MechAssault® 2: Lone Wolf is blowing gamers away on Xbox Live®. So far, online gamers have enjoyed new multiplayer modes and maps, brand new vehicles like the VTOL and BattleArmor, and the innovative new Conquest meta-game. With the release of the first maps pack, players have two more arenas for testing their 'Mech piloting abilities and team strategy. Gamers who purchased theMechAssault 2: Lone WolfLimited Edition have already seen Troubled Waters and Mountain High, but now they're available for the entire Xbox Live community.
See the city by the sea ... and knock it down.
Troubled Waters This is a tight, close-quarters map that features several city blocks' worth of buildings and some canals, all bordered by water and connected by a series of bridges. The map supports the Grinder and Destruction game types, and the action tends to be concentrated in a small area (and therefore extremely intense). Savvy players can take sniper positions atop any of the tall buildings or on the outskirts of the arena, but don't get too comfortable: If another 'Mech levels the building you're on, you're going up in a bright flash of light and smoke. Some of the most powerful assault 'Mechs are available, such as the Ragnorak and the Blood Asp, but lighter and faster 'Mechs have the advantage among the buildings … at least until later in the match, when most of the structures will have been leveled. The map's layout limits the use of secondary vehicles (tanks, VTOLs, BattleArmor), but you won't have time to miss them because in these tight spaces the enemy is always close enough to strike. This is a great map for deathmatch purists who just want to climb into a 'Mech and go head-to-head with another pilot. Now, those who prefer team games should consider the other new map …
These mountains are both rocky and smoky.
Mountain High The Mountain High map is much larger than Troubled Waters, so it supports all team game types (including Not It!, Capture the Flag, Check It!, Base War, and Snatch It) as well as Grinder. The ground area is under knee-deep water (knee-deep on a giant Thor 'Mech, that is) and there's a wide cul-de-sac at each end of the map that leads to the circular waterfall area in the center; rocky ridges border all three of these areas, providing flat, dry areas for objectives and high ground for scouts and snipers. At the start of the match you find a wide assortment of light, medium, and heavy 'Mechs, including the Nova Cat, Summoner, and Catapult, as well as BattleArmor and VTOL jets. The map layout is flexible enough to present a serious challenge no matter what game type you play or what game mode—the team with the best strategy is likely to win no matter which engines of destruction they take into battle. If you rely on sheer speed to reach match objectives in a hurry, you're going to have to figure out how to deal with all those heavy 'Mechs once they catch up. Crafty players will figure out a way to use the spray from the falls as cover, occupying the high ground so they can strike from above without fear of retaliation.
In all, the two maps featured in New Maps 01 cover almost the entire spectrum of MechAssault arenas: You've got everything from claustrophobic close combat to long-range sniping, one map each for single-player matches and team games, and a ton of gorgeous, completely destructible environmental features.
