Mech Commander 2

Mechcommander 2 is a tactical strategy game that chronicles the intrigues of three clans vying for control of a planet called Carver V.

As a commander of a band of mercenaries, you will work for all three clans as the game progresses. Each clan will explain its motivations, but as a merc, my attitude has been "I don't care about your life story, you give me money, I'll blow up things for you." Annoyingly, the game does steer the story into a "fighting for the little guy is noble," but I'm a merc, not a politician.

The story is told through communications with your employer, mostly in-between missions, and a series of McLaughlin Group/CNN type clips of talking head, debating/reporting on the developments on Carver V.

There is no traditional base building, but you can take over various enemy installations, such as supply depots and turret controllers. After taking over supply depots, you have points/money that can be used to fly in repair trucks, rigs that salvage fallen 'Mechs, and various other trinkets.

A good deal of the fun is in refitting your 'Mechs to match your pilot's special skills, which they gain as they are promoted. Promotion is somewhat of a mystery to me as some pilots I take on every mission and they never get promoted, while others get their promotions after a salvage rig flies them in after all the shooting has stopped.

The game has four skill levels, from easy to hard. I find normal challenging enough. The user interface could use some work. You have 'tween mission saves and in-mission quick saves. In order to load the quick save, you have to start the mission and after that loads, you can select the quick load. And loading is anything but quick on my aging PIII/Voodoo 3 rig.

I've never had much interest in the whole 'Mech thing before this game, but now I must admit, my imagination is fired. If such contraptions actually existed, it would be my career goal to pilot one. Especially one with limitless ammo, like you can play it in this game.