armor to protect
from snipers. When the going gets tough, go Wendigo, young
MechWarrior.
The only disadvantage the Wendigo might have is that, at very close
range, enemy machine gun fire can chew her up but good, so stay at
medium range or farther if you can.
Know Wendigo and when to blow stuff
up.
That Stiletto doesn't just look
sharp.
Stiletto
One of the fastest and flashiest of the new light 'Mechs is the
Stiletto, a sassy little chicken-walker with a nasty toy surprise
inside: another all-new MechAssault 2 weapon, a basic flame
thrower.
(You can see the 'Mech designers at Wolf's Dragoons headquarters
now … "Hey, Foster, I know this 'Mech is 20-feet tall, can crush a
man flat, and shoots both missiles and a gauss cannon. It's also
faster than anything on two legs, it flies, and it even has
anti-ballistic armor, but something's missing." "I know, Hank,
let's attach a flame thrower. That's not over the top." "You're
promoted, Foster!").
This is my new light sniping 'Mech of choice—even (perhaps
especially) against the heavyweights like Ragnarok and Atlas. Those
suckers can kerplode in seconds if you properly cook them over an
open fire.
